O God of acts of vengeance,
Jehovah

Psalm 99:8 . . . executing vengeance against their notorious deeds.

The quandary of many Christians is easy to understand. Many such look at the world they live in and see evil in power worldwide, afflicting the poor and defenseless. The ruthless on many occasions wind up rich.

Christians may shake their heads in wonderment without a clue as to why the righteous are the downtrodden apparent who present their backs for others to walk on. (Isaiah 51:23)

Globally, the wicked have multiplied like cockroaches in a granary on a hot summer day, like green grass in a meadow. By their actions and their words they blaspheme everything holy, including the social contract.

But, there is hope. God has a contract, a covenant with men; he will keep it and then more. He assures those of us amazed by the number of evildoers that "When the sinners spring up as the grass, and all the workers of iniquity have watched; it is that they may be utterly destroyed forever. 8But You, O Lord, are Most High forever. 9For behold, Your enemies shall perish; and all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered." (Psalm 92:7-9, AB)

But, wait a minute! Why are the wicked permitted to flourish?

The answer pertains to God's love, and to his justice. Before continuing it might be beneficial to familiarize yourself with the information about the condition of the dead, one & two, man's spirit, and whether the soul is immortal or not.

Still, you can continue reading this, and if you run into something that you cannot agree with in that regard go back and study that scriptural information.

We must remember that God loves his creation, his creatures. We should also realize that even though God loves his animal creation, the animals were created to cycle and die in never ending successions. It is interesting to note that human beings who ignore God's laws, moral and otherwise, are as animals in his eyes, unthinking, unable to reason, not deserving the title: human created in God's image.

2 Peter 2:12 But these men, like irrational beasts of nature, having been born for capture and destruction, speaking evil at which things they do not understand, will be destroyed in their corruption. (ACV)

Psalm 73:22 So I was brutish, and ignorant. I was a beast before thee. (AB)

Still, God loves them. The ignorance of men about God Jehovah in times past will not be permitted to exists any longer. This is why at this time of the end of this system of things, God has initiated a global preaching program. (Matt 24:14)

Acts 17:30-31 Indeed therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God now commands for all men everywhere to repent. 31Because he appointed a day during which he is going to judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he appointed, having provided assurance to all men because he raised him from the dead. (ACV)

Those that disobey God's power of salvation, the good news, will be destroyed at Armageddon.

In the meantime, God permits the human society to be independent from his rule, his protection, and his wrath. He lets the society of ungodly people lead their lives according to "time and unforeseen circumstance" and cause and effect. Thus we see in the world, wealthy western countries, poor African, poor South American, middle American, rich and poor Asian countries and islands.

The individuals in those countries may amass material riches or not, a few amass spiritual riches and groan. At the present time, the only material possessions God promises the righteous is that they will be provided enough to survive on -- IF and only IF they serve him and are holy in conduct and righteousness.

Psalm 34:9, 10 Fear Jehovah, ye his saints; for there is no want to them that fear him. 10The young lions are in need and suffer hunger; but they that seek Jehovah shall not want any good. (Darby)

Proverbs 10: 3 Jehovah suffereth not the soul of the righteous man to famish; but he repelleth the craving of the wicked. (Darby)

About many ungodly, the following may be said:

Psalm 73:3-9 For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4For there are no pangs in their death, but their strength is firm. 5They are not in trouble as other men, nor are they plagued like other men. 6Therefore pride is as a chain around their neck. Violence covers them as a garment. 7Their eyes stand out with fatness. They have more than heart could wish. 8They scoff, and in wickedness utter oppression. They speak loftily. 9They have set their mouth in the heavens, and their tongue walks through the earth. (ACV)

The Christian must remember that these after having lived out their lives will forevermore be dead, utterly destroyed. In this manner, God shows them love by not interfering with their lives until their cup of sin is full and it is time to meet their maker figuratively speaking. (Amos 4:12, "get ready to meet your God, O Israel".) For this reason, some wicked and not so wicked become rich and have nice undisturbed lives.

At times Christians may find this unpalatable as even the Psalmist did until he discerned the outcome of their lives.

Psalm 73:13, 14,19,20 Surely in vain I have cleansed my heart, and washed my hands in innocence, 14for all the day long I have been plagued, and chastened every morning. 19How they have become a desolation in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors. 20As a dream from awakening, O LORD, when thou waken, thou will despise their form. (ACV)

Once these die, there is no more hope left. They will sleep 'until heaven is no more ' without suffering since they have paid for their debt of sin by dying. While the debt is paid, without a heavenly account in the book of life, they remain cut off from the gift of the resurrection experienced by those of faith.

The ones who have faith and who belong to the approved group of worshipers are in a sense already under kingdom rule, the kingdom of the Son of his love.  Yes, Christ became king in 33CE.  He rules amidst his enemies over his followers since then.

Matthew 7:21 Not every man who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but he who does the will of my Father in the heavens. (ACV)

Colossians 1:13-14 Who rescued us out of the power of darkness, and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of his love, 14in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins. (ACV)

For this reason, we must enjoy the privilege of suffering for Christ, of filling up what lacks in our tribulations, of being disciplined according to righteousness and mercy so as not to be judged with this world!

1 Corinthians 11:32 But being judged, we are disciplined of the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. (Darby)

2 Thess 1: 4b,5 all your persecutions and tribulations, which ye are sustaining; 5 a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, to the end that ye should be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for the sake of which ye also suffer

Heb 12:6-8 For whom the Lord loveth, he chastiseth; and he scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7Persevere under discipline. God dealeth with you as with his sons; for what son is there, whom the father doth not correct? 8But if you be without chastisement, whereof all are made partakers, then are you bastards, and not sons.

Yes, it is true. Here a distinct difference in severity may be felt due to time constraints between the suffering of the Saints and those that belong to the Other Sheep. After all, the Other Sheep have a thousand years in which to be gradually perfected while the Saints must be perfected in faith, purity, and obedience before they die!

This must not be understood as God being lax or permissive toward the Other Sheep. Anyone of the Other Sheep that develops a wicked heart and practices sin will not be granted entry into God's Kingdom's earthly realm.

Do not forget Jeremiah 51:56, "For, a GOD of recompenses, is Yahweh, He will surely repay. " (Rotherham)