Thoughts for another day

July 3, 2008

Today's verse: Prov. 28:1. The wicked flee when no man pursueth: (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

I was perusing the Book of Job yesterday and what I read in Ch. 21 perplexed me a little. It was Job’s reply to Zophar where he envies the wicked saying, though wicked, they prosper; and although they scorn God, they up their status! You know, when taken out of context, this can seem pretty sacrilegious. But Job’s state of mind in that particular situation was rather awry and to stupidity belonged his perseverance in trying to prove he was right and God was wrong in bringing him so low, which though a fact, was not for him to decide what the Mighty One should do. Job was provoked by his friends to answer thus as they failed to see how a righteous man could be so dumped by God.

Of course, Job later on castigates the wicked (Ch. 27:13 ff) and I am sure that although Job’s passion ran quite high because of his friends’ accusations, he never felt in his heart of being or doing wicked to prosper for we learn from his character that he was well honed in these ways.

What we need to learn and know is what we read in today’s verse and that is, retribution to the wicked is certain. The Word says, though none chase, the wicked flee. What a statement! You see my friend; never even think that those who do wrong can expect things to go right for them in the long run. We see before our eyes the future the wicked face. For a while it may seem to us that the wicked prosper or live happily but that’s just a façade, a mirage. The righteous may suffer, but that suffering taken to God is in itself manna for the soul and creates eligibility for a great Grace outpouring.

Know then that even envying the wicked is unseemly before God and He doesn’t tolerate us being wicked or aiming to be like them. The righteousness of God has no room for such and He will provide retribution in time, which will blot their names from the earth.