What is the meaning of Job 20:12? Though evil is sweet in his mouth • Zophar paints a vivid picture: the wicked man treats evil the way a child savors candy—rolling it around with delight. Psalm 9:16 reminds us that “the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands,” showing how that initial sweetness quickly becomes a trap. • Sin’s first taste can feel pleasant, mirroring Proverbs 9:17, “Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.” Yet Hebrews 11:25 warns that the “pleasures of sin” last only “for a season,” underscoring that the sweetness is temporary. • This phrase also hints at personal choice: evil does not accidentally land in his mouth; he puts it there. James 1:14-15 explains that we are “drawn away and enticed by our own desires,” and that desire, when conceived, “gives birth to sin.” and he conceals it under his tongue • The wicked man’s next move is to hide the very thing he enjoys, tucking it away like a lozenge he doesn’t want to dissolve. Proverbs 28:13 observes, “He who conceals his sins will not prosper,” illustrating the futility of trying to keep wrongdoing secret. • Concealment reveals affection: he guards evil as something precious. Psalm 36:2 says, “For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin,” showing that self-deception accompanies hidden sin. • What is hidden will still be exposed. Luke 12:2 assures, “There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed,” and Numbers 32:23 adds, “be sure your sin will find you out.” No matter how deeply the tongue hides it, sin ultimately surfaces before God and often before people. • The concealed sin corrodes from within. Psalm 32:3-4 records David’s misery while he kept silent about his sin, proving that hidden wrongdoing saps vitality and joy, even if no one else knows. summary Job 20:12 shows the two-step progression of sin: (1) savoring its deceptive sweetness and (2) hiding it to keep savoring longer. The verse exposes the foolish devotion the wicked give to evil, thinking they can enjoy it privately without consequence. Cross-Scripture echoes—from Proverbs to Luke—affirm that sinful pleasure is fleeting, concealment is self-deception, and God will bring every hidden thing to light. Wise believers heed the warning: refuse the initial taste, and bring anything already hidden into the cleansing light of God’s truth. |
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