"God of... justice"

    This description of God is found only two times in the Bible, both in the Old Testament: Isaiah 30:18 and Malachi 2:17. In some translations of these texts ‘judgement’ is written in place of ‘justice.’ Let’s take a look at each of these references to see how the description is used and what we can learn from it.

“Therefore the LORD will wait, that He may be gracious to you; and therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for Him.” (Isaiah 30:18 NKJV)

    In the context of this Isaiah passage we see Israel putting their trust in the Egyptian leader to help them, the same nation that had brutally oppressed their people for 400 years before the exodus (Exodus 1-15). The nation of Israel rebelled against Him so much so that God referred to them as “lying children, children who will not hear the law of the LORD” (Isaiah 30:9).  They told their seers and prophets to not speak the hard truth but to speak smooth words – even deceitful words (consider 2 Timothy 4:3-4) – in the hopes that God would simply go away and leave them be. They preferred foreign oppression to following God’s word and way; they had become so much like the people around them that they were increasingly irked by God’s wholesome commands, boundaries, and standards.

    God did give them over to foreign oppression – Assyrian captivity – and yet even then, the LORD was already telling them that He longed to be gracious to them and be merciful to them and that those who also longed for Him would be blessed (Isaiah 30:18).

 “You have wearied the LORD with your words; yet you say, “In what way have we wearied Him?” In that you say, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, or “Where is the God of justice?”” (Malachi 2:17 NKJV)

    Here in Malachi, the last prophecy before the 400 years of silence, we find the people of God acting like they were anything but. They have gone after pagan gods and when they, out of obligation, perform their duties before God (sacrifices) they do so half-heartedly at best (see Malachi 1:6-14). Their corruption has permeated even the priests – the ones who were to know and guide the people in God’s law (Malachi 2:7-9) – even they did not regard the holiness of God (consider Leviticus 10:3).

    The people had grown so cavalier and calloused that they disregarded God’s judgement of right and wrong (Isaiah 5:20-21) and declared that everyone is okay in God’s sight because where is God to tell them otherwise? Because a lightning bolt did not strike them for any misstep or wrongdoing they began to grow lax not only about their own service toward God but about God’s standards and rules as a whole, maybe even thinking, ‘the so-called “evil people” around us are not punished, so they must be fine in God’s eyes; what’s the harm of being with them or like them?’

    God’s justice is pure and right. He always ‘rose early’ (well beforehand, Jeremiah 7: 13; 32:33) to tell people that there would be consequences for rejecting Him and there would be reward for diligently seeking Him (Hebrews 11:6). God wants all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4), for all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). He longs to be gracious to all people, but only those who turn to Him and long for Him will find blessing, that is why He is longsuffering and patient, hoping more will open their eyes, grope for Him, and find Him (Acts 17:26-27).

    God’s justice does not change: If you do what He says, you will be rewarded; if you do not do what He says, there will be consequences (Matthew 7:21-23). He has provided all that we need to know to be pleasing to Him (Ephesians 5:8-10, 15-17, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Romans 10:17), to become His child (Galatians 3:26-28), and to walk as Jesus walked (1 Peter 2:21-24, 1 John 2:3-6).

    God is the God of justice. His judgement stands. Don’t think that because God patiently waits for the lost to repent that He is absent – the time He grants us is salvation – it’s an opportunity for all to turn, learn, and submit to Him! He wants to you to cling to Him, waiting for Him in all circumstances, longing for the day that you can see Him face to face (1 John 3:1-3, 2 Peter 3:11-13), because He wants to gracious to you! Be assured of His promises, be wholly aware of His justice and judgement, and be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless (2 Peter 3:14-15)!

You can do it! And so can I!!

The Blessings Found in Fearing the Lord

“The LORD is righteous in all His ways, gracious in all His works. The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He will hear their cry and save them.” (Psalm 145:17-19 NKJV)

     In fearing the Lord – reverencing Him as Almighty and fearfully respecting Him by obeying His commands – we can attain true knowledge, true wisdom, and spiritual understanding that shows us the path to Life. On that path we will find freedoms (Galatians 5:22-23, “against such there is no law”) as well as boundaries, both of these God has lovingly provided so that we can do good works and avoid the snares of the devil.  When we respect God as Creator and Sustainer of all, put our trust in Him, and begin to rely wholly on Him, we will discover the wonderful refuge that is our God, a shelter in the time of storm and the only place where all help and blessings are found! 

     God desires that you fear Him, fully understanding who He is and who you are before Him. He created mankind to seek Him and find Him (Acts 17:26-17). He preserved His word over all these centuries so that you could read/hear His Truth. Please fear God enough that you seek out HIS word, HIS truth, stop allowing yourself to be satisfied with man’s interpretation of His word (Matthew 15:9, 2 Timothy 4:3-4)! If your church adds anything to, or takes anything away from, God’s word, it is no longer God’s word – and that is a dangerous position to side with (Revelation 22:18-19) – respect God enough to find a church that teaches and adheres to His pure truth! There you will find people who take refuge in God and declare thanksgiving to Him during troubles and in times of joy, fully appreciating His loving care in their lives each day!! Those who fear God will be nourished and strengthened by His word (John 15:4-5, 1 Peter 2:2), they will be abundantly satisfied with His blessings of every good thing (Colossians 2:3, Ephesians 1:3-14, Psalm 68:19)! It is worth every effort and every sacrifice!

"Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.” (Psalm 34:9-10 NKJV)  

 

You can do it! So can I!! 

From wherever you are right now – BEGIN!  

The LORD Takes Pleasure In Those Who Fear Him

“He does not delight in the strength of the horse; He takes no pleasure in the legs of man. The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy.” (Psalm 147:10-11 NKJV)

The Lord takes pleasure in those who are willing, even in their strength of mind and body, to humble themselves and bend their knee to His majesty; those who, even though blessed with great physical ability, understand who God is and who they are before Him, choosing reverence over revolt.

“No king is saved by the multitude of an army; a mighty man is not delivered by great strength. A horse is a vain hope for safety; neither shall it deliver any by its great strength. Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy, to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.” (Psalm 33:16-19 NKJV)

We build our lives in such a way so as not to worry. “As long as I have ______, I’ll be okay.” We tell ourselves this, filling in the blank with “family”, “friends”, “money”, “health”, “control”, etc. Great empires rise and fall, mighty men can be weak, even strong horses have limited ability and soon grow tired, none of these can deliver a soul from death, none can cause food to grow in famine. But God can.

If we live humbly and reverently before God, making use of the “today” He grants us by seeking further knowledge of Him (and discovering more reasons to respect Him), obeying His commands (and realizing that His way truly is the BEST way), and by doing good and shining our light to guide others toward Jesus (because it is only through Jesus that hope is found, 1 Peter 1:3-4), then we can come to the point where we no longer place trust in our physical blessings and instead we can happily state, “As long as I have God, I’ll be okay.”

“Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name. Let Your mercy, O LORD, be upon us, just as we hope in You.” (Psalm 33:20-22 NKJV)

From wherever you are right now - BEGIN!

(Photo Credit: Cait Fairchild)

The Fear of the Lord is a Fountain of Life

“The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to turn one away from the snare of death.” (Proverbs 14:27 NKJV)

    During our study so far we have found that fearing the Lord means revering Him in both awe and trepidation of His power, might, and majesty. Having a wholesome fear of God is the first step in gaining true knowledge, wisdom and understanding. When we properly fear God we will see that He has provided all we need to be pleasing to Him and we will obey His instructions with determination and gratitude.

    Today, let’s consider that the fear of the Lord is a fountain of life. The very image of that statement is appealing and refreshing, isn’t it? When we fear the Lord, humbly submit to Him and obey Him, we have access to an unending spring of sustenance – WOW! How amazing is that! – in God’s word we learn of the path that leads to eternal life and with that we find guidance, strength, encouragement, and hope to help us as we journey on that path! We discover that God provides for our daily physical needs (Matthew 6:25-34), our daily spiritual needs (John 3:16-21, Hebrews 4:16, 1 John 1:9), and loads us with abundant daily blessings (Psalm 68:19)!

    God provides this continual spring of sustenance, this refuge from the sinful ways of the world, a place where we can gain knowledge and wisdom, so that we may avoid the bait and lures of the devil, seeing them for what they really are we can resist them (James 4:7). The snares of the devil lead to spiritual death, and he will use every trick in the book to gain our attention and interest: anger/revenge, lust/sex, jealousy, greed, pride, apathy, the list goes on and on.

    The devil deceives us with lies that lead to death. His deception decays our life now and condemns us to everlasting destruction later. Everything he does is for our harm and downfall; he baits us with lures that when chased will draw us to the depths of despair, but what God provides is LIFE, life through His Son, a better life now, and eternal life later!! Everything God gives by way of instructions for what we need to be doing and by way of boundaries to keep us from things we should avoid – all of His doing is always for our good! God provides all the help we need to grow, develop, and succeed!

    Are you desiring refreshment and revitalization? Seek God, submit to Him and His way, approach Him with fear and trembling and awe-filled adoration and gain access to His abundant provision of sustenance!! Let the knowledge and understanding you gain help you avoid the lures and temptations of the devil. Humbly obeying God’s way will keep you away from the snares of death!! It is worth every effort and every sacrifice!!

You can do it! So can I!!

Gain Confidence Through Fearing the Lord

“In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, and His children will have a place of refuge.” (Proverbs 14:26 NKJV)

    A little while ago, something came into my day “from outta left field” and although I received the information calmly and attentively, my mind was beginning to reel. After the conversation, as I got into my car I wanted nothing more in that moment than to get home as fast as possible and get to my bedroom where I could privately get down on my knees and pour out my heart to God. I knew without doubt that He could help me sort out what I was feeling and help calm my mind.

    In fearing the Lord, I have learned that His promises of help are real! I have gained strong confidence in His faithfulness and unending love for His children. God is my refuge, the One I run to in times of struggle and in times of joy. My first words of the morning, upon waking, are to Him as are the last words I speak before closing my eyes at night. I run to Him, asking Him to protect my husband and children from harm as they leave the house for the day and as each of them return in the evening I raise my voice to Him in praise and thanksgiving. I ask His care to be upon those who are unwell because I know His care can go to places I cannot; it can span the world, go into war-torn areas, into ICUs, and into the lives of those whose struggles are known only to Him.

