The Counsel of the Wicked

by Michael G. Mickey

(9-25-06)

One of my favorite books of the Bible is the book of Job. In this commentary, I want to discuss the counsel of the wicked as it relates to the world around us. In Job 21:7-16, we read the following:

7. Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?

8. Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes.

9. Their houses [are] safe from fear, neither [is] the rod of God upon them.

10. Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.

11. They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.

12. They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ.

13. They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave.

14. Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.

15. What [is] the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?

16. Lo, their good [is] not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

It's the story of today's world, isn't it?

While many good and decent born-again Christians struggle to make ends meet, a large portion of the most wicked people are blessed with health, wealth, beauty, and undeserved power. Because of their wealth, influence and the corruption that exists within a world that has forgotten its God, the wicked never seem to fear for loss. Not only that, it seems at times as though God's hand of vengeance is never raised against them, often leaving the believer thirsting painfully to see some justice rendered. Is it any wonder, given the condition of our world today? Right is made to be wrong and wrong is made to be right. It's an every day thing --- and ad nauseum at that. Amen?

Often it seems as though everything the wicked touch turns to gold, often right up until the very moment of their death. Looking at their successes from afar, it is easy to see why many Christians today are so utterly frustrated by this world and so eager for the return of Jesus Christ to take place. Sometimes things seem so bleak that the believer's heart, sickened by seeing the wickedness prevailing around him (or her), simply aches to be with Christ. The heart of the wicked, however? It longs only to exalt itself! Let the good times roll on!

While the Christian struggles to keep his or her mind aright in a daily battle against the desires of their flesh, the successful and wicked person often says in his or her carnal heart, "Who is God that I should bow my knee to him? I haven't so much as grunted out a word of thanks to him in years and look how successful I am in spite of it! I never needed God before. I don't need him now."

What the wicked fail to realize is that the good things they have are not things they've obtained solely by the extension of their talents, but good things allowed to come to them by God. Their good (tuwb {toob} in Hebrew) wasn't obtained solely by their power or strength, but permitted to come their way by the very God they mock and ignore, but not as a reward to them for their wickedness. They are being given what they are in the world today merely because the riches and successes they've received serve His greater purposes and for that reason alone! Somewhere on the fringes of their self-consumed world, God is about His work. Failing to understand this to be true, the attitude of the wicked is one of self-glorification, self-indulgence, instant gratification and excessive pride.

"Depart from us, God!" the wicked say in their hearts. "We don't need any knowledge of you or your ways! Our way is working great! Just look at us!" They treat God as if He is but a joke, but, as they will learn all too late in due season, the joke is on them and has been all along! Without God, these will someday discover, they are nothing. Absolutely nothing!

Do we see that evil is prospering today? Do those in power who should be the most thankful of all people often fail to show Almighty God any respect at all? You better believe it, but, as we see in Job 21:16, Job didn't look at the wicked hopeful of joining them in their excesses. He said that their counsel (or purposes) were far from his! The reason? Job knew there was more to consider than the present --- this temporal here and now. He knew he had a Redeemer and that someday, in his very flesh, he would see him face-to-face (Job 19:25-26)!

What was true of Job in his day is true today. Not only that, his accurate expectation that he would someday see his Redeemer is common to everyone, even those presently in denial of that fundamental truth. Each and every person, even those who think nothing of God during their present lives due to their own successes, are someday going to have a one-on-one experience with their Creator. On that day, the house of cards built by the wicked will be knocked flat - the spark of their fire put out! That day, I believe with all my heart, is coming soon.

As I read the news of our world today, especially when we compare its content to Bible prophecy predictive of the return of Jesus Christ, I can't imagine how anyone can even remotely question whether Jesus Christ is coming soon or not! I simply can't imagine that the counsel of the wicked is going to stand much longer.

What do you think?