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Tag: judgment

  • Our Lament and Weeping -2- Judgment

    Our Lament and Weeping -2- Judgment

    Previously, we asked of Jeremiah’s lament for Jerusalem, “For what hope have any who have turned against the Lord?” He has just said, “For my groans are many, and I am sick at heart. – Lamentations 1:22b And now his elegy will address a just judgment on Jerusalem by the Lord.

    Judgment on Jerusalem

    Lamentations 2

    אֵיכָה֩ יָעִ֨יב בְּאַפּ֤וֹ׀ אֲדֹנָי֙ אֶת־בַּת־צִיּ֔וֹן הִשְׁלִ֤יךְ מִשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ אֶ֔רֶץ תִּפְאֶ֖רֶת יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְלֹא־זָכַ֥ר הֲדֹם־רַגְלָ֖יו בְּי֥וֹם אַפּֽוֹ׃ ס

    איכה 2 The Westminster Leningrad Codex (WLC)

    The Lord [אֲדֹנָי ‘Adonay] has overshadowed Daughter Zion with his anger!

    How hath the Lord covered the daughter of Zion
    with a cloud in his anger,
    and cast down from heaven unto the earth
    the beauty of Israel,
    and remembered not his footstool
    in the day of his anger!

    Lamentations 2:3 AKJV

    His daughter is Zion, Jerusalem, ‘the parched place.’ She receives the cloud of His anger over her beauty, as if she had never dwelled in the Light of His heavenly Throne as His beloved footstool. She no longer worships Him!

    2 … In his wrath he has demolished the fortified cities of Daughter Judah…

    Judgment on all of Judah

    And now another beloved daughter. So the Lord punishes not only Jerusalem but all of Judah. He cut off ‘all the horn of Israel,’ its strength and its rays of light on the high places.

    ה He
    5 The Lord is like an enemy;
    he has swallowed up Israel.
    He swallowed up all its palaces
    and destroyed its fortified cities.
    He has multiplied mourning and lamentation
    within Daughter Judah.

    ו Waw
    6 He has wrecked his temple
    as if it were merely a shack in a field,
    destroying his place of meeting.
    The Lord has abolished
    appointed festivals and Sabbaths in Zion.
    He has despised king and priest
    in his fierce anger.

    ז Zayin
    7 The Lord has rejected his altar,
    repudiated his sanctuary;
    he has handed the walls of her palaces
    over to the enemy.

    Can you imagine this happening to our nation, our religious and political leaders and to the security of our homes and families today?

    Jeremiah describes the dismay of their leaders.

    י Yod
    10 The elders of Daughter Zion
    sit on the ground in silence.
    They have thrown dust on their heads
    and put on sackcloth….

    Then Jeremiah points back to their former sin of hearing false prophets who predict with deceptive visions and do not mention our iniquities. Yet he laments, “Who can heal you?” So this is his intercession on their behalf.

    Hope through God’s Mercy

    I am the man who has seen affliction
    under the rod of God’s wrath.
    He has driven me away and forced me to walk
    in darkness instead of light.

    Lamentations 3:1-2

    Jeremiah recalls his own suffering when leaders of Jerusalem and all of Judah and Israel refused to listen to the Lord’s warnings spoken by him. And he asks for God’s mercy.

    19 Remember my affliction and my homelessness,
    the wormwood and the poison.

    Then he prays: “The Lord is my portion, therefore I will put my hope in him.” He then encourages others to hope in the Lord, even in their distress.

    Waiting for Judgment

    ט Teth
    25 The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
    to the person who seeks him.
    26 It is good to wait quietly
    for salvation from the Lord.

    Can you wait for the Lord in your suffering?

    Sin so often destroys us – the sin of others and our own sin. Do you listen to the rebukes of the Lord before your fall?

    Listen to some of Jeremiah’s encouragement, even in this lament.

    28 Let him sit alone and be silent, for God has disciplined him. 30 … let him be filled with disgrace.

    How we take an attitude against the Lord and against any who suggest that who ought to endure deserved scorn and reproach.

