Why Do the Wicked Prosper? What the Bible Really Says 2 Peter 2:9-10
Have you ever looked around at this world and wondered, "Lord, what in creation is going on here?" Everywhere you turn it seems like wickedness is largely being ignored, evil is rewarded, and those who mock God just keep moving like nothing has happened. It almost seems as though the wicked prosper while the righteous struggle. Meanwhile, people who sincerely love Jesus often find themselves under pressure, misunderstood, and wondering, "Will there ever be any justice?" If you've ever wrestled with these kinds of thoughts, you're not alone. In fact, some of the greatest men and women of faith asked this very same question. Today, Peter is going to give us an answer that changes the way we look at all this. So remember this throughout our study: Don't just look—see as God sees. Why Do the Wicked Prosper? What the Bible Really Says. That's our focus on this week's Light on Life.
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This Week: Don’t just look—see as God sees.
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Accept the Challenge
See. Trust. Keep Walking.
This week, refuse to judge your life merely by what you can see. When circumstances seem unfair or the wicked appear to prosper, choose to see your situation from God’s point of view instead of your own.
Read 2 Peter 2:9–10 again. Meditate on God’s promise that He knows how to rescue the godly and keep the unrighteous under judgment.
Your Challenge:
Look beyond temporary appearances.
Trust God’s justice and perfect timing.
Keep walking faithfully with Him.
Ask the Holy Spirit to give you eyes to see your circumstances as God sees them. Do not allow opposition, unfairness, or the apparent prosperity of the wicked to sway your convictions.
Remember: Faith is not built on appearances—it is built on the character of God.
Don’t just look—see as God sees.
John 15:18–19 (NASB 2020) —
18 “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.”
Join the Conversation
Each week's podcast also contains a question designed to encourage testimony. Testimony is vital to a believers life. We overcome by it (Rev. 12:11).
This week's question:
Join the Conversation:
Have you ever struggled with the apparent success of the wicked or wondered why God seemed slow to act? What Scriptures helped you trust God’s justice during those seasons?
Share:
How has the Lord reminded you that He knows how to rescue His people while also holding the unrighteous accountable? We’d love to hear how God has strengthened your faith through His Word.
Remember:
Temporary appearances never tell the whole story. God sees what we cannot see, acts according to His perfect wisdom, and remains faithful to rescue those who trust Him.
Don’t just look—see as God sees.
About Emery and Sharon
For nearly five decades, Emery has devoted his life to helping people grow in Christ through the power of the Word and the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Together with his wife, Sharon — his partner in life and ministry for 44 years — he equipped believers to live Spirit-filled, practical lives of faith.
At the heart of the mission is this: helping believers apply God's words so faith becomes active and unstoppable.
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Podcast Notes:
Well, again welcome.
Let’s pray.
Father God, thank you for your Word that helps us to see things as you see them. Thank you for the Holy Spirit who helps us by unveiling the Word of God to us so that we can see. We give you all the praise and glory for these things in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
A Look Backward So We Can Go Forward
Before we move forward in Second Peter, let’s take a moment and look back at where we’ve been.
We began in chapter one with God’s top-shelf provision.
He has given every Jesus follower precious and magnificent promises so that we can become partakers of the divine nature.
But spiritual maturity is never automatic.
Nothing in God is automatic.
God has supplied His part, and we must supply ours.
We are to cross the Bridge of all diligence, climb the Ladder of Virtue, and develop the nature of Jesus so we can display the nature of Jesus.
Then we saw that these qualities must not only be ours—they must be increasing.
Own what God gave you, and increase what you own.
That is how you become useful, productive, and full of the light of the true knowledge of Jesus.
When we entered chapter two, we saw the corruption and wickedness of darkness trying to undermine God’s people.
In the midst of that, we see how God protected Noah and rescued Lot.
And we learned that no matter how heavily the odds appear to be stacked against the righteous, the Lord knows how to protect and rescue His people.
So, develop what God has supplied, increase what He has placed within you, and cooperate with the One who knows exactly how to protect and rescue you.
