God is Judge

Extracted Verses and Quotes from the Sermon

Biblical Verses

Judges 19:25-29

“I came to Gibeah that belongs to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to spend the night. The men of Gibeah rose up against me and surrounded the house at night. They intended to kill me and raped my concubine until she died. Then I took my concubine and cut her into pieces and sent her throughout the whole extent of Israel’s territory, for they have committed a vile outrage in Israel. So now you Israelites, all of you, give your advice and your counsel here.”

Judges 20:12-17

“The tribes of Israel sent men throughout all the Tribe of Benjamin saying, ‘What crime is this that has been committed among you? Now then, hand over these scoundrels in Gibeah so that we may put them to death and purge the evil from Israel.’ But the Benjaminites would not listen to their kinfolk, the Israelites. The Benjaminites came together out of the towns to Gibeah to go out to battle against the Israelites. On that day the Benjaminites mustered 26,000 armed men from their towns besides the inhabitants of Gibeah. Of all this force, there were 700 picked men who were left-handed; everyone could sling a stone a hair’s breadth and not miss. The Israelites, apart from Benjamin, mustered 400,000 armed men, all of them warriors.”

Judges 20:47

“But 600 surviving Benjamite men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon and remained there for four months.”

Judges 21:8-12

“The congregation sent 12,000 soldiers there and commanded them, ‘Go, put the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead to the sword, including the women and the little ones. This is what you shall do: every male and every woman that has lain with a male, you shall devote to destruction.’ They found among the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead 400 young virgins who had never slept with a man, and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh in the land of Canaan.”

Judges 21:25

“In those days there was no king in Israel; all the people did what was right in their own eyes.”

Genesis 19:1-11 (Summary)

The story of Sodom and Gomorrah where men of the city surround Lot’s house and demand to have relations with his visitors, leading to God’s judgment on those cities for their wickedness.

Judges 8:23

“I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you.”

2 Corinthians 5:10

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.”

Revelation 22:12

“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.”

Hebrews 11 (Reference to Lot)

Lot is considered among the righteous.

1 Peter 1:13-16

“Therefore, prepare your minds for action, be sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’”

Psalm 34:13-16 (Paraphrased)

“For those who desire life and good days, let them keep their tongues from evil and lips from deceit, turn away from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Hebrews 12:1-2 (Paraphrased)

“Let us lay aside every weight and sin that clings so closely and run with endurance the race set before us, looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who endured the cross for the joy set before him.”

Memorable Quotes

“This story is actually a story of good news, not necessarily for the concubine but it is for us today.”

“The Levite tells a heavily edited version of the story; he tells the truth yes, but he doesn’t tell the whole truth.”

“What happens here is an ever-widening circle of violence from the original brutal and bloody crime.”

“Every man did what was right in his own eyes. That describes today; everybody in America now does what is right in their own eyes.”

“This story here is an echo of Genesis 19, the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, word for word in Hebrew.”

“In both stories, a resident alien offers hospitality to a stranger, which in those days was against the law.”

“When you compare these two stories, we gain a clear picture of the differences between judgment from God and judgment from men.”

“God acts within the terms of his covenant with humanity; he does not act capriciously. God acts redemptively, while Israel acts retributively.”

“When God judges, the righteous are saved, but when man judges, the wicked are preserved and the innocent suffer.”

“We tend to forget that just as God was judge of Israel back then, God is also our judge today.”

“We are now living during what the Bible would imply is the pre-advent judgment, when God is determining whose name is in the Lamb’s Book of Life and whose names are not.”

“God’s people are not to assume any end-time advantage with God over fallen humanity.”

“There is nothing in our life that should outweigh the beauty and the blessings of what God has prepared for those who love Him.”

“We are called to examine ourselves, to ask God to reveal which part of our life is not in harmony with His holy will.”

“No sin today is worth exchanging for eternal life.”

“In the Book of Judges, despite the frailties of human leaders, God is still in control and He is the ultimate judge behind every imperfect human judge.”

“The word ‘church’ means Ecclesia, those who have been called out of the world to be sent back with a heavenly purpose.”

“We are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses; let us lay aside every weight and sin that clings so closely, and run with perseverance the race set before us.”

“God is judge. God is a just judge. There is nothing in my life or your life today that He does not know.”

“Put on the robes of righteousness and run with perseverance the race that God has set for you in life, trusting that one day He will say to you, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; enter into the joy that has been prepared for you.’”

Other Quotations

Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy

“While the investigative judgment is going forward in heaven, while the sins of penitent believers are being removed from the sanctuary, there is to be a special work of purification, of putting away of sin among God’s people upon earth.”