Judgment for sins comes later - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Micah 3:12,

"Therefore because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, the temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets."

It is heavy weather ahead for the Israelites. They abandoned God and chased after the diversions that drew them away from God. Now they are faced with destruction from him.

In Hebrews 9:27, we read, "Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment...", the destruction of Israel we read of in Micah is not this judgment. We read of a judgment, a time when all people who ever lived, will stand before their Creator, one by one, and give an account of themselves. We read of this in Revelation 20:11-15.

The Lord has focus on building his kingdom in this age. It is his agenda and his accomplishment. During this age, we do not face this judgment of Revelation 20. That is an event that follows this age. Many folks have a misunderstanding that our Creator, as our Judge, is making everyone pay today for all the sins they are busy committing today. The expression  of the Lord's righteousness and justice by making all pay for their sins does not take place till later, after this age is over.

During this age, as the Lord builds his kingdom, he is very active in the affairs of mankind. If people place themselves in the path of progress of God building his kingdom (the work of evangelizing), he will take what steps he deems necessary to keep things moving along as he brings more into the fold. This can look and feel like the judgment of Revelation 20 at times. The Lord is not going to let anything get in the way of his program of redemption. We see it in the account of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:1-11. As with these two, the Lord has a lifestyle, we as believers are to live. Sometimes we face correction or even death, possibly, if we hinder the progress of the gospel.

"I can't believe in a God who allowed my daughter to die of cancer and allows this child molester to live." I'm sure we have all heard these kinds of statements and they betray a lack of understanding about the justice and judgment of God. A girl might die from cancer, because at some point we all die physically. Whether the child molester lives to be a ripe old age or not is no indication of God's justice. That justice will be satisfied at the judgment of God we read of in Revelation 20, the "Great White Throne Judgment."

Yes, Israel had sinned, and yes, as we read in Micah, the Lord is going to destroy Israel for her sin. However, these folks have not faced justice yet for their personal sins. That comes after this life. Israel faced God's judgment, God's destruction, because they had abandoned their place as God's covenant people who were to be instrumental in God's plan of redemption. Because of the direction the Israelites took, the Lord is going to bring horrific pain to this people to make preparations for their later involvement in God sending his Son 700 years later.

Something to think about. God is a just God. He is a righteous God. His justice will demand all pay for their sin, and, all have sinned! Where would I be without Jesus Christ?! I thank you God for sending us your Son! He can pay the penalty on our behalf! He will stand at our side in the judgment as we give an account of ourselves to our heavenly Father! All he asks is that we embrace him in faith...

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com