Envy Not the Wicked

There are numerous accounts in the scriptures where it is questioned by righteous men why the lives of those who are not following hard after God often time seem to prosper and go so smoothly. Job gave one of the most vivid accounts in the Bible of the prosperity of the wicked: “Even when I remember I am afraid, and trembling taketh hold on my flesh. Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power? Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes. Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them. Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf. They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance. They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ. They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave. Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways” (Job 21:6-14). Well, the first thing that comes to mind reading this passage are the sobering words of Jesus: “But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep” (Lk. 6:24,25). Job went on to explain this malady that so many have questioned through the ages: “Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens, That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath” (Job 21:29,30). The wise Psalmist Asaph was also troubled by the prosperity of those who did not love God in his day: “But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked… They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men… And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High? Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning… When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction” (Psm. 73:2,3,5,11-4,16-18). Asaph came to the same conclusion that Job did, and that is that it isn’t wise to envy those who are on their way to everlasting destruction.

Even one of the greatest prophets who ever lived had his own bout with this frustration of seeing the wicked enjoy worldly prosperity: “Righteous art thou, O Lord, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously? Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root: they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins.” But Jeremiah came to a relatively swift resolve of the matter, and it was the same understanding that Job and Asaph realized: “But thou, O Lord, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter” (Jer. 12:1-3). The writer of the 49th Psalm took his turn with this issue as well, and with dreadful soberness: “Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased; For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him… He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light” (Psm. 49:16,17,19). The reference here of never seeing light is a direct reference to the lake of fire, the final destination of all who do not obey God’s will in this life (Rev. 20:14,15; Rev. 21:8). Solomon referred to this place of utter horror and pain as “obscure darkness,” while Jude called it “the blackness of darkness” (Prov. 20:20; Jd. 1:13). That is quite a price to pay for having things your own way for a few short years in this life. The rich man in the parable of Lazarus the beggar, which was told by Jesus, learned this lesson too late: “And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented” (Lk. 16:23-25).

In a similar vein to these things, there were contrasting circumstances regarding the state of things in this life with two of the messengers of the congregations in Asia to whom Jesus sent messages by the hand of John: “And unto the [messenger] of the [congregation] of the Laodiceans write… Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” (Rev. 3:14,17). “And unto the [messenger] of the [congregation] in Smyrna write… I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich)” (Rev. 2:8,9). This instruction of the scriptures could go on with more examples, but I believe the point is sufficiently made. I would like to add however, that being poor and downtrodden doesn’t make one righteous. Neither does being rich in this world necessarily make one wicked. But it is certain that it is very unwise to think that someone is blessed or cursed according to what their worldly state is. The moral of the story here is that we should heed the instruction of Jesus, who told us, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Mat. 6:33). And we should follow the example of the apostle Paul, who said, “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content” (Philip. 4:11). And to this he added; “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (I Tim. 6:6-10). All that is left is the admonition of the wise proverb that tells us, “Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them” (Prov. 24:1). Amen.