God The Judge

Have you ever been to court?  Just walking into the doors of a courthouse and into the room where the hearing will be held stirs something in you.  There is an air of formality and expectation.  There is a knowing that something important is about to happen. 

Soon you hear, "All rise."  And everyone, even the criminal, stands as the judge enters the room.  The judge is about to hear and examine the evidence presented to him and determine, decide, or judge someone's guilt or innocence.  It is a somber occassion.  Though some may predict the outcome by following the law-the judge has the ultimate say.  You MUST respect him because he has the power in this room and your fate rests in his hands. 
If you are unruly he will fine you and throw you out.  If you are guilty he or one like him will decide your fate.  The law is his plumbline.  If he is a good judge he will not let guilt go unpunished. There must be consequences for breaking the law or the law has no power.  It is his job to maintain that authority for the security of a civilization depends on it. But there is a Judge even higher.

God is the ultimate judge.  And just as there is imposed respect for an earthly judge, whether one agrees with the law or not, God demands our same respect.  And though earthly judges have power-they have no power that is not given to them. God is Omnipotent meaning all powerful.  In fact, God IS power.  No one had to GIVE God anything-in fact He breathes and gives life and there is nothing that has life that did not get life from Him (Jesus). "For by [fn] him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him." Colossians 1:16 And just as the judge in the courtroom must judge to maintain authority and the fate of a civilization we are so dependent on God that if He were to take His hand off of us we would dissolve. "And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together." Colossians 1:17.

Daniel 5 tells us the story of a rebellious king, Belshazzar, who disregarded the power of Almighty God.  As the scriptures tell-this king should've known better because his father was a rebellious king who was humbled in a very unusual manner.  But he did not remember his father-or his father's God.  That, precious ones, is always a very bad decision.

Daniel 5:1-4 tells us of a feast that the very proud and unwise king Belshazzar was hosting. He thought it would be a "kick" to take the cups and things of God taken from the Temple in Jerusalem and drink from them. These were vessels that were used to offer sacrifices to God.  That was the last straw with God for this wicked king! "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap." Galatians 6:7.

Suddenly a hand appeared and began to write on the wall.  So, what did this rebellious, proud and arrogant king do? "Then the king's color changed, and his thoughts alarmed him; his limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together." Daniel 5:6. Oh yes!  He grew pale and his knees KNOCKED together!  He was scared and rightly so! 

Belshazzar began to call in everyone he knew to see who could read the writing on the wall. But noone could and h bcame even more pale-or maybe green with nervous nausea-whatever it was "Mr. I'm So Bad" was not looking so good!(Daniel 5:7-12).

Enter Daniel-sold out Jesus Freak of a man. Sat beside hungry lions during prayer time, interpreter of dreams, has his own book in the Bible named after him, respector of a Holy God- Daniel....(Daniel 5:13 through the rest of the chapter).  The king began to question Daniel and offered to ply him with riches and authority.  Daniel told him to keep what he had but jumped at the opportunity to tell him about his God.  He started with the first rebellious king mentioned, Nebuchadnezzar, and reminded this foolish king of his father's folly and forgiveness that was completely ignored by this wicked son. Next came the interpretation of the sentence passed by God on this doomed man. 

"And this is the writing that was inscribed: Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin. This is the interpretation of the matter: Mene, God has numbered [fn] the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; Tekel, you have been weighed [fn] in the balances and found wanting; Peres, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians." [Daniel 5:24-28. And so it did happen that very night. 

So, the question begs to be asked-are you mistreating, misusing, disregarding as holy unto the Lord the things of the Most High God? Are you disrespectful to the name of the Lord?  Do you OMG and use His Name in vain?  Do you mistreat your parents or husband, wife, family or friends? Are you careless with your time, your money, your responsibilities, your words or body?

EVERYTHING we have comes from God and belongs to Him.  He is holy.  Our bodies are His temple.  Your neighbor's body is in the least His creation if he is not saved and if he is saved then that's God's temple too!  Our abilities and resources and BREATH were given to us to manage and use for God's glory not our own selfish devices.  I have much work to do this year to bring myself into agreement with God on my life and resources but I am willing and a work in progress.

Are YOU a work in progress? So far this new year we have had two Sundays-have you worshipped Him yet this year?  We are commanded to do that.  Have you read His Word?  If you have not done either of these could I tell you with love that you are mishandling things that belong to a Holy God and He will not tolerate that forever though He is longsuffering with us.  He created you to praise Him and serve Him. 

God is merciful because if He was not we would be dead already for our trespasses against Him.  But knowing we could never get to Him, praise God- He came to us in the person of Jesus Christ, Emmanuel, God with us.  That very same person of Jesus Christ is God the Creator and also is the Judge.  Who better to judge than the one who took the punishment for our sins.  If you chose to make Him, Jesus, Lord of your life-you will live forever under His pardon, His grace, His forgiveness which can NEVER be reversed. But if you do not recognize His position of authority and ownership you will surely be judged and found wanting and the penalty is and has always been death.  I do not want you to die without the promise of Heaven.  If you do not go to Heaven, you will surely go to Hell where you will live in darkness and torment apart from God and you will live there forever with no hope of release. 

God is Holy.  We should be also.  May you live this year to serve a Holy God. If you are not sure how to do this, please message me because, "...it is not the will of my* Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish."

To God be the Glory,
Jamie