THEOSISGregory the Great
Verse 16 speaks of those who were taken away prematurely, whose foundations were submerged in the flood (Job 22:16). Although our lifespan is undoubtedly known in God’s foreknowledge, it raises a vital question regarding the principle by which He asserts that the wicked will be removed from this world ‘before their appointed time.’ The Almighty, while His judgments may vary, His divine counsel never changes. He has eternal knowledge of when each individual will be summoned from this life by His sovereign will.
Read more (471 words)
It is essential to recognize that in His creation and calling of individuals, God, according to their actions, also designates the duration of their existence: whether a wicked person lives briefly to lessen the harm done to the righteous, or a righteous person lives longer to perform good deeds for others, or a wicked person persists longer to compound his wrongdoing and refine the righteous in their obedience, or a good person may be taken away sooner. It must be emphasized that God’s mercy allows for the possibility of repentance for sinners. However, when they refuse to embrace the fruits of repentance and instead pursue wickedness, God’s mercy is evident in what they lose by their choices. God knows each person's time of death, and no individual can alter the moment they are destined to die. For instance, when fifteen years were added to Hezekiah’s life, this extension was still within the bounds of divine providence, as God foresaw the exact day Hezekiah would depart from his earthly existence.
But what does it imply that the wicked will be taken away before their time, if not that those who cherish the present world deceive themselves into expecting a longer life? When death arrives, it abruptly concludes the span of life that they had mistakenly envisioned as enduring. As Job notes, their foundations are swept away by the flood (Job 22:16). The wicked, while failing to contemplate eternity and disregarding the transitory nature of earthly matters, become engrossed in their love for the present life. They do not establish a foundation for eternal existence, tethering their aspirations to worldly desires. For instance, Cain is identified as the first to build a city, indicating his disconnection from the permanence of eternal peace, as he chose to root his foundation in worldly pursuits instead of seeking higher aspirations. Cain’s firstborn, Enoch, signifies devotion, while the righteous Enoch appears as the seventh in lineage, representing the faithful who dedicate themselves to the ultimate fulfillment of God’s plan, represented by the number seven.
The wicked, eager for immediate gratification, pursue ephemeral gains, seek accolades, and covet what belongs to others without regard for what lies beyond this life. If they fail to ‘devote themselves’ in their first generation, it becomes apparent how the elect focus not on worldly glory, willingly accepting their lot while enduring the hardships of this life, trusting that they will be rewarded in the end. Hence, the righteous Enoch is born in the seventh generation, as their aspirations are fixed on the glory of the final recompense (Gen. 5:21-24). In the daily progression of life, as mortality concludes and obliterates the sanctification of the children of perdition by removing them, it is rightly affirmed that the foundations of the wicked are overwhelmed by change, illustrating how their unstable base is washed away.