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THE PROSPERITY OF THE WICKED
SATURDAY, JUNE 25
Job 15:20-25

Psalm 108:1-6

 

Worldlings make gold their god,
saints make God their gold.

(M Henry)

 

THE PROSPERITY OF THE WICKED
 
Job’s friends insisted that the wicked never prospered while the righteous always did. However, Job insisted that this idea was not born out of the obvious facts of life. The Christian faith is realistic. If we are poor, we do not pretend to be otherwise. Many Christians have been poor. If we are sick, we do not pretend to be well. Christians in the Scriptures have often suffered illnesses. If God blesses a Christian with wealth, they do not pretend to be poor or embarrassed by their prosperity but use this blessing of God for His glory.
 
In like manner, we do not pretend that God always makes sinners poor because, despite the contention of Job’s friends, some very wicked men have been extremely wealthy. This fact has bothered God’s people down through the ages (Jer 12:1; Ps 73:2-3).
 
We see the prosperous wicked in this world in three types of situations. First, there are those who prosper and seem to be really enjoying life. Although they do not suffer on this earth, their day of reckoning comes when their soul is required by God. At that time, they must give an account of their rejection of His salvation (Luke 12:16-20).
 
Second, there are the wicked who are prosperous but even in their prosperity, suffer anguish of soul and spirit. After gathering for themselves the wealth and power that this world offers, they find that they will not get satisfaction. Proof of this can be seen in the many powerful, wealthy and famous people who, at the very time they possess all the world, are driven to commit suicide.
 
Then, there are the wicked who lose their ill-gotten gains. We see them caught up in their sin, losing all their wealth and often spending time in prison, only to emerge broken in body and in spirit.
 
THOUGHT: In what situations do we find the prosperous wicked?

PRAYER: Father, may I not labour for things which have no eternal value.

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