There is only one thing that satisfies God, from my reading of the Scriptures, and this is when righteousness is upheld. The violation of righteousness is treason in the eyes of God, and because He Himself is righteous, justice has to be upheld. Of course, justice requires judgment to be made, but judgment without mercy is unjust (James 2:13). This figures in what Jesus called the weightier matters of the Law:
In English, satisfy means to fulfill the desires, expectations, needs, or demands of; make content.
In the Old Testament there are promises for people to be satisfied but not God. However, God is sometimes presented as pleased with decisions that individuals have made; in having made these acceptable decisions, these individuals have found favor with Him. For instance: Noah found favor with God (Genesis 6:8), Abraham was said to be God’s friend (Isaiah 41:8) and Moses found favor in the sight of God (Exodus 33:17). These three men were all critical in respect to the purpose of God. Noah for the continuation of humankind. Abraham in respect to the promises of God. And Moses in respect to being shown the purpose and plan that God had mapped out in Heaven (Hebrews 3:5; Hebrews 8:5) and instituting it as part of a nation’s culture.
For God to have been completely satisfied in a positive sense, it is not until we move into the New Testament and read what the Apostle Paul states that we get the real sense of the Almighty One being satisfied.
In the negative sense, God righteousness is satisfied when justice is done. Therefore we read in the Old Testament that God will satisfy his righteousness—justice—by delivering up the wicked and those who have taken His Name in vain.
Yet when we read the book of Hebrews, we learn that Enoch did not see death because he pleased God through his faith:
Many claim that the God of the Old Testament was an ogre—a capricious dictator—but then they only see our Heavenly Father through the eyes of blind mortals, who compare the Righteous One with corrupt human judges. If they understood the love of God, they would see that God is righteous and, because of this, He cannot be deny Himself. God’s word is sure. Sin will be judged. Mercy will be shown. But those who deny Him will be denied, even though God cannot deny Himself (2 Timothy 2:11-13).
God delights in justice, not vengeance. For the Bible states that God hates the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 18:23). People do not have to suffer eternal punishment. They can turn away from sin and lay hold of eternal life (Ezekiel 33:11). This is the message throughout the Bible. Even if the New Testament seems to express forgiveness more than the jealousy of God—only justice satisfies God. Each will receive his or her just reward or recompense, depending on what each one has done on Earth. Those who seek God and are forgiven are recompensed. Those who reject God are recompensed. Justice belongs to the Lord, and he will deliver. (Revelation 22:12)
The Justice Of God Is So True That Everyone Can Rely Upon It For Eternity
- Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law, justice and mercy and faith; these you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. (Matthew 23:23)
In English, satisfy means to fulfill the desires, expectations, needs, or demands of; make content.
In the Old Testament there are promises for people to be satisfied but not God. However, God is sometimes presented as pleased with decisions that individuals have made; in having made these acceptable decisions, these individuals have found favor with Him. For instance: Noah found favor with God (Genesis 6:8), Abraham was said to be God’s friend (Isaiah 41:8) and Moses found favor in the sight of God (Exodus 33:17). These three men were all critical in respect to the purpose of God. Noah for the continuation of humankind. Abraham in respect to the promises of God. And Moses in respect to being shown the purpose and plan that God had mapped out in Heaven (Hebrews 3:5; Hebrews 8:5) and instituting it as part of a nation’s culture.
For God to have been completely satisfied in a positive sense, it is not until we move into the New Testament and read what the Apostle Paul states that we get the real sense of the Almighty One being satisfied.
- For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell. (Colossians 1:19)
- For when he received honor and glory from God the Father and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (2 Peter 1:17)
In the negative sense, God righteousness is satisfied when justice is done. Therefore we read in the Old Testament that God will satisfy his righteousness—justice—by delivering up the wicked and those who have taken His Name in vain.
- “Thus shall my anger spend itself, and I will vent my fury upon them and satisfy myself; and they shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken in my jealousy, when I spend my fury upon them. (Ezekiel 5:13)
Yet when we read the book of Hebrews, we learn that Enoch did not see death because he pleased God through his faith:
- By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death; and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was attested as having pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please him. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Hebrews 11:5–6)
Many claim that the God of the Old Testament was an ogre—a capricious dictator—but then they only see our Heavenly Father through the eyes of blind mortals, who compare the Righteous One with corrupt human judges. If they understood the love of God, they would see that God is righteous and, because of this, He cannot be deny Himself. God’s word is sure. Sin will be judged. Mercy will be shown. But those who deny Him will be denied, even though God cannot deny Himself (2 Timothy 2:11-13).
God delights in justice, not vengeance. For the Bible states that God hates the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 18:23). People do not have to suffer eternal punishment. They can turn away from sin and lay hold of eternal life (Ezekiel 33:11). This is the message throughout the Bible. Even if the New Testament seems to express forgiveness more than the jealousy of God—only justice satisfies God. Each will receive his or her just reward or recompense, depending on what each one has done on Earth. Those who seek God and are forgiven are recompensed. Those who reject God are recompensed. Justice belongs to the Lord, and he will deliver. (Revelation 22:12)
The Justice Of God Is So True That Everyone Can Rely Upon It For Eternity
No comments:
Post a Comment