Look inside this book.Where the Bush is Burning: A Daily Devotional by [Thomas Tice]

Tag: Genesis 18
Justice Served

Justice Served

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Justice Served

And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.

Revelation 20:12

Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”

Genesis 18:25

As we consider why there must be a Last Judgment, we arrive at a large concept. It is the concept of Justice. Because God is Just, He must do Justly. This necessitates a Last Judgment. We live in a world full of predators. They prey upon those around them in all manner of wicked ways. They seem to prosper in their vile behavior. Godly people have struggled with this concept, that it seems that, ‘the bad guys always win.’ The Psalmist declared, ‘For I was envious of the boastful, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no pangs in their death, but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men, nor are they plagued like other men. Therefore pride serves as their necklace; violence covers them like a garment. Their eyes bulge with abundance; They have more than heart could wish. They scoff and speak wickedly concerning oppression; They speak loftily. They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walks through the earth.’ It is not until he goes into the ‘sanctuary of God’ that he can say, ‘then I understood their end.’ There must be a Last Judgment because Justice must be served. In the larger scheme of things, we understand that justice must be done. Our souls cry out for the Righteous God to do righteously. We see inequity, oppression, and all manner of atrocities’ perpetrated on the innocent. We cry out for the All-Powerful Judge to do Judgment and Justice. He will, and there will be no escape for the wicked. So Christ has promised. ‘And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily.…’ So it will be. There must be a Last Judgment in order that Justice be done. We may wait long for it, but at the last it will come. Christ will do all that His Character demands, all that human depravity deserves, and all that Justice requires. He is ‘the Judge of all the earth,’ and He will ‘do right.’

Our Holy and Wise God,
we rejoice that You are Just, and that You do right.
We praise You that You will render to every man, ‘according to His works.’

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning
‘Just, and the Justifier’

‘Just, and the Justifier’

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‘Just, and the Justifier’

 Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”…that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus…and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)- then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment.…

Genesis 18:25; Romans 3:26b; IIPeter 2:6-9

As we continue to consider our primary text, that Christ is, ‘The Judge of all the earth,’ and that He will, ‘do right,’ we come to consider His actions with regard to Lot, Abraham’s nephew. Christ told Abraham that He was about to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham began to intercede for Lot. Christ heard his prayer of intercession. So, how could Christ be, ‘the Judge of all the earth,’ do that which is right, render judgment against sin and still be merciful? Also, what about Lot? Where did he figure in the larger scheme of things? We find the texts recorded above very helpful. Lot had made some abominably poor choices. He had, ‘pitched his tent toward Sodom.’ He eventually moved into Sodom, much to his own detriment, and that of his family. The conundrum, for us, is that Peter, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, calls him, ‘just Lot,’ and goes on to elaborate how ‘vexed’ he was with the behavior of those around him. What can we conclude from these things?  Christ, as ‘The Judge of all the earth,’ must judge sin. On the other hand, He will deliver His Own people, for whom His favored servant has interceded. It is important for us to understand the Character of the Christ with Whom we are dealing. As He shows us His dealing with others, so He enables us to understand His Character, and how He will deal with us. This brings to our hearts greater assurance, increases our faith, and engenders our trust in Him. Jesus never fails.

O, Judge of all the Earth,
we rejoice that with all Your justice you are still merciful.
We praise You that Your Character never fails, nor does it ever change,
and that we are the eternal beneficiaries of Your Largesse.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning
‘Shall Not the Judge…Do Right?’

‘Shall Not the Judge…Do Right?’

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‘Shall Not the Judge…Do Right?’

Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”

Genesis 18:25

Before us lies an insight into the Character of God, in the Person of Christ. Here is one of the Christophanies of the Old Testament. It is Christ, in pre-incarnate form, appearing to Abraham, first to foretell the birth of Isaac, and then to inform Abraham of His intention to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham is keenly aware that Lot, his nephew, along with his family, lives in Sodom. He, therefore, makes an appeal for their lives with the text which lies before us. The closing line of that verse is our primary contemplation. Let us explore the various implications of what it means for Christ, Who is the ‘Judge of all the earth’ to ‘do right.’ At the outset, let us consider that it is not nearly so remarkable that Christ would judge Sodom and Gomorrah for their wickedness, as it is that He would be so long-suffering in withholding His Wrath. One of the most outstanding characteristics of Christ as, ‘The Judge of all the earth,’ is that He tempers His Judgment with His Patience, His Mercy, and His Love. This draws us to Him in an irresistible way. We acknowledge His Moral Rectitude, but also find this, combined with these other qualities, to produce an Altogether Lovely Person. Even as, ‘The Judge of all the earth,’ Christ is an overwhelmingly attractive Character. We see in Him, the One Who will, in every way, do that which will do us the most good, and will bring Him the most Glory.

High King of Heaven,
we rejoice that You rule, and reign over all of the affairs of men.
We praise You that You will infallibly do right,
and ever remain the Right Royal Judge,
and Everlasting Savior.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning.

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