Job 27:21
The east wind carries him away, and he is gone; it sweeps him out of his place.
The east wind carries him away
In biblical literature, the east wind is often associated with destruction and judgment. In the context of Job, it symbolizes the sudden and overwhelming calamity that befalls the wicked. The east wind is mentioned in other parts of Scripture, such as in Exodus 10:13, where it brings the plague of locusts upon Egypt, and in Jeremiah 18:17, where it represents God's judgment on His people. The imagery of the east wind carrying someone away suggests a forceful and inescapable removal, emphasizing the powerlessness of the wicked against divine judgment.

and he is gone
This phrase underscores the finality and completeness of the judgment. The wicked are not merely displaced; they are utterly removed from their position and influence. This reflects the biblical theme of the transience of life and the futility of wickedness, as seen in Psalm 37:10, where the wicked are described as being no more. The phrase also echoes the idea of divine retribution, where the wicked face consequences that are both swift and irreversible.

it sweeps him out of his place
The imagery of being swept away suggests a thorough and decisive action. In the ancient Near Eastern context, one's place was not just a physical location but also a symbol of status, security, and identity. To be swept out of one's place indicates a total loss of these elements. This can be connected to the broader biblical narrative of God's sovereignty and justice, where He uproots the wicked and establishes the righteous, as seen in Proverbs 2:22. The phrase also foreshadows the ultimate judgment and separation of the wicked from the presence of God, a theme that is further developed in the New Testament.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Job
The central figure in the Book of Job, a man of great faith and patience who endures immense suffering and loss. In this chapter, Job is continuing his discourse on the fate of the wicked.

2. East Wind
In the Bible, the east wind is often associated with destruction and judgment. It is a powerful force that can bring about change or devastation.

3. The Wicked
Job is speaking about the fate of the wicked, emphasizing their ultimate downfall and the transient nature of their prosperity.
Teaching Points
The Transience of Wickedness
The east wind symbolizes the temporary nature of the wicked's prosperity. Just as the wind can quickly change the landscape, so too can the fortunes of those who do not follow God's ways.

God's Sovereignty in Judgment
The imagery of the east wind reminds us of God's ultimate control over creation and His ability to bring about justice in His timing.

The Importance of Righteous Living
Job's discourse encourages believers to focus on living righteously, knowing that the apparent success of the wicked is fleeting and will ultimately be swept away.

Trust in God's Justice
Even when it seems like the wicked prosper, believers are called to trust in God's justice and His ability to set things right in His perfect timing.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the imagery of the east wind in Job 27:21 help us understand the fate of the wicked?

2. In what ways does the concept of the east wind in Job 27:21 connect with the description of the wicked in Psalm 1?

3. How can we apply the lesson of the transience of wickedness to our own lives and the world around us?

4. What does Job 27:21 teach us about God's sovereignty and justice, and how can this influence our perspective on current events?

5. How can we find encouragement in Job's discourse when we see the apparent success of the wicked in today's society?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Psalm 1
This Psalm contrasts the way of the righteous with the way of the wicked, similar to Job's discourse. The wicked are like chaff that the wind drives away, paralleling the imagery of the east wind in Job 27:21.

Proverbs 10:25
This verse speaks about the whirlwind passing and the wicked being no more, reinforcing the idea of the temporary nature of the wicked's success.

Isaiah 40:24
This passage describes how God can blow away the wicked like stubble, highlighting His power over human affairs and the futility of wickedness.
The East WindW.F. Adeney Job 27:21
Job a Victor in the ControversyE. Johnson Job 27:1-23
God's Treatment of Wicked MenHomilistJob 27:11-23
Zophar's Missing SpeechAlbert Barnes.Job 27:11-23
The Portion of a Wicked ManW.F. Adeney Job 27:13-23
The Reward of IniquityR. Green Job 27:13-23
People
Job
Places
Uz
Topics
Carries, Carrieth, Departeth, Departs, East, Forced, Frighteneth, Hurleth, Lifts, Storm, Sweepeth, Sweeps, Takes, Violently, Whirls, Wind
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Job 27:21-23

