"Those who will not observe the judgments of God's mouth shall not escape the judgments of His hand."
- both quotes are from Matthew Henry
Let's pay attention to what is being said here by God's servant.
What will it be? What is our choice?
Do we want to hear "the comfortable voice of God's Word" or "the dreadful voice of His rod"?
Are we diligently seeking to "observe the judgments (commandments) of His mouth" so as to avoid the "judgments of His hand"?
Look around you today. Sinner and "saint" alike are lacking in one thing and one thing alone. If we are to err in any area, it would have to be that we do not fear God as we should.
It's absolutely amazing to hear people talk about God - His character and ways - and yet they never "crack open" a Bible. They will spend hours philosophizing about Him - yet they don't even know who He is and what He is all about.
How do we know this?
Look at their lifestyle. They "live like the devil" yet claim to know so much about the Lord.
One thing we must make plain and clear is this - God has a "comfortable voice" and a "dreadful voice."
Said another way - He is the One and Only Judge Who rewards the faithful and punishes the rebels.
No matter how hard we try - we cannot avoid this concept of Him. We may have a picture of Him as being a Santa Claus-type figure - so cuddly and cute. Or we may think of Him as a Genie in a bottle who is at our "beck and call" every time that we quote or confess His Scriptures.
Both are erroneous pictures. God is neither a Santa Claus who is always fulfilling the "wish lists" of all good boys and girls - nor is He a Genie who jumps whenever we pray or confess His Word.
Yes, He is a Loving Heavenly Father...a Comforter...a Refuge for His people in the time of trouble...a Mighty Deliverer...a Great High Priest Who is touched by our infirmities...and a Friend Who sticks closer than a Brother. But He also is a Just Judge Who rules the universe by His righteousness and truth.
Read how David Watson described our day and age in reference to this topic - "In this liberal age, we tend naturally to avoid any thought of God's judgment."
In other words, it comes naturally to us - in this day of prosperity, pleasure, entertainment, success, and progress - to avoid a picture of God as a Righteous and Holy Judge.
It is imperative that we go beyond what comes naturally. We must have a total transformation - a "renewing of our minds" - if you will.
What we have "swept under the carpet" so to speak - what we have conveniently and purposely avoided - is killing us as a people.
We need the concept of God as the Righteous Judge constantly set before our eyes in order to live right.
Read what these men of God had to say about this matter -
William Childs Robinson said - "The judgment seat of Christ lends a seriousness to all life."
Wernher von Braun said - "Two stimuli are necessary to make man endeavor to conform with accepted moral standards: belief in an ultimate judgment and belief in the immortality of the soul."
One day, we will all stand before a Holy God - the Lord Jesus Himself - and give an account of what we have done with the life He has given us. Knowing this should lead us to "a seriousness" about our living as well as a conformity to the "moral standards" as outlined for us in the Bible. Our obedience will reward us with eternity in Heaven. Our disobedience will bring us eternity in Hell.
The concept of a God of Judgment - where is it found in the Holy Scriptures?
Genesis 18:25 says - "That be far from Thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from Thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?"
Here Abraham - the Father of our Faith - refers to God as the "Judge of all the earth."
In His argument that he brought before the Lord in prayer, he used this concept for his foundation - God Who alone is the Judge of all mankind will undoubtedly do right.
He - Who cannot withhold nor exact more than is right - will not deal with the righteous as with the wicked. He - Who is cognizant of all things - will pass fair and just sentence upon all.
Gathering from this verse of Scripture, we can come to the conclusion that our prayers will not be accurate nor effective as Abraham's were - if we leave out the truth that God is the "Judge of all the earth." It is imperative that this view of Him be always before our eyes whenever we pray.
Job 34:17 says - "Shall even he that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn Him that is most just?"
In this particular instance, Elihu asked the question - Can someone who hates judgment, justice, or righteousness "govern," rule, reign, or repress wrath? But because God does love justice, is just and the sum of all righteousness, He is entitled to be the Judge over all.
God is the Great Governor and Ruler of the universe. He is the one and only Almighty Judge. Because He is so, He cannot be unjust. The government of the world would be impossible if injustice would be allowed. This was a deep conviction in the hearts of the people in Job's time. And it should be in ours.
Because God is such a Just Judge - always doing that which is right - man has no right to ever condemn, question, correct, direct, advise, or change His proceedings or laws.
Psalm 7:11 says - "God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day."
David also had the strong conviction that God was a righteous Judge Who vindicated the upright in heart and avenged and punished the evildoer.
When undergoing ill-treatment from others, it is very comforting to know that the Almighty will intervene and bring justice where injustice is practiced.
He will manifest His displeasure, wrath, and indignation on all those who break His just laws.
Psalm 96:10 says - "Say among the heathen that the LORD reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: He shall judge the people righteously."
What is the important message to be proclaimed to the nations of the world?
The message is that - "the LORD reigneth."
However, as we have seen all along, He cannot rule and reign over the universe "righteously" except He do so as a Just Judge. The reason why the world that comes under His dominion is "established" - fixed, immovable, steadfast, stable, and abiding - is because as a Righteous Judge, He is ruling by justice and truth. All judgment is committed to Him (John 5:22) and to bring justice to all is the reason why He came into the world (John 9:39).
Hence, we see how the concept of Him being a Judge - a Just Judge - cannot be ignored, avoided, or forgotten.
Acts 17:31 says - "Because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead."
The Apostle Paul defined for us Who this Righteous Judge is as well as gave us ample proof of His appointment and authority in being so.
He informed us - sinner and saint alike - that an "appointed...day" of judgment was coming to the world. This announcement or information was meant - and presently is - to be the greatest incentive for all mankind to repent or turn from all sin.
Who would fulfill this great task? Who is capable of knowing all men's characters and actions?
The "man...ordained" by God.
How do we know of a surety who this is?
God has given us "assurance" - afforded evidence or proof - by "raising" Christ Jesus from the dead.
By Him, God made the world, and by Him, He will judge it on that given day. May all "hear and fear" and repent before Him.
Romans 2:16 says - "In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel."
In this verse, Paul specified what God would "go after" in His judgments.
We all know that He alone knows the hidden desires, lusts, and passions... motives...purposes...plans...and thoughts of a man's heart. He only has the power to search and unfold what is in "in the darkness" - what is concealed or disguised.
James 4:12 says - "There is one lawgiver, Who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?"
Lastly, we see that the Apostle James - in his inspired Book of the Bible - also "covered" the topic of the Lord Jesus as Judge.
"There is one lawgiver" - Not many. Just One. He has the absolute right to give laws as well as to "save" or reward those who keep them and "destroy" or punish those who break them.
As we have seen in our study, man is not capable of setting Himself up as a Judge of other's motives or conditions. He has not been given that right, nor is he capable of doing so.
Christ Jesus is the One and only "lawgiver" and Judge over all.
In what way has this message - addressing God as a Righteous Judge - affected your life?
How does the fact of knowing that there is coming an appointed day - when the very "secrets" of your heart will be uncovered and dealt with - move you?
May God use this message to instill in our hearts a fresh dosage of the "fear of the Lord" which will cause us to diligently seek to "observe the judgments of His mouth" so that we may "escape the judgments of His hand."
May God Bless His Word,
Connie
No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. (Isaiah 54:17)
© COPYRIGHT Connie Giordano - All Rights Reserved