How Come the Wicked Prosper?
Asaph was king David's famous composer. Poor man, he was
bent out of shape every time he noted how the wicked and arrogant
prospered (see Psalm 73:1-3). It's hardly surprising for we still find
it hard to stomach the obvious fact that gangsters and villains live in
luxury and get away with "murder". How can the cunning and heartless
(not to say godless) manage to drive the finest vehicles, live in the
grandest houses, educate their children in the finest schools and enjoy
health and acclaim in a world run by a God of infinite holiness? There's
something radically wrong with that picture! Blessing should be
connected with goodness-we feel that in our bones.
Our bones speak the truth! But it's the ultimate truth and that
ultimate truth must wait for its full development and revelation. (And
there are complexities in God's purposes that need to be worked with and
reflected on patiently.)
Where do the wicked get their blessings? It's true that some things look like blessings when they're really curses but it's true just the same that hosts of unrighteous people are richly blessed. Where do the blessings come from and why do the wicked get them? Christ had no doubt about it-the blessings came to the thankless, the wicked and the ungrateful from his generous and holy Father (Matthew 5:45 and Luke 6:35).
Where do the wicked get their blessings? It's true that some things look like blessings when they're really curses but it's true just the same that hosts of unrighteous people are richly blessed. Where do the blessings come from and why do the wicked get them? Christ had no doubt about it-the blessings came to the thankless, the wicked and the ungrateful from his generous and holy Father (Matthew 5:45 and Luke 6:35).
There's no suggestion that the Father rewards the wicked for their
wickedness. Those passages and others stress God's generosity despite
wickedness. And part (only part) of the blues we feel is because God is
more generous than we're able to be (see Matthew 20:15, along with the
whole story). Still, God's goodness is to lead sinners to repentance
(Romans 2:4) and God's intention is finally to obliterate sin so that
fullness of life can be experienced with and in him. Goodness and
blessing are meant to go together and in a better world they will be
perfect matches but in the meantime we have God's judgement on
wickedness when its necessary and his generosity to the wicked even when
it disturbs us.
You might find my Celebrating the Wrath of God book useful.