17 ¶
How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh their
destruction upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger. 18 They are as stubble before the wind, and as
chaff that the storm carrieth away. 19
God layeth up his iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him, and he
shall know it. 20 His eyes shall see his
destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty. 21 For what pleasure hath he in his house after
him, when the number of his months is cut off in the midst? 22 Shall any teach God knowledge? seeing he
judgeth those that are high. 23 One
dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet. 24 His breasts are full of milk, and his bones
are moistened with marrow. 25 And
another dieth in the bitterness of his soul, and never eateth with pleasure.
26 They shall lie down alike in the
dust, and the worms shall cover them.
In Psalm 73,
quoted earlier, in the lamentation about how the wicked seem to prosper, the
end of the Psalm reveals the writer’s final understanding of what will happen
to the wicked.
Psalm 73:15 ¶ If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should
offend against the generation of thy children. 16 When I thought to know this, it was too
painful for me; 17 Until I went into the
sanctuary of God; 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 Lord, 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 God is the strength of my heart, and
my portion for ever. 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 God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare
all thy works.
Even though the
wicked prosper and God’s judgment is not reckoned speedily or, as some would
note, “God’s ways are sure, but they are tedious,” they do have an expected
end. Whether the wicked die satisfied or in misery, it is certain that he will
die and that judgment will follow, with the sin he passes on to his children
being their heritage of misery.
Let me give you
an example of what I am saying, inspired by the passage. The wicked man passes
on his selfishness, his worship of Self, to his children and broken homes and
hearts are distributed around like gifts at Christmas. Even if the children of
the wicked profess to be Christians, as even the wicked man might, their god is still Self
and their end is destruction, not only of themselves, their testimony, and
reputation but also of their children’s lives. A “familiar spirit” may be a
family spirit and the apple rarely falls too far from the tree. “Like mother
like daughter, like father like son,” is not too far off the mark. Although it
may sound hard a young Christian would do well to consider the family background
of the person they are considering uniting their lives with and consider what
chains and shackles they may be burdening themselves and their children with.
Don’t make a project out of a potential mate. Your love is not going to change
decades of training and experience or a heart bent on self-worship and
carnality.
Young men and
women should look at the parents of their potential mate for life, the family
background, and consider what they are getting into. No amount of charismatic
behavior or flattering and sincere sounding speech at the beginning will make
up for a lifetime of misery, misery that is passed onto innocent (at first)
children.
Consider this….19
God layeth up his iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him, and he
shall know it. 20 His eyes shall see his
destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty. 21 For what pleasure hath he in his house after
him, when the number of his months is cut off in the midst?
God alone can
change anyone who is willing to submit to Him through His word. You change
nothing, highly paid motivational speakers and preachers notwithstanding. Young
women should particularly understand this as they often think their love will
change a wicked man. That is a sad joke and often one with a punch line told
too late. While men complain that women are notorious for faking a physical
response to affection it is a grim but greater truth that men can fake an
entire relationship.
You have been
warned. Take heed.
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