Word of Encouragement (03/02/2023)
For I lift up my hand to heaven and swear, As I live forever, 41 if I sharpen my flashing sword and my hand takes hold on judgment, I will take vengeance on my adversaries and will repay those who hate me. 42 I will make my arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh--with the blood of the slain and the captives, from the long-haired heads of the enemy.' 43 "Rejoice with him, O heavens; bow down to him, all gods, for he avenges the blood of his children and takes vengeance on his adversaries. He repays those who hate him and cleanses his people's land." (Deut. 32:40-43)
Now, Moses takes up the song and issues a call to rejoice with God over His vengeance on His enemies on His people’s behalf. (There are different versions of this verse, but we will just stick with the ESV translation.)
Some may feel uneasy about this call: how can we rejoice when God’s terrifying judgment falls, even on the wicked? We may hate someone and wish to see him suffer. But when he actually gets what he deserves and suffers terribly, we may feel a tinge of pity for him. How can we bring ourselves to rejoice when the wicked are subjected to the most terrifying punishment of God for all eternity? Even worse, how can God rejoice in the destruction of the wicked? Doesn’t God say in Ezek. 33:11, “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live...”? Yes, and we must not deny this precious and beautiful truth.
But we must also keep in mind that God’s patience is not forever. God has appointed a measure of sin for each individual, nation, and for the whole world. Until that measure is filled, God shows His patience, calling sinners to faith and repentance that they might live. “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty...” (Ex. 34:6-7); “Be assured, an evil person will not go unpunished” (Prov. 11:21). So, when the measure is filled, God’s judgment comes without a moment of delay. Because God’s judgment comes after His long-suffering patience, there is no reason left for pity. Notice how the sinners are characterized: they are God’s adversaries; they are those that hate Him; they are also those who shed the blood of God’s children.
Who is called to rejoice with God? “Rejoice with him, O heavens; bow down to him, all gods....” Most likely, “heavens” and “all gods” refer to the angels in heaven. In Ps. 82:6, the angels are called “gods, sons of the Most High.” As God’s ministering spirits, who have witnessed the evils of the wicked with their pure, glorified vision, they will be most ready to rejoice with God over the judgment of the wicked. Of course, we cannot exclude the glorified saints in heaven, whose blood the wicked have shed (v. 43). These are the souls that are found under the heavenly altar, who cry out, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth” (Rev. 6:10)? With the blood of the wicked, God will cleanse His people’s land.
What do you rejoice about? Thankfully, because we live in the age of God’s grace, we pray for the salvation of sinners and rejoice when they repent and turn to God in faith. But there will come a day when this will not happen any longer. With our hearts perfectly conformed to God’s will, we will rejoice in the judgment of the wicked. That is only right. Until then, let us be diligent in praying for and extending the gospel of Jesus Christ so that all of God’s elect people may be saved to the very last one.