Known By Judgment

"The LORD is known by the judgment He executes; the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Meditation. Selah"

Psalm 9:16

I have been meditating on this verse lately, thinking about God's judgments according to His righteousness.  Though He is absolutely just, He remains gracious, compassionate and full of mercy.  His desire is not to destroy but to draw people to Himself to be delivered and saved from sin and death.  God's judgments are inescapable, yet He provides sure deliverance for all who trust in Him.

The LORD is known to be sovereign over all creation because He judged the whole earth with the great flood.  He observed humanity, not only their wicked deeds, but how the imaginations of their hearts was only evil continually (Genesis 6:5).  He did not spring the coming judgment upon unsuspecting people without warning, but explained what was coming through Noah who built the ark and was a preacher of righteousness (2 Peter 2:5).  God followed through on exactly what He said He would do, and that world that perished in the deluge.

God is known by His ability to do the miraculous by bringing 10 severe plagues upon Egypt.  After many warnings by Moses and Aaron, Pharaoh hardened his heart and refused to let the children of Israel go from bondage.  God made clear the 10th plague would affect every household as is written in Exodus 12:12:  "For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD."  Those who refused to believe God invited death into their households, and the Egyptian idols were powerless to protect or save people from the consequences of unbelief.

The almighty God is known to be powerful over heaven and earth by suddenly rained fire and brimstone upon Sodom and the surrounding cities for their wickedness.  God came down and spoke with Abraham, revealing that the cry of Sodom was great and reached up to heaven.  Judgment came in a moment for Sodom's iniquity (Lamentations 4:6) so escape was impossible.  After the flood God promised He would never again destroy the world with water, and has held back judgment that will one day come upon this world with fire as spoken in 2 Peter 3:7:  "But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men."  The LORD has shown Himself sovereign, able and powerful to do exactly as He has said.

One thing all these severe judgments have in common is God preserved a remnant of people who trusted in Him.  Though the flood was global, the plagues widespread and fire raining down on Sodom instantly, God preserved those who believed and obeyed Him.  In every case, all who trusted God were saved.  Noah, his family and animals were saved from the flood.  The Hebrews were spared from plagues in the land of Goshen, their firstborn was spared by putting the blood of the Passover sacrifice on the doorposts of their homes, and they passed safely through the Red Sea on dry land whilst the Egyptians drowned. Lot was taken by the hand by angels who led him with his family out of Sodom before it was utterly consumed.  In all these judgments is seen God's grace, compassion and salvation for those who fear Him.

God is known by the judgment He executes, and the wicked are ensnared by their own hands.  God does not trick or entrap people because He desires their destruction, for man is the one responsible for his own sin God will hold to account.  Because God loves sinners, He sent His only begotten Son Jesus to provide atonement for sin, to die on the cross so those ensnared and enslaved by sin could be set free and saved from the wrath to come.  God's righteous justice has been satisfied by the death of Jesus, for the wages of sin is death.  The gift of God is eternal life given by our Saviour who is risen from the dead and will one day return to judge the world in righteousness.  The wise know God by judgment He executes, and thus bow the knee in reverence before Jesus Christ as KING OF KINGS--the God who alone saves.

Lifting Up the Horn

"'I said to the boastful, 'Do not deal boastfully,' and to the wicked, 'Do not lift up the horn. ⁵ Do not lift up your horn on high; do not speak with a stiff neck.'"

Psalm 75:4-5

What goes up must come down, the cliche goes, and and those who are lifted up with pride God can easily bring low.  On the other hand, those who humble themselves God will exalt.  The Bible is filled with examples that illustrate God's ability to bring low the proud whether it be king Saul, king Nebuchadnezzar, Haman--or even Satan himself.  Asaph urged people not to be proud or boastful when they were promoted or advanced in stature, for he remarked in Psalm 75:6-7:  "For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south. ⁷ But God is the Judge: He puts down one, and exalts another."  One distinction between God and all other judges is He is perfectly just and remains gracious and merciful.  Sometimes there is no justice possible from earthly courts, and the judgments of men according to law can lack mercy and compassion.

