I don’t know about you, but in the last few months, I’ve felt like reading the news has become increasingly discouraging. Maybe I’m just getting older and growing more aware, but it seems as though the number of heartbreaking news stories has been increasing, and it feels like I can’t scroll for ten seconds without stumbling upon another story of horrific tragedy happening somewhere in the world.
We don’t need to look for very long at all to see that this world is desperately broken and that sinful human beings are capable of unspeakable evil, and that reality can easily leave us feeling hopeless and even fearful for the wellbeing of future generations. In the midst of the darkness and chaos of this world, where can we turn for hope? I want to suggest that we can find a great deal of hope somewhere we don’t often think to look—in the judgement of God.
When we think of God’s judgement, I suspect we most often think of it in relation to ourselves—as something bad to be avoided. Crushed under the perfectly righteous standard of the Law, we realize our wickedness and run to Christ to flee from judgement. And thanks be to God that when we do, we really do escape from it! Afterwards, however, how much time do we spend thinking about judgement? If we no longer stand under judgement personally, can it still benefit us in any way? I think it can, because even as we know God primarily as a God of mercy and grace, he is also a God of righteousness, justice, and equity. He is a God who has promised to deal with every injustice and bring holy judgement upon all those who commit evil.
Because we are made in the image of God, all of us have a built-in moral impulse to seek justice against wrongdoing. We see stories of all of the terrible atrocities that have taken place in the Middle East and yearn for that which is heartbreakingly wrong to be made right. We want to see those who commit evil, morally-reprehensible acts brought to justice. And in our worst moments, we maybe even find ourselves wishing we could execute that judgement ourselves. In these moments, we would do well to remember that Jesus promised that he will return to judge the earth. Such a judgement is good news for us because it means that evil will not have the final word. Whether judged at the cross or judged at the end of history, every wrong will be made right, everything crooked will be made straight, and all things will be made new.
And so, as our hearts collectively break for the weight of brokenness and evil in the world around us, let us not forget that the judgement of God in Christ isn’t merely a bad thing to be avoided—it is a source of hope for all of us who long to see justice, righteousness, and equity prevail.
All the best,
Luke
