God's Judgment

The fall holy days picture various judgments by God, bringing about liberty, reconciliation, regathering, and restoration.

We must emulate the ways of God, demonstrating justice in our lives, thoughts, words, and deeds, preparing to judge in God's Kingdom. Not all sins are equal.

One of God's roles is as Judge, and His judgments are eternally binding. But what does this mean? Who is judged? How? When? For what?

Love motivates the two intrinsic parts of God's holy character—goodness and severity, as He seeks to rescue humanity from the consequences of sin.

Living by faith is not easy in this world—not by any stretch of the imagination. Among the spiritual realities that a faithful Christian must understand is God's sense of justice. John Ritenbaugh uses the instantaneous deaths of Aaron's sons, Nadab a. . .

Richard Ritenbaugh, citing Dr. Dobson's warning about the deleterious effects of permissive child-rearing, affirms that the horrendous results we see today, including out-of-control ADHD, defiance of all authority, and rampant narcissism, is a fulfillment . . .

The September 11 bombings were certainly tragic and terrible. Some have since asked, "Was God involved? Is He to blame?" John Ritenbaugh soberly answers some of these tough questions, concluding that God certainly allowed them to occur for our ultimate and. . .

God's sense of justice comes into question in the minds of men when they read of His judgments in the Bible and see His acts in history. His judgments seem unfair because man can never please God on his own since God's standards are higher than he can achi. . .

The book of Amos is an astounding prophecy, closely paralleling the conditions in the Western world today. Amos reveals how unrighteousness undermines society.

In Job's justification, he recounted the details of his prior behavior, matching them against the false charges made against him. Job was unaware that God had unleashed Satan as a test. Sometimes God's sense of justice seems unusual or strange to us, givin. . .

In order to live by faith, we must understand God's sovereignty, God's character, and God's justice, realizing that we do not see the entire picture.

Many have inadvertently adopted a soft concept of God, disrespecting and showing contempt for God's authority and power. Godly fear is a gift of wisdom.

Martin Collins, maintaining that America culture prides itself on rugged individualism and independence, cautions that in spiritual matters, dependence upon God gives us the resolve, firmness, and tenacity for our spiritual journey. None of the heroes are . . .

John Ritenbaugh points out that when people do not have the fear of God, they drift away from Him. At the first Pentecost, only a fraction of Christ's total audience (about 120) were left, those who feared God, trembled at His word, and were really committ. . .

John Ritenbaugh, focusing on Hebrews 4:1-2 (describing the utter failure and demise of the ancient Israelites, who did not regard God's commandments as a delight), continues elaborating on the qualities (holiness and goodness) necessary for attaining the p. . .

Our fear of being judged negatively by God should spur us to greater obedience and growth toward godliness. The fear of God is a fundamental mindset.

Israel had every opportunity that the Gentiles did not have. God gave the Israelites gifts to live a better way, but they completely failed to reflect Him.

The demise of an institution can result from the irresponsibility of its constituents; if one member sins, the whole body experiences the effects.

John Ritenbaugh asserts that the difference between a pilgrim and a wanderer is that the pilgrim knows his destination. God wants our pilgrimage to be a direct route with very few excursions or side-trips to the world. The book of Numbers- a record of God'. . .

Martin Collins, cautioning us to properly value the infinite blessings that God has given us, warns that underestimating God's gifts can lead us to undervalue the spiritual or overvalue the physical. Esau, despised his birthright, preferring a bowl of lent. . .

God's prophets have a difficult job. They see the world through God's eyes, and they are tormented by the rising tide of sin and the coming destruction.

Both Lot and Ezekiel were tormented by the abominations, sins, and defilement taking place within their culture, polluted with idolatry and paganism.

John Ritenbaugh, while concurring that New Orleans is unquestionably one of the most dysfunctional venues in North America, with the murder rate 10% above the national average, the home of numerous perverted sex, immorality and perverted lifestyles, we mus. . .

Jesus lists judgment as the first of the weightier matters in Matthew 23, verse. This article explains this term and shows why judgment is a major part of Christianity.

A common mantra, even among Christians, is "You shouldn't judge." Is this a biblical concept? John Ritenbaugh exposes the fallacy of this belief and explains how righteous judgment should be done.

Sometimes we are disturbed, even angered, because an act of God seems unfair. We have difficulty because we do not understand holiness, justice, sin, and grace.

Sometime in the not-too-distant future, the sixth seal foretells of the sun turning black and the moon turning red, stars falling, the sky rolling back, and a terrible earthquake moving mountains and islands. Richard Ritenbaugh examines this final judgment. . .

It seems that some sins should be worse than others in God's eyes. Though all sin merits the death penalty, some sins carry greater consequences and penalties.

John Ritenbaugh, suggesting that human nature has to be continually reminded of God's providence even when people are undeserving of the bountiful blessings. Sadly, our forebears often forgot the frequency of God's merciful intervention and declared that i. . .

