Making All Things Right

“Making All Things Right”
What do you think of when you hear the words “judge, judgment, justice, judging”? You need to think of the context in which they are mentioned because they often mean different things. Usually we think of something “judicial,” a judgment of the court, but in the Old Testament “judging” often mean an executive function rather than a judicial (although of course it could mean either depending on the context.) The king was to bring “justice” and that meant not allowing the more powerful to use their authority or economic strength or position to oppress others. Abraham asked the rhetorical question, “shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” Genesis 18:25 And of course He always does because justice and righteousness and holiness are His infinitely. And so is wisdom and patience and goodness and love and kindness.

We belong to God by right of creation and He takes care of His own. Psalms 9 and 10 cry out to God to “judge the world with righteousness” and “judge people with uprightness.” “The Lord sits enthroned forever; He has established His throne for justice.” 9:7-8

Aren’t you amazed and alarmed at the terrible things people do to each other? Don’t you want God to “intervene” and stop the violence and wickedness and cruelty? Doesn’t your heart cry out for justice and righteousness in the world? “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled” (or satisfied). Mt. 5:6 And that’s for us in the midst of this wicked and fallen world in which we live. And of course part of the problem is “us” because we, too, are “fallen creatures in a fallen world.”

And we look forward to the day when God will “judge the earth” and “make all things right.” In eternity future in heaven there will be no evil or lies or sexual immorality or pride and arrogance or oppression of anyone. Perfect righteousness as well as perfect love and complete satisfaction in fellowship with God and our brethren. And all who do not have eternal life in Christ because of their rebellion against Him will be cast into the lake of fire “which is the second death.” Rev. 21:8 The wickedness of this world will not be taken into heaven. It will be destroyed.

But what about “now”? The Psalmist cries out to God “to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.” 10:18 The wicked “say in his heart, ‘You will not “call to account,” “But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation, that you may take it into your hands. . . . you have been the helper of the fatherless.” Stop him, Lord! “Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call his wickedness to account till you find none.” 10:15

God does intervene and protect and we pray for Him to do that, but when He allows the wicked to prevail (though He limits what they can do), God strengthens the person going through the trial: “O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart.” 10:17

One of the ways God limits the power of the wicked and the godless is through poetic justice: they fall into the net they themselves spread. “In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor; let them be caught in the schemes that they have devised.” 10:2 “The nations have sunk in the pit that they made; in the net that they hid their own foot has been caught.” 9:15

The wicked “sits in ambush in the villages; in hiding places he murders the innocent. His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless; he lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket; he lurks that he may seize the poor; he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net. The helpless are crushed, sink down, and fall by his might.” 10:8-10

Doesn’t your heart cry out to God when you hear of all the predators and the wickedness in this world, the clever schemes that they draw people into like a trap? Gambling, sex, drugs, covetousness, violence of all kinds. “Arise, O Lord! Let not man prevail; let the nations be judged before you! Put them in fear, O Lord! Let the nations know that they are but men!” 9:19-20

“For it is written, ‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.’ So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.” Romans 14:11-12 “Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” and brings forgiveness to all who sincerely call upon Him in repentance and faith. The keynote is at the beginning of Psalm 9:1-2 ESV “I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.” –Pastor Burnside