In the biblical narrative, the concept of the wicked deriving happiness from successful oppression is a recurring theme that highlights the moral and spiritual corruption of those who turn away from God's commandments. The Scriptures provide numerous examples and warnings about the temporary and deceptive nature of such happiness.

Biblical References:

1. Job 20:5 : "the triumph of the wicked has been brief and the joy of the godless momentary?" This verse from the book of Job underscores the fleeting nature of the wicked's joy. Zophar, one of Job's friends, speaks of the temporary success and happiness that the wicked experience, which is often built on the suffering and oppression of others.

2. Psalm 73:3-8 : "For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggle in their death; their bodies are well-fed. They are free of the burdens others carry; they are not afflicted like other men. Therefore pride is their necklace; a garment of violence covers them. From their prosperity proceeds iniquity; the imaginations of their hearts run wild." The psalmist Asaph reflects on the apparent prosperity and happiness of the wicked, who often engage in oppression and violence. Their success seems to shield them from the common struggles of life, leading to a false sense of security and pride.

3. Proverbs 21:7 : "The violence of the wicked will sweep them away because they refuse to do what is just." This proverb highlights the destructive nature of the wicked's actions. Their happiness, derived from oppression and violence, ultimately leads to their downfall, as they reject justice and righteousness.

4. Micah 2:1-2 : "Woe to those who devise iniquity and plot evil on their beds! When morning dawns, they accomplish it because they have the power. They covet fields and seize them; they take houses and deprive others of them. They oppress a man and his house, a man and his inheritance." The prophet Micah condemns those who find happiness in their ability to oppress and exploit others. Their power and success are used to fulfill their greedy desires, leading to the suffering of the innocent.

5. Habakkuk 1:13 : "Your eyes are too pure to look upon evil, and You cannot tolerate wrongdoing. Why then do You tolerate the treacherous? Why are You silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?" The prophet Habakkuk questions why God allows the wicked to prosper through oppression. This verse reflects the struggle to understand the temporary success of the wicked in light of God's holiness and justice.

Theological Implications:

The happiness of the wicked, derived from successful oppression, is portrayed in the Bible as a temporary and ultimately self-destructive state. While they may experience momentary joy and prosperity, their actions are in direct opposition to God's commandments and justice. The Scriptures consistently affirm that true happiness and fulfillment come from living a life aligned with God's will, characterized by righteousness, justice, and love for others. The apparent success of the wicked serves as a test of faith for the righteous, who are called to trust in God's ultimate justice and sovereignty.Habakkuk 1:15
They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: therefore they rejoice and are glad.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

James 5:6
You have condemned and killed the just; and he does not resist you.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Funeral Oration on the Great S. Basil, Bishop of C??sarea in ...
... he had expected, and called Athens an empty happiness. ... their representations of our
Paradise, derived from those ... Godhead, and became a wicked creature reducing ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/oration xliii funeral oration on.htm

Introduction. Chapter i. --The Life and Writings of St. Hilary of ...
... as deliberate and, in their way, as successful as the ... impassibility of the incarnate
Christ is derived, more probably ... it is equally vain and wicked to attempt ...
/.../introduction chapter i the life and.htm

Footnotes
... or the youngest students, the Bejani, derived from the ... sincere in their profusions,
nor successful in their ... sin and danger of joining with wicked and ungodly ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/footnotes.htm

Period iii. The Dissolution of the Imperial State Church and the ...
... Monophysitism, its settlement on a basis derived from the ... filled with important events
and successful undertakings. ... with the errors of the wicked Nestorius and ...
/.../ayer/a source book for ancient church history/period iii the dissolution of.htm

part ii
... help for the good and successful accomplishment of ... eternal life, its eternal happiness,
ensured by ... principled children, forgive their wicked, capricious, and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/calvin/my life in christ/part ii.htm

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