GOD WILL SETTLE ALL ISSUES
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 58:10 “The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. 58:11 So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.”
Romans 2:16 “In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.”
INTRODUCTION:
A man kills his wife and hides her body in the back yard underneath a layer of new concrete.
A woman poisons her husband and now lives lavishly on his life insurance.
A police officer plants drugs in someone’s car or apartment and now they are doing time.
A woman cries sexual harassment when it didn’t happen, but you still lose your job.
An elder man is beaten and robbed. There are no witnesses.
Children are used to peddle dope on the streets every day.
A woman throws her newborn baby in a trashcan.
A doctor performs abortions every day while he/she drives a Mercedes, lives in a $500,000
home, and vacations in Hawaii.
You are lied to or abused in some way by your employer.
You are laid off by an employer who keeps workers who have less seniority and/or ability.
The leadership of our company has stolen all of your retirement and you must now get
another job. You can’t retire like you planned.
An innocent young lady is brutally abused. She was blindfolded. There are no witnesses.
Can we even start to imagine the wrongs that have been committed since Adam? Our courts are busy daily prosecuting cases around the clock. Our prisons are overflowing with inmates. Think of the individuals who have committed crimes and yet they were never discovered. They lived high on stolen money. They lived and died with blood on their hands. There were no witnesses . . . . except . . . . for God. His eyes roam the Earth. His ears are always listening. His angels are always recording . . . . every act on Earth, good or bad. God will solve all crimes. God will judge all evil. There will be a day of court when God will settle all issues. And, because of this, we don’t have to settle them.
I. THE WORLD THAT WE LIVE IN
A. Is Cursed
Genesis 3:17 “And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;”
The fruit of our first parents’ rebellion was death, murder, lies, abuse, thief, profanity, etc
Job 14:1 “Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.”
B. Is Temporary
II Corinthians 4:18 “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things
which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things
which are not seen are eternal.”
Matthew 24:35 “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”
II Peter 3:7 “But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in
store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.”
C. Is Cruel
Psalm 71:4 “Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of
the unrighteous and cruel man.”
I Corinthians 10:13 “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man:
but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able;
but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to
bear it.”
You can “bear it” knowing that “there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God
that judgeth in the earth” who will settle all issues.
II. WHAT IS THE CHRISTIAN’S PROPER RESPONSE TO THIS WORLD’S CRUELTY
A. David’s Response
Psalm 58:6 “Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the
young lions, O LORD.”
It is probably impossible to know exactly what was taking place in David’s life at the time of this prayer, but one could suppose that this was a time when Saul sought to kill David. In fact, Psalm 57 clearly deals with this time of David being hunted. During this time, Saul had many advisors. Apparently, these advisors would not speak up on David’s behalf to convince Saul of his madness in relentlessly pursuing David. Especially seeing that David was one of the most honorable men in Israel. But, these men would not speak up in a time when they should have and perhaps David prays for their defeat and destruction. As well, I see a prophetic type here in this Psalm. When reading through this Psalm, it clearly jumped out at me that David spoke by the Spirit of God concerning the present day of David and the last days of all mankind. C. Bouwman
Dare we to pray as David did? May we pray as David did? Let this be clear, my beloved: God Himself put the words of Psalm 58 on the lips of the man David – and he was a man no different from us. And God Himself put into the Bible the words He once placed on David’s lips – and did so for our edification and encouragement. So we cannot gloss over this psalm, this prayer; instead, we need to learn to pray as God moved David to pray…. C. Bouwman [This was a true example of righteous indignation.]
But this, my beloved, is already the promise of Gen 3!! God shall bruise the head of the serpent, God shall crush the serpent and all his followers till nothing is left. That is the promise of God.
And if God has promised, are the children of God not to ask God to do what He has promised to do?? Do God’s children not long for the total defeat of the evil one?? Is that not what love for God is all about? If God’s people are to pray that the Father in heaven please make His kingdom to come, does that not imply that God please destroy Satan’s kingdom?? And therefore cast all Satan’s followers into hell also?? C. Bouwman
Psalm 7:11 “God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.”
B. The Response of Moses
Numbers 10:35 “And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up,
LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee.”
Sure, the words of Ps 58 strike us as more powerful than those of Moses in Num 10, but there is no difference in essence; both are prayers for the destruction of God’s enemies, both are petitions asking God to do as He promised He would in Gen 3, both are supplications urging God to act according to the promises He made in Deut 28. C. Bouwman
C. The Response of Jesus
1. What Jesus prayed:
Luke 23:34 “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they
do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.”
