The Just Nature of God

When we contemplate the attributes of God, we gain the appreciation that he is holy, righteous, eternal, omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient, patient, jealous and just.  His perfect plan for mankind illustrates his generosity and how he is slow to anger and quick to forgive. “But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew or Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood – to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished – he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.” Romans 3:21-26.

When God created Adam and Eve, he gave them dominion over his creation and all the creatures in it and on it (Genesis 1:26).  He gave them instructions as custodians of his creation and explicitly warned them not to eat of one tree.  God gave them everything however they were coerced by Satan to want the one thing they could not have. 

When they sinned against God, his response was a measured one of banishment from the garden of Eden.  He did not destroy them but rather spared their lives, even though they became spiritually dead at the point of separation from God, and their lives became considerably more difficult. 

As mankind grew more and more evil, God restrained himself from destroying humanity for 1656 years until Noah presented himself as worthy of bringing mankind through the great deluge that the Lord used to punish the wicked.  God exercised immense patience in the face of man’s rebellion, providing plenty of opportunity for a repentance that never came.

When the nation of Israel was held captive in Egypt, God rescued them by leading them through the sea on dry land and destroying their enemies.  He then led them to Mt. Sinai where he gave Moses the ten commandments.  After witnessing first-hand the mighty power of the Lord, the Israelites could not even wait forty days for Moses to return before they rebelled against God by worshipping an idol they had made.  Once again God was reserved in his judgement and caused them to wander in the desert so that none of that generation would enter into the promised land.

When the time was right God sent his only son, Jesus Christ to redeem mankind and usher in the covenant of grace so that all mankind could be saved.  Jesus gave us two commands that summed up all of the previous laws before laying his own life down as the atonement that fulfilled the Mosaic covenant.  Christ saved us before he asked us to repent.  Today millions of believers are saved through faith in Christ, yet mankind once again has become evil and wicked and their sins against God are many.

Once again judgement will come to an unrepentant mankind that has forsaken a very benevolent and patient God.  In each of these situations, God extended his gifts without reserve.  He provided Adam and Eve with all of creation, he delivered the Israelites out of bondage and Jesus paid the price for our sins.  Each time God unilaterally bestowed mankind with riches beyond measure, and each time the majority of the population reciprocated with evil, which precipitated judgement.

Each of these instances demonstrate a patient and just God, who allows mankind thousands of years to repent and walk in his paths.  Each time man has chosen not to obey him and to rebel against him.  God’s subsequent judgement is justified by man’s unrepentance in each case and it is at this point of judgement that humanity finds itself today.

In the fifth chapter of Revelation, we are told of a scroll with seven seals.  “But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it.” Revelation 5:3.  Then John sees a Lamb that looks like it has been slain and it takes the scroll and immediately those present in heaven worship the Lamb and proclaim, “Worthy is the Lamb.” (verse 12).

The scroll with seven seals contains the final judgements of mankind.  Prewritten and sealed.  God in his forbearance laid out his plan for mankind, including his gifting of creation, rescue from bondage and the redemption of all men through the cross.  In the same way that he told the prophet Daniel, “Go your way, Daniel, because the words are rolled up and sealed until the time of the end.” Daniel 12:9, the scroll in Revelation 5 was preordained in prehistory.

Jesus is the only one who is worthy to open the seals and the scroll.  Just as Jesus is the only path to salvation, he also is the only one who will deliver judgement upon the unrepentant.  His divinity is confirmed in this portion of scripture as he is worshipped by the twenty-four elders before the throne.

As the seals are broken, the four horsemen of the apocalypse are sent out into the earth to carry out their respective missions and the souls of everyone ever martyred for their testimony of God’s word plead for him to avenge their blood and judge the inhabitants of the earth (Revelation 5:9-10).  The seventh seal gives way to seven trumpets that deliver the beginning of God’s judgements that result in much death and destruction upon the earth.

The seventh trumpet is different insofar as the angel who is about to sound it proclaims, “There will be no more delay!  But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.” Revelation 10:6-7.  He is referring to Daniel 12:1-2, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 and 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17.  This is the point of the rapture of the church.  Trumpets have always been used by God’s people to call together everyone for an assembly and in this case it is for the wedding feast of the bride of Christ (the true church) and Jesus.

The seven judgements that follow the trumpets do not constitute the wrath of God.  However, his wrath is yet to come. “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 5:9.  God’s wrath is poured out with the seven plagues and seven bowl judgements of Revelation 15 and 16, so we see that once again God recues his people before there is destruction. 

God’s pattern of behavior is benevolent, patient and generous but just.  He provides blessings and plenty of time for sinners to repent.  As Peter so eloquently writes in 2 Peter3:9, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.  Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” Now is the time to repent. Now is the day of grace. As the clock winds down on this present age, the window for repentance will close and God will once again pronounce judgement upon the unrepentant. Make your move now and be counted among the guests at the marriage supper of the Lamb.