Here is a comment by Augustine that was cited in Spurgeon’s writings…….“Verily, my brethren, there is no sea so deep as these thoughts of God, who maketh the wicked flourish, and the good suffer: nothing so profound, nothing so deep: therein every unbelieving soul is wrecked, in that depth, in that profundity. Dost thou wish to cross this depth? Remove not from the wood of Christ’s cross; and thou shalt not sink: hold thyself fast to Christ.” The wicked (senseless man) does not understand or notice the great works of God – nor does he understand the thoughts of God – even though they flourish in their life on this earth – their end is to be destroyed forever. What comes with this terrible sentence on the wicked? Separation from God for eternity (Matthew 7:21-23) (Matthew 25:41-46). An everlasting “destruction” from the presence of the Lord (2 Thessalonians 1:9), whose end is destruction (Philippians 3:19).
These passages describe separation from the blessings and fellowship of the Lord’s presence. Other passages speak of similar separation (Ephesians 5:5) (Revelation 21:27) (Revelation 22:15). Their eternal dwelling place is called “hell” – (Gr. gheh’-en-nah), it represents the Hebrew word “Ge-Hinnom,”The term Gehenna arose from the valley of Hinnom – south of Jerusalem – where the Canaanites burned human sacrifices to Moloch – after the return of the Jews from the Captivity they made it a place of defilement where the refuse of the city was thrown and burned. The word is often used in the New Testament, and always denotes a place of (Matthew 5:21-22) (Matthew 5:29-30). Perhaps the most vivid use of this term is in (Mark 9:43-48).
This is the horror and abomination of the eternal destiny awaiting the wicked (Hebrews 10:26-27).“Destruction ‘for ever’ is a portion far too terrible for the mind to realize. Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, the full ter ror of the wrath to come!” (Spurgeon)
The wicked have their season of flourishing, but the righteous shall flourish like the palm treeThe wicked should understand that this world provides the best they will ever experience – and the righteous should know that this world provides the worst they will experience. Think for a moment of what awaits – the righteous – the redeemed in Christ Jesus
- An inheritance – (1 Peter 1:3-4)
- A better and enduring possession – (Hebrews 10:34)
- A city whose builder and maker is God – (Hebrews 11:10) (Revelation 21:9-27)
- A new heaven and new earth – (2 Peter 3:7-13)
Like a palm tree - when we see a noble palm standing tall - sending all its strength upward and growing among the drought of the desert - we have a picture of the godly man - who in his uprightness aims at the glory of God and thrives where nothing else grows
Let’s Thank God this morning for our salvation