Thanksgiving and Wickedness

Amid all the riots, violence and disruption after the election, I wonder where is any thanksgiving for any of those involved in those protests. I would say they only care about themselves and their own agenda and not the country. We always learn something about people by their behavior. I also wonder as do many other people how someone could do this in a methodical way to disrupt and cause mayhem to those going about their own business. I do not need to wonder long, however, as I consider what the scriptures say and the history of wicked men and women. This is not to say that every one involved in this riot and protest activity are wicked to the extent they have not received any grace but it is behavior consistently demonstarted by wicked men and women. I would classify this as terrorism and “wicked terrorism” at that, done by wicked men or women who have no regard for other people other than themselves. The Bible says in Daniel 12:10: “Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.” Notice the wicked shall do wickedly. It is not that they do not know the difference between right or wrong; they certainly do; however, they willingly choose to do wicked acts.  Not so those who are purified and made white in the blood of the Lamb. These demonstrate thanskgiving and one of the signs of the last times is that men and women will be unholy and “unthankful”.

Wicked men have committed wicked acts from the beginning of time as the very first murder was committed by Cain against his brother Abel, the righteous one. Cain was of that wicked one the scripture declares and his own works were evil whereas his brother’s were righteous. Volumes could be written about the wicked acts of men and women such as King Ahab and his wife Jezebel and Herod who had thousands of male children upwards of two years old slain in a vain attempt to kill the young child Jesus. Men sacrificed their children in the fire to the god, Molech, Baal, and Ashdod etc. which is an abomination in the sight of God. Saul of Tarsus was responsible for putting believers to death, although there is no record that he personally slew any specific one. However, he acts in a completely opposite manner after he is dealt with by the grace of God and was born again. He had no desire to do wickedly any more.

The Christians have been the targets of wicked man throughout history and have been burned at the stake and fed to the wild beasts. Christianas are once again in the headlights of those that oppose God and godliness. The Roman emperor Nero took his spite out on the Christians when the city of Rome burned in the first century and fed them to the beasts and made sport of them in the Roman arena. Christians burned at the stake were the lights that lightened some of his orgies. How do we understand why this happens or any other wicked acts? It is because “the wicked shall do wickedly”. The depravity of man is such that it can break out at any time in heinous acts against human beings. There is a heart problem in man and what comes out of man indicates what kind of heart possesses him. “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:”  (Matt. 15:18-19).

Although the acts committed in the cities and streets of the United States were not directly focused on Christians, we have to assume that is part of their focus because it is the Christians that had prayed for a victory for America and it didn’t appear one was forthcoming with another Democratic administration. We are told to not resist the higher powers as long as that power does not oppose God’s laws.  This is an affront to God and they will be held accountable. In my opinion, they will be held accountable in the endless punishment of the wicked in everlasting fire if they are not held accountvable in this life which the children of God experience. Of course God is the final judge and He makes no mistakes. Wicked terrorism is committed by wicked men who have a zeal for sure, but this zeal is certainly not of God; it is of that wicked one. These acts are intended to inflict panic and fear in the hearts of people with the ultimate goal to subordinate people to their beliefs. The natural tendency is to say that things like this can’t happen to me; but reality tells a completely different story. It can happen and has happened in this country but on a smaller scale. Pray that normalcy will soon return and the country and the people can get on with their lives and will not be continually provoked by supposed leaders.

The Bible declares that evil men shall wax worse and worse, deceived and being deceived so what are the people of God to do? There is nothing they can do to prevent these acts from happening. Laws will not prevent wicked men from doing their wickedness. If it were not for the restraining providence of God, it would be much worse. David says, “Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.” (Psalm 76:10). The world is not going to get any better but God’s people are in the world but not of the world. They are to do as other Christians have done in the past and that is to be steadfast and unmovable, abounding in the work of the Lord and continue to be thankful for all the mercies of God.

Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego would not bow down and worship the golden image the king had set up and were cast into the iron furnace. The Lord delivered them in a miraculous way. Daniel was cast into the den of lions as he continued to pray as before which was contrary to the king’s edict. The Lord delivered him as well. Many times the Lord hasn’t seen fit to deliver His people from physical death but He has given them grace and finally delivered them into heaven where they are finally free of the wickedness in this world, safe at last.

Try not to worry about the things over which you have no control and trust in the Lord for deliverance and of course there is final victory. The wicked will do wickedly but the righteous are commanded to do righteously. “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?  The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.” (Psalm 11:3-4). The answer of course is at the throne of God with grace to continue to be faithful to the Lord. Yes, there is heartache and sadness for the innocent and suffering but God is still in control and we are closer to the Lord’s second coming today than we were yesterday. Lord, haste the day, when our faith shall be sight and we see thee in heaven’s abode in our resurrected body, soul and spirit!

I conclude by urging us all to take refuge in the strong tower of God. ”The nane of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it and is safe.” (Prov. 18:10). This is an adaption of two posts I did last November during the Thanksgiving season. God bless every one with a Happy Thanksgiving and may the Lord continue to hedge us in with safety.–November 17, 2016–Elder Larry Wise

Facebook Twitter Email

About wisepb

Pastor: Bethany Primitive Baptist Church
This entry was posted in Church. Bookmark the permalink.