Joy and terror

DEVOTION

PROVERBS

JOY AND TERROR

Prov 21:15

15 When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.

NIV

We certainly can see this truth in the world we live in. Those of us who live in accordance with the laws of the land find a sense of joy in the administration of justice by the government. It would be a terrifying place if lawlessness were the norm. What if a band of marauders roamed the streets taking whatever they wanted from whoever they wanted to, even freely killing those who opposed them without fear of any justice? Some believe this was the way of the Wild West in our earlier days of nationhood. But when there is justice, when the government establishes justice for those who would do evil, it brings terror to them. At least we would think so, once a man makes that final walk after spending twenty years on death row. But there is a deeper truth here. Let us think of the justice of God. The Hebrew would translated justice truly means judgement. This is want justice does, the judgement of a crime and the administration of punishment. Justice or judgement also acquits the innocent. In the final day of the judgment of God, justice will be done. Those of us who are in Christ will be, actually have already been, declared innocent. If we are in Christ, which we are, and Christ is perfectly innocent of all evil, being fully God and fully man, then we are also perfectly innocent and we will experience great joy on that day. We will hear enter, good and faithful servant, into my rest. We will also witness the evil, those who refused the grace of God, be told they wickedness has condemned them to be cast into the lake of burning sulfur. How can that not bring terror in their hearts? They will be standing before the presence of the Almighty God who they refused to acknowledge during their life on earth. They will know how wrong they were, but it will be too late. They did not accept what Jesus did for them and therefor they must now pay the penalty for their sin. Jesus had already paid it for them, if only they would have accepted his act of righteousness. But because they did not, they now stand condemned. It is sad to think we might know some of them and may have to watch them being cast away. We know there will be no tears in heaven and certainly we will be overjoyed to be among those entering into his rest. But at the same time we might have been able to assist some of those being cast out to find the grace of God, to find Jesus. Are we doing enough to share the good news? Do we find ourselves simply in a Christian bubble, protecting ourselves from the world? Have we not been told to go forth into all the world and preach the good news? This does not mean simply to support a few missionaries in foreign countries. This means we are to go into the world around us and preach the good news. This is where we live, where we work, where we play, where we shop, wherever we go, we should be ready in and out of season with a message of hope for the poor and suffering evil doers who are condemning themselves to the lake of burning sulfur. God is patience not wanting any of them to be cast out. His Spirit is at work convicting all men of their need to repent. His Spirit is at work in us, giving us direction and voice as to who we can speak the words of hope to. As we rejoice in the justice of God, let us help others to have reason to rejoice rather than experience terror.