Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.
Justice and judgment are the foundation and dwelling place of God's throne, while mercy and truth go before His face, so that His rule is both perfectly righteous and deeply compassionate. That same foundation upholds the Son's throne and kingdom, and is expressed in God's law as a holy, just, good and enduring standard of righteousness that cannot be destroyed. In the heavenly sanctuary the law in the ark is the standard by which all are tested, while the mercy seat above the law shows mercy joined with justice, and Christ pleads His blood so God remains just while justifying the repentant sinner. God cannot set aside His law or its smallest requirement to pardon sin, so Christ's suffering and death satisfies justice and vindicates the law, and at the cross mercy and truth meet and righteousness and peace come together. Mercy and truth are promised to the humble, penitent and obedient, while judgment awaits the impenitent, and those who serve God must reflect the righteousness, justice, mercy and truth of His throne in their treatment of others.
Throne's Foundation Described
Justice and judgment are the foundation, habitation, and support of God's throne, while mercy and truth go before His face, so His rule is both righteous and compassionate, just and faithful. Heaven is a world of order founded on this throne, and His sovereignty brings blessing to created beings even amid evil and suffering. His power carries out whatever His wisdom desires and His love inspires. The same foundation marks the Son's throne and kingdom, with justice, judgment, mercy and truth attending Him in His supremacy and rule. This word belongs to the promises to David that look forward to the eternal ages and find their complete fulfillment in Christ.
God's law is the foundation and expression of His throne, linked with it as the enduring standard of righteousness, holy, just, and good. It is not a cold code of demands, commands and traditions, for Christ who spoke it at Sinai revealed its full scope, far-reaching claims and glory in the Sermon on the Mount and restored it to its proper light. It cannot be destroyed by satanic or human forces, and the truth it guards may appear overshadowed but will live and triumph. Obedience to its precepts brings His work among His people, renewing humble and contrite hearts and making character pure and holy. Righteousness and holiness are the foundation of His throne, so His rule is grounded and established on what is right.
Sin is opposed to that foundation and cannot be endured, so God casts out those who rebel against Him. He cast disloyal angels out of heaven, and sin crucified His Son, therefore those who would be holy saints in heaven must first become holy saints on earth by overcoming sin. God is omnipotent, so whatever His wisdom desires or His love inspires His power will execute, and despite His majesty He loves the most helpless and suffering among His children. That love was manifested when Jesus the Prince of Life suffered as the Just for the unjust to save men from death and misery, showing evidences of His power for the sufferer to remember and trust.
God's government, law and administration are just, and Satan's rebellion is permitted to run its course to reveal this justice before the universe and expose the false charge that God's rule is unjust. Truth is inspired and guarded by God and is itself a foundation of His throne. He will make truth triumph in His own time over every opposition to His work, with every error in doctrine uprooted and every truth living forever.
Justice and Mercy United
Psalm 89:14 is fulfilled in the heavenly sanctuary, where the law kept in the ark is the standard of right by which all humanity is tested, while the mercy seat above the law represents mercy joined with justice. The mercy seat signifies Christ pleading His blood for sinners, showing how God can remain just while justifying the repentant sinner. Through that intercession God justly forgives through the atonement, restores the sinner to fellowship with Himself, and clothes the redeemed in Christ's righteousness.
As Judge and Avenger of justice God cannot set aside His law or remove its smallest requirement in order to pardon sin, for failure to execute the penalty even for the smallest transgression would be a crime in His administration. The sacred dignity, rectitude, justice and moral excellence of the law must therefore be maintained and vindicated before the heavenly universe and the unfallen worlds. Christ's suffering and death satisfies the demands of justice and vindicates the law, proving it could not be maintained in honor at any smaller price and was not abolished to meet fallen man in his condition. God in His Son gave Himself to ransom from eternal ruin all who believe in Jesus, taking away their sin and disloyalty as transgressors and replacing useless human fig-leaf coverings with the pure robe of His perfect obedience, since His law cannot be broken without consequence yet the believing sinner can be justly forgiven and justified.
Without changing His law or character God carries out what His love devised for humanity, and at Christ's cross mercy and truth meet and righteousness and peace come together. God's government thus holds justice and grace together, so that believers are assured His rule is grounded in justice and mercy and His promises of salvation are trustworthy.
