Baptist City Blog

Zechariah 1:12

When you are doing right and see others do wrong, it can become frustrating to see those who do wrong seemingly get away with their sin. As hard as it is to do right in an atmosphere of sin, it can become harder when you see others doing wrong with seemingly no consequences. In these times of apparent injustice the question is often asked, “How long?”

The angel of the LORD found himself in this same condition. God sent the angel to walk throughout the Earth to survey their sins. The angel came to God and inquired how long He would continue to judge Jerusalem and the cities of Judah since they had been in captivity for seventy years. This same angel reminded God that the heathen were “at ease” and continued in their sin while His people were in bondage. There are some valuable lessons you need to learn from this discourse that will help you when you become discouraged because of apparent unpunished sin.

First, God knows what you have done. God knows when you have done right, and He will reward you for it. You must be careful about acquiring a self-pity attitude about nobody seeing the good you have done. I know it can become frustrating, but you have to realize that God knows what you have done and will reward you for it. There is always a season of waiting between the act of right and the reward. Don't lose hope and give up during that time.

Second, God will reward the wrong doer in His timing. God knew what the rest of the Earth did to His people, and He eventually judged them. Likewise, you must realize that in God’s timing He will reward the wrong doer for what they are doing. You may think they are at ease in their sin, but you don't see what God is preparing in the background. The wrong doer will not get away with their sin. You must not let their apparent ease discourage you from doing right. The Devil will always point to those who seem to get away with their sin, but you must realize that God always judges sin in His time.

Third, you need to encourage yourself in the Scriptures until justice is served. I love what God says in verse 13, “And the LORD answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words.” What were these good and comfortable words? These words were the Word of God. God’s Word always comforts us concerning justice. The psalmist was comforted concerning the end of the wrong doer in Psalm 73:17 when he says, “Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.” God’s Word is the source of hope and encouragement you need in those times when others seemingly are getting away with sin.

Christian, keep doing right. The heathen will flaunt their sin as if God can't do anything to them, but you must trust God that the laws of sowing and reaping cannot be changed. The reward for doing right will always be worth the wait. Just keep doing right!