Psalms 7: O Lord my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands; if I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; (yeah, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy.
This week I feel compelled to talk about repentance. Just about every conversation of late has provoked the thought of God’s assigned judgment.
While I was running around this subject, God broadened my point of view to understand there is off-brand clothing being sold to folks trying to get into heaven. Fortunately, the negative connotations surrounding the perception of the word Judgement kept bothering me to further ponder its meaning. Yet as I was thinking about the purpose of judgment, the questions arose of who’s the judge, what is the law, and who has been appointed to cry out for justice amid poor judgment.
Pontius Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth”? Before he assigned him over to an unjust death. I always took an unconscious note that they parted Jesus’s garment that was whole and desirable to many. But why is the parting of his single garment with no seems being stated within the text? I’ve personally concluded that this was a sign of God’s law amongst man being divided. Off they went to patent and rebrand his holy garments.
- Jobe 29:14 ” I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; My justice was like a robe and a turban.
- Revelation 19:8 “It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.”
- Isaiah 61:10 “I will rejoice in the Lord, My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
- Isaih 59:17 “He put on righteousness like a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His Head; and He put on garments of vengeance for clothing and wrapped himself with zeal as a mantle.”
- Isaiah 11:5 states” Also righteousness will be the belt about his loins;and faithfulness the belt about his waist.”
In the book of Zechariah 3:3,” Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and stood before The Angel that said take away from him the filthy garments. Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with a change of raiment.”
Joshua falls into the category of an appointed judge. “Thus saith the Lord of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.”
Thanks to Luke, the beloved physician who decided to follow a mere carpenter, he could write and establish a thorough understanding of God’s law. In Luke 12:1, Jesus said, “Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.” He goes on to say, “what we say in the dark will be revealed into the light, and that spoken in-ears in the closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.”
Jesus reiterates his own law spoken beforehand in proverbs and voiced by David in psalms. In Luke 9:39, Jesus further explains, “ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter, but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness. Woe unto ye for you pass over judgment and the Love of God: these ought ye to have done”, then to the lawyers, “Ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves and them that were entering in ye hindered.”
Some people put on the appearance of righteousness, but inside they are ravenous wolves. In the parable that Jesus gave about the Kingdom of Heaven, he says it is like unto a king that threw a party and bid his guests. They made an excuse to put on this and do that instead of what the King asked, then the King was angered and said go out and bring in whoever will come. Most people get excited that Jesus bid the invitation to anyone that they overlooked the raggedy clothed man who went to the feast.
In Mathew 22:11,” When the King came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment, And he was speechless. “Then said he to his servant, bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few chosen.”
Back to the top of this off the dome Tuesday post to conclude the matter of judgment and justice being a personal vindication request between man and God. in Psalms 7, David asked for judgment,” O Lord my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands; if I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; (yeah, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy. Let the enemy persecute my soul and take it, yea let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay my honor in the dust.” He was able to say this because he understood the laws of God.
“Let your loins be girded about and let your lights be burning……
“Blessed are the servants that watch….. he shall gird himself and make them sit down to the meat and will come and serve them.”
The story of Giliade reminds me of the judgment of Revelations and how God is gathering the nations to make a great judgment. This story can be found in the book of Judges, 7:1 God wants to save Israel, but he has to make it plain that it’s not by their strength lest they vaunt themselves against Me saying Our hands have kept us”. Next, God instructs Giliade to send away” whoso is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early.” Then God says to bring the people to the water that He may try them for him so that Giliade would know who to bring to war for their desired victory.
Jesus said, “Fear not who can kill the body but to fear who can kill and cast the soul into hell.” “Five sparrows are sold for such and such, but not one of them is forgotten before God, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consist not in the abundance of things which he possesseth. A man once asked Jesus to speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me”. Jesus responded, “Who made me a judge or a divider over you?
Because Jesus did not part the sky to divide the land for man, but to take the sting out of death and to say, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for their’s is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted? Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy….. rejoice and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven…….
Just because someone looks empty and lacks fine clothing doesn’t mean they’re poor. In sickness and in health, I pray that your soul prospereth, that you may have an abundance of wealth and internal health on earth as it is in heaven. The best Wealth investment or trust fund is Jesus on the mainline. In Psalms 7:11,” God says his court is open 24/7, Just be sure to come in your best clothing.
How to have peace when Jesus said he came to bring the sword to divide?
Is there such a thing as raggedy repentance?
Before repentance we need to become awareness of God’s love. That his perfect love castes out all fear of failure, exchanged for the expectation of progression. Man just needs to progress in it’s ability to love.
Big Contradiction 