Why do righteous suffer and wicked flourish? Where is justice?

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In this world we often see that people are not treated fairly. We see righteous suffer and wicked flourish. But why is that? According to the Bible, God gives justice to those who are treated unfairly.

永恆主顯義氣﹐為一切受欺壓的伸冤。
( 詩篇 103:6 )

But if God gives justice, then why are we seeing so much injustice around?

Let's look into the past. We supposed to be just to each other, help and spread love to one another. Instead, we did cruel things before God's eyes here, on Earth.

他們宰獻了自己的兒子和女兒給魔鬼﹐ 流了無辜人的血﹐他們兒女的血﹐他們所宰獻給迦南之偶象的；那地就因血而被沾污了。這樣他們就因所作的而蒙不潔﹐也以惡行為而變節事奉別的神了。因此永恆主向他的人民發怒﹐厭惡了他的產業。
( 詩篇 106:37-40 )

And even in modern times, we're afraid to look at ourselves honestly. Not just at our actions, but also to objectively evaluate our thoughts and wishes. It's very difficult to accept someone's honest feedback on us. Instead, we prefer sweet lie.

他們恨那在城門口責備人的﹐厭惡那說正直話的人。
( 阿摩司書 5:10 )

For centuries, we - people - were not judging other people like us, fairly. And our God could not leave that unnoticed. Despite Jerusalem being the city of people who are deeply loved by God, it received the justice like everyone else. We can't keep doing evil things and rely that God will keep forgiving us forever.

你們在耶路撒冷街上跑來跑去﹐去看看﹐去知道事實﹐在她的廣場上去尋找﹐看能找到一人不；若真地有一人行公義﹑求忠誠﹐那麼我就要赦免這城。
( 耶利米書 5:1 )

地上的王和世界上的居民都不信敵人和仇敵能進耶路撒冷的城門。是因為她的神言人的罪﹐她的祭司的罪孽﹐就是那些在城中流了義人之血的。
( 耶利米哀歌 4:12-13 )

Because of our injustice towards others, our hate towards truth, our pride and sin, we separated ourself from God, and we separated ourself from justice. We willingly walk away from a lake with crystal clear water, further and further, get thirsty and cry "Where is water? I do not see it!". Where is God, can't he help?

你看﹐永恆主的手臂並不是太短﹑而不能拯救阿；他的耳朵並不是發沉﹑而不能聽阿；乃是你們的罪孽使你們跟你們的上帝隔絕﹐而你們的罪使他掩面不聽你們阿。因為你們的手被污染於血中﹐你們的指頭被玷污於罪孽裡；你們的嘴脣說虛假話﹐你們的舌頭嘟囔著奸惡。沒有人按公義告狀﹐沒有人憑誠實辯訴；都倚靠著虛空﹐說虛謊的話；所孕懷的是毒害﹐所生的是奸惡。他們菢的是毒蛇之蛋﹐他們織的是蜘蛛的網；人喫了牠們的蛋﹑一定死的；這蛋被踹破必菢出蝮蛇來。他們結的網不能做衣服﹐他們也不能用所作的去遮蓋自己；他們所作的都是奸惡的作為；強暴的行為就在他們手中。他們的腳奔跑行壞事；他們很快捷流著無辜人的血；他們的意圖是奸惡的意圖在他們的路上都是毀滅和破壞。平安的路﹑他們不知道；在他們的轍蹟上都沒有公平；他們為自己使路徑邪曲；凡行於其上的﹑都不知道平安是甚麼。因此公平離了我們很遠；義氣正義趕不上我們；我們指望著光﹐唉﹐卻是黑暗！指望著光明﹐卻行於幽暗。我們摸索著墻壁﹑好像瞎子一樣；我們直摸索著﹑如同沒有眼睛的人；我們中午絆跌﹐如在黃昏一樣；我們在肥壯人中﹑就像死人一般。我們都咆哮如餓熊﹐直沉吟哀鳴像鴿子；我們指望著公平﹐公平卻沒有；指望著拯援﹐拯救卻離了我們很遠。
( 以賽亞書 59:1-11 )

Yes, we sinned. And yes, we still sin. We've made our mistakes. Yet we can open our hearts toward God, repent and ask for forgiveness. And when we open our hearts for God, let's close them for sin from now on.

人子阿﹐你要對你本國的子民說：義人犯法時﹐他的義也不能援救他；惡人回轉時﹐他的惡也不能使他因而跌倒；義人犯罪時﹐他也不能因他的義而活著。我雖指著義人說他必定活著﹐然而他若倚靠他的義而行罪孽的事﹐他所行的義也都不被記得；他一定會因所行罪孽的事而死亡。再者﹐我雖對惡人說：『你必定死』﹐然而他若轉離他的罪﹐行公平正義的事；惡人若還人的當頭﹐歸還所搶奪的﹐依使人活的律例而行﹐不行罪孽的事﹐他就必定活著﹐不至於早死。他所犯的一切罪必不給他記住；他行了公平正義的事﹐他必定活著。「你本國的子民還說：『主的行徑不公正』；其實是他們的行徑不公正呢。
( 以西結書 33:12-17 )

We can be confident that God will hear us. We can be confident that it's never too late to turn away from our sins and get forgiveness, receive God's grace.