In the book of Ruth, Haman was a man who boasted greatly about his high-ranking position, and he gathered family and friends to speak of his frequent access to royalty and the power bestowed upon him by his king.  It was in this lofty role he was arrogant, proud and despised those he viewed as below him--people like Mordecai the Jew.  When Mordecai did not bow or give him reverence when Haman sauntered past, Haman was incensed and decided to use his power to annihilate all the Jewish people.  He made a massive gallows with the sole purpose of hanging Mordecai, yet when his wicked scheme was uncovered the haughty Haman was brought low.  He was publicly hung on the gallows, and all Shushan could see Haman's meteoric fall from grace when he was executed high in the sky.

Haman was a man who lifted the horn in pride to his own destruction, even as an ox uses his strength to thrust with horns and inflict damage.  Bull calves are not born with horns, but they grow as they mature and gain strength.  Under Mosaic Law, if an ox gored a person to death, the ox would be stoned and the flesh not eaten.  The owner would bear the loss of his valued working animal for the damage it had done.  Exodus 21:29 says, "But if the ox tended to thrust with its horn in times past, and it has been made known to his owner, and he has not kept it confined, so that it has killed a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned and its owner also shall be put to death."  The implication is if an ox was known to be a danger to people because it aggressively lifted the horn, the owner needed to take all precautions to protect people by removing the horns, keeping the animal in a fenced paddock, or if all means failed it would become food for the next BBQ.  The meat would be eaten, and the hide of a stiff-necked ox that refused to heed commands and lifted the horn would be made into leather goods like saddles and sandals--objects that would be sat or walked on.  In some cases a dangerous ox could be more valuable and useful to the owner dead than alive.

Our strength, status or roles that men pride themselves in are the very things which ought to humble the child of God, knowing we are chosen and blessed by God's grace.  Should the LORD grant us horns like a mature bull, we must be wise and gentle in our use of them.  Balaam chose to ride a donkey that was faithful and dependable, one that humbly responded to his guidance by a light tug on a rope.  In a similar fashion, we are called by Jesus to take His yoke upon us and to learn from His example of meekness and lowliness.  Rather than having a stiff neck and refusing instruction, we ought to humble ourselves to yield to God's guidance without the need of bit, bridle or whip.  Knowing we are called to a relationship with the living God ought to humble us rather than puff us up with pride.  Psalm 65:4 reads, "Blessed is the man You choose, and cause to approach You, that he may dwell in Your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, of Your holy temple."  How humbling it is to know as Christians we are the temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, and our satisfaction ought to be in God rather than ourselves or our promotion.

The Proverbs 31...Husband?

In Proverbs 31, Lemuel described a virtuous wife whose value to her husband and family was far greater than precious stones.  Many women have made the industrious qualities of this woman an inspiration to live up to, and others feel inadequate as they consider her superhuman work ethic.  Because this is written generally of "a virtuous woman," I do not believe all these specific skills or qualities are necessary to be considered virtuous.  At the same time, the praiseworthy description ought to inspire women (and men too!) to use their God-given talents to serve God and others in the roles He has called us to.

A virtuous wife is a blessing to her husband as it is written in Proverbs 31:11-12:  "The heart of her husband safely trusts her; so he will have no lack of gain. ¹² She does him good and not evil all the days of her life."  The chaste, morally upright and active wife is marked by industry.  She takes initiative and prepares for the future.  She cares and provides for the needs of others, especially those of her own household.  This wife is savvy to earn money and brings prosperity, and she is governed by wisdom and kindness in what she says and does.  Rather than giving place to idleness, she excels in all she puts her hands to do.  Her domestic skills and talents are profitable beyond her home, and her husband and children praise her in Proverbs 31:28-29:  "Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: ²⁹ "Many daughters have done well, but you excel them all."

