Our Just Judge

This past week we have been going through lessons 16-18 in a wonderful OT Bible curriculum called “The Roots of Faith”.  And this week we studied story of the Tower of Babel, God’s promises to Abram, and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. 

The story of God’s destruction of Sodom was quite fascinating as well as sobering.  Through it we came to see four attributes of God – He is Holy, Merciful, Just and Longsuffering.  (Wayne, this is the skinny)

But in our study of this particular story in scripture, we saw God as the just judge, always judging in the most fair and just way.  Listen to what the LORD says before He goes down to Sodom and Gomorrah – “Then the LORD said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know.” (Gen. 18:20-21, ESV)

So I asked the students how they saw God as being just in this passage.  Their answer, “well just as a judge will take into account what is being said about the one on trial, he will also take into account what he discovers about the one on trial.”  A man is tried by his actions as well as tried by what others say about his actions.   And God is showing us that even though He knew Sodom’s actions, He heard the accusations about this wicked city and He was personally, as judge, going down to observe for Himself the actions of these people.

I take great comfort in knowing this.  We have a just judge who will not only hear the accusations but will look on the matters Himself.  Do you know there is one who accuses us every day?  He is called the “accuser of the brethren” and is consistently calling up the wrong we have done or even falsely accusing us.

God then looks on every accusation that is made about me and when He comes to look on the matter concerning me (or anyone who has placed their trust in Jesus) He only sees His Son and the righteous payment His Son made through His blood for us.  He just does not hear the accusations and acts on them.  He is the just Judge who fully investigates any and all complaints.  

Praise the Lord for our great God and just Judge.  Praise the Lord for our great High Priest and Advocate, our Lord Jesus Christ.

(This also causes me to pause and pray for a dear friend, Ron, who is just in all his work as a lawyer.  His dad, Don, has had some serious health problems lately and this brings to mind to pray for him.  And Ron just sent me a note about another friend who is getting a double lung transplant and would welcomes the petition of the saints.)