Topical Bible: Peace: The Wicked: Opposed To

◄ Peace: The Wicked: Opposed To ►

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In the biblical narrative, peace is often depicted as a divine gift and a state of harmony that aligns with God's will. However, the wicked, characterized by their rebellion against God and His commandments, are frequently portrayed as being opposed to peace. This opposition is not merely a passive absence of peace but an active disruption of the order and tranquility that God desires for His creation.

Scriptural References:

1. Isaiah 48:22 · "There is no peace," says the LORD, "for the wicked." This verse succinctly captures the essence of the wicked's relationship with peace. The absence of peace for the wicked is a divine pronouncement, indicating that their actions and lifestyle inherently disrupt the peace that God offers.

2. Isaiah 57:20-21 · "But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea, which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and muck. 'There is no peace,' says my God, 'for the wicked.'" Here, the imagery of a restless sea illustrates the inner turmoil and chaos that characterize the lives of the wicked. Their inability to find peace is likened to the relentless and turbulent nature of the sea, emphasizing their constant state of unrest.

3. Psalm 28:3 · "Do not drag me away with the wicked and with the workers of iniquity, who speak peace to their neighbors while malice is in their hearts." This verse highlights the duplicity of the wicked, who may outwardly express peace but harbor malice internally. Their opposition to true peace is evident in their deceitful nature and the discord they sow.

4. Proverbs 12:20 · "Deceit is in the hearts of those who devise evil, but those who promote peace have joy." The contrast between the wicked and the righteous is stark. While the wicked are filled with deceit and evil intentions, those who seek and promote peace experience joy, underscoring the inherent opposition of the wicked to genuine peace.

5. Micah 3:5 · "This is what the LORD says: 'As for the prophets who lead my people astray, if one feeds them, they proclaim peace; if he does not, they prepare to wage war against him.'" The false prophets, representing the wicked, manipulate the concept of peace for personal gain, further illustrating their opposition to true peace. Their actions lead to conflict and strife rather than the peace they falsely proclaim.

Theological Implications:

The opposition of the wicked to peace is deeply rooted in their rejection of God's authority and their pursuit of self-interest. This rebellion manifests in various forms, including deceit, violence, and the disruption of communal harmony. The biblical portrayal of the wicked as opposed to peace serves as a warning and a call to righteousness, emphasizing the importance of aligning with God's will to experience true peace.

The wicked's opposition to peace is not only a personal affliction but also a societal one, as their actions often lead to broader conflict and unrest. The scriptures consistently affirm that peace is a fruit of righteousness and a reflection of God's kingdom, which the wicked, in their defiance, cannot attain or sustain.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 120:7
I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Whether Peace is the Same as Concord?
... Now the one same thing is opposed to concord and peace ... contrary, There can be concord
in evil between wicked men. But "there is no peace to the wicked" (Is.48:22 ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether peace is the same.htm

The End of the Wicked.
... what kind of war can be found in the end of the wicked answering to the peace which
is ... and bitter war than that in which the will is so opposed to passion ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/city of god/chapter 28 the end of the.htm

Concerning the Death of Antiochus Epiphane. How Antiochus Eupator ...
... country, and got together some other wicked men like ... while the inhabitants of Bethsura
courageously opposed him, and ... and promised to give them peace, and to ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 9 concerning the death.htm

"Thou Shall Keep Him in Perfect Peace, Whose Mind is Stayed on ...
... On our part are hearts desperately wicked, whose imagination ... There is a peace which
guards the heart and mind, Philippians 4:6, 7, opposed to carefulness ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xii thou shall keep.htm

Now as to the Union and Concord and Peace of the Animals of ...
... kinds, [224] which by nature are opposed and hostile to ... he announces the gathering
together in peace and concord ... those who were before exceeding wicked, so that ...
/.../irenaeus/the demonstration of the apostolic preaching/chapter 61 now as to.htm

Letter xxi (Circa AD 1128) to the Abbot of S. John at Chartres
... can be the suggester of scandals, the author of dissension, the troubler of unity
and peace, except the ... He, then, the most wicked one, opposed to charity by ...
/.../some letters of saint bernard abbot of clairvaux/letter xxi circa a d 1128.htm

The Trouble and Rest of Good Men "There the Wicked Cease from ...
... then sought in vain, even a peace which none ... Him, thou mayst enter "where the wicked
cease from ... ability and success he afterwards opposed these unevangelical ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 127 the trouble and.htm

Lucius of Castra Galb?? Said: "Since the Lord Hath Said in his ...
... though they have been baptized by the wicked, so the ... and join themselves by the inner
bond of peace to the ... written, The houses of those that are opposed to the ...
/.../writings in connection with the donatist controversy /chapter 14 22 lucius.htm

The Good Man Useful in Life and Happy in Death.
... It is opposed to fraud and injustice. ... His end is peace"his immortality glorious ... The
wicked are dismayed when they look forward and consider their end, or the ...
/.../lee/sermons on various important subjects/sermon xxv the good man.htm

An Exhortation to Peace and Unity
... baptized, without reference to water-baptism, is here directly opposed. ... (4.) Where
unity and peace is wanting ... the weak are wounded, and the wicked are hardened. ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/an exhortation to peace and.htm