What struck me as I consider this passage is how many virtuous wives have been hindered from reaching their full stature because of a domineering and untrusting husband.  As intimidating as the description of a virtuous woman is for women, it can also unsettle men.  It requires faith in God for a husband to trust his wife to take initiative as described in Proverbs 31:16:  "She considers a field and buys it; from her profits she plants a vineyard."  Husband, would you trust your wife and approve of her making major financial decisions?  It is possible for a husband and a wife to take initiative in a complementary marriage relationship, and this requires mutual submission before the LORD and one another.  Speaking from the perspective of a husband of a virtuous wife, I can attest how the LORD has used her industry and labour to bring immeasurable profit to our marriage, family and home that would never have existed without her drive, wisdom and foresight.

Proverbs 31:25 reads, "Strength and honour are her clothing; she shall rejoice in time to come."  The strength of the virtuous woman is not derived from her independence but by submission to the LORD and her husband she respects.  A wife is made strong when her husband loves her like Jesus does the church, and God's sacrificial, active love makes her to thrive in her role.  The future of a virtuous wife is rejoicing, for her husband and children will rise and call her blessed.  The passage concludes with Proverbs 31:30-31:  "Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised. ³¹ Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates."  It is one thing to be praised by your husband and children, but how much greater it is to hear "Well done!" from our LORD Jesus in His presence forever!  Since our LORD will praise us for a life well lived, the husband of a virtuous wife ought to honour her publicly and reward her with praise.

No Shame in Sorrow

After hearing of the affliction and reproach Nehemiah's brethren were experiencing in Jerusalem, he was deeply grieved.  He wept, mourned and fasted and he prayed to God on behalf of those who lived in a city with the wall broken down and the gates burned with fire.  Four months after Nehemiah heard the shocking news, king Artaxerxes noticed he was sad in his presence--and this had never happened before.  Nehemiah 2:2-3 says, "Therefore the king said to me, "Why is your face sad, since you are not sick? This is nothing but sorrow of heart." So I became dreadfully afraid, ³ and said to the king, "May the king live forever! Why should my face not be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' tombs, lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire?"

I am no expert on proper etiquette of cupbearers in the presence of a Persian king, but Nehemiah understood very well the importance of showing upmost respect and honour to his king.  To appear before the Persian king in any context was a sober duty, for one misstep could mean your job, freedom or even cost your life.  It was important for Nehemiah to remember his station and the total authority of his king, and one did not speak unless being directly addressed.  When the king asked Nehemiah about being sorrowful in his presence, Nehemiah was afraid.  As a cupbearer, the king needed to trust him completely and remain confident of his loyalty.  Would seeing Nehemiah sad arouse suspicion of foul play?  Nehemiah respectfully and wisely explained the cause of his sadness, that Jerusalem lay waste.

It struck me today that as Artaxerxes noticed Nehemiah was sad, there were likely kings who frowned upon their servants being sorrowful in their presence as an unpardonable sin.  Artaxerxes was favourable towards Nehemiah, and gave him leave and all that was needed to commence on rebuilding the walls and gates.  What is awesome about the Most High God, the KING OF KINGS, is it does not anger or annoy Him when we are sorrowful and seek Him.  We can weep in His presence and He does not have us put outside until we pull ourselves together; He does not take offence when we are troubled and upset.  Psalm 56:8-9 (NLT) says, "You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. ⁹ My enemies will retreat when I call to you for help. This I know: God is on my side!"  God keeps a better reckoning of our pains than we do, for who among us can know the tears we have shed?  God does not cast us off because we are unhappy, for He can use our unhappiness to draw us to Him and seek the help and salvation only He can supply.

We can be ashamed of our sorrow and tears and apologise for them in front of friends, yet there is no shame to shed tears in the presence of our LORD.  He draws near to us when we are sorrowful like Jesus did to Mary Magdalene who wept outside the empty tomb.  Mary had just finished tearfully telling angels she did not know where the Lord Jesus had been taken and John 20:14 says: "Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus."  Isn't that wonderful, how Jesus was right beside Mary?  Jesus asked why she was weeping and whom she was seeking--and this dear woman, sight bleary with tears, found the one she hoped most to see miraculously alive and at hand.  Rather than being put off by our sadness, our LORD draws near to hear and help as Psalm 34:18 says:  "The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit."