INTRODUCTION
The ‘Wicked’s pit’ is the snare laid by a person who conceives evil in his heart for an innocent person, to cause them harm. This message describes the schemes and devises of the ‘Wicked’s pit’. It should help you to discern and avoid the snares, or to endure them. Access previous messages at <https://childrenofgraceministries.international>.
1. THE WICKED
The Holy Bible, describes the wicked generally, in relation to the state of a person’s heart, his thoughts, actions and his relationship with God. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Only God can search and see a wicked heart, and know his evil thoughts. (Jeremiah 17:9-10). “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee”. (Proverbs 23:7).
The Wicked is also “proud in heart” and arrogant. “…Pride compasseth them about as a chain…”. And,” through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God… His ways are always grievous…” (Psalm 73:6; 10:4-5; Proverbs 8:13; 16:5). Since mortals cannot see the heart of man to discern a Wicked, the innocent easily fall prey to the snares of the ‘Wicked’s pit’.
2. THE WICKED’S PIT AND PREY
The ‘Wicked’s pit’ is the snare laid by a person against one who is innocent to cause them harm including reproach, shame, dishonour, oppression, persecution etc. In pride, one will conceive evil thoughts in his heart against another, and secretly plans schemes to lure him into his ‘evil pit’. His devious scheme is aided by the deceit in his outward dispositions and actions that masks his evil intent and purpose.
Brethren, a wicked person does not distinguish his victims. However, in the context of the ‘Wicked’s pit’, the peculiar target for his evil snares include: the innocent who trust in God; a righteous person who shows mercy, and is generous; one who speak peacefully and honestly; a noble man who makes honourable plans; or one who stands up for worthy causes. (Psalm 119: 94-95; 37:12; Isaiah 32:7-8). The wicked will also prey on people who depart from doing evil and stand for the truth because they fear God. And the upright in heart who speaks truthfully, where others would tell a lie, could become a prey for the Wicked’s pit. (Isaiah 59:15; Psalm 10:2).
3. DISCERNING A WICKED’S PIT
How can we mortals, discern a wicked heart, and the snare of the Wicked’s pit? The bible gives us some guidance on the schemes and devices that one should be mindful of in our human relations and interactions: These include: brethren pit-diggers, secrecy and deceit, double-minded behaviour; conspiracy, enticing others to follow an evil path, and making evil judgements.
3.1. BRETHREN PIT-DIGGERS
Wicked pit-diggers are found among our brethren and acquaintances. Prophet Jeremiah says: “For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men”; and Job refers to one who “digs a pit for his friend”. (Jeremiah 5:26; Job 6:27).
Overwhelmed by horror at ‘brethren pit diggers’, the Psalmist cries: “Wickedness is in the midst thereof: Deceit and guile depart not from her streets. For it was not an enemy that reproached me; Then I could have born it: Neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; Then I would have hid myself from him: But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company”. (Psalm 55:5, 11-14).
Brethren, anyone could dig a ‘Wicked’s pit’ for you: a family member, a friend, a colleague, a fan or a foe; the godly and ungodly alike. For example, out of jealousy and hatred, the children of Israel, devised mischief against their younger brother Joseph. They sold him to Ishmeelites who took Joseph into Egypt. Also, Samson’s wife, Delilah, dug a ‘pit’ for him to reveal the secret of his “great strength” and then lured him into the hands of the enemy philistines. And Jesus was betrayed by his disciple Judas, into the hands of religious sect to put him to death. (Genesis 37:4; Judges 16 & 17; Matthew 26:14-16; 27:1).
People of God, the ‘Wicked’s pit’ will always seek to distract you from God’s will or purpose for your life. So, you must always think upon God’s word and promise, and not be distracted by the ‘Wicked’s pit’. While they intended your hurt, God intends a process by it, to stir up and perfect the spiritual gift in you. Keep your focus on GOD!
Joseph endured the ‘Wicked’s pit’ without been distracted by the inappropriate advances made by Potiphar’s wife, and the unjust imprisonment; he became the ruler of Egypt. Samson fulfilled God’s purpose to destroy the Philistines; “so the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in life”. And our LORD Jesus Christ, resurrected from the grave to become “both Lord and Christ”, the salvation to the world. Hallelujah! (Genesis 39; Judges 16:28-30; Matthew 28:5-6; Acts 2:32-33,36).
3.2. SECRECY AND DECEIT
Brethren, the main device in the ‘Wicked’s pit’, is secrecy and deceit! “He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den…to catch the poor: He doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net”. (Psalm 10:8-9). Secretly, one imagines evil in his heart for another (e.g. envy), but outwardly, he uses the art of deception, to show a good and kind disposition toward them, while he snares his unsuspecting victim.
3.3. DOUBLE MINDED BEHAVIOUR
Brethren, evil pit-diggers are double minded. They hate at heart, yet outwardly they cover the hatred by speaking deceit. He disguises himself with his gracious speech, but he lays up deceit and “seven abominations” in his heart. (Proverbs 26: 24-25). “The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: His words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords”. (Psalm 55:21). Speaking deceit is a powerful device for the evil pit-digger. It aims to entice the prey to drop down his guard, and is exposed to the manipulation of ‘buttered words’, while in his heart, he sets a trap for him. (Jeremiah 9:8).
