What is the meaning of Job 20:25? It is drawn out of his back • Job 20:25 opens with a graphic image of an arrow or spear being yanked from the wicked man’s body: “It is drawn out of his back”. • The picture is literal—an actual weapon embedded in flesh—yet it also conveys God’s certain judgment. Just as an archer’s shaft finds its target, so divine retribution never misses (see Psalm 7:12-13; Deuteronomy 32:23). • Pulling the weapon out does not heal; it only exposes the mortal wound. Zophar is emphasizing that the wicked cannot escape the consequences of their sin (cf. Numbers 32:23, “your sin will find you out”). • The back is the part the victim cannot protect, showing vulnerability when God’s judgment strikes from a direction the sinner never expected (Psalm 38:2, “Your arrows have sunk deep into me”). the gleaming point from his liver • The verse continues: “the gleaming point from his liver.” The liver, in ancient thought, is the seat of life and vitality. A pierced liver means certain death. • Removing the “gleaming point” (the polished, shining metal tip) makes the fatal damage visible. So the wicked person’s inner corruption is laid bare before everyone—no hidden sin remains concealed (Hebrews 4:13). • Scripture often links fatal wounds to the liver when speaking of sin’s consequences. Proverbs 7:23 pictures a young man struck “till an arrow pierces his liver,” and Lamentations 2:11 speaks of deep grief “my liver is poured on the ground.” • The brightness of the point highlights God’s righteous justice: His judgments are never murky or unfair; they shine with perfect clarity (Psalm 119:137). Terrors come over him • Once the weapon is removed and the mortal injury exposed, “Terrors come over him.” Physical pain and imminent death usher in overwhelming dread. • Zophar stresses that internal fear accompanies external judgment. When God’s wrath breaks out, panic overwhelms the conscience of the ungodly (Job 18:11; Proverbs 10:24). • In life the wicked may boast, but in the moment of reckoning, all courage evaporates (Isaiah 13:6-8). No human defense or wealth can silence the terrors God sends (Psalm 49:6-7, 15). • These terrors hint at eternal consequences. Earthly anguish foreshadows the everlasting fear awaiting those who die apart from God’s mercy (Matthew 10:28). summary Job 20:25 delivers a sobering, literal snapshot of divine judgment: a weapon removed from the wicked man’s back, its bright tip pulled from his very liver, followed by waves of terror. Each phrase reinforces the certainty, severity, and unveiling nature of God’s justice. Hidden sin is struck, exposed, and paid for; the sinner’s false security crumbles into dread. The verse stands as a vivid warning—and an urgent invitation—to seek the righteousness and refuge that only the Lord provides. |
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