How should believers respond when witnessing the prosperity of the wicked? Setting the Scene • Job’s friends thought wealth proved righteousness and ruin proved sin. • Job 21 flips that idea: the wicked often thrive, yet God remains righteous. • Observing this tension is nothing new; God included these accounts so we would know how to respond today. Key Verse: Job 21:19 “‘God stores up one’s punishment for his children.’ Let Him repay the man himself, so that he will know.” Job’s retort underscores a crucial truth: justice belongs to God, not to us or to our timetable. Recognizing the Faulty Assumption • Earthly prosperity is not the same as divine approval (Psalm 73:12). • Material ease does not cancel future accountability (Psalm 37:35-36). • Temporary success can actually magnify final judgment if repentance is refused (Romans 2:4-5). God’s Justice Is Certain, Not Always Immediate • Psalm 73:17-19 – the sanctuary perspective: “You set them on slippery places.” • Proverbs 11:21 – “Be sure of this: the wicked will not go unpunished.” • 2 Peter 3:9 – delay shows mercy, not neglect; judgment still comes. • Revelation 20:12 – every deed is kept on record for the Great White Throne. Guarding the Heart When the Wicked Prosper • Refuse envy – Psalm 37:1 “Do not fret because of evildoers.” • Rest in God’s timing – Romans 12:19 “‘Vengeance is Mine; I will repay,’ says the Lord.” • Remain focused on obedience – Galatians 6:9 “Let us not grow weary in doing good.” • Remember eternal realities – 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 – present troubles are “light and momentary.” Practical Responses for Today 1. Speak truth to your own soul • Recite promises like Psalm 37:9-11; rehearse God’s character. 2. Choose thankful contentment • 1 Timothy 6:6-8 reminds that godliness with contentment is great gain. 3. Pray for the wicked to repent • Ezekiel 33:11 shows God takes “no pleasure in the death of the wicked.” 4. Invest in eternal treasures • Matthew 6:19-20 directs hearts toward heaven, not worldly portfolios. 5. Stay active in doing good • Overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21); shine as lights (Philippians 2:15). Encouragement from the Cross and Empty Tomb • At Calvary, apparent triumph of evil turned to decisive defeat (Colossians 2:15). • The resurrection guarantees ultimate reversal: what looks victorious now will be exposed and overturned (Acts 17:31). • Because Jesus lives, believers can trust every account will close correctly, and walk in peace until that day. |
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