DONT TRY TO SHOOT GOD

 

                                             

One time Caesar prepared a lavish feast for his nobles and friends. The day was so bad, everything went wrong. Ceasar was so angry and his temper flared. He commanded all who had bows to shoot their arrows upward toward Jupiter, their chief god, because he was the cause of their disappointment. The mindless order was obeyed, but the arrows, instead of striking the mark aimed at, fell back with violence on their own heads.

In Psalm 37: 7-33 David says “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 brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger and forsake wrath. Do not fret it only causes harm. For evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait on the Lord shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more; Indeed, you will look carefully for his place, but it shall be no more. But the meek shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace (Ps. 37:7-11).

The word translated wait was a military term used of an army’s holding a vital position at all costs. Every hardship and every suffering was to be endured in order to hold fast. Soldiers entered into the battle full of strength, expectation and confidence. Literally, waiting means to remain with a vibrant hope.  In this world where the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer, we are to wait for a brighter day in patient hope and assurance of God’s unwavering love.

We live in a world where we can easily ship-wreck our faith in what appears to be an inexplicable prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous. Asaph had this problem. In Psalm 73 he wrote, “but as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. The wicked “have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong.

Their mouths lay claim to heaven and their tongues take possession of the earth. This is what the wicked are like, always free of care, they go on amassing wealth…Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and have washed my hands in innocence. All day long I have been afflicted, and every morning brings new punishments.

The prophet Habakkuk wrestled with the same questions that trouble man today; “Is God in charge of history?” Why is the world in such a mess if there is a God? Why does he allow evil to go on without intervening? Habakkuk was distressed that despite his many days of prayers, sin went on daily unabated. He cried out “How long Lord will this go on? Why are you slow in taking action?”

God’s response shocked Habakkuk. God said  “Watch and be utterly amazed, for I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told. I am raising up the Babylonians to do the job. Write down the revelation, it awaits an appointed time; it speaks of an end and it will not prove false. Though it lingers , wait for it , it will certainly come and not delay (Hab. 2:2-3).

Unknown to Habakkuk God had already started answering his prayers in ways that would shock Habakkuk. God was completely aware of what was going on in Judah. He was not indifferent or unconcerned about it. In ways invisible to human eyes, he was already working on the problem. God runs things on schedule (Hab.2:3). Our time and his time are not measured by the same clock.

God told Habakkuk that the “just shall live by faith” (Hab. 2:4). Faith embraces and clings to God whether they understand his ways or not. Those who live by faith find peace in the fact that “the Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence before him(Hab 2:20). Judgment is coming. Every proud rebel shall be destroyed.

The Jews refused to believe God and to live by faith; because of unbelief, they fell into idolatry and were cast off by God. The Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him” (Isa. 30:18). Our God is the “God of patience. He is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him” (Lam. 3:25). Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him. You can count on this, not a single promise will fail! Paul told the Romans that “hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently (Rom 8:24-25).

Fret not thyself, at a man doing evil. Jeremiah declared “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, therefore I hope in Him!” The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly. For the salvation of the Lord (Lam 3:24-26). Our willingness to wait reflects our confidence in His faithfulness to reward us in His perfect timing.

Anger, wrath and fretting are the opposite of delighting oneself in the LORD and patiently waiting upon Him. Refrain from them they accomplish nothing except harm. They will destroy your confidence in God's goodness and justice. When it appears like God is not acting fairly some people get angry and decide “It is a mean world and we must make the best of it. Eat, drink, and be merry, O soul, for to-morrow you shall die (1Cor. 15:32).

Don’t envy the wicked m when they prosper and think that perhaps it is worthwhile to be as wicked as they are. Do not get angry because the wicked are permitted to carry out their plans;  allowed temporary prosperity and triumph. Do not allow your mind to be filled with anger and wrathful feelings against God because he bears patiently with them. Avoid anger and its bitter fruit.

Anger against the Providence of God and complaints of the fretful are arrows shot in defiance against the providence of God. They are certain to hurt those who send them. Fretfulness lies at the verge of great sin. A fretful spirit soon comes to be an angry spirit. Those who entertain a murmuring spirit do in the end commit sin, in order to gain their fancied rights.

When we begin to be jealous of evildoers, we are very likely to become evildoers ourselves. Honest people who seek hasty gain because they are envious of the prosperity of the unrighteous “fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction…some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs (1Tim. 6:9-10).

Evil doers are like chaff which the wind blows away (Ps 1:4). Though wicked men now seem to be prosperous and to be the objects of the divine favor, all this is temporary. The day of retribution will certainly come, and they will be dealt with as they deserve. Their death shall not a gentle removal to a better state, but an execution in which the axe of justice will be used. 

Their joy is transient just like the beautiful colors of the soap bubble, which are scarcely seen before it vanishes. Will you envy such? In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you diligent search for him at his place, he will not be there. Gone like a passing cloud, forgotten as a dream where the pomp made poor him the envy of many.

The psalmist says later “I have seen a wicked, violent person Spreading himself like a luxuriant tree in its native soil. Then he passed away, and behold, he was no more; I searched for him, but he could not be found (Ps. 37:35-36). Soon the wicked who are the famous and praised in this world will be no more. The whole duration of the world itself is but ‘a little while’ in the light of eternity.

The meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity. Jesus quoted this line in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5:5). The meek keep their faith in the face of the apparent prosperity of the wicked. The meek bear their own adversities and the prosperity of their enemies, without envy, anger, or complaint. They choose the way of patient faith instead of self-assertion.

The meek shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. Weak as the righteous often are, they ‘shall inherit the land’ when the wicked shall have been cut off from the earth. The meek and not the evildoers of this world, shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. The meek shall delight themselves not in the abundance of wealth, but in the abundance of peace

The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom 14:17). To a meek man, peace is his wealth, and holy quietness and calm his true riches. Even if they suffer, their consolations shall outweigh their tribulations. Even if they don’t enjoy abundance of gold, they will enjoy abundance of peace which is far much better.

Most of what the world is offering today is chaff! It has no eternal value! Evil doers shall be cut off. Their death shall be a penal judgment; not a gentle removal to a better state. But those who in patient faith expect their portion in another life they shall inherit the earth. In the ages to come theirs shall be the glory and the triumph.

The wicked have only temporary pleasure on earth, but God’s people have eternal treasure in heaven. They have such a great home, which they are approaching each moment. Passion has his good things first, and they are soon over; Patience has his good things last, and they last forever. Evildoers shall be cut off - Their turn will come in due time. It comes last, but then it comes to last.