Wicked Perish - Hurray!
Proverbs 11
10 When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting.
11 By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.
18 The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.
19 As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death.
20 They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the Lord: but such as are upright in their way are his delight.
21 Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.
30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.
31 Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner.
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If you’re wicked, raise your hand.
Do we even believe in wickedness anymore?
Describe what is wicked. Go ahead give it a try.
Feeling free in public society to express what is wicked and what is not? I’m not. It’s a taboo topic. If you try to, then you’re the wicked person. Backwards?
On the flip side —
Could our silence, our lack of speaking out against sin, be emboldening wickedness? Perhaps so. If we shut up who will speak up?
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This morning as I read “when the wicked perish, there is shouting” it caused me to pause and consider those words.
Think of it this way.
If I were in a conversation with you and exclaimed my joy over the death of some “wicked” person, would you be taken aback? If the roles were reversed, I’d be taken aback.
Rejoicing over the death of wicked people? Is that even OK? Is the Bible “right” when it seems to approve of such a response?
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So … I asked myself …
What should I say, what should my response be regarding the death of a person that lived a life in opposition and defiance to God and His Word?
Admittedly, I’ve always tried to be thoughtful and considerate. I’m questioning that now. Perhaps I should say what it is I actually feel and believe. Perhaps I should have the perspective the Bible at times seems to advocate.
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Let me try to throw in a little balance.
Ezekiel 18:23 - Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?
Ezekiel 33:11 - Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
Clearly God is not happy that people reject Him and get damned to Hell. It breaks His heart. He created them. He created all of us. He wants them to turn from their “evil ways”.
Clearly I’m not happy that people go to Hell. I have family and friends that have died rejecting Christ. That brings me no joy. I didn’t say “Hurray!” The reality of their deaths has even intruded into my dreams at night. I have wept more now concerning the death of the wicked than I ever have. Something gets sucked out of my very core.
But, with that said …
God is very clear in what He lays out in His Word. He offers two lives and two destinies: A life at peace with Him or at war with Him; an eternal life with Him or apart from Him.
God wants, in this life and the next, the best for mankind. God does all He can to woo us to Himself. He’s written His love for us in the Heavens and on our hearts. If a person dies lost it’s not because God failed on His part to draw them to Himself in Christ.
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” II Peter 3:9
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Many years ago I preached a funeral message for a pastor friend of mine. His wife had died from bone marrow cancer leaving six kids behind. I had a proper, expected message all prepared. But as I sat there getting ready to preach … anger swept over me. I almost reached over to the my pastor friend to tap him on the shoulder and tell him I couldn’t preach. But I couldn’t do that. His wife specifically asked for me to be a part of the service. So for her, I sucked it up and got up.
But … what am I going to say when I open my mouth?
Here’s what I yelled out when I got up to speak:
I’M NOT HAPPY ABOUT THIS! I AM MAD At GOD!! WHY HER!?!?! I CAN GIVE GOD A LIST OF 10 PEOPLE RIGHT NOW I WANT HIM TO TAKE OUT. WHY HER!!
Their faces said it all. It was kind of the deer-in-headlights stare. But, years later I had people randomly come up to me and tell me how much my words brought them comfort.
Why?
Because … THAT IS HOW WE ALL FEEL. We’re just afraid to say it.
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So I keep asking myself why:
Why did God take out that godly pastor’s wife and mother of six?
Why did God take out our good family friend Lillian at age 50 due to Parkinson’s?
Why did God take out Brad Scott at age 66 with a brain tumor? Brad had used His incredible mind to bring forth wonderful truths from the Word of God that changed countless lives right down to my own family.
Why did Mr. May drop dead alongside his truck with so many years left ahead of him? I own so much to the example of that man in my own life to this day.
Why them and not some one more deserving to be struck down?
Why not ME instead!
I have no answers except … God is sovereign and we can trust Him in all that He does … even if He lets the wicked go on to enjoy life to a ripe ‘ole age.
For me, I’m trying to learn to see things through the lens of God’s mind as revealed in His Word. I want to love what He loves and hate what He hates. I’m sure you do too.
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I’ll close with this.
We must go to the Word of God to discover His mind. We must assimilate His Word into our lives so we’ll think, feel, act, and speak in accordance with His Word.
I think though …
We’re stumbling over what is “wicked” and how to convey it to people appropriately and accordingly.
And I think …
Maybe we need to introduce a little shock factor, like what happened to me when I read Proverbs 11 this morning.
Maybe we’re not really “loving” people to Jesus when we try to soften the “harsh” aspect of what God says concerning the true condition of ALL lost people before they get washed in the cleansing blood of Yeshua.
Maybe people (just like the people at that funeral) are longing for, looking for someone who actually loves them enough to tell them the honest, unpopular, hard truth … lovingly.
That’s our job. That’s our calling. That’s what we’ve been saved to do.
So …
Maybe we don’t have to wait to rejoice at the death of the wicked.
Maybe we can increasingly let God use us to “speak the truth in love” in the hopes of seeing others come to Christ before it’s too late.
I think I’d rather say Hurray! that way.
Trow so?