| by James Steinle (Swanville, Minnesota) |
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| In this world, which currently is Satan’s world, we see many things that strike a believer as being wrong or evil. We see nation against nation threatening war. We see crime from all walks of life; white collar crime involving millions and billions of dollars. Sexual crimes of all kinds. Violent crimes involving kidnapping, torture, murder, or injury. We see corruption of governing officials all over the world establishing laws to subjugate their peoples. Here in America, it does not seem to matter which particular party is in office; corruption and special interests often seem to dominate. No one party or official seems to want to use the commands of the Creator of this world as to how they should govern. This has been going on since Adam and Eve fell even up to our time. We, as believers and followers of Yayshua the Messiah are actually trying to learn how to govern ourselves, and once we learn to do that, we will actually be able to help our Elder Brother Yayshua govern the world when the time comes for him to come back. (A Psalm of David) Psa 37:1 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. 2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. 3 Trust in Yehovah and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. 4 Delight thyself also in Yehovah; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 5 Commit thy way unto Yehovah; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. 6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. 7 Rest in Yehovah, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. 8 Cease from anger and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. 9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon Yehovah, they shall inherit the earth. 10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. 11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. King David continues, 12 The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth. 13 Yehovah shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming. 14 The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation. 15 Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken. 16 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked. 17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but Yehovah upholdeth the righteous. 18 Yehovah knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be forever. 19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine, they shall be satisfied. :20 But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of Yehovah shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.” In verses 35-36 David continues, “I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. 36 Yet he passed away, and, And lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. 38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off. 40 And Yehovah shall help them and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.” Yehovah told Job about the wicked in chapter 38:15, “And from the wicked their light is withheld, and the light arm shall be broken.” or, as the CEV version says, “But its light is too much for those who are evil, and their power is broken.” David’s son Solomon continued this theme; he said, “Don’t fret yourself because of evil (men), neither be you envious at the wicked; for there shall be no reward to the evil (man); the candle or lamp of the wicked shall be put out.” (Proverbs 24:19-20) A warning and some wise advice is given by Solomon to those of us who see the wicked being punished. In Proverbs 24:17-18 we are warned, “Rejoice not when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, 18 lest Yehovah see and it displeases him, and he turn away his wrath from him.” The apostle Paul also saw the situation in his day and for the days ahead, as he says in 2 Timothy 3:13, “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” THE HARD PART But it is hard, isn’t it, not to fret about the things we see in this world. The evils we see do work on our emotions! To fret (H.2734 khaw-raw) means to grow warm and usually meaning to blaze up! It can mean to be grieved or to be incensed. And how easy it is to do this! Do we think we are the only ones to feel this? We are not the only ones who have a hard time with the things we see going on. Yehovah’s prophets had a hard time with what they saw. Jeremiah 12:1-2 “Righteous are you O Yehovah, when I plead with you; yet let me reason with you of your judgments. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are they all happy that deal very treacherously? 2 You have planted them, yes, they have taken root; they grow, yes they bring forth fruit; you are near in their mouth and far from their reins. Habakkuk 1:1-4 The burden (load) which Habakkuk the prophet did see. 2 O Yehovah, how long shall I cry, and you will not hear! Even cry out to you of violence, and you will not save! 3 Why do you show me iniquity and cause me to behold grievance (trouble, misery) for spoiling and violence are before me and there are that (those who) raise up strife and contention. 4 Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment does never go forth; for the wicked does compass about the righteous; therefore wrong (or wrested) judgment proceeds. (Habakkuk wants Elohim to do something about it). Malachi prophesied about the priests and quotes that Yehovah says in chapter 2:17, “You have wearied Yehovah with your words. Yet you say, “Wherein have we wearied him?” When you say, “every one that does evil is good in the sight of Yehovah and he delights in them” or, “Where is the Elohim (or Mighty One) of judgment?” Malachi writes in 3:13-15, “13 Your words have been stout against me, saith Yehovah. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee? 14 Ye have said, It is vain to serve Elohim: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before Yehovah of hosts (armies)? 15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.” Psalm 73: is a Psalm of Asaph – a Gershonite Levite whom King David gave charge of “service of song” in the tabernacle. In v.1-16 the wicked appear to have no problems and it puzzles the author. However, the picture now starts to become clear in v. 17-28 as to what awaits the evil doers. “17 Until I went into the sanctuary of Elohim; then understood I, their end. 18 Surely, thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. 