How does Job 15:20 describe the life of the wicked man? Setting the Scene Eliphaz is in his second speech to Job. Though he wrongly applies his words to Job, what he says in 15:20 reflects timeless truth about the character and consequences of wickedness revealed throughout Scripture. Key Verse “All his days the wicked man suffers torment; the number of years reserved for the ruthless is limited.” (Job 15:20) What Job 15:20 Reveals • Continuous misery — “all his days” signals an unbroken experience of anguish. • Inner agony — “suffers torment” points to pain that is more than physical; it is mental, emotional, and spiritual. • Certain brevity — “the number of years … is limited” underlines that God sets a fixed boundary to the wicked man’s career. His time to oppress and to live is capped by divine decree. • Inevitable justice — “reserved for the ruthless” shows that God has already allotted the wicked man’s future; judgment is not random but ordained. Zooming In on the Details 1. “All his days” – No season of real peace (cf. Isaiah 57:20–21). – Misery is lifelong, beginning now, not just in eternity. 2. “Suffers torment” – Word carries the sense of travail, writhing, continual distress. – Echoed in Psalm 32:10: “Many are the sorrows of the wicked.” 3. “Number of years … limited” – God fixes life’s span (Psalm 139:16); for the wicked, that limit underscores coming judgment. – Proverbs 10:27: “The years of the wicked will be cut short.” The Broader Biblical Picture • Psalm 1:4–6—The wicked are like chaff; they “will not stand in the judgment.” • Proverbs 13:15—“The way of the treacherous is hard.” • Romans 2:5—Day by day the unrepentant are “storing up wrath.” Together with Job 15:20, these passages present a consistent testimony: the wicked may appear secure, but Scripture pulls back the curtain to show present misery and an appointed end. Takeaway Truths • Wickedness never yields lasting peace; it breeds continual inner torment. • God sovereignly limits the lifespan and influence of the ruthless. • Present suffering foretells future judgment—divine justice is already at work. |
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