With that, let’s go forward.
Heaven Sees Both Sides
2 Peter 2:9–10 (KJV 1900) — 9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: 10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
The NASB has verse nine as.
2 Peter 2:9 (NASB 2020) — 9 then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from a trial, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment,
I think it’s fair to say that, where moral corruption is concerned, we are living in difficult times.
We’ve talked about the first half of verse nine: the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from a trial.
Today, we are going to look at the back half of verse nine: the Lord knows how to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment.
Both halves of this verse are sources of encouragement for the Jesus follower.
Notice that God is looking at both groups, the righteous and the unrighteous.
Never doubt the fact that God knows the wickedness of the wicked.
He is not blind to it in this Age of Grace.
Sometimes it seems that the wicked can just get away with anything.
Wicked deeds combined with wicked judges blinded to what really justice is makes it seem as if there is no hope.
Well, this feeling that you have about injustice puts you in good company.
There is definitely a raw frustration when it seems that wrongdoing goes unaddressed.
In the Bible, many of God’s people were upset and vocalized their feelings about this very subject.
Think you’re the only one who’s ever struggled with this?
You’re not.
Listen to the trainload of witnesses.
Asaph chimed in on perceived injustice in Psalm seventy-three.
Psalm 73:2–5 (NASB 2020) — 2 But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling, My steps had almost slipped. 3 For I was envious of the arrogant As I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 For there are no pains in their death, And their belly is fat. 5 They are not in trouble like other people, Nor are they tormented together with the rest of mankind.
Jeremiah had loads to say about the wicked.
Jeremiah 12:1 (NASB 2020) — 1 Righteous are You, LORD, when I plead my case with You; Nevertheless I would discuss matters of justice with You: Why has the way of the wicked prospered? Why are all those who deal in treachery at ease?
You would expect Job to have an opinion on this issue and he did not disappoint.
Job 21:7–9 (NASB 2020) — 7 “Why do the wicked still live, Grow old, and also become very powerful? 8 “Their descendants endure with them in their sight, And their offspring before their eyes, 9 Their houses are safe from fear, And the rod of God is not on them.
David throws his hat in the ring as well
Psalm 10:1–3 (NASB 2020) — 1 Why do You stand far away, LORD? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble? 2 In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the needy; Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised. 3 For the wicked boasts of his soul’s desire, And the greedy person curses and shows disrespect to the LORD.
Convinced yet? — well, there’s more.
Habakkuk 1:2–4 (NASB 2020) — 2 How long, LORD, have I called for help, And You do not hear? I cry out to You, “Violence!” Yet You do not save. 3 Why do You make me see disaster, And make me look at destitution? Yes, devastation and violence are before me; Strife exists and contention arises. 4 Therefore the Law is ignored, And justice is never upheld. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore justice comes out confused.
In the last book of the Old Testament, Malachi voices his displeasure at the wicked seeming to not be held accountable.
Malachi 3:14–15 (NASB 2020) — 14 You have said, ‘It is pointless to serve God; and what benefit is it for us that we have done what He required, and that we have walked in mourning before the LORD of armies? 15 So now we call the arrogant blessed; not only are the doers of wickedness built up, but they also put God to the test and escape punishment.’
So, you can see, there’s a lot of heavy feeling about this down here on Planet Earth.
Think you’re alone?
You’re not.
One after another, generations of God’s people have taken the witness stand to ask the very same question.
Asaph asked it.
Jeremiah asked it.
Job asked it.
David asked it.
Habakkuk asked it.
Malachi asked it.
Did you hear the testimony?
Here stands a great courtroom of witnesses, all asking the same question: “Why, Lord, why?”
Why do the wicked seem to prosper?
So, be encouraged.
You’re not the first to ask this question and you won’t be the last.
So, when you get to feeling frustrated about wickedness going unpunished, remember what Peter said by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in the back half of 2 Peter2:9: the Lord knows how to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment.
Don’t just look—see as God sees.
