Sin and those who participate therein anger Lord. In the days of Noah, sin grieved the Lord so badly that it repented God that he had made man on the earth.
Any country led by men who understand the biblical role of government would enjoy a supernatural blessing experienced only by those following the will of God.
The Bible points out that judgment or punishment against an evil work during one’s lifetime is not always executed speedily (Ecclesiastes 8:11). This has made some people think that the wicked can live with seeming impunity from the consequences of their actions. At times it might seem as though the wicked are in fact rewarded for their wickedness while the righteous are punished for diligent, holy living. Believers must live cautiously in order to avoid getting their focus off the Lord and becoming envious of the supposed conquests of the wicked. Although troubles may come to the righteous in spite of their goodness, and help to the wicked in spite of their wickedness, Christians must not and cannot envy the wicked. This dichotomy has caused many once strong Christians to choose the devil’s deceitfulness over God’s goodness.
Vengeance is not always executed in a swift fashion (Ecclesiastes 8:11). In fact, believers often grow weary because the wicked seem to prosper in spite of their evil deeds. Yet, the Lord will execute vengeance in His time. The Bible speaks often of “the day of vengeance” to come. This day is very likely a thousand year period (2 Peter 3:8) which will begin shortly before the second coming of the Lord and will end at the great white throne judgment following the end of the millennial kingdom. It will be a time when the Lord will refuse to spare the wicked (Proverbs 6:34) but will set things right for the Jewish people (Isaiah 34:8; Isaiah 61:2; Isaiah 63:4).
The Bible says that vanity is meaningless and empty, yet men love vanity. It fills their imaginations (Psalm 2:1), their thoughts (Psalm 94:11), and their speech (Psalm 144:8, 11). Vanity consumes man so much that he will weary himself for it (Habakkuk 2:13). In comparison to the vanities of this life, most people spend a brief moment in the eternal word of God. Far too many Christians fear to speak God’s righteousness but demonstrate boldness as they speak on behalf of their favorite vanities. As men tend to forget to spend time with the Lord, they spend entire days pondering the vanity to be enjoyed later in the day. Is it any wonder why people need so many “pick-me-up” drinks and drugs as they weary themselves in pursuit of vanity.
The Bible provides several sources of man’s joy, but each source can in some way be directly traced back to the Lord. In today's passage, Psalm 43:4 describes God as the psalmist's “exceeding joy.” According to Psalm 16:11, there is “fulness of joy” in God’s presence. While the Bible indicates that man’s soul can be joyful in the Lord (Psalm 35:9; Isaiah 61:10), it also associates joy directly to God’s strength (Psalm 21:1). Moreover, God’s word provides a source of joy for the saint (Jeremiah 15:16). In the New Testament, the book of Romans identifies God as the saint’s source of joy, but specifically, this joy comes “through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:11). Perhaps men lack the joy of the Lord because they disregard the Lord of their joy.
