Love & Judgment

Ruler’s Responsibilities

Have you ever visited an ancient palace? You may have seen old buildings with wonderful structure regardless of culture.I have been to several old palaces in China, Japan, and South Korea, and I really enjoyed my visit to those places. I also had a chance to visit Williamsburg, Virginia to see how the settlers of the colony lived. As I toured around these wonderful places, it was interesting to see how these kings and royal families lived in the past. Especially, thinking about the life of king. I just cannot imagine the life of a king in one of those dynasties, but it must have been an interesting experience.

As I was touring around these places, I was able to see the throne rooms or royal courts where kings took care of their daily business. A lot of times, a king was also the supreme court judge where the king had to make important decisions for their kingdoms. Some places, they preserved the place of jail and even display the tools used for executions. Kings had to make important decisions obviously.

One thing for sure we can see is that the life of a king is enviable because of the luxurious life they enjoyed. But at the same time, kings needed to make decisions for life or death for people as a judge because a king’s policy and authority will shape the entire kingdom.  

Being a ruler is not an easy job. Can you imagine that your words and decisions are so powerful that it will determine life or death for countless people? The responsibility must be beyond our imagination. But how about being a ruler of the entire earth? Or entire universe? Can you be always fair, right, and diligently seeking justice for all? Can you make everyone satisfied with your judgment call?

Satan claimed that he took that responsibility of being a ruler of this earth since the time when Adam and Eve gave him a rulership of the earth. Look around the world, do you think Satan has been a good ruler of this earth? Unfortunately, we are living in a world where we experience sufferings and pains in our daily lives. It is definitely not God’s fault. Satan is responsible for this chaos.

Getting to know about God

As we begin to read from the beginning of the Scripture, we encounter with the creation story. The beginning of the Bible begins with the beginning of the world. The creation story gives us the notion that God is the ruler of the earth in the beginning because God was the One who created us. From the creation story, we can find the order of the world, God’s ownership of the earth, God’s glory as creator, God’s love for His creatures and lastly, the creation story gives us the reason why we worship God the Creator.

One thing we have to remember as we read this creation story is that we have this lens of western and modern perspective. Meaning, we tend to approach the creation story with the mindset of a love story or a family story between father and children. There is nothing wrong with seeing stories in that perspective but there is one very important notion that we have to remember as we read this creation story. If we read carefully in the Scripture, there was an audience of God’s work. There were beings who saw God’s creation, and there was a celebration of God’s creation. God’s creation was not just creating a physical world but it was about establishing God’s ruling policy and justice. (Job 38:7, Proverbs 8, Psalm 97:1-2)

If we keep reading the creation story, it doesn’t take that much time to get to chapter three of Genesis. Many people claim that God is a god of love. People are not comfortable with believing God’s judgment. However, God’s judgment appeared in the third chapter of the first book of the Bible. It appeared as the judgment for Adam, Eve, and the serpent. That is the beginning of the judgment from the Scripture. I can summarize the Bible as the stories of judgement and God’s plan of restoration. That wasn’t the end of the story of judgment. Genesis 4 has the story of Cain. Beginning in Genesis 6, we can read the story of Noah’s flood. Genesis 11 talks about the story of the Tower of Babel. Genesis 19 talks about the judgment of the city Sodom.

We clearly see the story of judgment in the Scripture.

Judgment is Cruel?

Christian churches have been preaching the message of judgment in many different ways. Unfortunately some use the judgment stories as a fear generator to make people come to church or make a decision to believe in God. This kind of preaching was really popular in the end of 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century. This fear generating preaching had been working really well when the established churches and organized religions had some power and control over personal lives. However, fear generating has its limit. We are created to worship the Creator. When we are exposed to a fear based message, that might give us a short term effect, but if that is not the true character of God, we can be easily frustrated or questioning the true intention.

Now, Christianity faces the back bite of preaching fear-based preaching in the past. As established religions diminishes its influence over society, one of the most fierceful attacks on Christianity is the judgment of God. The question goes like, “how can a loving God, as you claim, put people in hell and see them having that pain for eternity?” People just believe that the judgment of God is too cruel. However, we have to understand that God’s judgment has not been presented correctly. If we know the true nature of God’s judgment, we will have a better understanding of God.

Judgment of God

First, we have to see God as the Ruler. Psalm 146:6-7 says, “Who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps truth forever, who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The LORD gives freedom to the prisoners.” and in verse 10, “The LORD shall reign forever-Your God, O Zion, to all generations.” The same picture goes on in the Scripture in the time of Judges. At the beginning, God did not want His people to have a king. God was not really pleased with that idea of having a king over the Israelites (God’s people). When Jesus was on the earth, Jesus preached the message of the Kingdom of God. When Jesus ascended to heaven, Jesus was recognized by the Father, seated on the right side of the throne. Jesus was worshiped by the heavenly beings “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessings!” (Revelation 5:12) as His Father was worshiped as “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty, who was and is and is to come!” (Revelation 4:8)

Perceiving God as a ruler is as important as perceiving God as a friend. Modern western culture shaped this view of God as friend, which is important aspect. God is a true friend who embraces us. However, God is more than that. God is the Ruler of the universe, and God has to do His job that He promised. As God rules the universe, God has proven Himself as God that He claimed to be. In Revelation 6, when the Lamb opened the fifth seal, all those who faced the injustice are asking question to God. “How long, O Lord, avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” (Revelation 6:10) The Scripture pictures God as a ruler, who is expected to prove His goodness and righteousness to the audience of the universe. This must be tremendous pressure, thus I do not think any human being can take that work of God.