    We refuse to be shamed for punishment we rightfully deserve. Yet He will judge – He will judge if we protest our rebuke and He will judge even when we sit silently hoping in our Redeemer. May the Lord have mercy on us.

    Unless the Lord has ordained it

    מ Mem
    37 Who is there who speaks and it happens,
    unless the Lord has ordained it?
    38 Do not both adversity and good
    come from the mouth of the Most High?
    39 Why should any living person complain,
    any man, because of the punishment for his sins?

    Jeremiah’s question to fallen Israel could well apply to one fallen in our own sin today.

    So sit alone, be silent and consider the Lord’s discipline.

    Even we do not willingly allow our deserved shame and disgrace. Neither will we sorrowfully thank Christ for carrying our reproach to the Cross.

    I called on your name, Lord,
    from the depths of the pit.
    You heard my plea:
    Do not ignore my cry for relief.

    Lamentations 3:55-56 CSB

    59 Lord, you saw the wrong done to me; judge my case.

    Can you ask judgment (without Christ’s grace), as Jeremiah plead?

    66 You will pursue them in anger and destroy them under your heavens.

    Will the Lord also pursue you in your sins and iniquity, overshadowing all hope of deliverance from death?

    O, contemporary christian, how like those who would not listen to Jeremiah are we, when turning from the Lord.

    To be continued...

  • Hebrews 12- Reject Not God’s Grace

    Therefore, strengthen your listless hands and your weak knees

    Hebrews 12:12 NET

    The author of Hebrews assures us: “We have a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us;” therefore do not grow weary and lose heart.

    Life’s race shall not be to the finish of death, but to our completion in eternity.

    In Christ we have grace. So many witnesses of faith, as the writer of Hebrews points out, from Noah to Moses and David. These pointed to a more perfect place and worship.

    The imagery of the Priest making offerings to the Lord in the Holy of Holies is an earthly imitation of true worship and perfect offering made by our Holiest and Perfect Son of God, Christ Jesus! He alone sanctifies us. By His grace we are saved.

    Hebrews 12:

    a Few Cautions

    14 Pursue peace with all men… and the sanctification…

    The author of Hebrews cautions to believers echo: “Love one another,” and be holy before the LORD your God.

    15 Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God…

    Who is the author addressing? Brothers (and sisters) who believe in the Lord. Yet what is their understanding of the grace of God?

    We often reject the grace of God when roots sprout from our selfishness. He cautions next to make sure ‘that no root of bitterness springs up…

    A ‘root of bitterness‘ springing up draws on the imagery of weeds (among the good crop), an extreme wickedness and hatred growing from the depths of your heart. He compares this by example to the attitude of Esau, of whom the Lord said: ‘but I have hated Esau.’

    Come to the Mountain

    crowd worship at base of Mount Sinai
    Worship at Mount Sinai

    You have not come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai.

    Hebrews 12:18 NLT

    Sinai or Zion: Fear or Joy

    20 [CSB] for they could not bear what was commanded: If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned. 21 The appearance was so terrifying that Moses said, I am trembling with fear.

    וְזֹאת הַבְּרָכָה אֲשֶׁר בֵּרַךְ מֹשֶׁה אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵי מֹותֹֽו׃

    וַיֹּאמַר יְהוָה מִסִּינַי בָּא וְזָרַח מִשֵּׂעִיר לָמֹו הֹופִיעַ מֵהַר פָּארָן וְאָתָה מֵרִבְבֹת קֹדֶשׁ מִֽימִינֹו אשֶׂדת לָֽמֹו׃

    Devarim (Deuteronomy) 33:1-2 (WLC)

    Do you fear Almighty GOD!?

    Moses did, many prophets did, Saul of Tarsus and others all fell prostate before Almighty God.

    … and his face was shining like the sun at full strength.

    When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. He laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid. I am the First and the Last, and the Living One. I was dead, but look—I am alive forever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and Hades.

