This month God has been revealing to me a lot about injustices and what happens to people who commit such things. I wrestled in my heart, trying to figure out what happens to people who get away with wickedness. As I searched for answers, God took me to the book of Judges in chapter 19 and showed me what happens when people turn wicked and the results of it.
If you’ve never read chapter 19 in Judges, you’re probably going to be shocked at the amount of evil that could protrude out of people and how much harm it causes. These types of injustices and crimes happen all the time to people and in the book of Judges, you can see it happen to an innocent woman. In this story, we see how a woman is raped by a group of perverted men from the tribe of Benjamin and is abused to the point of death. God ultimately provides justice for this woman and her husband who was a Levite (a holy priest). Wickedness was prevailing in the tribe of Benjamin and God sought out to destroy them, even if it means killing His own. God does not tolerate wickedness.
Perhaps you’ve dealt with your own injustices, maybe not as harsh as this or maybe as harsh as this. And although this story didn’t happen to me, it happened to someone in my high school while I was there. I was a sophomore and she was a senior. I remember vividly seeing my friends crying because of what happened to Ana Maria Angel. And even though I never met her, I weep for her and her mother. Surely, God will bring justice to them.
Here is what God wants you to see how He deals with wicked people who have committed a crime against you.
#1 Punishment is sure to come. The parable of the widow woman is a great example. You can find it in Luke 18:1-8. In this parable, Jesus talks about a widow who was in desperate need of justice, but the unjust judge, who did not fear God nor men, listened to her pleas. This is interesting because, towards the end, the judge actually grants her justice. The judge doesn’t do it out of compassion or righteousness but does it because he was fed up with her. Later, you see Jesus saying, “And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?” It’s clear that injustices don’t go unnoticed for God.
#2 Don’t envy the wicked. Proverbs 24:1 says, “Do not envy the wicked, do not desire their company.” Sometimes we’re envious that wicked people are prospering and they get away with things. We wonder what they’re doing and we think perhaps we’re doing something wrong. Indeed they are prospering, but what’s actually happening spiritually is their bondage to the kingdom of darkness. Whatever means they go through to achieve this prosperity, whether it be lying, cheating, stealing, or hypocrisy…it is never a good idea to envy their ways nor act in their ways. “When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increases: but the righteous shall see their fall.” Hence the reason why God destroyed the tribe of Benjamin, to the point that only 600 men were left. Psalm 91:8 says, “You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.”
But what about wicked people who die and don’t get justice here on earth? The quick answer is … they will perish in Sheol for eternity.
#3 Pray for your enemies. Why should I pray for my enemies? This is what God taught me in relation to praying for my enemies. Ezekiel 18:23 says, “Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?” You can see here that God, in His mercy and justice, doesn’t want the wicked to continue down that path of destruction. God doesn’t want us to pray for our enemies to end up in hell, but instead, He wants us to pray for their repentance. We pray for them that they will have a change of heart and their lives can be transformed. Even in your anger against them, you can ask God to help you pray for them and that they will turn from their wicked ways.
Remember that your justice is coming and your heavenly Father does not slumber and does not sleep. Pray that God heals you in the wait of your justice.
GODLY WORDS MINISTRIES 