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Library
The Touchstone of Godly Sincerity
Who, then, is this "wicked man," thus portrayed before us? And what are the first symptoms of his depravity? We ask not the question idly, but in order that we take heed against the uprise of such an evil in ourselves. "Beneath the saintly veil the votary of sin May lurk unseen; and to that eye alone Which penetrates the heart, may stand revealed." The hypocrite is very often an exceedingly neat imitation of the Christian. To the common observer he is so good a counterfeit that he entirely escapes
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 17: 1871

Whether Hypocrisy is Contrary to the virtue of Truth?
Objection 1: It seems that hypocrisy is not contrary to the virtue of truth. For in dissimulation or hypocrisy there is a sign and a thing signified. Now with regard to neither of these does it seem to be opposed to any special virtue: for a hypocrite simulates any virtue, and by means of any virtuous deeds, such as fasting, prayer and alms deeds, as stated in Mat. 6:1-18. Therefore hypocrisy is not specially opposed to the virtue of truth. Objection 2: Further, all dissimulation seems to proceed
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

On the Interior Man
The interior man is the rational soul; in the apostle: have in your hearts, in the interior man, Christ through faith. [Eph. 3:16] His head is Christ; in the apostle: the head of the man is Christ. [I Cor. 11:3] The crown of the head is the height of righteousness; in Solomon: for the crown of your head has received the crown of grace. The same in a bad part: the crown of hairs having walked about in their own delights, that is, in the height of iniquity. [Prov. 4:9; Ps. 67(68):22(21)] The hair is
St. Eucherius of Lyons—The Formulae of St. Eucherius of Lyons

Wesley in St. Albans Abbey
Monday, July 30.--l preached at Bingham, ten miles from Nottingham. I really admired the exquisite stupidity of the people. They gaped and stared while I was speaking of death and judgment, as if they had never heard of such things before. And they were not helped by two surly, ill-mannered clergymen, who seemed to be just as wise as themselves. The congregation at Houghton in the evening was more noble, behaving with the utmost decency. Tuesday, 31.--At nine I preached in the market place at Loughborough,
John Wesley—The Journal of John Wesley

The Work of Jesus Christ as an Advocate,
CLEARLY EXPLAINED, AND LARGELY IMPROVED, FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL BELIEVERS. 1 John 2:1--"And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." By JOHN BUNYAN, Author of "The Pilgrim's Progress." London: Printed for Dorman Newman, at the King's Arms, in the Poultry, 1689. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. This is one of the most interesting of Bunyan's treatises, to edit which required the Bible at my right hand, and a law dictionary on my left. It was very frequently republished;
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

The Sinner Arraigned and Convicted.
1. Conviction of guilt necessary.--2. A charge of rebellion against God advanced.--3. Where it is shown--that all men are born under God's law.--4. That no man hath perfectly kept it.--5. An appeal to the reader's conscience on this head, that he hath not.--6. That to have broken it, is an evil inexpressibly great.--7. Illustrated by a more particular view of the aggravations of this guilt, arising--from knowledge.--8. From divine favors received.--9. From convictions of conscience overborne.--10.
Philip Doddridge—The Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul

God's Sovereignty and Prayer
"If we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us" (1 John 5:14). Throughout this book it has been our chief aim to exalt the Creator and abase the creature. The well-nigh universal tendency now, is to magnify man and dishonour and degrade God. On every hand it will be found that, when spiritual things are under discussion, the human side and element is pressed and stressed, and the Divine side, if not altogether ignored, is relegated to the background. This holds true of very much of the
Arthur W. Pink—The Sovereignty of God

Job
The book of Job is one of the great masterpieces of the world's literature, if not indeed the greatest. The author was a man of superb literary genius, and of rich, daring, and original mind. The problem with which he deals is one of inexhaustible interest, and his treatment of it is everywhere characterized by a psychological insight, an intellectual courage, and a fertility and brilliance of resource which are nothing less than astonishing. Opinion has been divided as to how the book should be
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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