    The REVELATION of Jesus Christ to John 16B-18 CSB

    Since the generations of Moses, priests entered the Holy of Holies with an expectation of meeting the LORD.

    Moses placed a veil over his face after descending Mount Sinai with his face shining with the glory of the Lord. The Holy of Holies was separated from other rooms of the Temple by a veil.

    The LORD is fearful and awesome! What mortal may face Him?

    Mount Zion, above all the high places

    To enter the Holy of Holies is to step across the threshold of holiness to encounter the LORD in a place above His creation.

    Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. – Matthew 27:51-53 NKJV

    22 Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God (the heavenly Jerusalem)…

    The author of Hebrews describes, in part, the heavenly abode of the Lord God and Christ Jesus. Moses could not fully explain the Face of God. Ezekiel and other Prophets could not fully describe the glory of the Lord. John could not fully reveal the Heavenly Place of the Lord or the Apocalypse of this created heavens and earth.

    Yet here the author assures us of the joy we have in Christ Jesus. He describes this holiest place of the Lord as the place of our Priest making His Perfect Sacrifice.

    … 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which says better things than the blood of Abel.

    Do Not Refuse the Voice of Jesus

    New Covenant, therefore, a new Priest – a Perfect Sacrifice and Perfect Mediator between the LORD God and sinful man. Which will you choose?

    25 “See that you do not refuse Him… “ states the NKJV. Once again, the author of Hebrews invokes our natural fear of the Lord quoting well-known scripture. HE WARNS YOU FROM HEAVEN!

    Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the LORD descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently.

    Tremble, earth, at the presence of the Lord,
    at the presence of the God of Jacob.

    eXODUS 19:18; pSALM 114:7

    28 [NIV] Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our “God is a consuming fire.”

    Two covenants, two mountains, two types of High Priests to intervene for you before Almighty God. Will you worship by the grace of Christ Jesus?

    To be continued...

  • Judgment among the gods – Psalm 82

    A Plea for Righteous Judgment

    Where, O Lord, will we find righteous judgment, truth of testimony, a jury of understanding?

    If not at the Throne of Heaven, give us gods among us with Your own heart for justice and mercy.

    Have mercy upon us, heavenly Father, for all men are sinners. Yet let us know your love for righteousness by Your penalty of the guilty.

    Vindictive man of dust, cunning woman of deceit:

    Do you cry out for vengeance against those who have trespassed your rights, while you plea for mercy for your betrayal of good?

    What jury will hear their guilt while overturning your own sin?

    82:1  מִזְמֹור לְאָסָף אֱֽלֹהִים נִצָּב בַּעֲדַת־אֵל בְּקֶרֶב אֱלֹהִים יִשְׁפֹּֽט׃

    Psalm 82: A psalm of Asaph.

    God stands in the divine assembly;

    he pronounces judgment among the gods: 

    “How long will you judge unjustly
    and show partiality to the wicked? 

    The LORD God Most High! Among other gods?

    What can it mean to speak of a divine assembly? Who can judge? Who are these judges of men and women?

    We cannot know or face Almighty God in this life. Man knows not the judgment of the Most High, justice which makes right all that is wrong. The plea of this Psalm cries out to the Judge of all, to his appointed rulers.

    God takes His stand in His own congregation;
    He judges in the midst of the rulers.

    Psalm 82:1 NASB

    The NASB translation of Psalm 82 may help clarify, referring to the other gods as the congregation of God, rulers over the judged who He also judges. 

    Almighty God has all Authority! He sits among other gods, rulers of that which the Lord delegates.

    Justice required of other gods

    3 Provide justice for the needy and the fatherless;
    uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute.
    4 Rescue the poor and needy;
    save them from the power of the wicked.”

    5 They do not know or understand;
    they wander in darkness.
    All the foundations of the earth are shaken.

    Our earthly judges, rulers seated in the thrones of justice, must judge rightly, helping their own subjects. These other gods in our earthly  congregations owe obedience to the God above all gods.

    6 I said, “You are gods;
    you are all sons of the Most High. 
    7 However, you will die like humans 
    and fall like any other ruler.”

