THE PROSPERITY OF THE WICKED

     There are many scriptural references to what many have observed about the prosperity of the wicked. Even the great David is recorded by Asaph as being envious at one time of the prosperity of the wicked. “For I was envious of the arrogant, as I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” (Psalm 73:3).

     But the Bible and the leading of the Spirit teach us that we need never be envious of the prosperity of the wicked. For it is with absolute certainty that just as the righteous shall be rewarded for our good works, the wicked shall be rewarded for their errant and rebellious ways. “Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds”. (Isaiah 3:10).

     For God is not a God who shall be mocked “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows”. (Genesis 6:7). And God is a God who truly despises uneven scales. “Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD, but an accurate weight is His delight”. (Proverbs 11.1).

     An anchor principle we can all trust and depend upon with complete conviction is Genesis 8:22. “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.” And what the principle of seed time and harvest promises, is that under heaven, there is a time and a season for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

     For whilst the wicked may appear to be unchecked in their disdain for righteousness, at the proper and appointed time, which is the time of harvest of all their seed time, He shall most assuredly reset the imbalance. “"They spend their days in prosperity, And suddenly they go down to Sheol”. (Job 21:13).

     Malachi 3:15 says: “So now we call the arrogant blessed; not only are the doers of wickedness built up but they also test God and escape”. Likewise we read in Job 12:6: “The tents of the destroyers prosper, And those who provoke God are secure”. But in Psalm 37:7, we have this blessed assurance: “Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes”.

     If you judge your life as being worth nothing because your ways in this life appear to prosper little whilst the wicked prosper abundantly, remember that the prosperity of this world holds not even a flame to the prosperity of the kingdom. Our Father God says that we are to store up our treasures in heaven, which is to not count the prosperity of the world as being either a standard or a measure of prosperity.

      For the treasures of this world are both a thinly veiled lie and a trap. They feed the “lusts of the eyes”, the “lust of the flesh” and the “pride of life”, the three pillars that keep our storehouses in heaven empty whilst storing up wrath for ourselves when Genesis 8:22 comes into full effect. “For all that is in the world — the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not from the Father but from the world”. (1 John 2:16).

     And forget not this sweet principle of pure gold: for where our treasure is, there our heart will also be. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”. (Matthew 6:19-21).

     This emphasis and wording of storing up your treasures in heaven places “God” as front and centre. Which is the great and abiding principle of getting out of the “boat of self”, and stepping out onto “the water” of keeping our eyes exclusively on Jesus and COMPLETELY off the prosperity of the wicked and the treasures of the world. For then we shall make our way sure, and our hand shall prosper. And remember: God doesn’t give us a bunch of principles and rules just to make our lives challenging. He instructs us not for His benefit, but for ours!

     “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” (Psalm 1:1-3 NIV).

     Genesis 39:3 (NASB) – “Now his master saw that the LORD was with him and how the LORD caused all that he did to prosper in his hand.”

     1 Kings 2:3 (NIV) – “and observe what the LORD your God requires: Walk in his ways, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and requirements, as written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go.”

     Deuteronomy 12:7 (NASB) – “There also you and your households shall eat before the LORD your God, and rejoice in all your undertakings in which the LORD your God has blessed you.”

     Deuteronomy 29:9 (NASB) – “So keep the words of this covenant to do them, that you may prosper in all that you do.”

     Joshua 1:7 (NIV) – “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.”