Second, as I mentioned, we can only find ultimate justice from God’s judgment. We know it is difficult to find the truth these days. There is just too much information so that we cannot discern what is true and what is not true. As we see and listen to news coverage, our sense of confusion gets deeper. Justice seems far to achieve. Fairness seems foreign. Peace is unfamiliar. Frustration is everywhere.

When the hunger of justice from different perspectives erupts, the sense of division and polarization overtake our feelings. Hurt and anger are filled in our society. We just don’t know what to believe these days. But God is the God of truth. Psalm 145:16-20 says this, “You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. The LORD is righteous in all His ways, gracious in all His works. The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them. The LORD preserves all who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy.”

If you are seeking true justice, you want God’s justice. God’s justice is expressed as God’s judgment.

Lastly, people are struggling with the thought of hell. The question goes, “How can a loving God put people in hell and see them burning for forever?”

Revelation 20:15 is used many times for this. “Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire”

If we read carefully on the context, first, it is not a threat. It is a symbolic description. It is rather to be an encouragement for people to believe in Jesus, who died for us. When God created the first human life, God used the dust to create and then God breathed the breath of life into the dust. That was an act of creation of human beings, without asking that human being whether he wanted to be created. Of course the first human being could not be asked that question because he did not exist until he was created. God gave that human being a choice to undo God’s creation work because God respects the free will of human beings. Unfortunately, Adam and Eve were deceived to choose to undo God’s creation work in them. Technically, Adam and Eve chose to be disconnected from God. Disconnection from God means going back to before creation status. In the book of Revelation, fire was used as symbol to make this happen. Therefore, being in the fire is the destiny people choose. It is not a place where anyone will be there forever. If we believe in hell as a literal place where people are tortured forever, then we are in a very interesting situation. Hell is generally perceived as where Satan is. If God sends people to hell, that means God owns and operates hell. If Satan is in hell torturing people, then this notion makes God and Satan on the same side. Hell is not a literal destination where people will be tortured forever. Hell is symbolic language for beings that choose to be disconnected from God. As a result, people face the consequence of undoing God’s creation in them. They no longer exist.

Almighty God?

Don’t we believe that God is almighty? Some might ask. God is all powerful. God created this world by His spoken words. Why then, does it seem like God is so limited by His own principle?

Why did God give humans free will?

Why does God respect our free will?

Why didn’t God just wipe out humans and all creation and recreate creation number two?

Why didn’t God just finish the devil?

What requires Jesus to go through the death on Calvary?

Why does it seem like God limits Himself from being almighty? Why does He limit His divine power?

In the Scripture, we encounter stories that make us feel like God has been working based on certain principles. He kept making promises. He renews the covenants several times. Jesus was here on earth, and died on the cross but we are still waiting for His second coming, when, according to the Bible, we will be able to see everything in the light.

As we are in the time of waiting, we see the struggles and sufferings of human beings. We wonder, what is God doing right now? Isn’t God the Ruler of the universe? Why can’t He just make things done now?

Jesus and The Father, The Moral Government of God

Jesus prayed earnestly in John 17. In verses 1-5 have interesting insights.

Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.”

It is interesting that verse three indicates that eternal life is knowing the Son (Jesus) and the Father. Eternal life is knowing who has began the world. Eternal life is knowing who has saved us. Eternal life is knowing who is working now to advocate for us. Eternal life is knowing that God will restore us to be with God. Eternal life is knowing that God will bring us back to heaven. At the same time, eternal life is knowing that rejection of knowing God results in eternal separation from God, not that God is happy to do that but God has to respect the choices made by those who do not want to be with God. But God does not want anyone to be separated from Him. The clear plan was given, God limited Himself, subject to the principle of good and right. By proving His love towards us, God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, who died for all of us.

Hugo Grotius said this, “God could not merely freely forgive the sinner…..  because it was not His role merely as an individual offended Deity that was involved. Rather it involved His role as Ruler of the universe – a universe that can only function in peace and safety according to certain principles of fairness and justice. This shift of God as offended Being to God as offended Ruler means that in enforcing His law, He is not doing it out of some personal sense of pique, pride, or impaired glory. Rather He is acting on behalf of the good of all the beings of the universe that depend on the stability, fairness, and morality of His government. In defending His honor, His character, He defends, as Ruler of the Universe, the very thing that allows the universe itself to have order, stability, security, peace and of course, love.”

God’s judgment reminds us that we are beings in the world, and a part of the universe. You are not by yourself, but all the beings of the universe look at you because by our lives, and our faith, God will prove His love to the entire universe.

Aren’t you glad to be a part of the community of universe?