In Job’s initial response to Zophar (v1-6) there appears to be sarcasm because his friends have not been listening to him.

Job’s friends have been saying regularly how sin brings judgment in this world. Job responds to that argument by highlighting that what he regularly sees in life is very different.

Job sees the wicked living to an old age (v7); it goes well with their children (v8); their houses are safe (v9); their animals do well (v10); they have joy (v11-12) and they are rich despite despising God (v13-15). Job does not see the destruction of the wicked that Zophar speaks about (v16-21).

Zophar’s argument that the wicked always suffer in this world and all suffering is due to wickedness falls apart in the light of experience. Asaph in Psalm 73 deals with this problem of the unrighteous flourishing while he suffered. His ultimate answer was the final judgment, when things would be turned around.

In the bible there are general principles in regards how we know God’s blessing, but alongside these principles we need to accept that there in this life mystery in how God deals with people (see v23-26). The theology of Job’s friends was too small.