Reflections From the Psalms
The Lord is known by the judgment which he executes: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah. (Ps. 9:16)
Despite the tendency for human beings to think of the judgment of God in negative terms, God’s judgment is always intended by Him to be REDEMPTIVE in nature. In other words, as it says in this Psalm, God makes Himself known by His judgments – God makes Himself known for the purpose of giving the one judged the opportunity to turn back to God in faith.
Human beings are not only blind to God, but human beings don’t know they are blind. True blindness certainly means I cannot see, but it also means I think I do see. Thus, it takes the initiative of God to do whatever is necessary to penetrate this darkness. The first thing God does is to show the blind that they ARE blind. This is not yet sight, but it at least affords the blind the opportunity to cry out, “Lord, that I may see!” It is a big step for someone to realize they are blind.
God will judge everything that is contrary to His purpose in Christ – He will judge all that keeps a person in darkness. Sometimes He allows the consequences of our own sins, pride, and blindness to come down upon us. Other times He will allow us to slowly be worn down by life. Pain gets our attention, and God may allow it so that we will begin to turn to Him. You will note that God does not cause sin or poor choices. But He may judge them so that the consequences will wake us up with the hope that we will begin to turn to HIM.
Note also that none of these judgments are yet punishments. They are really the result of God showing us the Truth – the Truth about ourselves in the light of Jesus Christ. If we experience some of the consequences of sin and unbelief, we will begin to see the Truth about them – and the Truth about Jesus Christ.
God always intends redemption and restoration – ALWAYS. There is no sin – no matter how deep and no matter how long – that exceeds the forgiveness of God in Jesus Christ. But the problem is, some people will NOT turn to Christ. Thus, the same grace of God that God intends to redeem and soften our heart will actually harden our hearts – IF WE push God away. In effect, God will NEVER stop offering grace and redemption in Christ. But if a person won’t stop pushing God away, they will seal their own fate, for God has nothing else to offer but the Truth and His Son.
In the end, God is always known by His judgments, for God’s judgments are nothing more than His bringing in of His Son as Lord of all – and all else will be demolished. But this is a redemptive judgment, and it will exalt God as love, merciful, and redemptive in nature.
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