There are many questions today about what is going on in the world and how involved God is. Sometimes we get frustrated and wonder when God is going to come in judgment. A good read of 2 Peter 3 is important to keep a proper perspective on things.
2 Peter 3:8–10 (ESV) — 8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
God is not slow, nor is He “slack concerning His promises.” You will notice that the reason God does not pour out His judgment is on behalf of those who are righteous or are destined to repent.
As it must be in our world today, the cry went up to God from Sodom and God was about to send judgment. Before He did, however, He let Abraham know about it and please notice Abraham’s response:
Genesis 18:23–26 (ESV) — 23 Then Abraham drew near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? 25 Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” 26 And the Lord said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”
Instead of taking a front row seat and seeing how bad Sodom would get the fiery judgment of God, Abraham takes to interceding. Notice out of a very large city, he pleads on behalf of possibly 50 righteous. Upon what did he center his pleading? “Shall not the judge of all the earth do what is just?” God is the Righteous Judge, perfect in all His ways so you know His judgment is fair and just. In fact, Abraham goes on to plead all the way down to just ten righteous and God assures him that if there were just ten righteous that He would not judge the city.
People in high places make considerable errors today in judgment. So much so that we are quickly losing faith in our judicial system. God, however, is not influenced by bribes, lies, or anything else. He will judge according to what is right and just, hence He is the righteous judge.
Romans 2:15–16 (ESV) — 15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them 16 on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.
As God has placed His law in the consciences of man to let them know they are forsaking what is right in His sight, so He will bring judgment upon those who have ignored such inward warning as He brings them before the one who will judge, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Acts 17:30–31 (ESV) — 30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
This is often referenced as “The Great White Throne Judgment.”
Revelation 20:11–15 (ESV) — 11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Jesus assured us that the Father has placed “judgment” into His hands and His judgment, like the Father’s, is just.
John 5:22 (ESV) — 22 For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son,
John 5:30 (ESV) — 30 “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.
As we see above in the “Great White Throne Judgment,” the wicked will have their day before the Judge and they shall receive their just condemnation. On the other hand, it says that those whose names are written in the book of life do not experience the second death in the judgmental lake of fire. What the righteous judge has for them who have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and have followed Him is a crown of righteousness, not based upon any righteousness they have in themselves but the righteousness that is imputed to them, the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ
2 Timothy 4:7–8 (ESV) — 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.
2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV) — 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
When you get caught up in what is going on in the world today, just keep in mind that God has a purpose that is being carried out in His time and know that the righteous judge shall always do what is right. You can count on it.
Godspeed,
Bob Brubaker
