What does "his craving" in Job 20:20 reveal about human desires? Context within Job 20 Zophar is describing the wicked man who seems prosperous but is, in fact, under God’s judgment. He says: “Because his appetite is never satisfied, he cannot escape his desire.” (Job 20:20) The Word Behind “His Craving” • Hebrew — תַּאֲוָה (ta’avah): longing, lust, appetite • Picture — an inner emptiness relentlessly crying, “More!” Human Desire Unmasked • Built-in hunger is real and God-given (Genesis 1:29; Psalm 107:9), yet sin twists it. • Sinful craving is: – Insatiable: “The eye is never satisfied” (Proverbs 27:20). – Restless: “No quietness within him” (Job 20:20a). – Self-centred: “He cannot escape his desire” (Job 20:20b). • Desire itself is not evil; disordered desire is. James 1:14-15 traces temptation to inward lust that conceives sin and births death. Consequences of an Unsatisfied Appetite • Spiritual famine: “Why spend money on what is not bread?” (Isaiah 55:2). • Moral collapse: “Each one is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire” (James 1:14). • Temporal frustration: “Whoever loves money is never satisfied with money” (Ecclesiastes 5:10). • Eternal peril: unchecked craving alienates the soul from God (1 John 2:16-17). Finding Real Satisfaction in the Lord • God alone fills the void: “He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things” (Psalm 107:9). • Christ offers lasting bread: “Whoever comes to Me will never hunger” (John 6:35). • Contentment learned, not caught: “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances” (Philippians 4:11-13). • Spirit-led desires: “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). Practical Applications • Diagnose cravings: Ask what you run to when restless. • Redirect hunger: Treat emptiness as a cue to seek the Lord through Word, worship, fellowship. • Cultivate gratitude: Thankfulness starves greed (1 Thessalonians 5:18). • Practice generosity: Giving loosens craving’s grip (2 Corinthians 9:7-8). • Rest in Christ’s sufficiency: Daily remind yourself, “The LORD is my shepherd; I lack nothing” (Psalm 23:1). |
    |