Judge שָׁפַט

There have been several very interesting words in chapter 18 of Genesis which is why we have been here for several days. Our word for today will be the last one we will look at in this chapter. שָׁפַט judge, pass judgment; administer justice, govern, rule. It is used 203 times in the Old Testament. It is not surprising that it is used the most in the book of judges where it is used in the sense of ruling because one of the tasks of a ruler is to make judgments for their people. Judges 3:10 The Spirit of the Lord came on him [Othniel], so that he became Israel’s שָׁפַט judge and went to war. Judges 4:4 Now Deborah, a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth, was שָׁפַט leading Israel at that time. Judges 10:2-3 He [Tola] שָׁפַט led Israel twenty-three years; then he died, and was buried in Shamir. He was followed by Jair of Gilead, who שָׁפַט led Israel twenty-two years. Judges 12:7-9 Jephthah שָׁפַט led Israel six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried in a town in Gilead. After him, Ibzan of Bethlehem שָׁפַט led Israel … Ibzan שָׁפַט led Israel seven years. And so on throughout the book. This word is used 21 times in the book of Judges mainly as a title to describe the rulers work of administering justice. Now let’s take this idea into the first time it is used in the bible as a title for God. Genesis 18:25 Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the שָׁפַט Judge of all the earth do right? Notice the description of God’s kingdom. He rules over where? The whole earth. And he has personally come done to check in on Sodom and Gomorrah because of the reason given that people have cried out about it. Who well those who have been the victims of the evil Sodom and Gomorrah had done against them. Sin is not an isolated thing that doesn’t hurt the one doing it and those around them. This is why God goes out of his way to warn us against the dangers of it. So, God is about to bring judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah while at the same time administer justice to all those effected by their evil. This will be done in such a way that people will talk about it for thousands of years as we are even today. We will see this in our next chapter.But for today let’s look at the good news about God being our judge. As our judge we get to decide what window if you will God will look through when he looks at us in making this decision. The window of law or grace. We see this in Romans 11:22 Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. Which do we want God’s kindness or sternness? I know a good deal when I see it so I’ve chosen God’s kindness and accepted Jesus as my savior so that his death in my place will bring about this judgment “not guilty”. Now I know I’m guilty and God knows I’m guilty but because of Jesus, he declares me not guilty this is what the word justification or justify means as seen in Romans 3:24-25 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. Because I put my faith in Jesus God views my life from the window of grace that is he sees Jesus perfect life instead of my sinful one. If I am not in Christ, then God looks at my life through the window of law and just sees my sin and the judgment will be guilty. This is why Paul is so excited to declare in Romans 8:1-2 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.