父親怎樣憐憫兒女﹐永恆主也怎樣憐憫敬畏他﹑的人。
( 詩篇 103:13 )

凡我所愛的﹑我就指責管教；所以你要發熱心﹐要悔改。
( 啟示錄 3:19 )

And without a doubt, justice will prevail, and everyone will receive what they deserve.

「我永恆主是察透人心﹑試驗人心腸【原文：腎】的；我照各人所行的路﹐照他作事的結果來報應他。」
( 耶利米書 17:10 )

However, why do the truly righteous suffer?

Even if we forget the fact that there is not a single sinless person on Earth, we still need to remember that we can't always understand God's ways. While we may understand what is good and evil, we cannot properly apply that knowledge because we do not see the whole picture.

因為天怎樣高過地﹐我的道路也怎樣高過你們的路﹐我的意念也怎樣高過你們的意念。
( 以賽亞書 55:9 )

And we will not always understand why the good people we know are troubled with so many sorrows that occurred in their lives. But let's take a look at some examples in the Bible about those who suffered. If you remember the story about Joseph who was raised from a slave to the second most powerful person in Egypt.

乃在他們以先打發一人﹑約瑟前往﹐被賣為奴隸。人用腳鐐傷他的腳；他的脖子放入鐵枷之中；直到他的話應驗時候：永恆主的豫言實在試煉了他。
( 詩篇 105:17-19 )

Joseph went through many trials before receiving the blessing he's been waiting for. And the trials he received were not necessarily the punishment for his sins, but a necessary learning process that made him qualify for the high position he was going to receive.

Jesus himself suffered in his Earthly life, even though he did not sin.

雖是兒子﹐還因所受的苦而學了聽從；
( 希伯來書 5:8 )

Some of us lost our parents or dear ones. They died despite us praying to God day and night asking to spare their lives. Why doesn't God hear us?

When our dear ones die, we lose connection with them, we can no longer see them, talk to them, see their smiles, receive an encouraging advice. We see their death as the end where nothing we can do... But God can. Not a single person is dead for God. God hears us and our prayers. He wants good for us, but he also wants good for the ones who we lost.

義人死亡﹐沒有人放在心上；堅貞之人被收去﹐沒有人留意；義人被收去﹑是脫離了禍患﹐ 進入平安；憑其端正而行的人安息在他們的永臥處。
( 以賽亞書 57:1-2 )

Do you believe you are being faithful to God, and yet life is very hard on you? Like a loving father, our God is teaching and disciplining us, purifies and getting us ready to receive the gift from God.

為受管教而堅忍著吧！上帝是待你們做兒子呢。哪有兒子﹑而父親不管教的呢？你們若沒受眾子所與分的管教﹐便是私生子﹐不是兒子了。再者﹐我們有我們肉身之父管教我們﹐我們尚且尊敬他們﹐何況靈性之父﹐我們豈不更當順服他得活麼？他們呢﹑是在短暫日子裡照自己以為對的來管教；他呢﹑卻為了我們的益處﹑要使我們有分於他的聖善。一切管教﹑在當時似乎不是喜樂﹐而是憂愁；以後呢﹑卻給那些由此而受操練的人結出平安【或譯：寧靜】的果子﹑就是正義的果子﹑來
( 希伯來書 12:7-11 )

在這種情形裡﹑你們有歡樂【或譯：你們要歡樂】﹐雖則現在暫時在各種試煉中或者有憂愁。這是要叫你們的信心被試驗為及格的﹑比那經火試驗能銷滅的金子更寶貴得多多的﹑可以在耶穌基督顯示之時見為蒙受稱讚榮耀和尊重的。
( 彼得前書 1:6-7 )

We see evildoers having a peaceful life, escaping justice and enjoying many pleasures. Some of them broke our lives and enjoy using others to satisfy their needs. We do not see any judgement applied to them. Yet, we should not think they can escape God's judgement.

因為他們都沒有【傳統：當他們死的時候】疼痛；他們的身體又健全又肥胖。他們不在般人之中受苦難﹐也不和普通人同遭災害。因此驕傲就做了他們的脖鍊兒；強暴的打扮也遮住他們。他們的罪孽【傳統：眼睛】因體胖而生出；他們心裡所狂想的橫流瀰漫。他們譏笑人﹐憑著壞心意說話：居高臨下地說欺壓人的話語。他們肆口褻瀆上天﹐他們的舌頭游擊了全地。因此他們飽喫了食物【傳統：因此他的人民歸到這裡】﹐也喝了充盈的水【傳統：充盈的水都被他們排洩乾了】。他們說：「上帝怎能曉得？至高者哪能知道？」
( 詩篇 73:4-11 )

阿﹐你實在把他們安在滑地﹐使他們掉在完全荒廢的地步。一眨眼間他們怎樣地成了荒涼阿！他們全都被可怕的災難滅盡了。就像個夢﹐醒了以後﹑便歸無有【傳統：主】；你起來﹐就看不到其影像。
( 詩篇 73:18-20 )

畜類之人不曉得﹐愚頑之人不明白：惡人發生如草﹐一切作孽之人一時發旺﹐正是要永久消滅的。
( 詩篇 92:6-7 )

不要為了作惡的而心懷不平；不要羡慕惡人；因為壞人必沒有好結局【或譯：晚景】；惡人的燈必熄滅。
( 箴言 24:19-20 )

Remember that God is always fair and just. We do not always understand his ways, and sometimes we are quick to judge others. Instead, let's leave the justice to God, yet doing our best to treat everybody around with respect and love.