Title: The End of the Evil
Contents
The end of the wicked?
Text: Ecclesiastes 8: 11 - 14
“People are bold in their hearts to do evil, because the punishment for an evil deed is not quickly executed. A sinner does evil a hundred times and lives a long life. And I know that it will be well with those who fear God and fear Him. It will not prosper for the wicked, nor will he prosper, and his days will be like a shadow, because he does not fear God. There are vain things that are done in the world: there are the righteous who are punished according to the deeds of the wicked, and there are rewards according to the deeds of the righteous. There are some wicked people who receive it, I say, this is also in vain.”
After the death of Emperor Constantine, who first approved Christianity in Rome, Julian ascended to the throne of Rome. Emperor Julian was originally a Christian, but after becoming emperor, he enjoyed power and soul and betrayed Jesus. That's why church history calls him 'Jurian the traitor'.
During the reign of Emperor Julian, war broke out between Rome and the Kingdom of Passage. On their way to the country of destruction, Emperor Julian ridiculed a devout soldier on the road. However, after some time, Emperor Julien went to the battlefield to fight, but suffered an unexpectedly severe injury and died a tragic death. The emperor, who was about to die, thought about how foolish he was.
"Oh, Galilee! You have won in the end. He died in contrition for his betrayal. He who rejects God and willfully forsakes the law is a wicked man. But the righteous person who fears God and keeps the law hates evil.The righteous never compromise with the wicked, and even resists the wicked.
“He who forsakes the law praises the wicked, but he who keeps the law opposes the wicked” (Proverbs 28:4).
Life is something you don't know. The world seems very unequal. Some people are born into a wealthy and good family, live their lives unaware of what they lack, and then die. Others are born and raised in a poor family and live a difficult life, and end their lives without meeting good years. Occasionally, he may have rare success by clenching his teeth to overcome the unfavorable circumstances in which he was born and living, but this does not seem to guarantee happiness. Is this life? It's also disappointing.
Even if it is because of their sins that the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer, it is difficult for anyone to understand the misfortune that started out of nothing against their will from birth. What on earth is God doing? Even if I know it, I really don't know. Yet the Bible says that God is fair.
“But the LORD of hosts will be exalted because he is just; the holy God will be called holy because he is just” (Isaiah 5:16).
“I have made justice my line of measure, and justice my weight” (Isaiah 28:17).
“Cloud and darkness surround him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne” (Psalm 97:2).
We believe in a God who is fair, although sometimes our lives will not seem fair. So, how should we view the prosperity of the wicked?
1. We must see the end of the wicked.
“The LORD judges the righteous, and the wicked and a violent man his heart hates” (Psalm 11:5).
Herman misused his talents. At first it brought a lot of wealth, but in the end he died in vain. It was said that the end of the wicked must be destroyed. (Ecclesiastes 8:9-10)
It seems that things are going well for a while, but after a while, it is the wicked. (Ecclesiastes 8:12-13; Psalm 73:18-20) So, what is true blessing?
“Everyone who is far from you will perish, and you have destroyed all who have turned away from you like the harlot. It is a blessing to me to draw near to God. I will make the Lord GOD my refuge, and I will proclaim all your deeds” (Psalm 73:27-) 28)
“The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion” (Proverbs 28:1).
2. We must not envy the prosperity of the wicked.
Before he died, Sir Francis Newport, president of the Unbelievers in England, told the men of the Unbelievers around their beds:
"Don't tell me there is no God. I know there is a God. I am in the wrath of God right now. Don't tell me there is no hell, folks. Because I already feel my soul in hellfire. .Poor people, what I want now is that you forsake your idols and believe in God. But I am already late. I have lost that opportunity forever."
A person who has an evil heart and always plots evil is called a special person. A person who has evil in his heart is not at ease because his heart is boiling, just like sea water boils and creates bubbles. That is why he suffers himself, but he also causes pain and suffering to those around him. The only way to cast out these evils is to come to the good Jesus Christ, repent, accept Jesus as your Savior, and fall at His feet.
“Do not envy the wicked who prosper, and do not seek to be with him, for their heart harbors violence, and their lips speak of calamity” (Proverbs 24:1-2).
“Those who plan to do evil are called wicked. The thoughts of a fool are sin, and a scornful person is a hatred of men” (Proverbs 24:8, 9).
The end of the wicked is tragic. Jezebel became food for dogs, and Haman died by hanging from a tree to hang Mordecai. Both Saul and Judas Iscariot committed suicide. The Bible says, “Do not complain about those who do evil, and do not be jealous of those who do wrong. They will be cut down as quickly as grass, and will wither like green plants” (Psalm 37:1-2). Vegetables grow well when it rains, but otherwise they will wither in just a little bit. I keep saying. “After a while the wicked will be gone, and you will search the place closely, but it will not be found” (Psalm 37:10). The wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be consumed like the fat of lambs, and shall be smoked away (Psalm 37:20).
4. You reap what you sow.
"Do not deceive yourself, for God is not despised. Whatever a man sows, he will also reap. He who sows to his own flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but whoever sows to the Spirit will also reap eternal life from the Spirit. Do not lose heart, for in due time you will reap a harvest if you do not give up” (Galatians 6:7-9).
A certain Indian king was leaving his palace when he met a beggar. When he reached out his hand and asked for something, the king said to the beggar, "Whatever you give me first, I will give it to you." The beggar got a hop of corn from the neighbor's house, and he opened the pouch and said, "I only have this," and offered five corns. When the king received it, he smiled and said to the servant, "Take out five gold nuggets the size of this corn kernel from your gold bag and give it to me." It is said that the beggar then returned with a sigh inwardly. It was because of the regret of saying, "If I had given the whole bag of corn as it is, I would have received the whole bag of gold."
He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. (2 Corinthians 9:6) Sow spruce and do not expect barley. Do not sow evil and expect that one day you will accidentally become a figure of high character. Do not expect friendship and love, planting envy and hatred. Don't incubate a snake's egg and expect the chick to wake up. You who despise the character of others, expecting you to be respected is like planting a tangerine plant and expecting a citrus fruit. A lazy person expecting success is like expecting grain in an unplanted field. You will reap what you sow. This is the natural iron law of causality, the law of God. The more knowledge you put into your brain, the more you will become, and the more you practice, the more you will become a champion. What is sown with the flesh is flesh, and what is sown with the spirit is spirit. Sow eternal God in the field of your life, so that you may reap good quality and eternal life. (Romans 8:5-6) It is appointed for man to die once, and after that There will be judgment (Hebrews 9:27). You must know clearly that there is judgment between good and evil. “I will judge each of you according to what you have done” (Ezekiel 33:20).
Everyone, please do not forget that the end of the wicked is misery and destruction.
* Prayer: God who hates sin, at this time when your righteous judgment is near, let us keep away from sin with fear and trembling, work harder for the righteousness of God's kingdom, and love each other. May you always remember your righteous judgments and live with fear. Also, when Satan attacks and condemns us, remember your salvation and forgiveness and seek the help of the Holy Spirit to help us win. We pray in the name of our Savior Jesus. Amen
* Meditation:
0 In your life, have you never followed the world rather than God's will?
0 Have you not neglected the law of God according to the secret schemes of the wicked?