I have been thinking a lot about the injustice in our world. It seems like people in high places are getting away with murder, literally. I look around and see the injustice of the masses as the more conservative among us are persecuted or worse, billed for it. I am not just talking about Christians, I am talking about people who are doing the right thing for the right reasons, and yet they still can’t seem to get ahead.
As a tax payer and law abiding citizen, I can appreciate the benefits that go with a healthy tax structure; but lately it seems a bit harsh as the increases seem to be more and more difficult to pay. I do a lot of side jobs that I call my ‘governmental fundraising’ where I save up for taxes that need to be paid. I also tithe to my church and credentialing organization and do my part for missions and other benevolent causes.
I don’t have a problem with giving because I know that God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:7) The word for cheerful in the Greek is ‘hilarious;’ it’s where we get our word hilarious from. Jesus told us to ‘render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’ (Matthew 22:21) This is our command to pay our taxes and give our tithes and offerings. It’s the healthy financial discipline of a believer.
In the end, we’re all going to die, both the saved and the lost. For believers living in these last days, many will bypass death and be raptured into heaven; but however we go, by air or by dirt, we will all stand before the Lord and give an account of our lives to Him.
Solomon said it this way, “Then I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of holiness, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done. This also is vanity. 11 Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. 12 Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet I surely know that it will be well with those who fear God, who fear before Him. 13 But it will not be well with the wicked; nor will he prolong his days, which are as a shadow, because he does not fear before God.”
– Ecclesiastes 8:10-13
- Solomon, in all of his wisdom, was able to assess that ‘it will be well with those who fear God, and fear before Him.’ He’s speaking of the righteous people in the OT, but this extends into the NT through Christ’ atoning sacrifice. Solomon also referenced those who die without salvation when he said that ‘it will not be well with the wicked.’
Even if a person has a blessed and prosperous life, but dies in their sin, what profit is that for them? Jesus gave a powerful answer to this question:
“For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” – Mark 8:35-37
- In the long run, finding Jesus on this side of the grave is the ultimate goal in this life; everything else is extra. For the person who misses out on this wonderful gift of eternal life that Christ has provide for all who would believer upon His name and be saved, they will be eternally lost.
There are a lot of well-meaning and well-mannered people out there who have done very well for themselves; but without Jesus, it all means nothing. Eventually life runs out and our time expires; them we have to face the Lord and give an account. All of us, no matter how good or well behaved we may be, are sinners in need of a Savior. Jesus is the ONLY Savior who can forgive our sins and cleanse us from our unrighteousness.
Nobody outruns the long arm of the Lord; nobody.
Solomon also said, “And moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yes, he pondered and sought out and set in order many proverbs. 10 The Preacher sought to find acceptable words; and what was written was upright—words of truth. 11 The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd. 12 And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh. 13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. 14 For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing,
whether good or evil.” – Ecclesiastes 12:9-14
- In this passage we see a hint of prophetic truth from this ‘Preacher,’ which some believe is a type of Christ. The words that are spoken by Him are wise and the word of scholars ‘like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd,’ also a type of Christ. It would seem that Solomon, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, was giving us a foretaste of the Messiah from the OT.
His conclusion was to ‘fear God and keep is commandments.’ He further said that ‘God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.’ Again, nobody out runs the long arm of the Lord. For the believer living in the NT, we will stand before Jesus at the Bema Seat where we will be rewarded for our works done in His name. For the unsaved, they will all stand before the Lord at the Great White Throne Judgment at the end of time, only to be cast alive into the Lake of Fire, which is the second death.
When we think about all of all the people in the world who seem to proser in their way, it becomes clear that in the end, their prosperity is fleeting as nobody gets away with anything; God will judge us all.
David said it this way, “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. 8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret—it only causes harm. 9 For evildoers shall be cut off (destroyed); but those who wait on the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. 10 For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more; indeed, you will look carefully for his place, but it shall be no more. 11 But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” – Psalm 37:7-11
- When we see all of the injustice happening around us, we need to be reminded that God is in control and He will bring it all around in the end. We need to trust Him, wait patiently for Him, and not fret when we see the seeming prosperity of the wicked or their supposed advancement.
This can be difficult for someone as principled as I; but I know that God’s way is the best way, even when I feel like taking matters into my own hands. God is faithful and will bring about our justice in His time; not ours. These wicked schemers who are trying to overtake the planet with their evil global agenda and such, they will be brought to justice by the Lord in His time.
As we near the seven-year tribulation, we also near the Rapture of the Church, which will occur shortly before the tribulation begins. For individuals who come to faith in Christ after the Rapture, life for them will be extremely difficult as it will be short lived. These precious tribsaints will be subjected to the worst scenarios this world has even endured. While they may not love their lives until the death, if they die in Christ, they will be redeemed by Him before His Second Coming. That same long arm of the Lord that brings judgment upon the unrighteous, also brings forgiveness and redemption upon those who repent of this sin and turn to Jesus.
Isaiah said it this way, “Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is nobeauty that we should desire Him. 3 He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.” – Isaiah 53:1-3
This entire chapter, Isaiah 53, foretells of the coming Christ who is the Lord Jesus. Isaiah speaks to who the Christ would be and even how He would die. The chapter begins with the question, ‘to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?’ If Jesus reveals Himself to you, be it an act of His long loving arm or the arm of justice, we would do well to repent and receive Him before it’s too late.
Don’t lose heart my brother (sister); God is faithful and He will set everything right in His time, because in the end, nobody outruns the long arm of love and mercy or justice and judgment from the Lord.
Maranatha!
Encouragemen is a blog written by Pastor Rob Lee, recently relocated to Northwest Missouri. He lives with his wife of 35-years, near their three adult children, their spouses, and children (their grandchildren). Pastor Rob is an Ordained Assemblies of God minister, a former Lead Pastor (25 years), police chaplain, and community advocate. He continues to serve, consult, and disciple men of God, including those who are in the ministry.
Encourage Men 