YES, God will answer the prayers of wicked men! If you doubt it look at Noah, toiling hard for 120 years to build a vessel of vast and unexampled dimensions on dry land. Listen to him as he announces to the men of his day and generation, that a storm of judgment is about to sweep over the world. He calls upon them to repent and turn from their evil ways: he preaches righteousness to them, and the Spirit of God strives with them. How did his hearers treat that message? Job 22 tells us that they prayed God to depart from them.
Did God hear their prayer?
He did. The vessel was completed, the builder and his family safely housed, when, lo! the heavens for the first time poured down a mighty flood, the fountains of the great deep were broken up from beneath, and as every living thing that moved died, the awful fact was realized that their prayer was heard. God had departed from them, and their imprisoned spirits now witness to the fact that God does hear and answer a wicked man’s prayer.
~~~
Years rolled on, the mighty flood of waters had assuaged, the sun shone forth upon a renewed earth, peace and plenty reigned. The providential care and goodness of God was lavished upon His creatures, their flocks and herds increased, their wealth abounded. Their children danced for joy, music from the timbrel, the harp, and the organ was heard in their houses, they spent their days in mirth and pleasure. “Surely,” you say, “such must have ever been full of praise to God.” Alas! they had failed to mark the old way which wicked men had trodden, whose foundation was overthrown with a flood, and the prayer which fell from their lips was that of their forefathers: “Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of Thy ways.”
Did God hear their prayer?
He did.
Even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, Rom. 1:26 and 28 tells us that “God gave them up” and “God gave them over.”
~~~
Centuries rolled on, the tender heart of the blessed God yearned in deep love for His creatures, and in the fullness of that love God sent forth His only begotten, His well-beloved Son, to seek to win their long-estranged affections.
He came a man amongst men—the God-man.
Was there a captive? He preached deliverance! A broken heart? It was His joy to bind it up! A blind beggar? He recovered his sight! A bruised slave of Satan? He gave him liberty! Look at Him as depicted by Luke in his gospel, chapter 8. He traveled across a tempestuous sea to deliver a man with an unclean spirit, whose dwelling was in the tombs, who was night and day crying and cutting himself with stones. He liberated the captive, healed the bruised slave of Satan, and when the people came running together they saw the once devil-possessed man now seated at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind.
Did hosannas fill their mouth? Did they praise this wonderful Deliverer? Alas, no! The same fatal request fell from their lips, and for the third time that wicked prayer was prayed, and they besought Him to depart out of their coasts.
Did He listen to their prayer?
He did.
Look at Jerusalem now, trace her history back to that night when the Light of the world departed and did hide Himself from them. Look at that city wrapped in gloom, as from Olivet’s Mount Jesus surveyed that scene, and the poignant grief of unrequited affection uttered that touching lament, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not.”
Jesus departed, their house was left desolate.
~~~
Jerusalem had sealed her doom when she cried, “Away with this man.” Calvary displayed the most awful sight. A sinless, guiltless Man taken by wicked hands, crucified and slain. The holy, spotless Lamb of God, who knew no sin, who had no sin, and who did no sin, crucified like a common felon between two malefactors. Upon that cross He made atonement for sin, settled the question of eternal judgment, bowed His blessed head, cried “It is finished,” and gave up the ghost. Man took Him from the cross, man laid Him in the tomb. God raised Him from the dead, seated Him at His own right hand, and announced by the Holy Ghost a message of the richest grace to this world. He directed His messengers to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
The day came when those messengers reached Europe. How did this highly-favored quarter of the globe treat them? After having illegally beaten them, and committed them to the care of a cruel jailer, who fastened their feet in the stocks and laid upon them many stripes, they came and prayed them to “depart” out of their city. Did they depart? They did.
Now, my reader, what have you been saying to God? Has judgment had no effect? Has the flood no voice to you? Has the Providence that bestows its bounties, the love that sent a Saviour, the grace that announces a free salvation no response in your heart? Are you praying that same prayer, “Depart from me,” as one appeal after another reaches you? Take care the echo of your prayer is not sounded back from the closed door of mercy, and you are among that doomed throng who listen to the solemn words, Depart from Me, I never knew you! God heard the antediluvian. His reply was—judgment. God heard the wealthy men in Job’s day, the generation that followed, and He “gave them up.”
God heard the Jews in the Lord’s Day, and wrote “desolation” over their house. And God will hear the men of this day, and His answer will be a closed door. When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, then many shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
What say you, reader, of these tidings of life and peace? Are you laying this number down, saying in your heart, if not with your lips, “depart”? Remember, then, your prayer may be answered.
H. N.