THEOSISGregory the Great
To sow wickedness is to speak falsehoods, while to reap wickedness is to become engulfed by these deceptions. Indeed, those who engage in wrongdoing are the ones who cultivate evil, and they face the consequences of their actions. Thus, the outcome of their misdeeds is condemnation. It is stated that those who sow wickedness and those who harvest it will ultimately perish at the breath of God, and they will vanish under the force of His wrath. However, it is noted that the act of sowing evil does not immediately result in punishment; rather, it leads to an escalation of wrongdoing, as the punishment for these actions follows from the spirit of His anger. This cycle of sowing and reaping occurs because all their deeds are base.
Read more (202 words)
Concerning the wicked, the Psalmist declares, "At all times his ways are ruined; Thy judgments are far off for him, at all his enemies he looks with disdain” (Psalm 9:26). Shortly thereafter, he adds, “under the tongue is his torment and ruin” (Psalm 9:28). This illustrates that evil is cultivated by those who act unjustly, and it is harvested by those who briefly take root in such iniquities.
Why, then, do those destined for destruction by the breath of God linger for a long time, sometimes prospering even more than the righteous? The Psalmist again comments, “They are not in the travail of men, neither are they subjected to the same afflictions as others” (Psalm 72:5). Jeremiah also questions, “Why is the way of the wicked prosperous, and all the treacherous successful?” (Jeremiah 12:1). The reason lies in the Lord's patience; He often permits what He condemns for an extended period. Occasionally, God strikes swiftly, providing comfort to the timid among the innocent. Yet there are times when the Almighty allows the wicked to thrive for longer, to illuminate the path of the righteous. Sometimes He swiftly brings ruin upon the wicked to fortify the spirits of the innocent through their downfall.