TheoBros Memo Issue #26: God is Judge, Sharon's Story, and Twitter Fire From My TheoBros
TheoBros and TheoSistas,
It isn’t common in Evangelical circles to talk about God as Judge, but the Bible’s testimony concerning this perfection of our Creator is absolutely undeniable.
The LORD, the Judge, decide this day between the people of Israel and the people of Ammon (Judges 11:27).
Arise, O God, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all the nations! (Ps. 82:8)
It is God who judges (Ps. 75:7).
The truth of God’s Judgment and its effects are shown on nearly every page of the Old Testament.
J.I. Packer, in his book Knowing God, lists four characteristics of God’s judgment.1
The Judge is a person with authority. In the Bible world, the king was always the supreme judge, because his was the supreme ruling authority. It is on that basis, according to the Bible, that God is judge of His world. As our Maker, He owns us, and as our Owner, He has the right to dispose of us. He has, therefore, a right to make laws for us and to reward us according to whether or not we keep them…He is both Lawgiver and Judge.
The Judge is a person identified with what is good and right. The modern idea that a judge should be cold and dispassionate has no place in the Bible. The biblical judge is expected to love justice and fair play and to loathe all ill treament of one person by another…the Bible leaves us in no doubt that God loves righteousness and hates iniquity, and that the ideal of a judge wholly identified with what is good and right is perfectly fulfilled in Him.
The Judge is a person of wisdom, to discern truth. In the biblical setting, the judge’s first task is to ascertain the facts in the case that is before him. There is no jury; it is his responsiblity, and his alone, to question and cross-examine, and detect lies and pierce through evasions and establish how matters really stand. When the Bible pictures God judging, it emphasizes His omniscience and wisdom as the searcher of the hearts and the finders of facts. Nothing can escape Him; we may fool men, but we cannot fool God. He knows us, and judges us, as we really are.
The Judge is a person of power to execute sentence. The modern judge does no more than pronounce the sentence; another department of the judicial executive then carries is out. The same was true in the ancient world. But God is His own executioner. As He legislates and sentences, so he punishes. All judicial functions coalesce in Him.
God is the Judge of all of His creatures. Run from His Son Jesus now and you’ll meet Him as the Holy Judge later. Run to Jesus now and you’ll meet Him as your Brother, Savior, and Advocate later. It’s really that simple.
Sharon Devol: Her Story, John MacArthur Trivia, ShepCon Facts, Cancer, and Her Favorite Twitter Accounts
I hope you get an opportunity this week to listen to Sharon’s story. Sharon’s journey of meeting John MacArthur, getting saved, attending his dad’s church, and later returning is remarkable.
Straight Fire From My TheoBros and TheoSistas
J.I. Packer, Knowing God; pg. 141-142.