19 How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors. 20 As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Yehovah, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image. 21 Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins. 22 So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee. 23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. 24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. 26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but Elohim is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever. 27 For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. 28 But it is good for me to draw near to Elohim: I have put my trust in the Master Yehovah, that I may declare all thy works.” Jeremiah recorded the words of Yehovah also in talking about the fate of the wicked in chapter 30:23-24. “Behold, the whirlwind (hurricane 5591) of Yehovah goes forth with fury, a cutting whirlwind; it shall fall with pain (or remain) upon the head of the wicked. 24 The fierce anger of Yehovah shall not return, until he have done it and until he have performed the intents of his heart; in the latter days you shall consider it.” And I think you can believe that Jeremiah said that with emotion! HOW WE SHOULD HANDLE THESE WICKED DAYS Solomon had this to say in Proverbs 23:17-18, “Let not your heart envy sinners, but you be in fear of Yehovah all the day long. 18 for surely there is an end (or reward) and your expectation shall not be cut off.” Solomon also continued in Proverbs 24:21-22 after saying “Don’t fret yourself.” “My son, fear you Yehovah and the king, and meddle not with them that are given to change. 22 For their calamity shall rise suddenly, and who knows the ruin of them both?” In 1 Chronicles 5 we have the example of the armies of Ruben, the Gadites and Manasseh whom fought against their enemies and won. How did they win? The chronicler records in verse 20 that their enemies were delivered into their hand for “they cried to Elohim in the battle, and he was entreated of them; because they put their trust in him.”,22 “For there fell down many slain, because the war was of Elohim”, or as the CEV version says, “because God was fighting this battle against them.” Our Savior is recorded in Luke 6:22 as saying, “Blessed are you when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you (from their company) and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil for the Son of man’s sake.” Paul advises us on how to handle these days in Romans 12:17-18 “Recompense no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 18 If it be possible as much as lies in you, live peaceably with all men.” Paul told the Thessalonians, “See that none renders evil for evil unto any, but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves and to all.” (1 Thessalonians 5:15) And to Timothy, Paul said, “Yes, and all who live piously in Messiah Yayshua shall suffer persecution.” (2 Timothy 3:12-14) Paul advised his friend Titus in chapter 3:1-2, “Put them in mind to be subject (subordinate) to principalities (authorities) and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work. 2 To speak evil of no man, to be brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men.” The apostle Peter knew how the last days were going to be and that Yehovah through His Son is going to come and destroy this old earth and establish a new one. That being the case, Peter said in 2 Peter 3:17, “You therefore, beloved, see you know these things before, beware lest you also, being led away with the error of the wicked fall from your own steadfastness. 18 But grow in grace (or favor, which reflects a person who repents of sin, who also has the attitude of joy and thankfulness) and in the knowledge of our Lord or Master and Savior Yayshua Messiah. To him be glory both now and forever. A men.” The writer of Proverbs 10:30 encourages us, “The righteous shall never be removed; but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth.” NOW WE COME TO THE FINAL END In Revelation 20:1-15 we find that Satan was put away for a 1000 years. Those who had not given in to Satan’s demands came up in the 1st resurrection and reigned with the Messiah. That is the hope of the righteous. Then Satan’s prison is opened up again after the 1000 years and Satan goes out to deceive the nations once more, but all the wicked were put down. After that, the 2nd resurrection and the Great White throne Judgment happens and all who had not been judged before were judged. Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Yehovah reveals in Revelation 21:8, “But the fearful” (like the one Yayshua talked about who was given a talent in M. 25:24-30 and buried it), “and unbelieving” (can also mean faithless or infidel) “and the abominable” (S.948, to stink; to feel disgust towards, detestable, abhorred; for example Lev 18:22 homosexuality among other things), “and murderers” (Matt. 5:22 ‘whosoever shall say ‘you fool’’ [S.3474 English = moron or morally worthless. Telling someone this is to emotionally kill them!] “shall be in danger of hell fire, whoremongers” (S.4205 male prostitutes) “and sorcerers and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Malachi 4:1-3 “For, behold, the day comes that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yes, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble, and the day that comes shall burn them up, says Yehovah of hosts (armies) that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.” 2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings, and you shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. 3 And you shall tread down the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, says Yehovah of hosts (armies).” My brothers and sisters in the faith, let’s not fret because of evil doers but let us feel what our Savior said in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” |
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