Even If Evil Wins, It Loses!

(Or, You Can’t Keep a Good Man Down)

 

(Eccl 8:11-15 NIV)  When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, the hearts of the people are filled with schemes to do wrong. {12} Although a wicked man commits a hundred crimes and still lives a long time, I know that it will go better with God-fearing men, who are reverent before God. {13} Yet because the wicked do not fear God, it will not go well with them, and their days will not lengthen like a shadow. {14} There is something else meaningless that occurs on earth: righteous men who get what the wicked deserve, and wicked men who get what the righteous deserve. This too, I say, is meaningless. {15} So I commend the enjoyment of life, because nothing is better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany him in his work all the days of the life God has given him under the sun.

 

 (Eccl 8:11-15 NIV)  When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, the hearts of the people are filled with schemes to do wrong.

  1. And why not? It appears that crime actually does pay. At least it seems to be worth the risk.
  2. Look at how long it takes to execute a murderer and how often a murderer is not executed.
  3. Look at how long a rap sheet some criminals have and then ask why a rap sheet should ever be allowed to get that long!

{12} Although a wicked man commits a hundred crimes and still lives a long time, I know that it will go better with God-fearing men, who are reverent before God.

  1. And yes, bad things do happen to good people.
  2. But it only appears that crime pays if we fail to look at the big picture.

{13} Yet because the wicked do not fear God, it will not go well with them, and their days will not lengthen like a shadow.

  1. There will be a day of judgment and every secret thing will be exposed. That judgment will condemn some to eternal death, but others will be rewarded with eternal life.
  2. Clearly, this verse contrasts with the previous verse, the day of reckoning is not necessarily today although sometimes that may be the case. The final day of reckoning, judgment day, is the day when all accounts will be settled permanently!

{14} There is something else meaningless that occurs on earth: righteous men who get what the wicked deserve, and wicked men who get what the righteous deserve. This too, I say, is meaningless.

  1. Goodness, or Godness, is mocked at times because evil appears to reap what it does not sow. (1 Cor 6:9-10 RSV)  Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor sexual perverts, {10} nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God.
  2. Meaningless in NIV is translated Vanity in KJV. Regardless the meaning is, transitory and unsatisfactory. Check your Strong’s to verify this.

{15} So I commend the enjoyment of life, because nothing is better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany him in his work all the days of the life God has given him under the sun.

  1. This world is not my home, but I can at least try to enjoy my visit.
  2. So it really is I we have been saying in our signs, our radio spots, our giveaways, and our literature. It really is all about God, Family, and Community.
  3. You have heard it said that, “The man that does what he likes for a living will never work a day in his life.” There’s a lot of truth to that.
  4. It is essential that we keep our priorities straight.

 

Here are a few quotations to consider.

*   We must strengthen our commitment to model strong families ourselves, to live by godly priorities in a culture where self so often supersedes commitment to others. And as we not only model but assertively reach out to help others, we must realize that even huge societal problems are solved one person at a time. Charles Colson (1931– )

*   There's not much practical Christianity in the man who lives on better terms with angels and seraphs than with his children, servants, and neighbors. Henry Ward Beecher (1813–1887)

*   Sherry says it this way. A man can be so heavenly minded that he is no worldly good.

*   Right is right, even if everyone is against it; and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. William Penn (1644–1718)

*   Reputation is what folks think you are. Personality is what you seem to be. Character is what you really are. Alfred Armand Montapert

 

My point today is simply this, we are not here to simply win battles; we are here to win the war. Yes, we need to struggle to win the battles but losing a battle should not mean we lose the war.

 

We need to remember these scriptures, (Rom 8:31-33 NIV) What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? {32} He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? {33} Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.

 

Let us not be blind and see only the present, let us see with spiritual eyes and perceive the future. In God we are winners and no one can keep us down! Praise God!