This is a question that has repeatedly preoccupied my mind ever since Vladimir Putin launched his so called “special operation” into Ukraine. The arrogance, the greed for wealth, the lust for power, the lies, the selfish ambition and the warped ideology of this man have brought death, destruction untold suffering and heartache to tens of thousands of people including those of his own nation. While he sits secure in his ivory tower, hundreds of human beings made in the image of God are being blown to bits on the battlefields of Syria and Ukraine. At the present time he seems to be literally “getting away with murder”. The sort of questions I wrestle with are, “Where is God in all this? Does He see and take note of what is going on?”
I am not the only one whose mind is troubled by these questions. The psalmist Asaph agonized over the same things. He was concerned that the wealthy and powerful ‘fat cats’ of his day were getting away with their wickedness. In Psalm 73 he gives vent to his feelings saying:
A psalm of Asaph.
Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.
But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold.
For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong.
They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills. Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence.
From their callous hearts comes iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits. They scoff, and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression.
Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth. Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance.
They say, "How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?"
This is what the wicked are like— always carefree, they increase in wealth.
Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence. All day long I have been plagued; I have been punished every morning.
If I had said, "I will speak thus," I would have betrayed your children.
When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.
Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin.
How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors!
As a dream when one awakes, so when you arise, O Lord, you will despise them as fantasies.
(Psa 73:1-20)
Asaph says that he had nearly slipped and lost his foothold through his wrong thinking because he envied the arrogant and the prosperity of the wicked. Then he describes the luxuries and the lifestyles of the rich and powerful. One of the things he says resonates so much with the proud boasts of our friend Vladimir…
…pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence.
From their callous hearts comes iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits. They scoff, and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression.
Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth.
This kind of person is blinded and deceived and thinks that they will get away with what they are doing because God somehow does not know about their actions. Asaph was plagued, almost punished by his thoughts, but somehow as a good spiritual leader, was able to keep a rein on his tongue and not speak out his thoughts to God’s children. He struggled under the burden of these oppressive thoughts until he “entered the sanctuary of God”. As he sought God’s face for answers he had an epiphany in which God revealed to him the final destiny of the wicked – how they will be cast down to ruin and suddenly destroyed. When we have difficult questions in our hearts, we too should enter God’s presence and seek His face for answers.
I have gone on a similar journey in my thoughts and prayers around the Ukraine war – perhaps you have too! It is not for me to judge any man, this is God’s business! However, I sought God and I now have peace in my heart because God has said in His Word, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," and again, "The Lord will judge his people." It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Heb 10:30-31) When it comes to Vladimir, “…Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?" (Gen 18:25). God will surely judge him, examining his motives and his actions, the very thoughts and intents of his heart. If he fails the test, he will be thrown into the fiery furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (See Matt 13:41-42)
God is indeed a loving Father, however, He is still the righteous judge. Let us all have a healthy, reverential fear of the Lord, remembering that …man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment… (Heb 9:27)
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