    God, Himself, is the refuge of His children and it is only in fearing Him – submitting to Him and to His way in reverent awe and fear – that we can access His proffered refuge. God is not bound by time or fatigue so the refuge we find in Him is always available to us, no matter the time or quantity of times we seek it (consider 1 Samuel 1:12-18 and Hebrews 4:16)!

    Each time you take refuge in God your confidence in Him will grow and develop and your faith will be strengthened! God wants you to have strong confidence in Him and the only way you can construct that kind of confidence is by taking Him at His word (trust Him!), humble yourself, and obey His commands!

    Let God be your place of refuge! Pour out your heart’s joys and sorrows, your hopes and fears, and discover all the good things God provides to those who fear Him!!

You can do it! So can I!!

“In God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.” (Psalm 62:7-8 NKJV)

Understand The LORD So You Can Properly Fear Him

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, 
and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” 
(Proverbs 9:10 NKJV)

    Let’s break this verse down in as simplified a way as possible, beginning with the second statement.

    Knowledge of the Holy One, God – according to the Hebrew, this is the highest form of knowledge one can attain – this knowledge will lead to understanding Him because He does not change (Psalm 33:11, James 1:7); the God of Old Testament times is the same God we see in the New Testament scriptures, and the same God we serve today. The more we know of Him, the more we understand of His love for mankind, His faithfulness, His grace, His mercy, His power, and His majesty.

    Understanding God will lead us to fear Him – be in reverent awe of His all-powerful ways – at least it should, that is choice we all have to make when we learn of God and begin to understand Him: do we submit to His way or do we refuse to submit and walk away?

    Fearfully submitting to God, knowing that He has provided all the instruction we need to walk worthy of Him and be fully pleasing to Him (take time to think on Colossians 1:9-11), and knowing that He will bring us all into judgment one day (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14), is the first necessary step in gaining wisdom.

Knowing God ---> Understanding God ---> Fearing God ---> Wisdom from God (James 1:5-6, 3:13-18)

    Which would you rather: Worldly wisdom that elevates you for temporary reward or wisdom from above that elevates God and comes with eternal reward? If you desire knowledge, understanding, and wisdom, your very first and needed step is to reverently seek God and His way, He will provide all you need to attain these things and more!!

From wherever you are right now - BEGIN!!

    

Learning to Fear the LORD is the Best Place to Begin

    It’s hard to admit that we don’t know something, isn’t it? We would like to be regarded as wise and learned having something to offer others by way of information or advice. We read newspapers, webpages, and self-help books, we may watch the news and all the current TED talks; we even save up money to send our children to college/university because we want them to be educated and have “a good start in life.”

    There is nothing wrong with any of these pursuits as long as first and foremost we learn to fear God and we teach our children to also fear the Lord (consider Deuteronomy 31:12-13, Psalm 78:4-7)!

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have those who do His commandments.” (Psalm 111:10 NKJV)

    The proverbs declare that fools despise wisdom and instruction (Proverbs 1:7, read vv28-32 to see their result) and that the fear of the Lord is the very first – and necessary – step in attaining knowledge and gaining wisdom.

    How do we fear the Lord and attain knowledge?

    We need to humble ourselves before Him and acknowledge that everything we see – everything we need in order to exist – was brought about through God’s wisdom, knowledge, and understanding – EVERYTHING (Genesis 1, Proverbs 3:19-20)! God did all this so that we might seek Him (Acts 17:24-27), fear Him (Psalm 33:8) and tell our children of His wondrous ways (Deuteronomy 4:10, Psalm 145:1-7, 10-13)!

    We also need to acknowledge that although there are many pathways that have been devised by man through the centuries, that there is only ONE path that leads us toward God (Matthew 7:13-14) and access to that one pathway is found only in His Word (John 8:31-32, 14:6)! Compare what you are being taught at church services to what is found in the Bible. Are things being left out? Are things being added? Divergences from the path is no longer the path!  

    Obedience to God’s commands will give you good understanding. For example, there are promised blessings that can only be received through obedience of His commands. Consider the command found in Philippians 4:6-7, ‘Be anxious for nothing, instead pray and be thankful,' the blessing from obeying is that ‘you will receive the peace of God that surpasses all understanding and it will guard your heart and mind through Jesus.’

    When we obey and see the result we will gain understanding of God’s wisdom, His faithfulness, and His love; we will grow to respect and trust Him more, leading us toward greater wisdom and greater understanding as we grow and develop our faith in obedience to Him!

    The very best start you can give yourself is to humble yourself and fear God enough to seek HIM, through HIS word and in obedience to HIS way and in doing so gain wisdom and good understanding, teaching your children through word and example to do the same! Gain the type of wisdom that will be valuable to all generations!

“The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom and before honour is humility.” (Proverbs 15:33 NKJV)

From wherever you are right now – BEGIN!