The Strange Work of God's Judgment

The act of God’s judgment on unrighteousness is unique to His creation. In eternity, before God created the universe and the angels, the earth or humanity, God did not need to deploy His righteous judgment and wrath. So, judgment is alien to the LORD, a strange act that is only necessary as it relates to His creation.

“The LORD will rise up as He did at Mount Perazim, He will rouse Himself as in the Valley of Gibeon— to do His work, His strange work, and perform His task, His alien task.” Isaiah 28:21

 

In Psalm 46:8 the Psalmist says,

“Come, behold the works of the LORD, who has made desolations in the earth.” Psalm 46:8

 

It is natural for us to wonder about the judgment of God in His creation. But the next verse explains its necessity:

“He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire.” Psalm 46:9

 

God’s judgment is against the wicked; the oppressors, the destroyers. God’s judgment ends war and destroys the weapons of war. God’s final judgment will bring peace to His people forever and will end the need for this alien task that God has always been reluctant to bring upon the wicked.

“Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways!’” Ezekiel 33:11

 

The LORD is righteous. The sin that brings pain and destroys life will only be allowed for a limited time, until it threatens humanity’s very existence.

“And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.” Matthew 24:22

 

God has been patient for thousands of years, giving room for His mercy and love to bring people to repentance of sin and faith in Him.

“Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy.” Micah 7:18

 

His wrath upon the wicked eventually does come against those who continue to reject His goodness and truth. Instead, they perpetuate evil in this world, bringing pain and grief and complete ruin. God’s judgment, brought down on those who reject all that is good, is to destroy their evil works and deliver those who trust and call on Him.

“And I heard another from the altar saying, ‘Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.’” Revelation 16:7

 

“But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?” Romans 2:2-4

“But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who "will render to each one according to his deeds": eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness--indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God.” Romans 2:5-11

“But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” Romans 3:21-26