In Job chapter 21, the following verses are
written:
7. "The truth is
that the wicked live to a good old age. They grow old and wealthy.
8. They live to see their children grow to maturity, and they enjoy
their grandchildren. 9. Their homes are safe from every fear, and
God does not punish them.
They say, that the wicked live to good
old age and wealthy.
They live to see their children grow and enjoy their grandchildren.
Their homes are safe and God does not punish them.
10. Their bulls
never fail to breed. Their cows bear calves without miscarriage.
11. Their children skip about like lambs in a flock of sheep.
12. They sing with tambourine and harp. They make merry to the sound
of the flute.
13. They spend their days in prosperity; then they go down to the
grave in peace. 14. All this, even though they say to God,
'Go away. We want no part of you and your ways.
They say, the wicked spend their days
in prosperity.
They die in peace.
All this, even though they say to God. 'Go away. We want no part of you
and your ways.
16. But their
prosperity is not of their own doing, so I will have nothing to do
with that kind of thinking. 17. "Yet the wicked get away with it
time and time again. They rarely have trouble, and God skips them
when he distributes sorrows in his anger.
18. Are they driven before the wind like straw? Are they carried
away by the storm? Not at all!
They say, the wicked get away with
their wicked ways, time and time again.
They are rarely in trouble and God skips them when He distributes
sorrows in His anger.
30. Evil people
are spared in times of calamity and are allowed to escape.
31. No one rebukes them openly. No one repays them for what they
have done.
32. When they are carried to the grave, an honor guard keeps
watch at their tomb. 33. A great funeral procession goes to the
cemetery. Many pay their respects as the body is laid to rest
and the earth gives sweet repose. (Job 21:7-33, NLT)
They say, that the evil people are
spared in times of calamity and allowed to escape.
No one rebukes them openly and they do not pay for what they have done
wrong.
When they die, they are carried to their grave and many pay respect.
Honor guards even keep watch at their tombs.
10. I have seen
wicked people buried with honor. How strange that they were the very
ones who frequented the Temple and are praised* in the very city
where they committed their crimes! 11. When a crime is not
punished, people feel it is safe to do wrong.
(Ecclesiastes 8:10-11, NLT)
They say, wicked people are buried
with honor.
They frequented the temple and are praised in the very city they
committed their crimes. So they conclude that "When a crime is not
punished, people feel it is safe to do wrong."
In Isaiah 22:12-14, this is what happened
to the ancient people of Jerusalem:
11. Between the city
walls, you build a reservoir for water from the old pool. But all
your feverish plans are to no avail because you never ask God for
help. He is the one who planned this long ago.
12. The Lord, the Lord Almighty, called you to weep and mourn. He
told you to shave your heads in sorrow for your sins and to wear
clothes of sackcloth to show your remorse.
13. But instead, you dance and play; you slaughter sacrificial
animals, feast on meat, and drink wine. "Let's eat, drink, and be
merry," you say. "What's the difference, for tomorrow we die." (NLT)
They are likened to the people in
ancient Jerusalem, who disregarded the message of the Lord. They never
ask God for help. Instead of following God's admonition to repent for
their sins. They "eat, drink , and be merry" for they say.
"What's the difference, for
tomorrow we die". They
think that the problem of man will end upon his death (cessation of
breath).