Just Us

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by elizabethaudet

by elizabethaudet

Psalm 82:1-8

This chapter is dealing entirely with God, the Supreme Ruler-THE FINAL JUSTICE! God's position is well established, but somehow we easily forget His ability to handle the matter. We compare it to our own reactions to problems and situations. If we could always hearken to God only, life would be so much easier. We judge unjustly, and therefore, share in the blame of forgetting Who is in command!

Some study guides place Psalm 82 in the Wisdom category, but I chose to use a new JUSTICE category for this Psalm. Although there are only 8 verses, they are potent! Verses 1-2, God is calling the judges of the earth to appear in a heavenly assembly; verses 3-4, God reviews His commands to the judges of earth; verse 5, He hears the complaint against the judges; verses 6-7, God gives His proclamation of the judges of earth; and verse 8, The final acceptance of His JUSTICE. This chapter was written by Asaph.

So here we go-"COURT IS IN SESSION, THE MOST HONORABLE GOD ALMIGHTY, CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, PRESIDING!" (TLB)-"God stands up to open heaven's court. He pronounces judgment on the judges. 'How long will you judges refuse to listen to the evidence? How long will you shower special favors on the wicked?" Well the evidence is in and it is most condemning. Not the story we want to hear of an earthly judge! Avoiding clear evidence is wrong and buying favors is out! (2 Chronicles 19:6 explains a similar problem Jehoshaphat faced. It says in (NKJV)-"He said to the judges, 'Take heed to what you are doing, for you do not judge for man, but for The Lord, who is with you in your judgment...' "; Deuteronomy 1:17 sets down the rules-"You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small voice as well as the great. You shall not be afraid in any man's presence, for the judgment is God's. if the case is too hard for you, bring it to Me, and I will hear it.")

Now Asaph lets us know what the real problem is in verses 3-4 of Psalm 82- disobedience to God's laws. (CEB)-"Give...":

1. "JUSTICE to the Lowly"

2. JUSTICE to "And the orphan;"

3. "Maintain the right of the poor"

4. "And" Maintain the right of "the destitute!"

5. "Rescue the lowly"

6. "And" Rescue "the needy"

7. "Deliver them from the power of the wicked!"

That was the rules they were supposed to follow! (Deuteronomy 24:7-"...Put away the evil from among you."). God demands equality for JUSTICE to all. Even our flag salute upholds the phrase, "...WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL! Have we forgotten what we stand for?No one supersedes another, but these were the charges brought against the judges of the earth.

But the strongest charge causing these bad affects on humanity is a disregard for the seriousness of their positions as judges. They do not fear the resulting judgment on themselves for abusing their positions. Verse 5 says (NKJV)-"They do not know, nor do they understand; they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are unstable." ( Psalms 11:3 says-"if the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?"; 82:5-(CEB)-"...all the earth's foundations shake."). It is important that we hold steadfast in God's control lest we find ourselves in the same condemnation. How quickly we judge each other with prejudice even as Christians, but God finds us all equal.

Next we see in Psalm 82:6-7-(TLB)-"I have called you all "god's" and "sons of the Most High". But in death you are mere men. You will fall as any prince-for all must die." (Jesus used similar words in the following text when His own human body was facing death. John 10:31-38-(NKJV)-"Then the Jews" (humans) "took up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, 'Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of these works do you stone Me?' The Jews answered Him saying, 'For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy because You being a Man, make Yourself God.' Jesus answered them, 'Is it not written in your law, I said, ' You are god's?' 'If He called them gods to whom the Word of God came (and the scripture cannot be broken), Do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming because I said, 'I am the Son of God.' If I do not the works of My Father, do not believe Me, BUT if I do, though you do not believe me, believe the works that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him."). We are accepted in God's Kingdom as His children "Sons of God", but we need to let our works reveal our position in God!

So we come to the last verse of Psalm 82 when the Power of TRUE JUSTICE is released. (TEV)-"Come, God, and rule the world; all the nations are Yours." So the final judgment is placed by the sound of heaven's angels-(NKJV)-"Then the seventh Angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven saying, ' THE KINGDOMS OF THIS WORLD HAVE BECOME THE KINGDOMS OF OUR LORD AND OF HIS CHRIST, AND HE SHALL REIGN FOREVER AND EVER!" HERE COMES THE JUDGE-Psalms 96:13-"FOR HE IS COMING, FOR HE IS COMING TO JUDGE THE EARTH. HE WILL JUDGE THE WORLD WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND THE PEOPLES WITH HIS TRUTH."; 98:9-"FOR HE IS COMING TO JUDGE THE EARTH. WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS, HE SHALL JUDGE THE WORLD, AND THE PEOPLES WITH EQUITY."

God expects us to use the same JUSTICE here on earth that He metes out to us! So "COME , GOD, AND RULE THE WORLD; ALL THE NATIONS ARE YOURS."

WE GIVE YOU OUR LIVES AND ASK YOU TO TEACH US YOUR JUSTICE WITH ALL ITS EQUALITY AND FAIRNESS!

Next time...