Topic: Tragic End [DCLM Daily Manna 9 May 2020 Daily Devotional by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi]
Text: Job 24:14-25
14 The murderer rising with the light killeth the poor and needy, and in the night is as a thief.
15 The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth his face.
16 In the dark they dig through houses, which they had marked for themselves in the daytime: they know not the light.
17 For the morning is to them even as the shadow of death: if one know them, they are in the terrors of the shadow of death.
18 He is swift as the waters; their portion is cursed in the earth: he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards.
19 Drought and heat consume the snow waters: so doth the grave those which have sinned.
20 The womb shall forget him; the worm shall feed sweetly on him; he shall be no more remembered; and wickedness shall be broken as a tree.
21 He evil entreateth the barren that beareth not: and doeth not good to the widow.
22 He draweth also the mighty with his power: he riseth up, and no man is sure of life.
23 Though it be given him to be in safety, whereon he resteth; yet his eyes are upon their ways.
24 They are exalted for a little while, but are gone and brought low; they are taken out of the way as all other, and cut off as the tops of the ears of corn.
25 And if it be not so now, who will make me a liar, and make my speech nothing worth?
KEY VERSE: “They are exalted for a little while, but are gone and brought low; they are taken out of the way as all other, and cut off as the tops of the ears of corn” (Job 24:24)
MESSAGE:
Experiences in life differ from person to person. Sometimes, those who seem to be faring better are those least expected. This is more so when the best things in life seem to be happening to people we consider to be undeserving of God’s favour and mercy. What many loose sight of is that irrespective of how successful a sinner is on earth, if he does not repent, he will meet with an ignoble end.
Job’s friends had concluded that the enormity of the suffering and pain he was experiencing could only be because he was a great sinner. In his response, Job did not dispute that God reserves harsh punishment for the sinner. In seeking to show himself as undeserving of their negative characterisation as a sinner, he outlined what a wicked man looks like. He likened such a person to a murderer who takes the poor and the needy unawares and kills them. He is like an adulterer who disguises himself and commits immorality under the cover of darkness. He said such a wicked person goes to any length to device his evil acts and cover up his tracks.
But in the end, he is consumed by drought and heat. He is broken, forgotten and eaten by worms in the grave. Though exalted, he is soon cut down, withered and cast off with no remembrance any more. He obviously considered that he was not like the person he had been describing and therefore, wondered who could successfully contradict what he had said.
Sometimes, God allows such experiences to draw our attention to the fact that sin will always be judged and the outcome will be fearful and fiery. It is therefore necessary for the sinner to retrace his steps, turn from his life of indulgence and evil, and follow Christ without wavering. Otherwise, he is courting unmitigated disaster.
Thought For The Day: No sinner can escape the long arms of heaven’s law.
The Bible In One Year: 1 Corinthians 5-7
DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
