In or Out

DEVOTION

PSALMS

IN OR OUT

Ps 82

82:1 A psalm of Asaph.

God presides in the great assembly; he gives judgment among the "gods": 2 "How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked?  Selah  3 Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. 4 Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked. 5 "They know nothing, they understand nothing. They walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken. 6 "I said, 'You are "gods"; you are all sons of the Most High.' 7 But you will die like mere men; you will fall like every other ruler." 8 Rise up, O God, judge the earth, for all the nations are your inheritance.

NIV

The implication here in the first line is that the “gods” cannot judge anything because they are but graven images, or from the imagination of man. Although the Hebrew word there for “gods” is ‘elohiym and has been used for God, within the context it is used as gods. It could also be used as for angels, rulers, judges, a god or goddess, god like one. In either application, except of course when it is used of the Lord God, it means someone less then him. He is the only one qualified to judge anyone, which includes us. Then the psalmist asks the question of the ages. How long will the wicked be shown partiality? Are they really? Does God defend the unjust? Sometimes it seems like that is the case. The ungodly advance in the world both in money and power. The unjust rise to power, because of their popularity with the people of the world. Maybe some of the people are just naïve, or are unjust themselves. But it seems the wicked increase in ways that would look as if God is showing them partiality. Then he asks or petitions God to defend the cause of the weak and fatherless, to maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Is that us? If we are not the wicked, the unjust then we most likely are the poor and oppressed. But God has already delivered us from the hand of the wicked. We are no subject to them, we do not have the live as they do. We do not have to ascribe to their thinking, their lifestyle for we are rescued. When it gets right down to it, the wicked, the unjust know nothing, they understand nothing. They walk around in the darkness. They claim how great they are, that they are “gods”, at least in their own minds. They boast of their greatness, they are proud and arrogant. Although they are little “gods” they are still actually sons of the God Most High, as all people of the earth. The just and the unjust alike are all from the line of Adam, a creation of God. But the different between the just and the unjust is salvation, being reborn into the kingdom of God spiritually. The unjust, no matter how great they name is in the earth, no matter how much power, fame and fortune that have amassed for themselves, they will die like mere men, they will fall like all those unjust before them. Yes, oh Lord, judge the earth. Judge the hearts of men. When you judge our heart you will find yourself, for your Spirit dwells within us, being our guarantee.

Eph 1:13-14

13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession — to the praise of his glory.

NIV

We, unlike the unjust, have this guarantee, we will not be judged for our sin, for Jesus took all our sin. We are forgiven and freed from any judgement of sin. We will not be misled or deceived by those who say God will judge us for all our deeds, the good and the bad. That is just poor theology, the deed we will be judge by is the deed of accepting Jesus or not. The just have accepted and will be saved, the unjust have not and they will be condemned. That is the judgement of God, all will be judged. In or out.  The nations will be judged.