Beholding God’s Glory: God’s Righteousness
Psalm 143:11
Last week I said that Jerry and I believe that in 2012 God is calling each of us to grow deeper in trusting Christ, with the result that our marriages will be stronger and more Christ-centered, our families will be even more filled with joy and love, our home groups will be even more devoted to caring for each other, we will be reaching out to people in our workplaces and neighborhoods – and the result is that we will see people brought to faith and baptized and becoming part of our community.
But we won’t be able to do any of that – unless we are going deep in knowing God. That’s what we read in Daniel 11:32 – which we are memorizing. So let’s go over it a few more times.
“Daniel 11:32 – “the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action.”
That’s why we are taking four weeks to go deeper in knowing God. Last week we talked about God’s holiness. And today we’re going to talk about God’s righteousness.
Why is God’s righteousness so important?
It’s because everything God does is righteousness. God’s righteousness is the motivation behind everything God does.
For example, what moves God to be angry at sin and to punish sin is His righteousness. You can see that in Isaiah 10:22 –
For though your people Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will return. Destruction is decreed, overflowing with righteousness.
Because of Israel’s persistent sin, God decreed destruction against Israel – and the vast majority of them were killed so only a remnant returned to Jerusalem. But notice that this decree of destruction was overflowing with righteousness – it was motivated by God’s righteousness.
So the reason God punishes sin is because He is righteous. That probably doesn’t surprise you. But you might be surprised to see that the reason God forgives sin is also because He is righteous.
You can see that in Psalm 51:14 –
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
So when David is delivered from bloodguiltiness – he will sing of God’s righteousness. Because it’s God’s righteousness that motivates Him to forgive sin.
Does that puzzle you? Good. Because I’m hoping that this morning you will leave here with maybe a deeper understanding of God’s righteousness than you have had before.
So what is God’s righteousness? What does it mean that God is righteous?
For years I heard it means that God always does what’s right. And that’s true – but that doesn’t get to the heart of God’s righteousness. This morning I want us to dig deeper.
What does the word “righteous” mean in the Bible? There’s a great illustration in Leviticus 19:35-36. Here’s a literal translation from the Hebrew --
You [God is talking to us] shall do no wrong in judgment, in measures of length or weight or quantity. You shall have righteous balances, righteous weights, a righteous ephah, and a righteous hin: I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.
So what is a righteous balance? It’s a balance that fits reality. If the reality is that two objects weigh 10 pounds – then a righteous balance will fit that reality by showing that they are the same. A righteous balance fits reality.
Same with a righteous weight. A righteous weight is a weight that fits reality. If it says “16 ounces” on the front, then the weight fits the reality of what it says by really being 16 ounces. A righteous weight fits reality.
What’s a righteous ephah? An ephah was a measurement used to buy wheat. So if you say you are selling an ephah of wheat, then a righteous ephah means that what you give your customer fits the reality of what you said – it’s a full ephah of wheat.
So to be righteous means that what you do fits reality.
So let’s apply that to God – for God to be righteous would mean that what He does fits reality. So think about God. In eternity past there was God. Just God. A God who is holy – who has infinite glory.
And remember how we explained glory last week? Glory is what you feel when you see something and say “Wow!” Anybody have some “Wow!” experiences this week?
But God’s “Wow!” is infinitely greater than any other “Wow!” there is. God has always been with no beginning, God has power to create the entire universe, God is so massive He fills the entire universe, God is sovereign over everything, God knows everything consciously all the time, God is full of all-powerful joy in the fellowship of the Trinity, and God loves – coming to earth and becoming a man so He could suffer in our place to save us from our sin. God’s “Wow!” is infinitely greater than any other “Wow!” there is.
So -- for God to be righteous means that what He does fits the reality of His holiness – His infinite glory. So as God looks at His infinite glory – what should He do? What fits His infinite glory – is to do everything he does to display His infinite glory.
OK – that sounds plausible. But does the Bible ever say that? Yes – in Psalm 143:11 --
For your name's sake, O LORD, preserve my life!
In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble!
In Hebrew poetry there’s something called parallelism – where the author makes one statement – and then gives a parallel statement which teaches the same truth in different words. That’s what’s going on here.
So – for God to do something in His righteousness (2nd line) is the same as doing it for the sake of His name – to display the worth of His name, the glory of His name, the holiness of His name.
So for God to be righteous means that He does everything for the sake of His name. He does everything to display His infinite “Wow!”
To see this even more clearly – let’s ask – is this really God’s purpose for everything he does? All through the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, we see that this is God’s purpose for everything He does.
