When the Wicked Prosper

5/4/2021

When the Wicked Prosper (the Presence of God is Not Optional)

I am regularly grieved by what I see in the world.  The most powerful people, institutions, and governments seem to openly defy God and His ways.  The dominant ideologies of this age give no thought to God, have no gratitude towards the Creator, and deny that Jesus has come in the flesh. 

In the United States, we are witnessing the later stages of a descent into deception described in Romans 1:18-32.  Those who claim to be wise have become fools. The fact that many, including my own state, now consider the human categories of “male and female” to be oppressive and arbitrary is a sign of how far down this road we’ve gone.  In my lifetime, these larger societal trends have only gone away from God.

When the Wicked Prosper Near to You

Apparently, the wicked are prospering at the level of cultural influence and power. But seeing the prosperity of evildoers up close brings the biggest offense. 

Perhaps it’s seeing a faithful woman of God go through trial after agonizing trial while her friends who openly defy God seem to live in an endless Instagram vacation.  Or maybe it’s witnessing the character assassination of a righteous man through false accusations from evildoers—and seeing them succeed.  When we see the wicked prosper (and the righteous suffer) up close, it impacts our heart in an entirely different way.

Psalms 37 and 73 Hold the Keys

The Prosperity of the Wicked (and the suffering of the righteous) are both enormous problems. If we navigate this poorly, we will stumble and fall at best, attempt to overcome evil with evil (thus becoming evil ourselves), or possibly shipwreck our faith and fall away from the Lord. 

Psalms 37 and 73 (Remember, 3 and 7, 7 and 3) both hold key insights on how to guide our souls around this stumbling block.  This week we’ll be focusing on Psalm 73.

Psalm 73 is written by Asaph who was one of the overseers of the 24/7 worship before the Ark of God known as David’s Tabernacle.  At the beginning of the Psalm, Asaph points out how near he comes to a serious fall because of the prosperity of the wicked (v 2-3).

Evildoers are enjoying prosperity and success in spite of (or because of) their pride and arrogance.  Their violent ways have led to quick wealth.  They say in their heart “God does not see” while they increase in wealth and ease through unjust means (v. 4-7).

This unseemly pairing of wickedness and prosperity causes offense in Asaph’s heart.  In contrast to the prospering evildoers, Asaph is enduring suffering and harsh discipline every day (v. 14).  And here’s the rub: Why are God’s people suffering for doing good while those who hate God are prospering through doing wrong?  This is not right, fair, or just!

In his offense, he wants to cry out “It’s worthless to follow God and live a holy life” (v. 13, 15).  The prosperity of evildoers causes an offense in his righteous heart that is sharply painful—the act of thinking about this reality is too much to bear (v. 16).  He’s tempted to sin and be untrue to God’s people (v. 15).

Get into the Sanctuary!

The offense of the wicked prospering while the righteous suffer was too much for Asaph to bear, until he entered into the Sanctuary of God (v. 17).  It was there and only there, in the lived experience of the presence of God that Asaph was able to understand this mystery. 

Arguments and intellectual understanding will not resolve our offense at the prosperity of the wicked.  However, experiencing the presence of God will both resolve our offense and enable us to understand the mystery.  In the presence of God, Asaph finally sees that while His current humility proceeds eternal honor with God, the pride of the wicked goes before their ultimate and eternal destruction.  The wicked are but a dream, but a vapor, and their haughty prosperity lasts just for a moment. 

In one of my favorite phrases from the Psalms, Asaph, reoriented by God’s experienced presence and nearness, declares to God: “Who have I in heaven but You?  And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.”  In the presence of God, we see that the prosperity of the wicked is just for a moment, but God will vindicate us and bring us near to Himself forever.  In this life and in the life to come, our only hope is in God.

The experience of God’s presence leads to an inner peace and prosperity of soul.  Nothing has changed externally—the wicked are still prospering—but we change.  Rather than being grieved, disturbed, and vexed by the wicked, we experience the goodness and nearness of God.  As Philippians 1:28 describes it, we are “not in any way alarmed by our opponents, which is a sign of their destruction and your salvation.”  When we enter God’s sanctuary, our grief at the prosperity of the wicked is overwhelmed by the goodness of God.

A Word on 24/7 Prayer and Worship

It’s worth noting again that Asaph lived and worked in an atmosphere of 24/7 worship and prayer.  In other words, He had access to the experienced presence of God in a corporate setting at all times.

I think it’s no coincidence that we are seeing an unprecedented rise in 24/7 prayer around the globe at the same time we are seeing global wickedness rise in unprecedented ways. 

In Conclusion

Are you like me?  Are you grieved by the prosperity of the wicked in our day?  You’re right to be grieved, but your grief will lead you into sinful reaction unless you get into the experienced presence of God.  It is only through a face-to-face encounter and experience with God’s presence that we will be able to keep our hearts pure in evil days. 

When the wicked prosper, experiencing the presence of God is not optional.