Warning and Imitation Required
Justice and judgment are the habitation of the throne, while mercy and truth going before the face are promised to the humble, penitent, contrite and obedient. Judgment and deserved punishment, just anger and wrath that cannot be escaped, are prepared for the sinful, disobedient, rebellious, worldly and impenitent. To those who walk in truth is given the grace they need, filling them with peace and courage and confidence.
God guards justice and mercy, notices how people treat their fellow workers, and knows even hidden acts and motives that affect the rights of others. He vindicates His righteousness against those who exploit or wrong others. Those who serve as His helpers and hold positions of trust must therefore reflect the righteousness, truth, justice and mercy of His throne through trustworthy conduct, faithful duty, and righteous treatment of others. They are to reject an unmerciful, oppressive or discouraging spirit toward His people, and to preserve truth with a strict sense of right and justice in daily life.
Justice, mercy and truth, with love, pity, tender compassion, patience and long-suffering, belong to the character of God as represented in His Son Jesus Christ. To worship the true God is to hold this true conception of Him and to seek to become like Him. A false conception is serving a false god as truly as the servants of Baal, even with no outward shrine or image for the eye, since cherished ideas or objects can be made into idols as easily as gods of wood or stone. The law that expresses justice and judgment is not a cold code of demands, commands and traditions but a holy, just, good and enduring standard of righteousness. Christ, who spoke that law at Sinai, revealed its full scope and glory in the Sermon on the Mount, opening understanding to its far-reaching claims and restoring its proper light.
God cannot endure sin, for holiness is the foundation of His throne and sin is opposed to its foundation. He cast disloyal angels out of heaven, and sin crucified His Son. Those who would be holy saints in heaven must first become holy saints on earth by overcoming sin. The sufferer is therefore to commit the keeping of the soul to God as a faithful Creator, with angels round about, having faith in God and remembering what Jesus endured, while He shows evidences of His power. The Lord helps those who diligently seek Him, pardoning sin and giving victory over its power, and creating a holy moral taste that turns from evil toward what He loves. Obedience to His precepts brings His work among His people, renewing humble and contrite hearts and making characters pure and holy.
Justice and judgment are the foundation and dwelling place of God's throne, while mercy and truth go before His face, so that His rule is both perfectly righteous and deeply compassionate. That same foundation upholds the Son's throne and kingdom, and is expressed in God's law as a holy, just, good and enduring standard of righteousness that cannot be destroyed. In the heavenly sanctuary the law in the ark is the standard by which all are tested, while the mercy seat above the law shows mercy joined with justice, and Christ pleads His blood so God remains just while justifying the repentant sinner. God cannot set aside His law or its smallest requirement to pardon sin, so Christ's suffering and death satisfies justice and vindicates the law, and at the cross mercy and truth meet and righteousness and peace come together. Mercy and truth are promised to the humble, penitent and obedient, while judgment awaits the impenitent, and those who serve God must reflect the righteousness, justice, mercy and truth of His throne in their treatment of others.
Throne's Foundation Described
Justice and judgment are the foundation, habitation, and support of God's throne, while mercy and truth go before His face, so His rule is both righteous and compassionate, just and faithful. Heaven is a world of order founded on this throne, and His sovereignty brings blessing to created beings even amid evil and suffering. His power carries out whatever His wisdom desires and His love inspires. The same foundation marks the Son's throne and kingdom, with justice, judgment, mercy and truth attending Him in His supremacy and rule. This word belongs to the promises to David that look forward to the eternal ages and find their complete fulfillment in Christ.
God's law is the foundation and expression of His throne, linked with it as the enduring standard of righteousness, holy, just, and good. It is not a cold code of demands, commands and traditions, for Christ who spoke it at Sinai revealed its full scope, far-reaching claims and glory in the Sermon on the Mount and restored it to its proper light. It cannot be destroyed by satanic or human forces, and the truth it guards may appear overshadowed but will live and triumph. Obedience to its precepts brings His work among His people, renewing humble and contrite hearts and making character pure and holy. Righteousness and holiness are the foundation of His throne, so His rule is grounded and established on what is right.
