"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?" (vv. 4-5)
There’s an old saying, “The pleasures that come with freedom are
not worth the price of disobedience.” Job’s friend Zophar the Naamathite understood
this as well. He was wrong in assuming Job had some hidden sin in his life that
he would not confess, but was right, however, in pointing out that the
pleasures enjoyed by the wicked and the hypocrites are only momentary. As
substantial as they might seem, perhaps continuing for many years, compared
with the rewards of the righteous that will last for eternity, they are
short-lived.
We should always make choices with God’s timetable in mind.
While the pleasures available to those willing to compromise their stand for
the Lord are varied and enticing, they can endure at best for only a lifetime.
On the other hand, the psalmist reminds us, "At Your right hand are
pleasures forevermore" (Psalm 16:11). How shortsighted it would be to choose
a few years of comfort and ease over the never-ending pleasures that God has
stored up for those who are faithful to Him.
If you are facing a choice today, ask yourself if your decision
will result in temporary pleasures or eternal rewards. That answer will make it
clear which way you should go.
The Truth: “These (the wicked) shall be punished with everlasting destruction from
the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.” (2 Thessalonians 1:9)
