Jump Start # 663

Psalms 98:8-9 “Let the rivers clap their hands, Let the mountains sing together for joy before the Lord, for He is coming to judge the earth; He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with equity.”

Our passage this morning reflects a very different attitude about God’s coming judgment than most understand. Typically, thoughts of a coming judgment bring the idea of fear, uncertainty, and final separation. It’s something the Bible says will happen, but it’s not something we look forward to. Most believers love to talk about Heaven, but it’s that judgment before Heaven that they don’t want to discuss.

Notice the sounds of enthusiasm in these verses at the coming judgment—the rivers clap their hands and the mountains sing with joy. There was a delight and an anticipation of this coming judgment.

It’s fair to ask, why is there a coming judgment?

• First, this isn’t it. Getting up every day and going to school or work, paying bills, taking the dog to the vet, arranging time to go to the doctor, the stuff we call life, so often misses God. The coming judgment reminds us that these things will end. This is not the completed picture that God designed. His plan includes us dwelling together with Him. His plan involves holiness, righteousness and spirituality. Our minds can get stuck thinking about money, fixing things and going places. It is easy for us to go a whole day without thinking of the eternal. The coming judgment puts everything back in place. We sing, “This world is not my home…” Boy, we need to sing that. More than that we need to think that.

• Secondly, God is still in control. He always has been. Some may not think so. This crazy and sinful world can look like He’s not, but He is. Freewill, choice and sin have made a mess of things. Man often doesn’t choose the best, the right or the lasting. We are not in control of things. We are not at the helm of the ship, God is. At His beckoning, not ours, there will be a judgment. Man has not nor will ever get to the point that he doesn’t need God. The judgment reflects that God is in charge and we are accountable to him. For a man to say, “I answer to no one,” is to show his ignorance of spiritual matters. He will answer and he will answer to God someday.

• Thirdly, justice prevails. Paul told the Romans to leave room for the wrath of God. A coming judgment is the ironing out of all the wrinkles of wrongs. God is a righteous judge. He judges with both mercy and wrath. There is no getting away with murder, not with a coming judgment. The innocent who have been beaten down and oppressed will be vindicated. The arrogant sins of those who mock God will come to justice. In many ways this is what our passage today is looking at. The rivers clap and the mountains sing because things will be made right by God. Our justice system is often flawed. Sometimes the truth never comes out. Sometimes it’s hard to tell who is telling the truth and who is lying. God knows. Justice will prevail.

• Fourthly, what follows the judgment is a new relationship with God. After the judgment, the eternal becomes so visible. Everything as we know it changes. After the judgment comes Heaven for the righteous. Revelation tells us that there will be no death, sorrow or pain. What a new world that will be for us. Before this day ends, someone will die. In fact, many will die, world wide. Today, someone will have sorrow. Some will have pain. We have almost gotten accustomed to those things. They are everyday. Not after the judgment. Heaven is without those things. The world God lives in is without time. God never ages. Someday we won’t either. God is not like an aging baseball player who looks back over his career and remembers when he was at his peak, but is no longer. Not God. He is as powerful and strong today as He was in the days of Noah, Daniel or Paul. He never lessens. His brightness never dims. Not God. Someday we will be in that world. It’s hard to imagine.

Judgment is something that is good and necessary. Judgment is to be longed for not feared, if you walk with the Lord. Judgment is coming. Clap your hands and sing joyfully. “There is a great day coming, a great day coming…”

Roger