Why Judgment?

Since I am writing lessons from the Book of Revelation, the topic of God’s judgment will come up.  Why did God choose to judge Man’s sins, and why do we live in a fallen world because of Adam and Eve’s sin? We tend to look at all Man, everywhere and in every time, as thinking, believing, and acting like we do.  God describes the world more like a woman in childbirth, and the creation groaning until we are birthed. (Rom 8:19 & 23; 2 Cor 5:4). Mankind is in a developing state, spiritually, and believers will one day become Sons of God.

We find another clue to the developing state of Man in Daniel 12:3; "Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. 4"But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase."

Daniel saw that, in a much later time, men would be busier, and smarter.  But those who have “insight” would reflect the glory of the Son of God and have a permanent place with Him “like the stars forever and ever.”  We see that our time now has a tremendous increase in knowledge and busyness and could well be the time Daniel was shown.

So, what does the developing nature of Mankind have to do with judgment?  First, men and women were not always able to learn by deductive, inductive or analytical thought.  If we look at the religions that existed around the time that Moses received the Law for the Hebrews, many of those other religions had less informed ideas.  They believed that God needed human sacrifice so that their crops would grow and the harvest come in.  Relating God’s favor to good outcomes by doing wrong is the beginning of superstition.  It is small-minded to believe that Man’s thoughts affect God and cause the world to revolve around Man, as if God has no plan or thoughts of His own. And so, in earlier times men believed their thoughts were “good” and every man did what pleased him, according to his belief system (Judges 21:25). Man was not accountable for his life, because he was the one who led and approved it.

God wants a relationship with Mankind.  Abraham pleased God and was called His friend.  It is written, “For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD.”(Gen 18:19).  Though Abraham could have taught his family to follow his own ideas, his relationship with God brought God’s ideas into the family and it was the beginning of relationships with God. God caused Abraham and His family to follow, and to become accountable to His revealed word either by blessing them, or judging them.

God continued with Abraham’s lineage by establishing His relationship through Moses. He gave the Hebrews the Law, which not only held Man accountable to God, but to their fellow man. A man could not blame the weather, other gods, or any other superstitious thing for his own behavior.  The man himself was responsible. If he took another man’s possessions, he himself had to restore them plus some.

As the nation of the Hebrews, later called the Jews, progressed, God sought to establish more of a relationship with them, calling them his bride.  He used analogies of unfaithfulness when describing their behavior, for the Jews were promised to Him, and God loved them.  He called them His own people, and said that He wanted to dwell amongst them.  When they strayed and were acting like a spiritual harlot, God judged them.  When the Jews repented of having other gods and returned to God, He forgave them.  This taught the Jews that God loved just like they loved.  He had feelings of being hurt, and anger, just like they did.  And so the relationship between Man and God developed further.  If God had not held the Jews accountable for their behavior, their belief system would have become polluted by the religions around them, and they would have gone into darkness.  That was not God’s plan for Man.

God wants an honest relationship with His people.  David wrote “Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts.” Ps 51:6). God dealt with the Jewish leaders about thinking that their own thoughts were before God’s, and for calling good evil and evil good (Is 5:20).  God was developing Man’s relationship with Him because He had truth, wisdom and revelation for us. God was preparing His people to have the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16). God did not want men to go back into darkness, making up truth to excuse the pollutions from the world that had entered their hearts.  God wanted a holy people, set apart from the world.

One day we will literally give account of ourselves. “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” (Rom 14:12).  All throughout time God has disciplined and judged Man so that we would know about God and follow His ways.  His judgments have been disciplinary in intention, so that Man would know Him and have a good outcome.  But God’s coming judgment at the end will bring eternal rewards and punishments.  The righteous, or as Daniel said, those who have “insight”, will shine.  They have walked in relationship with God. I believe at that time that the purpose of judgment will be fulfilled, for Man will then know good from evil, right from wrong, God’s ways from the ways of the world.

God bless you as you walk with God this day.