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Surely there is a God who judges on earth (v. 11, ESV).
The judgment of God is a common theme throughout the Bible.
Human history started with God judging Adam and Eve, casting them out of the Garden of Eden, and will end with the Judgment Day depicted in Revelation 20.
In Psalm 58, while fleeing from King Saul, David finds comfort in knowing that God will judge evil. This Psalm was written after David had spent years fleeing Saul. During that time, David had lost his earthly possessions, he couldn’t see his family, and those following David had lost everything as well.
King Saul and his sycophants had one objective – to capture and destroy David and all those who were following him.
David describes his enemies…
In your hearts you devise wrongs; your hands deal out violence on earth (v. 2).
Then David turns to God’s judgments with unnerving descriptions…
O God, break the teeth in their mouths; tear out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord! Let them vanish like water that runs away (vv. 6-7).
and…
The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance; he will bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked (v. 10).
Does the Bible promote violence as retribution? The simple answer is yes.
Throughout the Bible, God’s judges the wicked. Paul writes that our thoughts, motives, amd actions, will be judged (Romans 2:16). Today, some are offended by a God who judges. In our culture of everyone is a law unto themselves, it is galling that God interferes by judging according to His law – not ours.
David understood the importance of God’s judgment in Psalm 58…
Mankind will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous” (v. 11).
We will all stand before God on Judgment Day.
Judgment seems unconscionable from the non-Biblical theology taught today. We prefer a God of love with no truth and a God of grace with no consequences. This God satisfies a desire for self-expression, allowing us to indulge our passions.
Culture thinks, “Live like we want. God forgives, and it’s hateful to think of God as a judge.”
This works until we encounter a dictator who massacres thousands, if not millions, or a criminal who breaks into your house and threatens your children’s lives.
We then think – perhaps there is room for judgment!
I’ve noticed the more we become Biblical in thought, the better that we understand God’s judgment. We realize that evil in this world must be vanquished (or judged) and that…
The cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur (Revelation 21:8).
A holy omnipotent God will someday judge and dispose of evil.
The Bible teaches that the “final judgment” will be final – no more evil, no mistakes, and no willful rebellion. And as a result, pain, suffering, and death will be abolished.
Amen, for final judgment!
We don’t need to be fearful of God as Judge; we have the option to ask for His mercy and forgiveness through the blood of Jesus!