There are men on the earth who are in a constant struggle against the truth, who are in constant battle to vanquish it. They do this by ridicule, by persecution, by law, and by death. They have always been, and will always be, for “What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be numbered,” Ecclesiastes 1:15.
It can be disheartening to see these things taking place (cf. Psalm 73). There seems to be nothing that can be done to alleviate the situation, and in truth, there isn’t, for “What is crooked cannot be made straight.” These men destroy what is good on the earth, and bring much trouble on God’s people, and on the world at large; all the while smiling and lying to any and all who listen to them. And they deceive many men, countless men.
“Be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world” is what Jesus says to us. For these same men did the same to him when he was here – they murdered him, for, “they have hated me without cause.” We should remember to take the eternal view in these matters, for we are victorious in the end, and no matter what trouble reaches us, he holds us in his hands. As Jesus was raised from the dead, so shall we be.
The thing to understand is this: the victory they win, is to seize that which is destined for destruction. They seek a victory in the world, but the world has a fixed time in which it will be destroyed. What eternal prize do they gain when they destroy countless lives, to satisfy and advance their own desire? For as he says, “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Indeed, they have only gained that which is destined for the fire, and “Vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord, and yea, I will repay.”
Consider the parable of the landowner who let his land out to tenants, Mark 12:1-11. He sent servants to the tenants, who beat and murdered them. Then the landowner sent his son, and they murdered him, saying, “Now it’s ours.” And what does the landowner do? He takes vengeance on them. What victory did they gain?
Those who trouble men and the church are of this sort; they may get rid of us, yet God will remove them in the end, while taking us home to eternal life.
Why then should we worry?