Provocation is another device the double-minded ‘pit-digger’ may use to snare others. He will harbour evil thoughts against the righteous, and outwardly provokes him to cause him to enter into his “pit” of temptation. The motive is to render one unstable, discouraged, or react negatively, so he can have a reason to cause hurt. In this category are people who spread malicious lies, slander, false witness, mocking, scorning, cursing, wrath, violence, and persistent opposition of others. Brethren, when you face such diverse temptations, like Nehemiah, avoid confrontation and do not react negatively. Make your prayer unto God, who is able to “turn their reproach upon their own head…”. (Nehemiah 4: 4-5, 9).
3.4. CONSPIRACY
Brethren, evil ‘pit-diggers’ will hide in conspiracies against the innocent. The Psalmist describes their manner thus: “They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul” (Psalm 56:5-6). “[They] take secret counsel against the Lord and against his anointed…to break their bands asunder…”; or to overthrow God’s anointed rulers. But, “the Lord will have them in derision… and shall break them with a rod of iron…”. (Psalm 2:2-3, 9).
The wicked can employ conspiracy to find occasion of fault against the faithful or diligent worker where there was no error or fault. On this wise, Daniel was snared into the lion’s den by his colleagues, but God delivered him from the mouth of the Lion. (Psalm 64:2-6; Daniel 6:4, 16-22).
3.5. ENTICING OTHERS TO FOLLOW AN EVIL WAY
Another device of the ‘Wicked’s pit’ is to entice the righteous to go astray in an evil way; or mislead them to participate in an evil scheme. (Proverbs 28:10). For example, King David got Bathsheba, Uriah’s wife pregnant in an adulterous affair. To cover-up, he got Uriah drunk, in an attempt to cause him to go home to lie with his wife, against God’s law. He later encouraged Joab his army Chief, to participate in Uriah’s death. (2 Samuel 11:6-9, 13-17). “But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD”. And God raised evil against David out of his own house. (2 Samuel 11:27; 12:11).
3.6. EVIL JUDGEMENT AND PERSECUTION
Persecution of the upright by evil judgement is another arsenal of the ‘evil pit’. The psalmist says: “Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil”. (Psalm 56:5-6). The wicked will twist the words of a righteous man, or those that speak uprightly, to find cause to judge and persecute him. (Psalm 37: 14, 32-33). Hypocrisy, false accusations and smear campaigns against those who seek to maintain their integrity are notable in the scheme. But God will not condemn the righteous to the evil judgement of the ‘Wicked’s pit’. (Psalm 9:4).
For example, certain of the Pharisees and the Herodians were sent to “catch [Jesus] in his words”. They asked him if it was lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not? Jesus avoided the political ‘pit’ that they had dug for him, to bring him into disputation with the Roman establishment. So in answer, he made a distinction between the things that are Ceasar’s and the things that are God’s. (Mark 12:13-17).
4. REWARD OF THE WICKED PIT-DIGGER
Brethren, God hates “a heart that devises wicked imaginations…”. He searches the heart to reward every man, according to his ways and according to the fruits of his doings. (Jeremiah 17:10; Proverbs 6:18). If the wicked does not repent from his ways, God’s own “sword”, “bent bow” and “arrows” are set against him. (Psalm 7:12-13). “…The salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength in the time of trouble”. (Psalm 37:39). “Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hands”. (Psalm 37:24).
4.1. THE WICKED FALL IN OWN PIT
Brethren, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap”. (Galatians 6:7). “…When thou shalt cease to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled; and when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee”. The wicked shall fall by his wickedness. (Isaiah 33:1; Proverbs 11:5). For example, Haman, one of the Princes of Persia, hated, Mordecai the Jew. He conceived a mischievous device to make gallows, 50 cubits high, that Mordecai may be hanged on it. But Haman was hanged on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. (Esther 7:9-10).
Brethren, whenever you fall into temptation by the schemes and devices of evil pit-diggers, be still and have faith in God. “The Lord is known by the judgement which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands”. (Psalm 9:16). “… They that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same”. (Job 4:8-9). “His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealings shall come down upon his own pate”; and “…In the net which they hid is their own feet taken”. (Psalm 9:15; 7:16; 57:6 Ecclesiastes 10:8; Proverbs 5:22).
Also, with the same judgment, the Wicked pronounce on you, they will be judged. And “Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way. He shall fall himself into his own pit…” (Matthew 7:2; Proverbs 28:10)
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
My people of God, when you fall into diverse temptations of wicked pit-diggers, rest in the LORD. Think on whatsoever things that are: true, honest, just, pure, lovely, good report, virtuous, and praiseworthy. “…And the God of peace shall be with you”. (Philippians 4:8-9).
Fret not because of him who brings wicked devices to pass. “Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life”; as well as all evil thoughts and sins. (Proverbs 4:23; Psalm 37:7; Mark 7:21). And let the wicked repent and forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and return unto the LORD; for he will abundantly pardon. (Isaiah 55:7: Acts 8:22).
PRAYER
Almighty Father, we give thanks and praise for Your word.
Gracious LORD, grow your spirit of LOVE in our hearts to replace evil thoughts.
Mighty God, deliver us from the evil devices of the ‘Wicked’s pit’. Delink us from every spiritual activity that is not of God.
Holy Father, cause us to endure the “snare of the fowler” without distraction, and to attain thy purpose for our lives.
Jesus Lord, we commit our ‘brethren pit diggers’ to your charge. Have mercy upon them. Help us to forgive them, love and bless them, though they may curse us, despitefully use us, and persecute us.
May the peace of God which passeth all understanding, keep our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
I make this prayer in JESUS Name.
Have a blessed week and a fruitful month.
Lots of Love, P. Schwartz (SOG) 02/06/2024.
