Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 1415
Delivered on Lord’s-Day Morning, May 19, 1878
“Where is the God of Judgment?” Malachi 2:17.
“Then shall you return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serves God and him that serves Him not.” Malachi 3:18.
You were not here, I am thankful to say, last Lord’s-Day evening, for it was your duty and privilege to stay away to give others an opportunity of hearing. My subject, then, [Sermon #1414, No Difference] was our heavenly Father who makes His sun to rise upon the evil and upon the good and sends rain upon the just and upon the unjust. Then I set forth the universal benevolence of God and the way in which He stays the operations of Justice to give space for forbearance and long-suffering. Now this fact, this gracious fact, which ought to lead man to repentance, has, through the perversity of human nature, been used for quite another purpose. Men have said, “He blesses the evil as well as the good. The sun shines on all alike. The rain indiscriminately enriches the field of the tyrant and the pasture of the generous heart— where is the God of Judgment? Is there such a God? Is it not one and the same whether we fear Him or disregard Him?”
Side by side with this has run another circumstance perhaps even more readily misunderstood. God is, in this life, preparing His people for a better world and part of that process is effected by trial and affliction so that it frequently happens that the godly are in adversity while the wicked are in prosperity. Having no such designs toward them as toward His people, the Lord permits the wicked to enjoy themselves while they may, so that oftentimes they are as bullocks fattened in rich pastures—but they forget that they are fattened for the slaughter! The righteous, brought very low, are often in poverty, frequently in sickness and not seldom in despondency of spirit—but all to prepare them for Glory! From the trials of the godly, which are all sent in wisdom and in love, shortsighted man has inferred that God has no regard to human character and even treats those worst who serve Him best.
In Malachi’s days the blaspheming crew even said that God takes sides with the wicked and they wearied God by saying—“Everyone that does evil is good in the sight of the Lord and He delights in them.” Then again they uttered the old rude but plain-spoken question, “Where is the God of Judgment?” Truly Brothers and Sisters, in looking with these poor eyes upon the affairs around us, they do appear to be a great tangle and snarl, a mixed medley of strange happenings. We see the true princes of the earth walking in the dust and beggars riding upon horses! We mourn as we see servants of God and heirs of Heaven lying, like Lazarus, sick at the gate of the ungodly miser, while the vicious libertine is rioting in luxury and drinking full bowls of pleasure!
Until we perceive the clue, Providence is a labyrinth into whose center we can never penetrate. But there is a clue which opens all its secrets! There is a God of Judgment, not sitting in Heaven in blind indifference, but looking down upon the sons of men and working out purposes of righteousness at all times. At this time I propose to speak upon the fact that God does put a difference between the righteous and the wicked and makes no mistake between Egypt and Israel. The Lord knows them that are His and in His dealings, which we cannot always understand, He has not confused His people with the world, nor does the rod of the wicked rest upon the lot of the righteous. He has a right hand of acceptance for them that fear Him and He has a left hand of punishment for those that fear Him not.
This distinction is not so apparent, yet, as it shall be, but we shall now trace the gradual widening of the division between the two classes and show that still there is a God of Judgment and that, by-and-by, even the blindest eye shall be able to discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serves God and him that serves Him not.
I. First, then, THERE ARE SIGNS OF SEPARATION between the righteous and the wicked. The first sign is seen in the evident difference of character. “They that feared the Lord” are spoken of. That is to say, there are still some on the face of the earth who believe that there is a God, who believe in the Revelation which He has given, who accept the Atonement which He has provided and who delight to be obedient to the will which He has declared. How came they to fear the Lord? The answer is, it is a gift of His Grace and a work of His Spirit wherever it is found. It makes a distinction very deep, very vital and, consequently, very lasting, for it shall continue throughout eternity!
Let us bless God that in the worst times He still has a remnant according to the election of Grace! And when blasphemers grow bold in sin and say, “Where is the God of Judgment?” there are at least a few hidden ones who nevertheless look up and behold the Lord exalted above the rage of His foes. There will always be a band who bow the knee and worship the Most High because their hearts stand in awe of Him. God is beginning to separate His chosen from the world when He gives them an inward sense of His Presence and a consequent holy fear and sacred awe of Him. The dividing work begins here—in the bent and current of the heart.