The Watchful Justice of God
2 Peter 2:9 (NASB 2020) — 9 then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from a trial, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment,
The word AND in this verse is insightful.
The Lord knows how to aid the righteous in their trials AND He also knows how to hold the unrighteous accountable, the very people who are inflicting those trials.
The Greek word ’trial’ [peirasmoú] is the one we want to look at and with that thought, here is the Definition of the Day.
The word ’trial’ [peirasmoú] means a test for the purpose of causing someone to fall.
These false teachers were causing a mess in the church trying to trap and undermine believers.
The source of the trial is Satan.
Consider Matthew 4:1.
Matthew 4:1 (NASB 2020) — 1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
The devil came to tempt Jesus—that is, to cause Him to fail.
This was a direct person-to-person attack if you would.
Mono-on-mono.
In 2 Peter 2:9, the attack on believers in the church has the same intent—to get believers to fail.
The source is still the same, even though Satan is not directly mentioned.
But, we know from the Word of God how Satan operates.
He is the ‘little g’ god of the world of darkness and influences men who are choosing to walk in darkness.
Peter has already described these men in the strongest possible language—as false teachers, greedy exploiters, and corrupters of the church.
A very dark picture, indeed, of these men.
We know who the source of the trial is—Satan.
Satan was working through these men to cause Jesus followers to fail.
Make no mistake about it—any opposition to the gospel is a direct result of the influence of Satan and his forces.
Are you experiencing hinderances in your ministry to others?
Does it seem like you are being bombarded daily?
Does it sometimes feel like every step forward in ministry is met with resistance?
If that’s where you are today, it’s easy to think that you’ve stepped out of God’s will.
Sometimes the resistance you experience isn’t a sign you’ve done something wrong—it can mean you did something totally right.
Satan hindered Paul—but he couldn’t stop Paul, that’s a Bible fact.
So as long as you know you’re in God’s will, opposition is never the gauge.
Peter clearly states that and Paul backs that up here in Ephesians.
Ephesians 6:10–12 (ESV) — 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
You’re right, it is.
Resistance is par for the course.
Notice what the scripture says—‘we wrestle not against flesh and blood.’
Remember that the false prophets and teachers Peter alludes to in chapter two are just that, flesh and blood.
But they are energized by evil spirits and it’s against them that we wrestle—that’s what the Word of God says.
The Greek word ’wrestle’ [palē] refers to a “wrestling match,” and it denotes engaging in an intense struggle against strong opposition, involving either physical or nonphysical force.[1. S. M. Baugh, Ephesians, Evangelical Exegetical Commentary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2015), 543–544.]
Peter by the Holy Spirit of God wants us to know that God understands the struggle and that this satanic opposition coming through the hands of these evil men will not go unpunished.
God is a righteous God and a righteous judge.
Always be encouraged to know that despite the opposition—the Lord knows how to rescue and protect you and to keep these ungodly people in His crosshairs for the Day of Judgment.
Kept Under God’s Watchful Eye
Sometimes opposition can make you feel isolated and lonely.
You think no one understands or feels what you feel.
It’s good at times like this to never forget the Word of the Lord.
Isaiah 49:16 (NASB 2020) — 16 “Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me.
Your walls are continually before God.
He knows.
In fact, Peter tells us just how closely God is watching.
Let’s look in detail at the back half of verse nine.
2 Peter 2:9 (NASB 2020) — 9 then the Lord knows how… to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment,
The key word here is the word ‘keep.’
It’s a word that we looked at when we did the series on First John.
The Spirit of God through the Apostle John encouraged believers to ‘keep’ God’s commandments.
The word ’keep’ [tēreō] is not casual—it is weighty, intentional, and precise.
The Greek word means to guard or to watch over.
God is watching over—God is vigilant.
What is God watching over?
God’s divine vigilance is actively holding these false teachers in a state of accountability until their judgment arrives.
Judgment Day is coming.
And His judgment is on time and on target.
You never want to get on God’s radar screen in this way.
This watchfulness of God is not some far off distant oversight either.
