The Wicked

The Bible is filled with examples of what it calls “the Wicked”. These are men and women who have excelled in wickedness and evil. Other words that you can use to describe wickedness are: “vicious, unlawful, unethical, vile, sinful, evil, unsavory, cruel etc.”

Wickedness has always existed in the world, right from the time of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden.Satan or the devil is the father of wickedness. Cain killed his brother Abel because he was jealous of him. King Herod killed thousands of innocent children just to ensure that baby Jesus was destroyed. Judas Iscariot betrayed his master, Jesus Christ, for 30 pieces of silver. Delilah pressured Samson to tell her the secret of his power so that she can sell him to his enemies, the Philistines.

Pharaoh of Egypt refused to let the Israelites go, even after God had afflicted Egypt with 9 plagues. It was not until the 10th plague that he finally agreed to let them go. Even after that, he changed his mind until he became “fish sandwich” with his warriors, as they perished in the Red Sea.

What shall we say of Abimelech in the Bible who killed 70 sons of his father Gideon , just to become the King? Or Athaliah, the over- ambitious woman who destroyed all the royal heirs of the house of Judah and made herself queen? What of Haman the Agagaite, who hated just one man, Mordecai, but wanted to annihilate a whole race of people, just because one man refused to bow down to him?

This is wickedness!

Evil did not just exist in Biblical times but is still present and thrives in the world today. However, thanks be to God, for he has seen what wickedness can do and is up to the task of punishing the wicked. He does not allow the wicked to go unpunished.

First, what does God think about wicked people?

In Psalm 50:16-21:

“But to the wicked God says: “What right have you to declare My statutes, or take My covenant in your mouth, seeing you hate instruction and cast My words behind you? When you saw a thief, you consented with him, and have been a partaker with adulterers. You give your mouth to evil, and your tongue frames deceit. You sit and speak against your brother; You slander your own mother’s son. These things you have done, and I kept silent; You thought that I was altogether like you; But I will rebuke you and set them in order before your eyes.” NKJV

What punishment can the wicked expect from God? Let’s listen to what Zophar the Nammanithe has to say on the fate of the wicked. In Job 20:4-29:

“Do you not know this of old, since man was placed on earth, That the triumphing of the wicked is short, And the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment? Though his haughtiness mounts up to the heavens, And his head reaches to the clouds, yet he will perish forever like his own refuse.

Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’ He will fly away like a dream, and not be found; Yes, he will be chased away like a vision of the night. The eye that saw him will see him no more, nor will his place behold him anymore. His children will seek the favor of the poor, and his hands will restore his wealth. His bones are full of his youthful vigor, but it will lie down with him in the dust. “Though evil is sweet in his mouth, and he hides it under his tongue, though he spares it and does not forsake it, but still keeps it in his mouth, yet his food in his stomach turns sour; It becomes cobra venom within him.

He swallows down riches and vomits them up again;God casts them out of his belly. He will suck the poison of cobras; The viper’s tongue will slay him. He will not see the streams, The rivers flowing with honey and cream. He will restore that for which he labored and will not swallow it down; From the proceeds of business, he will get no enjoyment.

For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor, He has violently seized a house which he did not build. “Because he knows no quietness in his heart, He will not save anything he desires. Nothing is left for him to eat; Therefore, his well-being will not last. In his self-sufficiency he will be in distress; Every hand of misery will come against him. When he is about to fill his stomach, God will cast on him the fury of His wrath and will rain it on him while he is eating.

He will flee from the iron weapon; A bronze bow will pierce him through. It is drawn, and comes out of the body; Yes, the glittering point comes out of his gall. Terrors come upon him; Total darkness is reserved for his treasures. An unfanned fire will consume him; It shall go ill with him who is left in his tent.