2. Why Jesus didn’t pray for deliverance from, or destruction to, his enemies:
a. Because He was doing God’s will.
b. Because He was “breaking the teeth” of Satan by dying a sinless sacrifice.
D. The Response of Martyrs
Revelations 6:9 “And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of
them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true,
dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?”
E. Our Response
1. Pray
a. Not according to our emotions.
The reality of our depravity means that we can’t let our feelings dictate
how we pray. C. Bouwman
b. Not for our own benefit. We can’t use God as a big brother. But, we can
rest with confidence that God will settle all issues.
c. According to God’s will and for God’s glory.
So it is, my brothers and sisters, that David prays the prayer of our text not because of frustration on his part, not because of annoyance or irritation, not because of a desire in his heart to see brothers in Israel suffer and perish; David prays the loaded words of vss 6-8 because God laid these words on his lips –how?- through the Scriptures God had given to His people to date. David’s hearty desire was to have God’s name glorified, and God’s name was not glorified by counsellors in Israel who kept their hands on their mouths, counsellors who worked wickedness amongst God’s people, who refused to judge uprightly. Make no mistake: not David’s frustration prompts this prayer, but God’s instruction does – and so it’s to be with all prayer. C. Bouwman
So I pray that the Lord will destroy sin in every person, will destroy the sinner’s sinful conduct, will destroy the devil behind the sinner, yes, [LASTLY] will destroy the sinner himself if he stubbornly insists on breaking down the glorious name of God Most High. And equally I pray that the Lord will cut out of me the evil that remains, the desire to do wrong, the desire to take revenge on those who have hurt me. C. Bouwman
2. Forgive
Matthew 6:14 “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will
also forgive you: 6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither
will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
3. Be Patient
I Peter 2:20 “For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall
take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it
patiently, this is acceptable with God.”
Philippians 1:29 “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to
believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;”
4. Wait
Romans 8:17 “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with
Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified
together.”
5. Hope
I Corinthians 4:10 “We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honorable, but we are despised. 4:11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace; 4:12 And labor, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:”
I Corinthians 13:7 “[Charity] Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things,
endureth all things.”
6. Live Peaceably
Romans 12:18 “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 12:20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 12:21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Romans 12:18 “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.”
7. Allow the “powers that be” “execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.”
Romans Ch 13:1 – 7 These verses give power to government vengeance to be
executed on those in the society who do evil. It also gives the government the
right to collect taxes to support the authorities.
All that is not clearly settled on earth, God will settle it.
III. IT’S A FEARFUL THOUGHT
Hebrews 10:30 “For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. 10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
Hebrews 10:31 (a)This figure reveals the terrible sufferings of that one who fails to kneel as a suppliant for mercy at the feet of the Lord Jesus. The terrible wrath of an angry God will fall upon him in judgment. Dictionary of Bible Types
Acts 17:30 “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: 17:31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.”
IV. EXAMPLES OF GOD’S JUDGMENT ON EARTH
The Flood in Genesis; Sodom & Gomorrah Angels that sinned
II Peter 2:1 “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and
bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2:2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 2:3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; 2:5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; 2:6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; 2:7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 2:8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:”
Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth who will settle all issues!!!!
V. GOD WILL SETTLE ALL ISSUES
II Thessalonians 1:6 “Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; 1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 1:9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;”
Jude 1:14 “And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 1:15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”
As each man [or woman] passes into another world, there is an immediate judgment passed upon him; but this is only the foreshadowing of that which will take place in the end of the world. Still, though such judgments proceed every day, yet there is to be a day, a period of time, in which, in a more distinct, formal, public, and final manner, God will judge the sons of men. Charles Spurgeon
It does not matter who you are. It does not matter where you are. It does not matter what you are. It does not matter whether you are rich or you are poor, whether you are a very important person or a very insignificant nobody. The facts of the matter are clear: You are a human being. You have been conceived. You have been born. You possess a human body and an immortal human soul. Now that you have come into existence, you will continue to exist forever, either in the presence of God’s eternal love or subject to God’s eternal fury. Christopher Raiford
The judgment will be fair. Here is a judge who does not take bribes and is not influenced by anyone. He is not subjective, but judges solely on the truth. But the truth, the real truth, can be terrible, because there is no denying it or getting away from it. At the final judgment it will be totally fair, which means that there will be no excuses or justifications. There will be no influencing the judge or giving bribes on any side. Only the truth will be taken into consideration. The final judgment will not be a media circus event.
Christopher Raiford
Revelation 20:11 “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
CONCLUSION
You can avoid the wrath of God. Repent and accept Christ as your Lord and Savior
After death, if you die lost, there is no hope . . . there is no escape.
Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth who will settle all issues!!!!
