JUDGMENT AND RICHES OF GOD.Roman 2

A company planned to produce a homosexual play to break down the moral and spiritual standards of our state. Three judges of the Supreme Court heard the deliberations. The senior judge presented his findings ; and to our dismay favoured the damaging play. The next judge spoke like an Old Testament prophet, strongly rejecting the proposal. Many of the Lord’s people were praying, while three of us sat in the chambers of the Court. Finally, another noble judge showed the evil propensities of the plan; and cast his vote against the project. The frustrated group, after one year’s preparation, were rowdily fuming. We gratefully embraced, praising the Lord for hearing our urgent plea for our state.

God is a righteous Judge. Paul commented in the second chapter of Romans,‘Where we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practise such things.’ We shall study this mighty theme of justice, an attribute of our heavenly Father, running throughout the entire Word of God.

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Paul continued , advising that ‘A day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God is coming.’ (v5). ‘You are treasuring up for yourself God’s wrath, according to your hardness and impenitent heart.‘

Sober warnings come from the gracious Lord, who longs for His children to turn to Him,

Abraham bargained passionately with the Lord that so many righteous men were in Sodom. ( Genesis 18:25 ) ‘Shall not the Judge of the earth do righteously?’ is a true descriptions of the God of the universe Our Lord continued, ‘If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the place for their sakes.’ God’s white-hot anger reminded Abraham of His righteous nature. We must return to this assuring word when faced with seeming unrighteousness. His nature is eternal- and constant.

King David broke into a Psalm of thanksgiving and prayer for the Lord’s righteous judgments. ( Psalm 9 ) He said, ‘You have maintained my right and cause; You sat on the throne judging in righteousness.’ This comforts us knowing we have such a reasonable Judge presiding in the heavens. (v4) He continued, ‘ The Lord shall endure for ever; He has prepared His throne for judgment,’ (v7)showing how the Lord will keep the scales of justice perfectly balanced. Even further, David wrote,’ He will judge the world in righteousness; He will administer judgement for the peoples in uprightness.’ (v8)

Every nation boasts of the mighty mountains which grace their shores; understandably, David writes, ‘Your mercy O Lord is in the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the clouds; Your righteousness is like the great mountain; Your judgments are a great deep; O Lord, you [preserve man and beast.’ (36:5-8) He continues with the Lord’s attributes, ‘How precious is your loving-kindness, O God.’, His judgment and righteousness are included in the special attributes of the eternal God, our dear heavenly Father. Do you acknowledge them?

King Nebuchadnezzar valued God’s justice, even as the Babylonian ruler stated, ‘Having ‘My reason returned to me after 7 years of mental tumble ), and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendour returned to me.‘ My counsellors and nobles resorted to me, I was restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honour the king of heaven, all of whose ways are truth, and His ways justice, An awful warning followed, ‘Those who walk in pride He is able to abase. ‘ His mind now clear; his faith restored; His appreciation of the righteousness of God. Deepened. This was an ideal consequence of his stern trial . We too must fairly evaluate God’s judgments.

God overlooked ( winked at ) the times of ignorance, but now He commands men everywhere to repent. Because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness ( notice the central figure for this event ) by the MAN whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all, by raising Him from the dead.’ ( Acts 17;30,31 ) His resurrection gave assurance of a righteous judgment. His rising again is the most substantiated event in history; then the judgment of the risen Lord is equally sure. While this should frighten sinners with holy dread, yet it strengthens our faith in the One who died to be our Saviour, even our Lord Jesus. And calms us.

Paul speaks of the ’clear evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God for which you suffer, showing how God judges your worth because of the hardship you have borne. He continues ‘Since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you‘. The Lord assesses your life sufferings and preserves you in the midst of them. The unclouded peace of the dying saint affirms this,

Paul shows how the King will come in great power and glory to judge for mankind; hence His promise ‘And to you who are troubled, rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, Notice the powerful language, using the fury of the Lord when ‘In flaming fire He takes vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. We dare not make light of our Lord.

God’s judgment on those who have rejected Him is seen when ‘These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the Presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all them who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. ( 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10 ) but Oh, what a glorious day for the Lord’s people when He is magnified in his own redeemed.

John continued the theme on God’s judgment in the marvellous Revelation chapter 15, where

‘They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, ‘Saying

Moses was the Law-Giver appointed by God to stand on Mount Sinai and receive the foundational Ten commandments. The Song of the Lamb is the Lord Jesus‘ victory song ( He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.’ showing how our Saviour bore the penalty, guilt and shame of breaking the Father’s holy commands, while the Lamb of God waw ‘smitten of God and afflicted’ as our Passover Lamb.

The song of the Lamb is’ Great and marvellous are your works, Lord God Almighty!

Just and true are Your ways, O King of saints! Who shall not fear you, O Lord, and glorify Your Name? For yo alone are holy, for all nations shall come and worship before you,

For your judgments have been manifested. (v3,4 ) God’s attributes are His almightiness, justice, truth, to be feared and reverenced; holy, Whose justice has been vindicated to all.

John in his gospel gave a marvellous promise (5:24) ,Most assuredly, I say toyou, he that hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.’ How blessed to know that we shall not face judgment for our sinss, gloriously covered - and forgiven. Thank Him for such blessing.

Please go to GOD’S PLAN . Click on to the plan of salvation in your Mother tongue. Make your peace with God.