Why Do Good Things Happen to Bad People?

Learning Not to Fret About the Wicked

Good Morning!

In family worship last night we read a story that I’m sure all y’all know well. In Genesis 39 we have Joseph fresh off the betrayal of his brothers being sold into slavery in Egypt by the Ishmeelites, who were merely the middle-men in the providential plan of the Lord. Yet what you probably remember most about that situation is the attempted seduction by Potiphar’s wife. We aren’t told her name (a quiet way that Moses judges her actions), but every bit of her conduct is deplorable. Not only does she use her position to attempt to extract sexual favors from a servant of her husband, we also see her lie about why Joseph’s garment is in her hands. After all this nonsense what happens? The one man doing right ends up in prison.

Surely no good deed goes unpunished.

In today’s prayer and worship help we are going to think through a little bit about why those who do what the Lord requires often suffer, while those who do evil end up seemingly blessed for their efforts. Looking into that kind of thing of course is nothing new. It was a common lament of the Psalmist and other folks in the Bible. In Psalm 73 Asaph says, “For I was envious of the boastful, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” and Jeremiah likewise calls out to the Lord in his distress, “Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive?” In each of these cases faithful men are drawn to the apparent incongruity of the situation. Asaph is a Levite charged by David to be a singer in the Temple and is likely referring to the rebellion of Absalom and the civil disruptions caused by those events.  Jeremiah is a prophet of the Lord sent to warn Judah of falling into the same trap as their Northern sister, to no avail. For someone like Asaph who is concerned about the worship of God to see the duplicity of Absalom and his compatriots and to know his friend and king David is out on the run because of it must have caused him some serious heartburn. Yet after this he reminds himself, and us, about the truth.

Verse 27 says, “For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish; You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry.” Asaph knows the LORD’s history. He knows that regardless of what things may look like there should be no reason for God’s people to ever confuse temporary situations for the eternal reality promised to them in Christ. Jeremiah likewise echoes these words in calling for the repentance of those who think they are in a good place, “And it shall be, if they will learn carefully the ways of My people, to swear by My name, ‘As the Lord lives,’ as they taught My people to swear by Baal, then they shall be established in the midst of My people. But if they do not obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation,” says the Lord.” Both Asaph and Jeremiah do not lose heart because they have learned the ways of the LORD and they know that outward things do not give a clear picture of the real situation.  

Probably the best witness to this truth in the New Testament is the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus. As Jesus introduces us to the situation we have a man sitting on the ground outside the mansion of a well-to-do wearer of purple (always a sign of wealth in the 1st century). Lazarus is a leper, or at least has some kind of noticeable skin disease. Something that sticks out here is that we learn that his name and the rich man is never given one (remember what I said about Potiphar’s wife?). After they die the one who had all the advantages ends up in the hot place and the one who was not even able to have the crumbs from the rich man’s table gets to sit in Abraham’s bosom.

There is no question who gets the better end of that deal. I wonder what each of their funerals looked like? I bet the rich man had a lot of paid mourners and a lavish casket with all the fancy accoutrements, while no one may have even noticed that Lazarus was dead, but guess who knew? The only one who mattered, that Lord of glory who knows His own. The old adage that a man plus God is a majority was never more true than in this moment.

Let me ask you a question at this point.

When you see the Bill Gates’s or the Jeff Bezos’s of the world partying in exclusive resorts or receiving the fawning of leaders on the big questions of life do you feel a bit of jealousy? Or rage? Why do we do that? Part of it is a righteous anger to be sure. We should be grieving the way the world seeks advice from fools and clowns. It would most definitely be better if instead of consulting a computer programmer about the meaning of life ABC gave Clint Davis a call.

However, it must not surprise us when wicked men act like wicked men. It also cannot be something that bothers us, for they will get what is coming. We can rest assured of that. We should also give thanks for the Lord’s mercy that we have not gone likewise.

In closing, David gives us some advice in Psalm 37. He notes, “Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret—it only causes harm.”

Read that last clause again.

Do not fret, it only causes harm. Sufficient are today’s problems, and to be honest sufficient are our own problems. We cannot properly take care of ourselves if we are spending all our time worried about what the reprobate Jones’s are doing across the street. Let God handle it, and focus upon your own walking in His ways and your own resting in the eternal blessings that He has provided for you. You will find yourself not only much more happier, but far more content.

Today’s reading looks at another aspect of this:

https://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/end-wicked

Blessings in Christ,

Rev. Benjamin Glaser

Pastor, Bethany ARP Church