"Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner." Proverbs 11:31

Arthur Pink points out that of all the proverbs penned by the wise man Solomon, this is the only verse that starts with a "behold." Solomon is stressing the importance of this truth by calling upon us to take heed to this truth. This is very important. It is worthy of our consideration and perusal. More importantly, these are God's words and He says pay attention to these truths, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth... This message in different ways was preached unto the children of Israel repeatedly. They were constantly warned to turn from their wickedness. Note Isaiah 1:19, 20. "If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hash spoken it."

Many of us today do not want to think of this truth, because it makes us uncomfortable. Just thinking that we are accountable for all of our actions is a bit scary. Some try to dismiss this truth by saying that God does not do this anymore since the advent of the Lord Jesus Christ. Many folks preach a God and Christ that loves everybody and wants to save everybody and will not hurt anybody. A TV evangelist said that God would not chasten anybody, because He is a God of love. Well, I don't know about his God, but the God of the Bible says "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore and repent" (Revelation 3:19). Look also at Hebrews 12:6, "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth." Scourge means to flog, or to beat hard. I have had a few spankings in my time, none of which I was glad to get. Our heavenly Father is faithful to perform the duties of a Father.

The point we want to stress here is that the Lord not only punishes and rewards eternally, but also rewards and punishes here in the earth. There are many examples of this truth in scripture, and if we are honest with ourselves, many examples of this in our own experience.

Israel, according to Hosea 8:7, had "...sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind..." Israel had been given the law, the Lord had sent many prophets to warn Israel of the judgment that would surely come if they would not repent of their wickedness. Israel would not repent, so the Lord sent many different nations upon them over the course of their history. God had sent the sword upon them as He had said in Isaiah 1:19, 20. He gave them over to captivity several times. Were they not being punished for their sins? Of course they were! Most of the time, however, we do not look at the hand of God in these times of punishment. We don't see the faithfulness of God in performing the promises He made to Israel. Churches have had their candlesticks taken away because they would not repent of sin. Many churches have died because of not observing the dictates of God's word. The church as Corinth had members that were sick and had even died because they did not discern the Lord's body in the communion supper. Folks, this is serious business. God will not be mocked. Whatsoever a man sows that shall he also reap (Gal 6:7).

There is a positive side to this truth. God is not unrighteous to forget our work and labor of love which we have shown toward His name. When we minister to the saints, when we cast our bread upon the waters, when we honor Him and His word, God will certainly bless us. Note what the Lord says through the Apostle Paul in the Galatian letter chapter six verse nine, "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." God says keep on doing good. Let us not get discouraged that no one notices the good we try to do. The Lord always sees what we do, because His eyes are in every place beholding the evil and the good (Proverbs 15:3). God honors those who honor Him. God rewards those openly, who with an honest and true heart seek and follow Him. Let us never forget that the eyes of our heavenly Father are always looking upon us. So let us do all things to His name's honor and glory, for God will recompense in the earth.