The fact of a Second Exodus that will far eclipse the Exodus from Egypt is generally understood by Bible students. The timing of this great migration, however, is more elusive. David Grabbe points out the Scriptural markers that narrow the time frame to a . . .

Martin Collins, reflecting on the devastating locust plagues described in Joel, marvels that the prophet, instead of promising a silver lining on a very black cloud, affirmed that things were going to get intensely worse before they got better. Nevertheles. . .

David Grabbe, focusing on the unsearchable judgments of God described in Romans 11:33, points out that sometimes human nature sees God's decisions as unfair, as in the slaying of Uzzah, the favoring of Isaac over Ishmael, the favoring of Jacob over Esau, o. . .

Sometimes, in reading through various parts of the Bible, we come across phrases and ideas that do not make much sense to us—or on closer reading do not mean what we have always thought them to mean. Charles Whitaker looks at Revelation's sixth seal . . .

Nadab and Abihu, Ananias and Sapphira, and Uzzah, all aware of the penalties for their actions, rebelled against God's clear and unambiguous instructions.

Martin Collins, reiterating that the devastating locust plague in Joel prefigures the devastating Day of the Lord, following a great tribulation and frightful heavenly cataclysms engineered by the prince and power of the air, asserts that God will judge wi. . .

Protestantism is based on Luther's insistance that Christians are saved by faith alone. But is the really true? Earl Henn explains that the Bible says this of justification, not salvation.

The Bible reveals a definite pattern of God's displeasure with resumption. God's justice always aligns with His righteousness; we should be grateful for His mercy.

Richard Ritenbaugh, reflecting on the recent solar eclipse, reminds us that in the peoples of past cultures believed that solar and lunar eclipses were omens of impending tragedy, leading to rituals to combat their influence. Although the Bible uses the im. . .

All authority for law and justice resides in God; when God is taken out of the picture, darkness and chaos dominate. God's laws create a better life and character.

The Feast of Trumpets is a memorial of blowing of trumpets, symbolizing the Day of the Lord, the real war to end all wars, when Christ will subdue the earth.

Richard Ritenbaugh, cuing in on Matthew 23 and 24, suggests that Matthew is in the habit of presenting Jesus' teachings on a given topic all in one place in the Bible, presenting the teachings from a decidedly Jewish point of view, demonstrating the abilit. . .

The signs that accompanied Peter's Pentecost sermon attracted attention, confirmed God's Word, and provided meaning to the effects of the Holy Spirit.

How often have we heard—or cried ourselves—"How long, O Lord?" Our great hope is in Christ's return, but despite His assurances that He is coming quickly, it seems as if that time is delayed. David Grabbe, keying in on II Peter 3, cautions us n. . .

The Seventh Trumpet is a call to assemble, a call to battle, and announces the arrival of a new ruler, Jesus Christ, separating the wheat from the tares.

Richard Ritenbaugh, while acknowledging that technology has given modern culture some marked advantages over ancient societies, laments that the fields of psychology (with its propensity to deny sin) and mental health have not kept up with advances in the . . .

Richard Ritenbaugh warns that these laments contain little that is jovial or uplifting, but instead are saturated in despair, sorrow, mourning, and even recrimination against God on the part of a personified Jerusalem, whom God depicts as a grieving widow,. . .

God did not take ancient Israel by a direct route, and our lives likewise may seem to wander. We must trust God in spite of the detours, following His lead.

John Ritenbaugh reveals that the reason Jacob succeeded and Esau failed had nothing to do with personality, but Jacob was elected from the womb (Romans 9:7-11). God gave Jacob the edge. Likewise, we can do nothing to gain the favor of God before our callin. . .

More time to change does not always lead to more repentance. It may actually increase the danger that we will adjust to the sin and think it acceptable.

Martin Collins, characterizing the scoffer as a dangerous mixture of pride, malice, ignorance, and shallowness with a high degree of combativeness, suggests that scoffers will increase exponentially as we approach the time of Jacob's trouble, the dreadful . . .

Richard Ritenbaugh, focusing upon Book IV of the Psalms, corresponding with the fall festivals, singles out the Feast of Trumpets for its themes and imagery, as well as the Summary Psalm 149. Trumpets could be considered the opening salvo of the fall feast. . .

Persecution and martyrdom are not popular topics among Christians today, but they are facts of Christian life. Richard Ritenbaugh explains the fifth seal's cry of the martyrs and God's response.

God put up with the foibles of Abraham, Samson, David, Job, and others, allowing them time to repent and build character. We need to develop this godly trait.

John Ritenbaugh stresses the importance of making preparations, gathering our thoughts, and turning our lives around while there is still time, rather than squander our opportunities like the foolish virgins (Matthew 25:3) and the timid Shulamite (Song of . . .