THE IDENTITY OF THE WICKED
Jeremiah 12

One thing is certain and that is, the wicked will not go unpunished. Proverbs 11:21, “Though they join forces,] the wicked will not go unpunished; But the posterity of the righteous will be delivered.” Throughout the Bible it is evident that being wicked does not activate immediate consequences of sin. It is pointed out in different books of the Bible that the wicked could enjoy as much as the righteous do or more than the righteous most times but the end is where the difference is clear. Are you wondering why the wicked seem to be having it well or you are wondering if you fall into the identities of the wicked? Job asked in Job 21:7-8, “Why do the wicked live and become old, yes become mighty in power? 8 Their descendants are established with them in their sight, and their offspring before their eyes.” Just like Job, many others in the pages of the Bible were curious about the sustainability and well being of the wicked. King David must have been reacting to an act of the wicked when he declared in Psalm 7:9, Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end…” Curiosity over the way of the wicked did not end with King David. The Psalmist also asked in Psalm 94:3 LORD how long will the wicked, how long will the wicked triumph?” Once, God pointed out to Jeremiah, “LORD, how long will the wicked, How long will the wicked triumph? ” (Jeremiah 12:5) God was responding to Jeremiah’s curiosity of knowing why the wicked were prospering. Jeremiah, a prophet of God, was called into proclaiming God’s judgment against the people of Judah for their idolatry, unfaithfulness to the covenant, and their disobedience to the will of God. At a point in time when he could not hold on to the reason why the wicked prospered he went further and asked God, “…Why does the way of the wicked prosper…” (Jeremiah 12:1). Evidently, in the curiosity of Jeremiah before God, it was clear that the wicked ones grew just like the righteous ones; the wicked ones could be happy just like the righteous ones. Is there any way that you have been walking the walk of the wicked while there is nothing that identifies you as wicked? You know yourself and God knows you better. Inside of Jeremiah’s curiosity, the identity of the wicked was spelled out when he mentioned, “…You are near in their mouth but far from their mind.” (Jeremiah 12:2)  As an acclaimed believer, is the word near in your mouth but far from your mind? Word in the mouth and not in the mind is the full name of wickedness.

Prayer for today: Ask God to deliver you from every wicked way so that you may be preserved for the kingdom of God.