then a throne will be established in steadfast love,
and on it will sit in faithfulness
in the tent of David
one who judges and seeks justice
and is swift to do righteousness.
{Isaiah 16:5}
That's what we want, isn't it? Ask anyone on this earth, and they will agree with you, we want justice. We want what is right to win. We want to have a judge that is fair and good. We want to have a judge that we trust, and if our judge is right and just, that is trustworthy. So, if this is what we all crave in the deepest parts of us, why do we reject the perfect Judge?
We live in a world where no one wants to be judged, but everyone wants to be the judge.
The problem with that is we cannot be the perfect judge. We are not givers of steadfast love. We are not faithful. We are not swift to do righteousness. We are not capable of those qualities. Sure, maybe one minute I keep my word and deliver upon my promises, but the next minute, I'm plotting how to get out of a commitment I previously made.
Good news.
There is a perfect Judge, and we already have Him.
He was born into a world that eagerly awaited the answer to their pain. This heir to the throne of David was coming, they had been told, clothed in righteousness, and He was going to deliver them from their suffering. Generation after generation, the people waited and waited for their King.
But then He came.
Born to a poor family.
A baby.
In the middle of the night in a small town.
The world didn't know He had even come. The people looked right through Him, pushing Him aside as they watched and waited for what they thought would be their deliverance - a majestic king, they thought, would come and rule on earth forever. He would build them up. He would solve their problems. He would look and smell much better than this guy.
THE PERFECT JUDGE WALKED AMONG US.
THE PERFECT JUDGE DIED OUR DEATH FOR US.
THE PERFECT JUDGE SENT HIS SPIRIT TO DWELL WITHIN US.
But since we want to be the judge, we reject this perfect Judge, because He makes us feel uncomfortable. He makes us feel weird. He tells us we can't do things we feel we want to do. And when our life crumbles, we curse this perfect Judge, blaming His existence for our brokenness.
We hope for this perfect Judge. We hope for peace on earth. We hope for goodness to prevail. But our own corruption prevents us from seeing this Judge as perfect. And so we mope around, complaining about our lives and greedily choosing what we want, telling everyone else they're doing life wrong, and going about our miserable way.
This Christmas, and forevermore, let us fall on our knees and pray to this perfect Judge for His grace and mercy to fall upon us. Let us pray to be clothed in His innocently spilled blood, in His righteousness. Let us pray to have eyes to see what is truly good, what is truly just, what is truly right, even if it makes us feel weird. Let us boldly approach His perfect throne, for we know that His grace is bigger than the murders we commit.
He came to save. Let us pray that we may receive His salvation.
for the Lord is our Judge,
the Lord is our lawgiver,
the Lord is our King,
He will save us.
{Isaiah 33:22}