He is right on these guys hips keeping them under punishment.
These false teachers may think no one notices what they’re doing to God’s people.
But, they are wrong.
They may get by—but they won’t get away.
Once again, don’t just look—see as God sees.
So, the Greek word ’keep’ [tēreō] means to guard or to watch over.
But in this verse, Peter tells us exactly how God is watching over these men.
Kept for Both Daily Judgment and the Final Judgment
2 Peter 2:9 (NASB 2020) — 9 then the Lord knows how… to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment,
Listen to the wording carefully.
God is keeping the unrighteous under punishment.
And this is most vital to know: God is NOT waiting until the Great White Throne Judgment before the final hammer falls.
No, the judgment is both present and future.
It is already at work today, and it culminates after they die and stand before God on that final Day of Judgment.
The words ‘under punishment’ [kolazesthai] are present tense. * In the Greek, it means to torment or to punish.
God is watching over the unrighteous, keeping them under punishment.
Now this is what the Old Testament witnesses we mentioned did not see.
Jeremiah, Job, David , and the whole lot were thinking that God did nothing but sit by while the wicked poured out their evil.
Don’t be of the same mind.
It’s not what’s happening.
The judgment of the unrighteous is both present and future.
And God guards this present and future judgment with watchful care.
You can easily see the present day effects of choosing evil as a lifestyle in the following passages.
Isaiah 57:20–21 (NASB 2020) — 20 But the wicked are like the tossing sea, For it cannot be quiet, And its waters toss up refuse and mud. 21 “There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”
There is no peace to the wicked.
They are full of inner turmoil.
Their insides are all chewed up.
Proverbs 4:16–17 (NASB 2020) — 16 For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; And they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble. 17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, And drink the wine of violence.
They can’t even sleep at night because their minds are constantly churning evil.
It’s like a bee trapped inside their head, constantly buzzing with thoughts of iniquity.
The constant buzz brings on sleep deprivation.
It’s no picnic being evil—the judgment of God sees to that.
Job 15:20–21 (NASB 2020) — 20 “The wicked person writhes in pain all his days, And the years reserved for the ruthless are numbered. 21 “Sounds of terror are in his ears; While he is at peace the destroyer comes upon him.
Most of the time, the righteous never see the pain of the wicked.
They often forget how hard it was when they were living the sinful lifestyle.
For who knows the heart and insides of a man.
Their outer possessions may seem extravagant, their lifestyle prosperous but inside they are nothing but a train wreck.
Let me show you how bad it is.
Proverbs 28:1 (NASB 2020) — 1 The wicked flee when no one is pursuing, But the righteous are bold as a lion.
The wicked flee when no one is pursuing.
The gangster type who tries to project toughness is often the very one who flees when no one is even there.
Their own guilty conscience is enough to send them running to the hills.
People who perpetrate fear live in a world of fear themselves.
They’re paranoid—constantly looking over their shoulder.
They know there is always someone more wicked, always someone more ruthless, and always someone more violent waiting to take away the empire they built.
“Dog eat dog” isn’t just a saying—it’s everyday reality for the unrighteous.
History gives us a remarkable example of the judgment of God resting on a wicked man.
And with that thought, here is the Illustration of the Day.
Joseph Stalin terrorized an entire nation.
Millions lived in fear of him.
But near the end of his life, Stalin himself was the one who lived in fear.
He trusted almost no one.
He suspected conspiracies against his life everywhere.
He isolated himself from those around him.
He repeatedly purged even his closest associates because he feared they were plotting against him.
The man who ruled by terror lived in terror himself.
He may have looked powerful from the outside, but inside he was already under the judgment of God.
The Mercy Within God’s Judgment
Now, with that, consider the opposite side.
We see that the wicked are experiencing turmoils unknown and unfelt by the righteous.
Part of this may be for your protection so that you don’t get overly lifted up in pride and self-righteousness.
The Lord also doesn’t want you to use this knowledge as a weapon against the ungodly.
While divine judgment daily rests on the ungodly, God’s will for them is that they repent and receive Jesus in the forgiveness of their sins.
