Here comes the Judge . . .

There are lots of television reruns but not many have the same appeal as one I would love to see. For those who are old enough to remember “Laugh In” was pure hilarity. Today’s comedy falls short compared to it.

One silly sketch featured the phrase, “Here comes the judge” bringing a chuckle at the memory. I thought of it when selecting a word that describes God. However if that phrase is said of Him, many would not be laughing. It seems certain that when God comes to JUDGE, it will not be a humorous occasion.

The OT has a couple verbs for JUDGE. One means “to argue a case or issue a judgment with intent to correct.” The other means “to judge or govern” with nearly half of the times used with God as the subject, meaning that God is the Judge. Human judges had certain duties with many of their duties reflecting God’s judgment. While these judges usually fell short, God faithfully defends the weak and fatherless, and judges with righteousness, truth and equity.

Psalm 9:7–8. But the Lord sits enthroned forever; he has established his throne for justice, and he judges the world with righteousness; he judges the peoples with uprightness.

Many of the verses about God judging the world point forward to Jesus Christ because God “has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” (Acts 17:31)

The NT verb for judge means to “examine, investigate, scrutinize, discern, evaluate.” This also describes what God will do when He comes to judge the world. Some of it involves discerning who has faith or not; some of it involves an evaluation of the lives of those who have faith — to discern what was done in obedience to God and what was merely a waste of time and energy.

For that reason, we are told to be filled with the Spirit and do the will of God from the heart — in His power and His way. For this, I need discretion or “righteous judgment” as John 7:24 says: “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” I cannot do that without an intimate relationship with the only righteous JUDGE. He gives His people the ability to discern through His eyes rather than with human evaluations.

Bible also uses nouns that are translated judge. Jesus refused to be drafted as a judge in a squabble over inheritance in Luke 12:14 yet He is the most significant Judge of all. He will judge all people:

Acts 10:42. And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.

For those who are ‘alive in Christ’ there is a “bema” or judgment seat of Christ (see 1 Corinthians 3:12-15) where He will reward the faithfulness of His people . . .

2 Timothy 4:8. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

GAZE INTO HIS GLORY. On one hand, I am relieved that God will judge those who fall short and eventually reap what they have sown. Yet that saddens me too. I don’t want anyone to perish. Even so, I am accountable before God for my own life and need to remember what James 4:12 says: “There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?”

Even though God’s Word is never silly, James also takes me back to the words of that silly skit in “Laugh In” with James 5:9. It is a very serious caution: “Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.” In other words, “here comes the Judge” so watch my own life rather than point fingers at anyone else.