When godless, wicked men prosper...

For what is the hope of the godless when God cuts him off, when God takes away his life? Job 27:8 

My conversation over dinner last week: Mexican border issues, Violence in Central America, Hitler, Stalin, Putin, Ethiopian famine, Black Hawk Down, Rwanda, NAFTA...

All in the same week this month: nearly 2,000 people killed in Nigeria (Voice of the Martyrs); 40 innocent people killed in Sanaa, Yemen (The Gospel Coalition); 11 people shot dead in Paris (Reuters); 97 people dead in Berundi (Wall Street Journal); 4 killed and dozens injured in Bangladesh (Wall Street Journal); 4 Chinese killed in North Korea (Wall Street Journal); 10 year old girl suicide bomber kills 16 in Nigeria (Washington Post)

231 churches attacked in 1 city in China last year (Voice of the Martyrs), 480,000 people dead in the Darfur region since 2003 (Global Prayer Digest), As of 2005, nearly 2 million children in the commercial sex trade (International Justice Mission), As of 2013, an estimated 29.8 million people held in slavery (International Justice Mission)

Why do the wicked live, reach old age, and grow mighty in power? Job 21:7

They wrong the barren, childless woman, and do no good to the widow. Yet God prolongs the life of the mighty by his power; they rise up when they despair of life. Job 24:21-22

And I ask, "Why?" I look at my beautiful children and I imagine being unable to feed them. I imagine someone kidnapping them from me. Tears fill my eyes at the thought. Why is this the reality for so many people?

Some try to blame it all on Satan. And it's true, He is the "ruler of this world," but he doesn't have ultimate power.

"the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over the lowliest of men." Daniel 4:17

In Revelation 20:10, You decree to wipe Satan out. Why not do it now? Why not have done it in the first place? 

Will any teach God knowledge, seeing that he judges those who are on high? Job 21:22

I feel hatred toward wicked men who do wicked things. I hate evil. I hate that the wicked prosper. It's just just that it's unfair. It's just so horrific. And it's not new. Evil has always been with us. Men have always been slaughtering, raping, and pillaging each other. It's so hard to understand.

I read Job 27:8 and I feel pierced.

For what is the hope of the godless when God cuts him off, when God takes away his life? Job 27:8 

Hopeless. A world full of hopelessness. The wicked are left without hope. What is success in this life when there's an eternity of suffering to follow?

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. Romans 8:20-21

You ordained to work through suffering. You have ultimate power over all evil (Mark 1:27) and yet you let Satan fall. 

Why? 

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Romans 8:18

The glory that is to be revealed

But it's so hard, Lord. The suffering is too great to bear. Our hearts say we don't deserve it.

Is not calamity for the unrighteous, and disaster for the workers of iniquity? Does not he see my ways and number all my steps? Job 31:3-4

But the Sunday School answer says we deserve far worse

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23

But what about that 10 year old girl? Why does she get that while I get this?

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing... Romans 8:18-19

 Just wait. You see all of this suffering. It's awful. It's beyond awful. There are no words. But wait until His glory is revealed. Just wait.

The deepest things I have learned in my own life have come from the deepest suffering. And out of the deepest waters and the hottest fires have come the deepest things that I know about God. Elisabeth Elliot

 And Christ suffered

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, 1 Peter 3:18

that He might bring us to God.

All this sin. 

All this love.

If you embrace the biblical truth that God ordains spectacular sins for the global glory of his Son, without God in any way becoming unholy or unrighteous or sinful in that act, then you will not shrink back from the cross of Christ as a work of God. John Piper in Spectacular Sins 

I heard somewhere about a persecuted Christian saying he felt sorry for Americans because it must be so hard to follow Christ with all of the distractions. 

He has it easy?

But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled. 1 Peter 3:14

I feel the need to acknowledge that I have in no way truly covered this discussion. We could write books on this subject. Wait. They already have.

Recommended reading: 

• Job
• Spectacular Sins by John Piper