Jump Start # 644

Psalms 73:3 “For I was envious of the arrogant as I saw the prosperity of the wicked.”

This Psalm is written by Asaph. I appreciate the honesty and truthfulness found in it. Often we hide what we truly feel and think. This Psalm is a good one for all of us to read. It reflects how unfair things often seem and how that affects us.

Our passage says that Asaph was envious of the arrogant. The book of Proverbs warns us about envying the wicked man. Sometimes we still do, even though we shouldn’t. Asaph didn’t want to join the arrorgant or leave his faith in God and join the party of those who live ungodly. This wasn’t a case of evil companions corrupting good morals. That happens, but not here. Asaph saw something in the wicked that he didn’t see in the righteous, especially his life.

• The wicked were prosperous.
• They died peaceful (there are no pains in their death)
• They had an abundance (their body is fat; their eye bulges from fatness)
• They don’t have problems (trouble) like others
• They are at ease and have increased in wealth

He does recognize their wicked ways.  They mock and oppress others. They are violent. They ridicule God and speak arrogantly against Him.

What really bothered Asaph is the sharp contrasts in behavior and results. He was trying to live righteously and pure. He loved God and wanted to do what was right. Yet his life and those of the righteous were not defined by wealth or ease. This didn’t seem right.

It didn’t then and it doesn’t today. Why is it that the guy who never darkens the church building and guzzles beer on a daily basis, has a foul mouth and is rude and obnoxious, lives in a fine house, drives new cars, has a fancy boat and takes a vacation about every six weeks? How is that? How is that the family that’s trying to do right drives an old beat up car, never seems to have enough money, struggles to even take one vacation a year—yet they are always at worship services, they have people in their home, they love the Lord and are opposites of their wicked neighbor?  Why is it that way?

This injustice and unfairness really bothered Asaph. He admitted that they were “troublesome in his sight” and that his feet “came close to stumbling.” He nearly threw in the towel and joined the wicked.

Asaph went to the sanctuary of God and was reminded of the end for the wicked. He wasn’t talking about death, because he saw that they had no pains in their death. What he realized was the spiritual end of the wicked. Their wealth, fatness and peace on earth did not help them with God. He realized that those who are “far” from God will perish and God will destroy those who are unfaithful to Him.

Heaven is not now. God doesn’t buy our faithfulness. Having the best of this world can change us and mess us up. There are some things that Asaph had that the wicked man didn’t. Asaph had a relationship with the God of Heaven and earth. Asaph could walk in such a way that it would please God. Following God would bring Asaph into the greatest person that he could be. His relationship with God would impact his marriage, his children and all those around him. A man of integrity, a man of hope, a man of righteousness—this is what it means to be a follower of God.

The wicked man had nice things, but he was death to be with. This chapter repeatedly mentions the arrogance and pride of the wicked man. Can you imagine what it would be like to live in that house or worse to have such a person as a boss? He didn’t care about anyone except himself. Money will buy a fine house but it will not buy character, peace of mind, or compassion and love. He had stuff but he was empty on the inside. Like the rich man in Luke 16, his death left all his possessions to others and cast him into a world of torment where he had no help and no peace. This is not the way to live and certainly not the way to die.

Heaven is real. Heaven is for those who love the Lord and walk with Him. Heaven fall exceeds anything earth can come up with. The most wonderful things of earth are nothing compared to Heaven. We sing, “This world is not my home…” but we stand in line with Asaph sometimes and our faith takes some hits because we become jealous and envious of the wicked. The answer to these things is simple. Take your eyes off the glitter of the world and fix your eyes upon Jesus. That’s the answer. That’s what will help you the most.

Don’t be stumbling through life spiritually. Stand firm, act like men, be strong in the Lord.

Roger