Have you ever wondered why our enemies seem to always get back up? They are not supposed to be able to get back up (Proverbs 24:16). We watch what they do and say, and it seems like everything indicates that they should have fallen, crumbled, shriveled up and blown away. Sometimes we try to justify our attitudes about people that we do not like by thinking ‘God is going to get them!’, but then our frustration sets in when nothing bad happens to them. We end up thinking, “If I had done that…”. As a matter of fact, the Saints in Malachi 3:14 even said that serving the Lord was useless. They were upset because they felt like even after serving God and obeying His Word, they didn’t seem to gain anything; “It is useless to worship God. We did what the LORD All Powerful told us, but we did not gain anything. We cried like people at a funeral to show we were sorry for our sins, but it didn’t help” (Malachi 3:14 ERV). We complain about proud people being happy, evil people succeeding and doing evil things to test God’s patience and it just looks like God does not punish them (Malachi 3:15). The Book of Job asks the question bluntly; “Why do evil people live long lives? Why do they grow old and successful? They watch their children grow up and live to see their grandchildren. Their homes are safe and free from fear. God does not punish them. Their bulls never fail to mate. Their cows have healthy calves. They send their children out to play like lambs. Their children dance around. They sing and dance to the sound of harps and flutes. Evil people enjoy success during their lives and then go to the grave without suffering” (Job 21:7-13 ERV). It is true that sometimes we do not actually receive some of the things that we pray for (Hebrews 11:39). It is also true that the wicked prosper in this wicked world (Psalm 73:12). We must be honest and say that it hurts to see it (Luke 16:19-22).
If we are honest, it somewhat bothers all of us who try to live right and do what God commands us to do while we watch the wicked living peaceable and prosperous lives during our struggles and sufferings; “I saw that wicked people were successful, and I became jealous of those proud people. They are healthy. They do not have to struggle to survive. They do not suffer like the rest of us. They do not have troubles like other people. So, they are proud and hateful. This is as easy to see as the jewels and fancy clothes they wear. If they see something they like, they go and take it. They do whatever they want. They make fun of others and say cruel things about them. In their pride they make plans to hurt people. They think they are gods! They think they are the rulers of the earth” (Psalm 73:3-9 ERV). We must also be honest and admit that we have questioned God when we suffer while watching the wicked prosper “Habakkuk 1:13”. If we are honest, we can admit that deep in our hearts, sometimes it just does not make sense; “LORD, if I argue with you, you are always right. But I want to ask you about some things that do not seem right. Why are wicked people successful? Why do people you cannot trust have such easy lives?” (Jeremiah 12:1 ERV). Do you know why our enemies seem to rise instead of fall? Do you know why our enemies seem to get up when they probably should not? The Lord told Pharaoh that He raised up Pharaoh for God’s own glory (Exodus 9:16). Ultimately, the wicked pay the price for the lifestyles they chose to live (Luke 16:25). Another reason why it looks like our enemies rise while we suffer is because God may be testing our faith. God has Satan in His hands, and the Father sometimes uses Satan to test His people (Job 1:8). Even when something looks like it could only come from God, it still may only be a test of our faith in Him; “A prophet or someone who explains dreams might come to you and tell you that they will show you a sign or a miracle. And the sign or miracle they told you about might come true. Then they might ask you to follow other gods (gods you do not know) and say to you, ‘Let us serve these gods!’ Do not listen to them because the LORD your God is testing you. He wants to know if you love him with all your heart and all your soul” (Deuteronomy 13:1-3 ERV). The good news about suffering is that it is only temporary (1 Peter 5:10).
Another reason why it may look like our enemies get back up is because God uses the wicked to chaste us when we are disobedient (2 Chronicles 33:10-11). The Lord even told David that He would use wicked people to chastise His children (2 Samuel 7:14). Still another reason why our enemies rise up when they probably should not be because we have a problem of getting in the way. God is our Superhero. The Lord is our Avenger. We need to get out of His way and let our Godly Superhero Avenger do what He does best (Romans 12:19). Abigail warned David not to avenge himself because Nabal’s cruelty was a trap for David set by Satan (1 Samuel 25:31). Whenever revenge is suggested, then it is a trap set by Satan. The best response to cruelty is to do what Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego and Daniel did. The world gives Dr. King credit for non-violent protest, but these Hebrew men were actually the first people to demonstrate non-violent protest as a Biblical principle; “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up” (Daniel 3:17-18 KJV). Daniel’s response to injustice lets the world know that he was going to worship the Father at any costs (Daniel 6:10). In the midst of danger and a corrupt government Daniel still gave God thanks. We need to leave room for the Lord and not hinder the Holy Spirit by disobedience.
The Apostle Paul told the church of Corinth that they were hindering punishment of the wicked in their congregation (1 Corinthians 5:1-5). The other reason why our enemies escape God’s wrath is because of our own attitudes. We cry out to God ‘Get him Lord!’ and God goes to getting and then we get happy. We laugh and make fun of them when they fall and then they get back up and do better than us. We scratch our heads and ask, “What happened?” The Holy Bible tells us what happened; “Do not rejoice and gloat when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad [in self-righteousness] when he stumbles, Or the LORD will see your gloating and be displeased, and turn His anger away from your enemy” (Proverbs 24:17-18 AMP). Every time we make fun of those that we do not like they tend to escape the inevitable. The Lord says in Psalm 73:18 that He has clearly put our enemies in danger of His wrath and makes it easy for them to fall and be destroyed but we negate their consequences because of our laughter and jovial hearts when we see them in trouble. We make fun when we should be praying; “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).
If we want to be like Jesus, we have got to respond like Jesus (Matthew 27:14). If we want to be like Jesus, we have got to behave like Jesus; “He was treated badly, but he never protested. He said nothing, like a lamb being led away to be killed. He was like a sheep that makes no sound as its wool is being cut off. He never opened his mouth to defend himself” (Isaiah 53:7 ERV). If we want to be like Jesus, we have to love like Jesus (Luke 6:27-28). God expects us to be different than the wicked and not do to them what they would do to us; “If someone does you wrong, don’t try to pay them back by hurting them. Try to do what everyone thinks is right” (Romans 12:17 ERV). Success of a country is in the hands of God’s people. If God’s people obey His Word, then we all benefit, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV). If we obey God’s Word, He will change hearts and we will all have a chance to rise instead of fall.
Submitted by Trustee Stanley Ridley