Sin is opposed to that foundation and cannot be endured, so God casts out those who rebel against Him. He cast disloyal angels out of heaven, and sin crucified His Son, therefore those who would be holy saints in heaven must first become holy saints on earth by overcoming sin. God is omnipotent, so whatever His wisdom desires or His love inspires His power will execute, and despite His majesty He loves the most helpless and suffering among His children. That love was manifested when Jesus the Prince of Life suffered as the Just for the unjust to save men from death and misery, showing evidences of His power for the sufferer to remember and trust.
God's government, law and administration are just, and Satan's rebellion is permitted to run its course to reveal this justice before the universe and expose the false charge that God's rule is unjust. Truth is inspired and guarded by God and is itself a foundation of His throne. He will make truth triumph in His own time over every opposition to His work, with every error in doctrine uprooted and every truth living forever.
Justice and Mercy United
Psalm 89:14 is fulfilled in the heavenly sanctuary, where the law kept in the ark is the standard of right by which all humanity is tested, while the mercy seat above the law represents mercy joined with justice. The mercy seat signifies Christ pleading His blood for sinners, showing how God can remain just while justifying the repentant sinner. Through that intercession God justly forgives through the atonement, restores the sinner to fellowship with Himself, and clothes the redeemed in Christ's righteousness.
As Judge and Avenger of justice God cannot set aside His law or remove its smallest requirement in order to pardon sin, for failure to execute the penalty even for the smallest transgression would be a crime in His administration. The sacred dignity, rectitude, justice and moral excellence of the law must therefore be maintained and vindicated before the heavenly universe and the unfallen worlds. Christ's suffering and death satisfies the demands of justice and vindicates the law, proving it could not be maintained in honor at any smaller price and was not abolished to meet fallen man in his condition. God in His Son gave Himself to ransom from eternal ruin all who believe in Jesus, taking away their sin and disloyalty as transgressors and replacing useless human fig-leaf coverings with the pure robe of His perfect obedience, since His law cannot be broken without consequence yet the believing sinner can be justly forgiven and justified.
Without changing His law or character God carries out what His love devised for humanity, and at Christ's cross mercy and truth meet and righteousness and peace come together. God's government thus holds justice and grace together, so that believers are assured His rule is grounded in justice and mercy and His promises of salvation are trustworthy.
Warning and Imitation Required
Justice and judgment are the habitation of the throne, while mercy and truth going before the face are promised to the humble, penitent, contrite and obedient. Judgment and deserved punishment, just anger and wrath that cannot be escaped, are prepared for the sinful, disobedient, rebellious, worldly and impenitent. To those who walk in truth is given the grace they need, filling them with peace and courage and confidence.
God guards justice and mercy, notices how people treat their fellow workers, and knows even hidden acts and motives that affect the rights of others. He vindicates His righteousness against those who exploit or wrong others. Those who serve as His helpers and hold positions of trust must therefore reflect the righteousness, truth, justice and mercy of His throne through trustworthy conduct, faithful duty, and righteous treatment of others. They are to reject an unmerciful, oppressive or discouraging spirit toward His people, and to preserve truth with a strict sense of right and justice in daily life.
Justice, mercy and truth, with love, pity, tender compassion, patience and long-suffering, belong to the character of God as represented in His Son Jesus Christ. To worship the true God is to hold this true conception of Him and to seek to become like Him. A false conception is serving a false god as truly as the servants of Baal, even with no outward shrine or image for the eye, since cherished ideas or objects can be made into idols as easily as gods of wood or stone. The law that expresses justice and judgment is not a cold code of demands, commands and traditions but a holy, just, good and enduring standard of righteousness. Christ, who spoke that law at Sinai, revealed its full scope and glory in the Sermon on the Mount, opening understanding to its far-reaching claims and restoring its proper light.
God cannot endure sin, for holiness is the foundation of His throne and sin is opposed to its foundation. He cast disloyal angels out of heaven, and sin crucified His Son. Those who would be holy saints in heaven must first become holy saints on earth by overcoming sin. The sufferer is therefore to commit the keeping of the soul to God as a faithful Creator, with angels round about, having faith in God and remembering what Jesus endured, while He shows evidences of His power. The Lord helps those who diligently seek Him, pardoning sin and giving victory over its power, and creating a holy moral taste that turns from evil toward what He loves. Obedience to His precepts brings His work among His people, renewing humble and contrite hearts and making characters pure and holy.