Moment in the Word

Psalms 37:35 I have seen the wicked highly exalted, and lifted up like the cedars of Libanus (Lebanon). Douay-Rheims Bible

Have you ever been frustrated with God's job performance, the way He manages... or occasionally seems to mismanage the affairs of this life?

Regardless of whether you honestly answer, King David already expressed his disapproval of life's obvious inequities, "I have seen brutal people abuse others and grow strong like trees in rich soil (Psalms 37:35, Contemporary English Version).

Last week, I momentarily complained to God after seeing a situation unfold when a young individual in a very fragile condition was misused by an older person, chronically inconsiderate of others. Angrily, I protested, "God, how long are You going to watch this abuser repeatedly injure people and do absolutely nothing to hold them accountable?"

Instantly, the Almighty quietly spoke to my heart, "Edwin, this world is not My Kingdom."

Momentarily, I was stunned, "Say what!"

The Holy Spirit repeated, "This world is not My Kingdom!"

Although I subconsciously knew the gentle message was true, yet I balked, "I would like to see that in writing!"

Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight... but now my kingdom is from another place." (John 18:36, NIV)

There it was... in black and white!

Actually, this truth is a scientific law, the second law of thermodynamics - entropy! Things don't get better, they get worse! Order collapses into chaos! Design deteriorates into mayhem. Bad things happen to good people. The innocent suffer while the guilty go free, in spite of God's promise, "All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28, KJV)."

But why?

According to Christ and St. Paul, this world is administered by an evil prince who has absolutely nothing in common with God, "I will not now speak many things with you. For the prince of this world cometh, and in me he hath not anything (John 14:30, Douay-Rheims Bible)," and "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2, KJV)."

Although ministers rarely use the following text in their sermons, yet Psalms 82 perfectly portrays the problem of poor stewardship and mismanagement of this planet by some of God's angels. In the passage, the Almighty criticizes a group of supernatural creatures for their pathetic misuse of the world, who have defended the unjust and favored the wicked... while ignorantly walking in darkness and allowing the foundations of the earth to crumble! (Note vs. 2 & 5) Due to their sin, God warns that these rebellious angels will die just like men. But despite the scathing rebuke, the chapter ends with this triumphant proclamation, "Rise up, O God, judge the earth, for all the nations are your 'inheritance' (Psalms 82:8, NIV)."

Note: an "inheritance" is a possession claimed in the future after the current owner dies. Consequently, before the nations can ever become an "inheritance" in God's Kingdom, someone must die, but who?

As I noted earlier, life is absolutely unfair because this present world is not part of God's Kingdom, being left to the oversight of wicked spiritual forces; however, the story doesn't end this way! One of these days, a BIG change will happen when "the time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out (John 12:31, NLT)."

After Satan is destroyed, I promise that you will really enjoy the new Management because "they will neither harm nor destroy on all My holy 'mountain' (a scriptural metaphor for 'kingdom'), for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea (Isaiah 11:9, NIV)."

Hang on! Better days are just ahead!