The Righteous and the Wicked Discerned
cordial; if our hearts are sincere, God will spare us as a father does his son. "I will not execute the fierceness of my anger" (Hos. 11:9).
I know not a greater rock of support, for a fainting Christian than this—God will abate the severity of the law. Though we come short in our duty, he will not fail of his mercy—but will spare us as a father spares his son.
The Difference Between Righteous and the Wicked "Then you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not." (Mal.
3:18).
Here follows the close of the chapter, which I shall little more than paraphrase. These words are spoken to the wicked, as learned expositors assert; for though the godly shall at last discern what a difference God makes between them and the wicked, how merciful he is to the one, and how severe to the other—yet this text is chiefly spoken to the wicked: "You have said, It is vain to serve God!" (verse
14) "From now on we will say, 'Blessed are the arrogant.' For those who do evil get rich, and those who dare God to punish them go free of harm." (verse 15). Well, says God, though now you call the proud happy and the godly foolish—yet when I have made up my jewels— then you wicked ones shall see clearly what a difference I make between the righteous, and the wicked; between him who serves God
—and him who does not serve him. Then, when it is too late, when the day of grace is past, and the drawbridge of mercy is pulled up— then shall you discern a difference between the holy and the profane!
Doctrine 1: The wicked at present have their eyes shut! "To this day the Lord has not given you minds that understand, nor eyes that see, nor ears that hear!" (Deut. 29:4). Natural men have the sword upon their right eye, "The sword will cut his arm and pierce his right eye! His arm will become useless, and his right eye completely blind!" (Zech. 11:17). They see no difference between the pious and the impious; they imagine that it fares as well with the wicked as with the righteous; nay, it seems to fare better with the wicked. The wicked flourish: "These are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches" (Psalm 73: 12). Whereas those who pray and fast, are oppressed. The wicked bless themselves, and think they are now in a better condition than the righteous; the matter is not to be wondered at, for "the god of this world has blinded the minds of sinners" (2 Cor. 4:4). But at last their eyes shall he opened; and that brings me to the second doctrine.
Doctrine 2: There is a time shortly coming when impious, grossly wicked sinners, shall SEE an obvious difference between the godly and the nicked. The tables will then be turned! "Then you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not."
Question: When is the time when the eyes of sinners shall he opened, and they shall see a difference between the righteous and the wicked?
Answer: There are two times when sinners shall see a manifest difference between the righteous and the wicked.
Firstly, at the day of judgment. That will be a day of manifest difference. Things will then appear in their proper colors; the
difference will easily be seen between the godly and the wicked; the one being absolved—the other condemned!
Secondly, at the hour of separation, when God shall eternally separate the reprobate from the elect, as a winnowing fan separates the chaff from the wheat—and there shall be a visible discerning between the righteous and wicked. "All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate them as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life!" (Matt. 25:3233, 46). Jesus Christ will take his saints up with him into glory—and will cast the wicked down to hell. He will make up the godly as jewels, and tie up the wicked in bundles to be burned! "Bind them in bundles to burn them" (Matt. 13:30). Now sinners shall be convinced with a vengeance, that the state of the righteous and the wicked is different! They shall see the righteous advanced to a heavenly kingdom, and themselves cast into a fiery prison!
Oh, the dreadfulness of that place of torment! Could men lay their ears to the infernal lake, and but for one hour hear the groans and shrieks of the damned—they would tell us that they now see what before they would not believe—the infinite difference between the righteous and the wicked! In hell is torment upon torment,
"blackness of darkness" (Jude 13), "chains of darkness" (2 Pet. 2:4).
These chains are God's decree ordaining, and his power binding men under wrath! And that which accentuates and puts a sting into the torments of the wicked—is that they shall be always scorching in the fire of God's wrath! "The smoke of their torment ascends up forever and ever" (Rev. 14:11 ).