THE JUSTICE OF GOD by J. Clarke

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 23, 1860

THE JUSTICE OF GOD.

By J. Clarke

WE know what it is, for the decalogue and its penalties proclaim it with trumpet tongue in every enlightened conscience. God has not left man in doubt here. We know his standard of right, and we know that his mercy, and forbearance, and love, have waited long.

It would be presumption in man to say, "As far as God is just I can honor him, and no farther;" none but a wicked man would say this. But having before us his perfect rule of right, and his own vindication of right, and his hatred of evil inscribed upon the world's history for 6000 years, we may have pretty clear views of his justice, and substantial evidence too, that that justice has forborne nearly to its utmost.

Those who deny the most sacred of Jehovah's laws, may with propriety stand aghast, when the great and terrible retributions of his justice are set in order before them, and they may charge those who sympathize with their kind and merciful Creator, with dangerous error; but I ask, Are those who live in daily and weekly transgression of his laws, the ones to draw the line, and define the limit of Jehovah's justice? Do not they deny on the one hand his law, and on the other his proclamation of the same in the third message?

If there ever was an age that had peculiar advantages for appreciating the forbearance and justice of God, it is the present; that is, those who receive the truths especially applicable to the present time and age, which do define most definitely God's justice. If we recur to Sinai and behold the awful manifestations of God's unbending justice; when we consider the sudden and awful destruction of Korah and his troop; of Sodom and Gomorrah; the case of Achan; especially the history of the Hebrew people up to the present time; and looking into the future, we may see in the seven last plagues, and the horrors of the second death, the hatred God has for sin; but his mercy is proclaimed in the dispensations of love for so many centuries of forbearance, winning the rebellious race of man by Godlike love in an infinite variety of ways; but most wondrously in the scenes of the trials and death of our Lord and Saviour.

But God, although so merciful, is not slack, and his judgments, though long withheld, must come at length, and mercy's voice must cease, when our gracious High Priest finishes his ministration; and now the time hastens on, and the time of trouble such as never was is just upon us, the seven last plagues of Jehovah's wrath poured out without mixture of mercy are at the door,

and now God by his Spirit is fortifying the minds of his obedient children for the terrible day before them.

It is indispensably necessary that those who are to behold such an awful display of the retributive justice of God, as these are to witness who had the warning of the third message contained in Rev. xiv, 9-13, should clearly see the justice of God in carrying out literally the sequel as contained in Rev. xvi.

Already do we behold the ire of our rebellious race arising against the proclamation of this message. Especially is this ire excited against the prominent place the decalogue holds in this last message to the world; and it is the justice of God as displayed in present truths by means of his glorious law, which is so abominable in the sight of men, who choose rather to look only on one attribute of God, as displayed on the cross.

The song of those who will be redeemed from the earth at the coming of Christ will magnify especially the justice of God, "just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints," and the present truths are peculiarly adapted to magnify the justice of God. No reasonable person will dispute the position that the justice of God should be vindicated by his people, not that he needs it, but his people need to be fully settled on this point, and to be in harmony with his justice, as much as his mercy. Thus will they be fitted to sing the song on the sea of glass, ascribing justice and truth to God.