“They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof,” Job 24:13.

In the observations of Job, recorded in this chapter, we see the unchanging perversities of men. The common crimes of today were the crimes of Job's day. Here is defrauding one another, here is cruelty, here is murder and here is immorality. What is considered wrong today was considered wrong 4000 years ago. 

While sin will bring its terrible harvest, as a general rule it is not reaped in this life.  The acceptance of the error that sin will be judged of God in the life of the sinner brought condemnation upon Job's head. His friends had concluded that because he was suffering these terrible afflictions God must be judging him for some sin. 

The truth is, many live very wicked lives and are never visited with any tokens of divine disapproval. The history of the people of God is one where this is seen to be true. Have not wicked men carried out the most atrocious deeds upon the righteous and yet lived and died in comparative peace? There have been occasions when God has been pleased to show His wrath upon such as Pharaoh but he is the exception rather than the rule.

The question asked by Job in the first verse comes to the heart of the matter. He states that God knows all things, but yet God's people do not see the day of the wicked man's judgment. Remember, in heaven the prayer of the saints at the very end of the age is “How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?” Revelation 6:9-10. 

Sinful men, who heed not the gospel, are but filling up the cup of judgment from which they must drink every drop one day.

In describing those whose sinfulness seems to go unpunished, Job mentions those who rebel against the light. That is my subject this morning.

I. ALL MEN ARE GUILTY OF THIS TO SOME DEGREE

1. Some sin only against the light of nature. Psalm 19:1-3, 97:6, Acts 14:17, Romans 1:20. There is an international message, clear evidence of His glory. God is not without a witness therefore men are without excuse.

2. Some sin against the light of conscience as well as nature. Conscience is not a perfect witness. It cannot tell us the way of salvation but it can tell us the way that is wrong.  Conscience suffered in the fall just as did all of man's faculties but it is usually wrong to rebel against it.  Conscience shall condemn all rejecters of Christ because they rejected Him contrary to the urgings of conscience.

3. Some sin against the light of revelation. What condemnation awaits those who do so for they reject three witnesses.

II. GOD PERMITS SUCH REBELLION TO CONTINUE

1. Even with the voice of their victims crying out God allows their sin to continue. “Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded crieth out: yet God layeth not folly to them,” Job 24:12. There seems to be no reaction from Heaven as far as men may judge!

2. Even when they boast that their ways are not seen. “The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth his face,” Job 24:15. Ever since Adam, man has believed that he can hide from God. “Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?” Isaiah 29:15.

3. Often they seem to enjoy undisturbed security. “Though it be given him to be in safety, whereon he resteth,” Job 24:23. “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil,” Ecclesiastes 8:11. The story of Esau sets this forth.  “And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren. . . . . And they dwelt from Havilah unto Shur, that is before Egypt, as thou goest toward Assyria: and he died in the presence of all his brethren,” Genesis 16:12, 25:18. See how they die, verse 19. They decline as quietly as melting snow. They die like other men, verse 24.

Is this the basis of your peace and security??

III. FOR ALL THAT, GOD'S EYE IS WATCHING

“Yet his eyes are upon their ways,” Job 24:23. He has seen all and noted all. 

“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death,” Proverbs 14:12. 

“What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death,” Romans 6:21.

1. What patient forbearance God has shown to sinners.

2. What mercy that light should still be continued. You sit under that light this morning.

3. How vital that we act now in the light of nature, conscience and revelation. In turn these three bear witness to God's glory, our sinfulness and Christ's mercy and love. 

Heed that threefold testimony now.