12 “Though evil is sweet in his mouth
And he hides it under his tongue,
13 Though he [g]desires it and will not let it go,
But holds it in his [h]mouth,
14 Yet his food in his stomach is changed
To the [i]venom of cobras within him.
15 “He swallows riches,
But will vomit them up;
God will expel them from his belly.
16 “He sucks the poison of cobras;
The viper’s tongue slays him.
17 “He does not look at the streams,
The rivers flowing with honey and curds.
18 “He returns what he has attained
And cannot swallow it;
As to the riches of his trading,
He cannot even enjoy them.
19 “For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor;
He has seized a house which he has not built.20 “Because he knew no quiet [j]within him,
He does not retain anything he desires.
21 “Nothing remains [k]for him to devour,
Therefore his prosperity does not endure.
22 “In the fullness of his plenty he will be cramped;
The hand of everyone who suffers will come against him.
23 “When he fills his belly,
God will send His fierce anger on him
And will rain it on him [l]while he is eating.
24 “He may flee from the iron weapon,
But the bronze bow will pierce him.
25 “It is drawn forth and comes out of his back,
Even the glittering point from his gall.
Terrors come upon him,
26 Complete darkness is held in reserve for his treasures,
And unfanned fire will devour him;
It will consume the survivor in his tent.
27 “The heavens will reveal his iniquity,
And the earth will rise up against him.
28 “The increase of his house will depart;
His possessions will flow away in the day of His anger.
29 “This is the wicked man’s portion from God,
Even the heritage decreed to him by God.”
Zophar prophesies a lot of doom and gloom for those who act wickedly. While we’ve seen repeatedly that God doesn’t always punish sin immediately on this earth, I think Zophar nails a couple things pretty well in vv. 19-20. There’s something insidious about jealousy, and at first one might think that it doesn’t hurt anyone else to be jealous, until it does.
King David’s biggest mistake revolved around jealousy, and he seized a wife that was not his to take. It ended in one of the most despicable murders in the Bible, as he sent Uriah’s death warrant by the man’s own hand. If we cannot be content with what God has given us, we will be tempted to do similar things to gain what we should not have in the first place.
We need to find that “quiet within us” which can only be found one place. It isn’t in money or houses, cars, drugs or sex. We find a “peace that passes understanding” when we let God have control and trust that He will give us what is best for us. Just because your neighbor has nicer things doesn’t mean that is best for you–it doesn’t even mean it is best for them, as it might come with an overburdening mountain of debt.
If we can’t be content, we may lose even what we have until we learn it. If you’re feeling restless and struggling with feelings of not having enough, seek God first. Trust Him to provide for your every need. As Jesus said, “are you not of more worth than the sparrows… or the lilies?” God watches over all the sparrows in the world, and clothes the lilies in incredible splendor. He cares for you a whole lot more than a bird or flower, precious though they may be, and He will help you find contentment and peace in a world that has gone mad for material goods. Trust God and avoid the dangerous traps of jealousy and discontentment.