    I say: to the President, the Premier, the Prime Minister; to the King and Prince, the Queen and Empress: You are gods – rulers over men and women under your dominion. Yet know your Authority comes down from the Most High God of Creation.

    Though you eat bread by the sweat of your subjects, you will return to dust and you will fall like any prince, your ashes returned to dust.

    Our plea to God

    He IS God! above all men, above all spirits, above all rulers of heaven and earth! Our Father God rules over the congregation of the other gods. We can ask for justice and we may ask for mercy. Yet in true humility and obedience all will bow down.

    8 Rise up, God, judge the earth,
    for all the nations belong to you.

    The Lord will judge the earth and nations.

    Until that Day, He appoints judges, gods among us, men and women subservient to Almighty God.

    David also says:

    86:8 אֵין־כָּמֹוךָ בָאֱלֹהִים אֲדֹנָי וְאֵין כְּֽמַעֲשֶֽׂיךָ׃

    Psalm 86:8 KJV

    elohiym ‘Adonay ma`aseh

    Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works.

    David also declares:

    For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods. 

    For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.

    Psalm 96:4-5 KJV

    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.

    Psalm 96:10 KJV

    The LORD יְהֹוָה Yĕhovah shall judge righteously.

    He IS a God among the gods of the earth, even in the council of the rulers of the heavens and the earth.

    The gods and idols of the heathen, other nations who do not judge righteously must bow down to the LORD God, for He will give the rulers of the lands true and just council.

    God among other gods

    Many men and women of many nations worship gods of many names. God appoints other gods, rulers and judges, over the heathen and over the faithful. These will bow down to the Lord God, as will all men of dust and angels worship at His Throne.

    We are His created. Let us worship the Lord.

    One Flock, One Shepherd

    6:4 שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהוָה אֶחָֽד׃

    6:5 וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁךָ וּבְכָל־מְאֹדֶֽךָ׃

    Deuteronomy – KJV
    By original version: SuperJewderivative work: Rabanus Flavus [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], from Wikimedia Commons
    : שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל‬; “Hear, [O] Israel”

    Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:

    And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

    Jesus, Shepherd of Israel, Son of God

    Controversy erupts in Jerusalem among religious and political leaders – controversy even to this day. The Messiah Jesus comes before us as Redeemer and Sacrifice for our sins.

    He was and IS and will be God, Judge of all souls.

    Yet in this incident Jesus stands accused as a Son of Man, a god among other gods appointed to rule over the Jews.

    John 10:

    11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

    Jesus then refers to the rulers of the Jews, as “hired hands,” judges who do not care for the lives of their flock. It’s no small insult to the leading religious authorities, who later will convict Jesus wrongly before their own court. This God will become the Perfect Sacrifice for the sin of the world.

    Solomon’s Porch overlooking the Temple courtyard 

    God among the appointed gods

    23 Jesus was walking in the temple in Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 The Jews surrounded him and asked, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

    25 “I did tell you and you don’t believe,” Jesus answered them. “The works that I do in my Father’s name testify about me. 26 But you don’t believe because you are not of my sheep…

    “I and the Father are one.”

    John 10:30 CSB – words of the Messiah Jesus

    The religious officials answer:

    33 “We aren’t stoning you for a good work,” the Jews answered, “but for blasphemy, because you—being a man—make yourself God.”

    34 Jesus answered them,

    “Isn’t it written in your law, I said, you are gods?

    If he called those whom the word of God came to ‘gods’—and the Scripture cannot be broken— do you say,

    ‘You are blaspheming’

    to the one the Father set apart and sent into the world,

    because I said: I am the Son of God?

    John 10:34-36 CSB

    Jesus escapes their stoning during the Festival of Lights to become the Sacrifice of Most Holiness during the Passover.

    He IS the body and blood, shed for our sin.

    Let us worship and bow down only to Christ, our Lord and Savior. He IS a God among other gods and He will judge their righteousness and ours.

    Amen.