Justice

(Prov 21:15 NLT) Justice is a joy to the godly, but it terrifies evildoers.
This morning we continue in the book of Proverbs - Walking in the Wisdom of God. Solomon's was a sitting king at the time of this writing, so he clearly understood the importance of justice and judgment. The word judgment causes the unrighteous to shirk, whereas it causes the righteous to get excited about receiving their impending reward. No one understood this better than Solomon. As Israel's national leader he knew the nation's history. If you read 1st and 2nd Chronicles and 1st and 2nd Kings you will see how the nation of Israel experienced their share of ups and downs. Whenever they had a righteous leader (a King or a Judge), the nation would prosper. Whenever they had an unrighteous leader, the nation would suffer. It all hinged upon the time of judgment. It's not that Jehovah did not judge the nation of Israel during the times of righteous leaders; it was quite the contrary. The Lord judged the nation during the time of every leader, it's just that when He placed the nation on the scales of justice during the reign of unrighteous leaders, the results were unpleasant for the nation. However, when the Lord placed the nation on the scales of justice during the time of righteous leaders, the results were welcomed and pleasant for the people. In both cases the Lord submitted the nation to the same process. So we can see why Solomon said: "Justice is a joy to the godly, but it terrifies evildoers."

We no longer have Old Testament kings, (Praise The Lord) but judgment still takes place. There is the common judgment that takes place all the time, where the Lord judges our actions and ensures that we reap whatever we sow. If we have been sowing good seed, we reap a good harvest. If not, we don't. There is no way around it. But ultimately there will be one great Judgment Day.

Two major judgments will take place on that day. The first one will be to check whether or not our names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life (see Rev 20). Only the names of the righteous are written there and the only way to become righteous - by God's standard - is to accept Jesus the Christ as Lord (Rom 10:9,10,13).

Paul said, "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2nd Cor 5:21). When we accept Jesus as our Lord we become righteous in Him. It's not that we are righteous in and of ourselves. No! He makes us righteous. The Father declares us righteous through the Blood of Jesus. The second judgment will be for our works. The Father will judge what we did with the life that He gave us. Paul tells us that our works will basically fall into one of six categories: gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw. Our works will be judged by fire and all those in the wood, hay, and straw categories will burn up. Only the ones in the gold, silver, and precious stones categories will endure the fire. Those are the works that we did that had eternal significance (see 1st Cor 3:9-15).

So what does this mean to you? Two things:

1. You are constantly being judged now: God will see to it that you reap whatever you sow. So if you don't like the harvest you are reaping, check the seed you are sowing. This sowing and reaping process brings joy to the Godly (because we can get excited about the good seed we are sowing), but it surely terrifies evildoers (because they know all the bad things they have done).

2. We will all experience Judgment day: So in addition to making sure that Jesus is your Lord, you must also make the most of your limited time in the earth. Only those things you do that fall into the gold, silver, and precious stones categories (those things that have eternal significance) will endure the fire.

Father, I thank You for blessing me to hear, understand, and respond to the gospel message of Jesus the Christ. I have been made righteous in Him. I am the righteousness of God in Christ and I know my name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life. What I seek to do now is to BE a blessing and to maximize my purpose and potential before I die. I enter this day determined to do things that are of eternal significance. Lead me Father to works that will endure the fire of Your judgment. Use me to make a difference in someone else' life today! In Jesus' name. Amen.