Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it

.... Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice ..... for He is coming to judge the .... world with righteousness, And the peoples with His truth (Psalm 96:12, 13). The first part is, of course poetry, and unless the New earth is more like C. S. Lewis's Narnia than we have even imagined, not to be taken literally. Paul describes the current state of creation as being in the bondage of corruption that it groans in birth pangs, as do we “who have the firstfruits of the Spirit” (Romans 8:21-23). So it struck me this morning, that we should look at things like the caronavirus, and earthquakes, tsunamis etc., as well as our own suffering, as birth pangs. And what is being birthed is the kingdom, for He is coming.

And when we, like Jesus did, push through the pain to joy, then we can perhaps start to understand how God is working all things together for good for those of us who love Him and are called according to His purposes (Hebrews 12:2; Romans 8:28). It may sound a little strange to our ear to read the rejoicing is because “He is coming to judge the .... world with righteousness, And the peoples with His truth.” In our fallen state it is altogether appropriate that we should fear judgement, rather than enter into rejoicing because it's coming. But for the one who has heard Jesus' Word, and has believed in the One who sent Him, this one has everlasting life, and shall not come into (the final) judgment, but has passed from death into life (John 5:24). There is of course a judgment for the believer, but it is not the justification aspect of salvation, of our freedom from the penalty of sin. We must all however go through the refining fire of the believer's judgement, but as the Scripture says “he himself will be saved, yet as through fire” (1 Corinthians 3:11-15). But should we not fear that?

Well, there is now no condemnation to those who walk according to the Spirit, for the “law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1, 2 NKJV). And when we walk in the light as He is in the light the blood of Jesus Christ keeps on cleansing us from all sin, and as we put to death the deeds and the passions of the flesh (1 John 1:7; Romans 8:13; Galatians 5:24). I feel about this, the same way I felt about cancer when I was diagnosed with it. I was willing to do whatever was necessary to get it completely out of my body. I mean if you were diagnosed with cancer, how much of it would you want them to leave there? It's a rhetorical question, none of course. And these days I feel the same way about sin. And just as I could rejoice when I was declared to be in remission, so I will rejoice when I am finally removed from the very presence of sin. And the believer's judgement is about precisely that, about finally getting rid of every last vestige of sin. And then I, together with all creation, will rejoice!

Father, in some ways I can't wait, though with Paul for me to live is Christ and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21). And I rejoice in faith and in hope this morning, and I praise and bless You Lord, in Jesus Name Amen