Judgment of God
By Sonja H. Winburn, Acworth, GA
The state of the earth in Noah’s day was so antithetical to what was intended in the Garden of Eden that God decided to destroy the world and start over again with just eight souls. In directing them to build the ark, He kept these four couples safe using their obedient faith, and they were protected through the catastrophic storm that God initiated. The same water that destroyed the evildoers was also used to save the faithful. Afterward, God promised that He would not destroy this earth using water again and gave a sign to confirm it. Now we know when it starts to rain that it will eventually stop!
It is interesting that the term “judgment” is not actually used in any of the texts referencing the flood. Instead, it is described simply as destruction. The word “judgment” is not used in the Biblical text until Genesis 15:12-14 when God institutes the covenant He is making with Abraham.
The introduction and explanation of this covenant help to bring the concept of God as a judge into proper focus going forward in other Biblical texts. God uses the term to tell Abraham that He will eventually judge the land of Egypt. In Exodus 6:5-7, God uses the term again to describe the plagues that will descend on the land. He goes on to say that by them the people will know it is the Lord who brings them out of Egypt.
Next, God alludes to the concept of judgment when he speaks of “righteousness” (judgment KJV) and “justice” simultaneously, though somewhat differently, in Genesis 18:19. He describes how Abraham will command his household to do righteousness and justice so that the Lord will bring about His promises. The text seems to mean that Abraham would do what God prescribes and follow His way of doing things, rather than his own, for the purpose of keeping God’s covenant. Indeed, Abraham shows these characteristics later in the same chapter when he intercedes for the righteous people in Sodom. In Genesis 18:25, he says, “Shall not the judge of all the earth do what is just?”
Abraham had many descendants who became God’s people. God gave responsibilities to the nation in the form of laws and statutes to which blessings and curses were attached (Leviticus 26). He pledged to bless the children of Israel when they obeyed and to discipline them when they did not. God also pledged to curse the enemies of His people. Their enemies were those who hindered the covenant relationship they had with God.
The next clue to understanding God’s judgment comes from considering kingdoms, kings, and their realm of authority. All the kings in ancient days pronounced judgments, and it was understood by their subjects that they had the authority to make laws and pass judgments in all matters. Kings, on a regular basis, sat at the gates of their cities and listened to civil cases presented by individuals who needed their adjudication. An example can be found in 2 Sam. 8:15 with King David. In addition, each king had the sovereign right and power to judge the people in his realm. Second Chronicles 9:8 describes this power when speaking of Solomon. The Queen of Sheba blesses the Lord for putting such a king over the people who would execute “justice” and “righteousness.” By doing so, she makes the connection to God’s promises to Abraham and acknowledges that it is God who put Solomon on the throne.
But this was a power given to ALL kings, not just the kings of Israel. When Babylon conquered Judah, the king killed Zedekiah’s sons and put out his eyes. However, even here, although the foreign king is giving the orders, God has allowed this to take place as a judgment on Judah for the breaking of the covenant. But this judgment was not given without ample warning or time for repentance. God sent prophet after prophet to His people to plead for their repentance. Only after hundreds of years did He allow the judgment to take place.
God warns, God pleads, and God disciplines people in just measure. He not only judges Israel but explains the reason for His judgments on all the nations of that day. All this information is provided for our understanding in order to learn how to repent in our day.
This background should help us comprehend the New Covenant discussion of the “judgment of God” when it is used by Paul in Romans to refer to the final judgment. Paul is making the point in Romans that both Jews and Greeks are accountable as sinners and that God’s judgment is righteous and meted out based on what we are “storing up” (Rom. 2:5-10). Paul wants his readers to see that when God and His teaching are left out of our thinking, all manner of evil results. God has no choice but to allow the consequences of our own choices to play out. He also wants us to understand that there is no excuse, no deliverance, and no way forward without one’s repentance for sin.
If we are to take the Bible seriously, as the authoritative word of God, we must accept that He will be the ultimate judge. Much of the western world has begun to define truth in an individualistic way and will find these verses to be archaic and perhaps even “hateful.” This could even include those who claim to be Christians or have a belief in Jesus. Satan is using the world to redefine the subject of judgment!
We learn from history that these are the very kinds of times that God steps in with what some call “judgments in time,” meaning, the judgments within the confines of some time period (e.g. Egyptian, Babylonian, Roman). These judgments are not to be confused with the end-time judgment to be held after the resurrection on the last day. Both types of judgments are discussed in 2 Thess. 1:5-12. God would repay with affliction those who afflicted the Christians (a judgment in time), but they were reminded to endure knowing that the final judgment would come, and they would be rewarded.
Judgments in time may be on a large scale in nations or on a smaller scale for the purpose of helping individuals. Hardened hearts must be reached, usually with catastrophic means, for open eyes and hearing ears to recognize the gospel truth. I believe this is the purpose of the imprecatory Psalms. Those turning towards God are learning His will, and those turning away are seeing the devastation that turning away from God accomplishes. The consequences of disobedience are God’s last-ditch effort to get people to turn back to Him. A person can be snatched out of the fire at this point if there is any vestige of gospel truth left in their soul. A God-influenced mind does not see this last effort as mean or cruel but rather as a loving attempt by which God pierces their heart.
These days, good is called evil and evil is called good. When this happens in any society, you can expect a correction. Many wish to elevate themselves and make themselves a “god” and thereby abuse, misuse, deny, or violate God’s truth on marriage, the family, the church, gender, sexual orientation, etc. No one can ever tell precisely when God is working or who or what God is working with, but we can read the times and personally respond accordingly with repentance.
The prophets all speak of the fates of people in ancient times. We read about God’s judgments on the faithless nations, not only on Israel and Judah but also on others like Assyria, Babylon, Egypt, Edom, and Philistia. These people did not believe God was working with them during their time, but He was in control of nations then and is in control of nations now, whether anyone believes it or not.
There is still a law and there are still promises being kept. And God still works in the lives of men. He has not stopped working with people on an individual basis or with their respective nations. He has done so since the dawn of time! In 2 Peter 2:4-11, Peter describes how God did not spare angels who sinned and gives an account of the salvation of Noah and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. He uses these examples of judgment to remind his readers of the final judgment and whose authority we should all respect and follow.
May all God’s people recognize the signs, repent, and save themselves from their wicked and perverse generation, whenever or wherever they live! A good and faithful judge cannot always act with mercy but will need to dole out justice as well. God is our good and faithful judge who rewards good behavior and disciplines the bad, still. He keeps all His promises and vindicates those who are righteous.
As Christians, let us not allow the world to make us complicit with the vilification of discipline or justice. It may be the only hope for some to be snatched from the fire! Or the only way that some good heart can be calmed!