FAITH CAPSULE: One thing is certain and that is, the wicked will not go unpunished.

Psalm 73

Doing evil is wickedness. What do you have to say about doing evil (the act of wickedness)? This is what Ecclesiastes 8:11 have to say, “Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.” How the wicked gets away with wickedness can be tempting for those who abstain from doing evil. The psalmist testifies, “But for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the boastful, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” (Psalm 73:2-3) It can be challenging to ignore how the wicked one seems to be excelling while the righteous seems to be regressing. The psalmist later pointed out, “But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all your works.” (Psalm 73:28)  The best way to ignore how the wicked seems to be making a head way in life is to draw near to God and put trust in Him just as the psalmist said. 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.”

Truly, it might not be wrong for any God fearing man to constantly think of why the wicked seems to be getting away with wickedness. Job, a man described by God as blameless and upright, and one who feared God could not hold back his thought as regard to the wicked. Job asked in Job 21:7-8, “Why do the wicked live and become old, yes become mighty in power? Their descendants are established with them in their sight, and their offspring before their eyes.”  
Also, 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?”

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. Jeremiah, 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. As an acclaimed believer, is the word near in your mouth but far from your mind?

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to be delivered and not engage wicked ways.