Lectionary for 12/8/08

Today's readings are Isaiah 24.14-25.12 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Is.+24.14-25.12 ), 1 John 2.15-29 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=1+John+2.15-29 ), and Obadiah 1-21 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Obadiah+1-21 ).

As we look at the end of time in this season celebrating the coming of the King it's easy to let our terminology regarding the final judgment be kind of sloppy.  And that's been the case on this blog as well.  Something our Isaiah passage makes clear is that the final return of God to judge does not exactly constitute a judgment between life and death.  He doesn't kill those in their unbelief in such a way as to put an end to them as I would put out the flame of a candle.  On the contrary, God's return in judgment brings this world as we know it to an end but it sets up a very different manner of being.

First, resurrection will be the word for the day.  Who will be resurrected?  All the dead are to be resurrected.  The resurrection is not only for those who died in faith.  It's for everyone in this world, all who receive Christ's redemption, which would be everybody.  Remember as we read recently in 1 John 2 that Christ died for the sins of the whole world.  So the dead are resurrected, those who are alive are brought face to face with God as well.

What else happens?  It seems clear that there is some sort of judgment.  This does not appear to be a time when people give testimony, but rather when they are presented with the testimony God has.  And since God knows all about everything the testimony will be quite complete.  And with God's stated standard that we are to be holy like he is holy, nobody will stand in the judgment of God.  Here's where it becomes easily muddled.  But it's also where the good news comes in.

Since Jesus has already borne the penalty for the sin of the whole world, all that sin which God points out in judgment is accounted to Christ.  There's just one more step.  Who has lived and died in disbelief, thinking he has been adequately good, wishing to earn merit before God on the weight of his own goodness?  In other words, who is there who in life did not believe that Jesus bore the penalty for his sin?  That person is allowed to bear the penalty for his sin himself, even though Christ has already done so.  And since we see that everyone is resurrected and everyone has an immortal soul, that penalty is not some sort of physical death or an obliteration of the soul.  Rather it consists of an eternal separation from God, an inability to trust that Jesus has paid the penalty for sin.  It's an eternity being allowed to pay for sin which costs more than we can ever pay.  This is condemnation indeed.  This is what God views as true death - not the removal of the soul from the body, not the extinguishing of the existence of the soul, but leaving the human to pay his own way.

What hope do we have then?  During this life, let us believe on the Jesus who died for our sin.  Let us trust his righteousness.  Let us throw ourselves upon his mercy.  And let us take courage.  Jesus has conquered death, hell, and the grave.  He graciously makes those who believe him him partakers of that victory as well.