Day 21 – Chapter 21

“Why do the wicked still live, continue on, also become very powerful? Their descendants are established with them in their sight, and their offspring before their eyes, their houses are safe from fear, and the rod of God is not on them. His ox mates without fail; his cow calves and does not abort. They send forth their little ones like the flock, and their children skip about. They sing to the timbrel and harp and rejoice at the sound of the flute. They spend their days in prosperity, and suddenly they go down to Sheol. They say to God, ‘Depart from us! We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways. ‘Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him, and what would we gain if we entreat Him?’ Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand; the counsel of the wicked is far from me” (21:7-16)

Job’s so-called friends have been contending that the wicked die prematurely (“His bones are full of his youthful vigor, but it lies down with him in the dust” 20:11), therefore, Job must be guilty of some wickedness for all he is suffering to have come upon him. Job now challenges these assertions by contending that not only do the wicked not die prematurely, they live and prosper. The sense of Job’s objection here is that not only do they live, but also it is God who allows them to live. In verses 7-16, Job strongly infers that God lets the wicked live happy lives, He does not punish them, and He takes care of them.

Job’s complaint is, of course, not new. Jeremiah asks, “Why has the way of wicked prospered? Why are all those who deal in treachery at ease” (Jeremiah 12:1b)? It is a continuing question for all those who walk committed lives before the Lord because it often appears that those who do not share their commitment prosper. This is a shell game, an illusion contrived by the enemy of our souls to frustrate and confuse us so that we will begin to envy the wicked and eventually go back on our commitment to the Lord. Asaph writes, “Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart! But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling, my steps had almost slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant as I saw the prosperity of the wicked” (Psalm 73:1-3). Even Habbakuk gets in on the complaint when he writes, “Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, and You look not on wickedness with favor. Why do You look with favor on those who deal treacherously? Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up those more righteous than they” (Habbakuk 1:13)?

Do the wicked prosper more than the righteous? It seems clear that often they may, but what is less clear is how long God will continue to allow them to prosper. There is judgment to face for every person when we shall be called upon to give an account before God. Those who are wicked still will receive the due penalty for their sins. It might be frustrating to entertain such an answer while we are struggling and suffering as a consequence of our righteous and obedient lifestyle, but understand that God knows and sees all you endure and He will not allow you to be forsaken or to go begging for bread.

Father, forgive me for envying the wicked, for coveting their possessions, and for lusting after their lifestyles. Reassure me today that You see me, hear my humble cry, and reward of those who diligently seek You. Keep my thoughts and desires pure today. Amen.