The concept of the happiness of the wicked being transient and frequently interrupted by divine judgments is a recurring theme in the Bible. This notion underscores the belief that while the wicked may experience temporary prosperity and joy, their ultimate fate is one of judgment and downfall. This theme serves as a moral and spiritual lesson, emphasizing the justice and sovereignty of God.

Biblical Illustrations and Teachings

1. Psalm 37:35-36: "I have seen a wicked, ruthless man flourishing like a well-rooted native tree, yet he passed away and was no more; though I searched, he could not be found." This passage illustrates the fleeting nature of the wicked's prosperity. Despite their apparent success, their end is sudden and complete, highlighting the temporary nature of their happiness.

2. Job 20:5-7: "The triumph of the wicked is brief, and the joy of the godless momentary. Though his arrogance reaches the heavens, and his head touches the clouds, he will perish forever, like his own dung; those who had seen him will ask, 'Where is he?'" Zophar, one of Job's friends, articulates the belief that the wicked's joy is short-lived, and their ultimate fate is one of destruction and obscurity.

3. Proverbs 24:19-20: "Do not fret over evildoers, and do not be envious of the wicked. For the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished." This proverb advises against envying the wicked, as their apparent happiness is temporary and their future is bleak.

4. Ecclesiastes 8:12-13: "Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may lengthen his life, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, who revere His presence. But it will not be well with the wicked, and they will not lengthen their days like a shadow, because they do not fear God." The Preacher acknowledges the paradox of the wicked's prolonged life but affirms that true well-being is reserved for those who fear God.

5. Isaiah 57:20-21: "But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea, which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud. 'There is no peace,' says my God, 'for the wicked.'" The prophet Isaiah compares the wicked to a restless sea, emphasizing their lack of peace and the turmoil that accompanies their lives.

Divine Judgments as Interruptions

The Bible frequently depicts divine judgments as interruptions to the wicked's temporary happiness. These judgments serve as reminders of God's justice and the ultimate accountability of all individuals.

1. The Flood (Genesis 6-9): The wickedness of humanity led to the divine judgment of the flood, which interrupted the lives of those who lived in defiance of God's commands. This event serves as a powerful example of how divine judgment can abruptly end the prosperity of the wicked.

2. Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19): The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah experienced destruction due to their wickedness. Their sudden downfall illustrates how divine judgment can swiftly interrupt the sinful pleasures of the wicked.

3. The Plagues of Egypt (Exodus 7-12): Pharaoh's hardened heart and the oppression of the Israelites led to a series of plagues that disrupted the lives of the Egyptians. These judgments demonstrate how God intervenes to bring justice and deliverance.

4. The Fall of Babylon (Daniel 5): The pride and arrogance of King Belshazzar were met with divine judgment when the kingdom of Babylon fell in a single night. This event underscores the suddenness with which God can interrupt the reign of the wicked.

Moral and Spiritual Implications

The transient happiness of the wicked and the inevitability of divine judgment serve as a warning to those who live in defiance of God's laws. The Bible consistently teaches that true and lasting happiness is found in righteousness and obedience to God. The temporary nature of the wicked's joy is a reminder of the ultimate justice that awaits all individuals, encouraging believers to remain steadfast in their faith and commitment to God's ways.Numbers 11:33
And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Job 15:21
A dreadful sound is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come on him.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 73:18-20
Surely you did set them in slippery places: you cast them down into destruction.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Jeremiah 25:10-11
Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

The Resemblance Between the Old Testament and the New.
... redeemeth the soul of his servants." [233] But the Lord often leaves his ... a pit of
eternal destruction to swallow up the wicked, of whose happiness it is ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 10 the resemblance between.htm

Book Ten from Autobiography to Self-Analysis. ...
... Thus they agree in their wish for happiness just as ... is a joy not granted to the wicked
but only ... vanities, then our prayers are often interrupted and disturbed ...
/.../augustine/confessions and enchiridion/book ten from autobiography to.htm

The Society of Friends, or Quakers.
... to God, neither makes any man less wicked or more ... To many the voice from heaven speaks
often. ... 1. The Foundation of Knowledge."The height of happiness is in ...
/.../creeds of christendom with a history and critical notes/ 107 the society of.htm

Appendix. The Apocryphal Books of the Old Testament.
... of righteousness and the guide to immortality and happiness. ... fortunes of the righteous
and the wicked of past ... an association of ideas that is often quite loose ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/appendix the apocryphal books of.htm

Of the Incapacity of an Unregenerate Person for Relishing the ...
... it must be a state of misery to wicked men, in ... they are not captivated with these,
he often puts on a ... distance, envying and raging at their happiness"of which ...
/.../practical discourses on regeneration/discourse v of the incapacity.htm

Perpetuity
... a false prophet for calling honest men wicked, or for ... Its morality and happiness
are absurd in the tradition of ... with them, and that they are often dead before ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pascal/pensees/section ix perpetuity.htm

Doctrinal and Moral Treatises. Index of Subjects.
... 544, [606]550; no benefit to the wicked, [607]540 ... 1033]547-[1034]549; or their happiness
would be ... Discourse, a, often pleasant to the hearer and distasteful to ...
/.../on care to be had for the dead /doctrinal and moral treatises index.htm

Colossians iii. 17
... and surest foundations, that peace and happiness, truth, and ... sinful, or there is
something wicked, either in ... such passages of the Scripture are often quoted as ...
/.../arnold/the christian life/lecture xxxix colossians iii 17.htm

Penitence, as Explained in the Sophistical Jargon of the Schoolmen ...
... Thus love, which has been interrupted by our fault ... always be objected that persons
are often undeservedly bound ... for ever, is plain, "When the wicked shall turn ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 4 penitence as explained.htm

Of Prayer --A Perpetual Exercise of Faith. The Daily Benefits ...
... in Christ, in whom he offers all happiness for our ... it as the highest insult for the
wicked to boast of ... It often happens, also, that their minds wander, and are ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 20 of prayera perpetual.htm

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