We can trust the judgment of God. He alone knows the perimeters in which the judgment is needed. Too often we find ourselves with a judging attitude when faced with circumstances that we would deem unholy in the lives of our church family. Consequently, we take it upon ourselves to rain down judgment upon one of God’s flock. God speaks about this kind of attitude in a situation found in the Old Testament.
God’s Judgment
Ahaz became the king over Judah when he was twenty years old. The Bible says, ..”he did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord, like David his father.”
He turned completely away from God and His ways. A list of his sins are found in chapter 28 of II Chronicles. He chose to walk “…after the abominations of the heathen whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel.” (vs.3) Because of this, God’s judgment was sent and Judah was delivered into the hand of the King of Syria and the King of Israel.
Israel had heard and seen the wicked practices that the country of Judah had fallen into. With that in mind, they began to slaughter the people of Judah. They were in a rage. Judah deserved punishment and they would give it to them. After this great slaughter Israel took away captive 200,000. With a decisiveness borne of human thinking, Israel decides to use these captives of Judah as their bond slaves.
Man’s Judgment
When we read this story, on the surface it looks like we should quickly agree with Israel. Judah had become wicked and ungodly. Israel should most assuredly give them what they deserved. On the other hand, the story doesn’t stay on the surface. When the Israelite’s herded their ‘captive slaves’ to Samaria, God spoke to them through a man of God named Oded.
The story of Ahaz, the judgment God had determined, the Israelite’s actions and the words Oded spoke are recorded in II Chronicles 28: 1 – 15.
In essence, God told the Israelite’s through the message of Oded, that their great rage against Judah was wrong. Likewise, their intent to make the captives into slaves was not of God.
Yes, God had delivered Judah into Israel’s hand because of their wickedness, but Israel had went too far. They had let their understanding of God’s judgment become mixed with their own understanding. Consequently, they sinned greatly against God.
Look at the ending of verse 10 again,
“…but are there not with you, even with you, sins against the Lord your God?”
Oded went on to tell the people they were to let the captives go, because the wrath of God was upon them, now.
Mercy Extended
In the 12th verse we have a list of four men who stood up against this angry Israelite mob who intended to stand in judgment against their captives. We don’t know if these revengeful soldiers would have obeyed Oded’s instructions if it hadn’t been for these men who realized the audacity of the sin that had been committed. The sin of extending the judgment of God to meet their human understanding.
We find that when faced with opposition to their actions the armed warriors turned and left their captives. It is then we find God’s love and mercy in action.
Azariah, Berechiah, Jehizkiah, and Amasa put a stop to the offence against God. They chose to extend mercy as God had commanded. These men took the spoil that the Israelite’s had obtained from their angry slaughter and clothed the captives. In addition, they put shoes on their feet, gave them to eat and drink, as well as anointed them.
After that, these courageous and honorable men returned the captives to their family in Jericho. The men went with them on this 30 mile trek. Moreover, they provided for them and made sure the weak and feeble were each given a donkey to carry them home. We applaud these men who turned back the wrath of God on Israel. They chose to let God be the one to place the perimeters of judgment. After God’s judgment, they chose to extend mercy to the people that were undeserving.
Misplaced Judgment
Now let’s take this story and put it into practical use in our lives. When we see “Christians” acting in a manner that is wrong we need to be careful of how we judge them. We must not let anger and resentment build up against them because of the way they are acting. It is not our place to judge. God wants us to stop and search our own lives.
Is there any sin dwelling in the secret recesses of our heart? What about our attitudes and the manner in which we live our lives? Living for God and doing what’s right in His eyes is not about looking around us and judging others for their wrong doing. If that is what is found in our lives, could it be that God is saying to us,
“..but are there not with you, even with you, sins against the Lord your God?”
Furthermore, we must make sure we are not justifying a wrongful attitude in our own lives because of another’s sin. As we let God rid our lives of anything and everything that is not Christlike are we then able to reach out in love and mercy to that one we think should change? Are our actions toward them condemning or caring? Are we willing to reach out and help that ‘undeserving one’ even when it will remove us from our comfort zone?
Let God Be Judge
Don’t be caught in the trap of doing God’s job. He is the one who sits in judgment. God also extends mercy. Where would we be if we had not experienced the mercy of God?
In God’s great plan of redemption, He chooses to show His love and mercy through His people. Are you prepared to be that vessel God wants to use to draw others to Himself? Or has your vision become so narrow, that all you see is the wrong in another’s life? Has mercy and love been abandoned in your life for a misplaced judgment of others?
Let’s determine to climb higher in our standard of Christian living. In short, align yourself with God’s directives. Let God be the judge. Allow God to use you to bring others into His Kingdom by extending His mercy and love.
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