Topical Bible: Joy of the Wicked: should be Turned Into Mourning

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The concept of the joy of the wicked being turned into mourning is a recurring theme in the Bible, reflecting the divine justice and moral order established by God. This transformation from joy to mourning serves as a warning and a reminder of the ultimate consequences of wickedness and unrighteousness.

Biblical References

1. Job 20:5 · "the triumph of the wicked has been brief and the joy of the godless momentary?" This verse highlights the transient nature of the wicked's joy. Zophar, one of Job's friends, argues that the apparent success and happiness of the wicked are short-lived, suggesting that their joy will inevitably turn into mourning as a result of divine justice.

2. Proverbs 14:13 · "Even in laughter the heart may ache, and joy may end in sorrow." This proverb underscores the superficiality and fleeting nature of the joy experienced by those who live in opposition to God's ways. It implies that beneath the surface of laughter and joy, there is an underlying sorrow that will eventually manifest.

3. James 4:9 · "Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter to mourning, and your joy to gloom." James exhorts believers to recognize the seriousness of sin and to repent sincerely. This call to turn joy into mourning is a call to humility and repentance, acknowledging the gravity of sin and the need for God's mercy.

Theological Implications

The transformation of the wicked's joy into mourning is deeply rooted in the biblical understanding of divine justice. The Scriptures consistently affirm that God is righteous and just, and He will not allow wickedness to go unpunished indefinitely. The temporary joy of the wicked is contrasted with the eternal joy promised to the righteous, emphasizing the ultimate triumph of good over evil.

Moral and Ethical Considerations

From a moral standpoint, the joy of the wicked turning into mourning serves as a cautionary tale. It warns against the allure of sin and the deceptive nature of temporary pleasures that are contrary to God's will. The Bible encourages believers to pursue righteousness and to find joy in obedience to God, rather than in the fleeting pleasures of sin.

Practical Application

For believers, the concept of the wicked's joy turning into mourning is a call to self-examination and repentance. It serves as a reminder to align one's life with God's commandments and to seek joy in His presence. It also encourages believers to trust in God's justice, even when the wicked seem to prosper temporarily.

In summary, the biblical theme of the joy of the wicked being turned into mourning is a powerful reminder of the transient nature of sin's pleasures and the enduring justice of God. It calls individuals to repentance, righteousness, and a deeper understanding of true joy found in a relationship with the Creator.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

James 4:9
Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Hindrances to Mourning
... Let the wicked forsake his way, and return to the Lord ... fain to vail his glory and
lose his joy, and pour ... the most part only for fear lest they should sink the ...
/.../the beatitudes an exposition of matthew 51-12/9 the hindrances to mourning.htm

Repentance
... But my sins are so great, that if I should repent, God would not pardon them! ... The
wicked man's joy turns to sadness: the penitent's sadness turns to joy. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/the ten commandments/4 2 repentance.htm

Letter ccxliii. To the Bishops of Italy and Gaul Concerning the ...
... state of confusion in which we are situated should be made ... be worshipped, or we are
delivered to the wicked flame of ... Joy and spiritual gladness are taken away. ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/letter ccxliii to the bishops.htm

Levi-Matthew
... own attributes, so the Lord's messengers were falsified by these wicked men. ... When
He should come forth from the tomb, their sorrow would be turned to joy. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 28 levi-matthew.htm

Blessed are they that Mourn
... vexed with the unclean conversation of the wicked' (2 Peter 2:7 ... alter as fast as
their judgements, we should not know ... verse 2). We were as far from joy as those ...
/.../the beatitudes an exposition of matthew 51-12/6 blessed are they that.htm

Christ's Sermon on the Mount in Manner and Contents it So ...
... their name be honoured." [3945] Again: "The wicked shall be ... first who said that those
who mourned should laugh ... glory) for ashes, and the oil of joy for mourning ...
/.../tertullian/the five books against marcion/chapter xiv christs sermon on the.htm

Letter cxxii. To Rusticus.
... us, and we pine away in them, how should we then ... the death of the wicked: but that
the wicked turn from ... the prophet: "they that sow in tears shall reap in joy. ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter cxxii to rusticus.htm

The Comforts Belonging to Mourners
... The comforts of wicked men are spiced with bitterness. ... is most fitly in Scripture
expressed by the joy of a ... above all gods' (Psalm 95:3). Where should there be ...
/.../the beatitudes an exposition of matthew 51-12/11 the comforts belonging to.htm

What Use Heavenly Contemplation Makes of Consideration, the ...
... As wicked men continue wicked, because they bring not reason ... friends who would draw
me to damnation, should I not ... turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from ...
/.../baxter/the saints everlasting rest/chapter xiv what use heavenly.htm

The Wicked Man's Life, Funeral, and Epitaph
... with twinkling eye, and leer of malicious joy, says, "Here ... the lid of the hypocrite's
coffin, we should see a ... The wicked man may come and go from the place of ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/the wicked mans life funeral.htm