“Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice before the Lord. For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness, And the peoples with His truth.” Psalm 96:12-13
“You shall appoint judges and officers in all your gates, which the Lord your God gives you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with just judgment.” Deuteronomy 16:18
The Bible is clear about who judges on earth: God and humans He appoints. God is the Judge of the earth and has appointed human judges to judge with just judgment. It’s important that we understand this as we look at God’s future judgments.
[This is not the first time we’ve published articles about God’s Judgment. We will list links to some of our previous articles at the bottom of this paper.]
Relationship God
Look at some of the many names used for God’s “people” in Scripture:
- My people
- Children
- Sons
- Daughters
- Family
- Servants
- Worshippers
- Friends
- Israel (God strives)
- Church (called out assembly)
- Wife
- Bride
- Chosen
God is a God of relationships. That’s important as we consider how God will judge His people.
God the Judge
God is a Creator. He created the heavens and the earth and determined before time began how this new creation and the creatures who live in it would work.
- God judged Adam and Eve guilty of disobedience in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3).
- He judged the wicked people who descended from Adam and Eve and destroyed all of them except for Noah and his family (Genesis 6 – 8).
- God called Abram and established a special people who would call on His Name (Genesis 12:8).
- God called the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob out of Egypt through the ministry of Moses (Exodus 3 – 15).
- God gave Moses the position of chief judge of the people of Israel (Exodus 18:13).
- Moses appointed other men to serve as associate judges to the people of Israel (Exodus 18:22-26)
- Joshua became chief judge of Israel after Moses died (Joshua 1 – 24).
- God appointed men to judge Israel after Joshua died (Judges 1 – 1 Samuel 7).
- The people of Israel demanded a king rather than have God and judges rule over them (1 Samuel 8 ff)
- God judged Israel and surrounding countries through kings.
God judging His people through humans He appointed was God’s plan for judgment. Did that plan change because of people rebelling against God?
“Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. Then Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.” John 5:18-30
Judging Through The Son
God the Father “judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son.” Why? “… that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father.”
The “how” of God’s of Judgment has not changed through the centuries. God the Son is also the Son of Man – God and Man. Jesus Christ is the Judge.
Jesus Christ has many names and titles:
- Lord of Lords
- King of Kings
- Jesus
- Christ (Messiah)
- Emmanuel
- Master
- Savior
- The Word of God (Logos)
- Lamb of God
- Second Adam
- King of the Jews
- Rabbonì (Teacher)
- Light of the World
- Son of God
- Son of Man
- Son of David
Next Time
We will focus on the last three in the next part of our study as we consider Who judges the world, the nations, Israel and the Church.
[A Sample Of Previous GraceLife Articles About God’s Judgment]
- Teaching Notes On the Judgment Seat of Christ
- The Three-Million Mile View
- One Judge: God on His Throne
- The Great Reveal: Our Epic Journey Through Time, Space and Eternity – Part 9
- Romans – The Gospel of God (Part 73)
- The Great Reveal: Our Epic Journey Through Time, Space and Eternity – Part 7
- Teaching Notes: On Disciplining God’s Children
- Romans – The Gospel of God (Part 69)
- Romans – The Gospel of God (Part 68)
- Romans – The Gospel of God (Part 64)
- Romans – The Gospel of God (Part 63)
- Romans – The Gospel of God (Part 62)
- Romans – The Gospel of God (Part 61)
- Teaching Notes: On Why We Love The Bible
- Teaching Notes: On The Sinner
- Romans – The Gospel of God (Part 60)
- Romans – The Gospel of God (Part 58)
- Romans – The Gospel of God (Part 51)
- Romans – The Gospel of God (Part 48)
- Teaching Notes: On the Disciple’s Right Doctrine and Practice
- A Prophet’s Perspective About Preachers (4)
- Our Father Which Art In Heaven – Who Are You? (Part 1)
- Lessons of Grace (Part 2)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Published by gracelifethoughts
Founder & Director of GraceLife Ministries View all posts by gracelifethoughts
