{"id":4199,"date":"2015-04-12T13:25:00","date_gmt":"2015-04-12T18:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.heartofgraceministries.com\/blog\/?p=4199"},"modified":"2015-08-02T13:32:06","modified_gmt":"2015-08-02T18:32:06","slug":"judgements-blessings-closer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.heartofgraceministries.com\/blog\/after-the-fact\/judgements-blessings-closer\/","title":{"rendered":"Divine Judgement And Blessings"},"content":{"rendered":"

I have been forced to reconsider the relationship between divine judgment and divine blessing. I have always thought of them as opposites that have no relationship. I like to think of judgment as something that has little to do with me and much to do with my enemies. I like to think of God\u2019s blessings and salvation as mine, unrelated to judgment. I have come to the conclusion that divine judgment and divine blessings are very closely inter-related.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

In the\u00a0<\/span>first<\/i><\/span>\u00a0place, God\u2019s judgment is the means whereby He delivers us from our enemies <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a> (3:15, 19).\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>15<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>The\u00a0Lord<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the\u00a0Lord, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span> 19<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>[7]<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Second<\/i><\/span>, divine judgment purifies the righteous remnant <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a> (3:9).\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span>9<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>For then will I turn to the people a pure language,\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>[3]<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>that they may all call upon the name of the\u00a0Lord, to serve him with one consent.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Finally<\/i><\/span>, God\u2019s judgment is the means by which God brings about our blessings. When God removes the wicked, it is so He may come and dwell with us. In addition, when God removes the wicked, He gives their possessions to His faithful remnant <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

(2:5-7, 9-10). <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a> 5<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the\u00a0Lord<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>6<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>7<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for the Lord<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>[<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>1<\/span><\/span><\/span>]<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

9<\/b><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Therefore as I live, saith the\u00a0Lord<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them.\u00a0<\/span>10<\/b><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the\u00a0Lord<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>of hosts.<\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The judgment of the wicked is the means to our blessing.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

These reasons for divine judgment can best be summarized in this way:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n