2 Peter 3:9 (NASB 2020) — 9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.
The hand that rests heavy on the unrighteous in judgment does not come from a place of vindictiveness.
God is love.
Ezekiel 18:23 (NASB 2020) — 23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” declares the Lord GOD, “rather than that he would turn from his ways and live?
I think that’s plain enough.
The Everyday Life of the Righteous
So that’s the state of the ungodly.
Now let’s close the loop with those Old Testament witnesses.
They looked out and often concluded that the wicked were prospering while the righteous suffered.
They didn’t have the benefit of the revelation Peter had about the ongoing punishment of the ungodly.
Peter pulls back the curtain and allows us to see what Old Testament God lovers could not see.
The wicked were already under judgment.
With that now, consider the everyday state of the righteous.
Exodus 10:21–23 (NASB 2020) — 21 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Reach out with your hand toward the sky, so that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even a darkness which may be felt.” 22 So Moses reached out with his hand toward the sky, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days. 23 They did not see one another, nor did anyone rise from his place for three days, but all the sons of Israel had light in their dwellings.
There is absolutely a difference between the just and the unjust.
The difference is daylight and dark.
Egypt had darkness…
Israel had light.
Same three days.
Same geographical region.
Same sky.
Same hour.
Same everything—except, God’s people lived in an entirely different reality.
As we saw, Isaiah said the wicked have no peace.
Compare that state of constant consternation to the righteous. * They live in a sea of peace.
Romans 8:6 (NASB 2020) — 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,
Wave after wave of peace splash upon their lives.
All of this is part and parcel of the Jesus lifestyle.
We also saw in Proverbs that the wicked struggle to sleep.
But not so the righteous.
God gives sleep to His beloved.
And what a sleep it is.
Proverbs 3:24 (NASB 2020) — 24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid; When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
Isn’t the Lord wonderful, He covered one-third of your life with a single verse.
Marvelous.
Job let us know that the wicked person writhes in constant pain all his days.
But you, as a lover of God, enjoy the benefits of Jesus substitution for you at Calvary.
Matthew 8:17 (NASB 2020) — 17 This happened so that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet would be fulfilled: “HE HIMSELF TOOK OUR ILLNESSES AND CARRIED AWAY OUR DISEASES.”
By His stripes you were healed.
And finally, we saw that wicked flee when no one is even pursuing them, But the righteous are bold as a lion.
What a contrast the protected Jesus life is to the everyday punishment experienced by those who persist in wickedness.
That’s exactly what Peter wants you to know.
More importantly, that’s what God wants you to know.
Jesus follower, never forget this: the Lord knows how to rescue the godly, and He knows how to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the Day of Judgment.
He has never confused the two—and He never will.
Remember: Don’t just look—see as God sees.
Living Your Life from God’s Point of View
Every one of us is going to face moments when life doesn’t seem to make sense.
We open our cellphones and see headlines that offend our sensibilities.
We see evil being rewarded while righteousness is opposed.
Where is justice in all of this?
Where is God?
You watch dishonest people advance by unscrupulous methods while faithful believers are held back.
The double standard can be infuriating.
In those moments, you have a choice.
You can react to what your eyes see, or you can choose to see as God sees.
Peter reminds us that appearances are not reality.
The Lord knows how to rescue the godly.
The Lord knows how to keep the unrighteous under judgment.
Heaven has never lost sight of either one.
God knows.
Have faith in the fact that God knows.
So don’t allow temporary appearances to sway your convictions.
Trust God’s justice.
Rest in His wisdom.
Know God’s protection.
And whatever you do, do not be dissuaded or dismayed.
Just keep walking forward.
Remember: Don’t just look—see as God sees.
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Why Do the Wicked Prosper? What the Bible Really Says.
Until then, remember: Don’t just look—see as God sees.
You guys have a great God week and we will see you next time for another edition of Light on Life.
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- S. M. Baugh, Ephesians, Evangelical Exegetical Commentary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2015), 543–544. ↩︎