For example, why did God create us? Look at Isaiah 43:7 –
… everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory …
God did not create us because He was lonely. God was full of infinite joy in the fellowship of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But God created us for His glory -- so that as we saw His “Wow!” and loved His “Wow!” – His “Wow!” would be seen all the more. God created us to display His “Wow!”
Why did God part the Red Sea? Psalm 106:7-8 --
Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wondrous works; they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love, but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea. Yet he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make known his mighty power.
Israel had just seen God’s power bring gnats and darkness and plagues and finally the death of every first-born upon Egypt – so Pharaoh freed Israel from her slavery. But when Israel saw that she was between the Red Sea and Pharaoh’s armies she started grumbling and murmuring. So she did not deserve anything good from God. But God saved them – and parted the Red Sea. Why? For his name’s sake – to make known His mighty power – to display His “Wow!”
Why does God punish those who rebel against Him? Look at Ezekiel 28:21-23. Sidon had been a terribly wicked city, rebelling against God even after God had patiently revealed Himself to her. So look at what God says --
"Behold, I am against you, O Sidon, and I will manifest my glory in your midst. And they shall know that I am the LORD when I execute judgments in her and manifest my holiness in her; for I will send pestilence into her, and blood into her streets.
So why does God punishes those who rebel against Him? To manifest His glory – to manifest His holiness – to display His “Wow!”
What was God’s purpose in the Cross? Here’s what Jesus says to the Father as He heads to the Cross – in John 12:27-28 –
"Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.”
God’s purpose in the Cross was to glorify His name. We are completely unworthy. We deserve only punishment. But on the Cross we see Jesus’ love for us – being willing to endure the Father’s wrath so we could be saved. And on the Cross we see the Father’s love for us – being willing to punish His own blameless, innocent Son for our sins so we could be saved. God’s purpose on the Cross was to display His “Wow!”
Why does God save people? Ephesians 1:5-6 --
… he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace.
You and I deserved only God’s punishment. But because of Jesus, the moment we bend the knee before Jesus and receive Him as Savior, Lord, and Treasure – we are adopted into God’s family. Why does God do this? To the praise of His glorious grace – to display His “Wow!”
Why does God lead us, pardon us, help us?
Psalm 23:3 -- He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Psalm 25:11 -- For your name's sake, O LORD, pardon my guilt, for it is great.
Psalm 79:9 -- Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name.
Every mercy God shows to us is righteous – because it displays His glory and exalts His name and displays His “Wow!”
What is the purpose of the Second Coming? At the end of history Jesus will come back. Why does He come back? 2 Thessalonians 1:9-10 --
They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed.
Jesus will come back to be glorified and to be marveled at – to display His “Wow!”
And finally, what is the purpose of heaven? Revelation 21:23 --
And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.
Heaven shines with the glory of God – especially as it is seen through the lamp of the Lamb – Jesus Christ who was slain for us and rose for us. So heaven is all about God displaying His “Wow!”
So God is holy – His perfections set Him infinitely above everything else there is. And God is righteous – everything He does is righteous – everything He does is done to uphold and display His infinite “Wow!”
Why is this good news for us?
So why is that such good news? It’s because God is the infinite joy of the universe. Your greatest joy is beholding His glory – worshiping His glory – loving His glory. So the best news you could hear is that God does everything to display His glory.
Imagine that your highest joy was fame, or food, or career, or surfing – something like that. I’ll use surfing as an example. So imagine that I heard that everything God does is done to give you the best possible surfing. Can you feel how that would be good news?
But my highest joy is not surfing. And your highest joy is not food or fame or money – all those would get old after a while. Our highest joy is beholding God’s glory. Which means the most loving thing God can do for you is to do everything to display His glory – because the more He does that – the more joy you will have – now and forever.
But I am sure that for some of you this does not feel like good news. It would be better news if God was devoted to giving you health, or money, or fame, or comforts – because you don’t know God – you don’t feel anything from all this talk about God’s glory.
Well – can I be blunt? For years I didn’t feel anything either. And with me then – and you now – the problem is not that God’s not there. The problem is our sin. Your sin has hardened your heart so you feel nothing about God.
But here’s the good news. Because of Jesus’ death on the Cross – if you will bend the knee before Jesus this morning – and confess that your heart is hard, and ask Him to forgive you, and change your heart – He will. He will forgive you for all your sin, and He will change your heart – and for the first time you will taste infinite joy – the joy of knowing God.
And for the rest of you – even after we’ve been saved we can let sin harden our hearts. One way we can tell that’s happened is because we stop feeling love for God’s glory – joy in God – delight in God.
And I’ve got good news for you, too. If you this morning will come to Jesus as you are, confessing your hard heart, trusting Him to forgive you and change you – He will. He will give you a fresh outpouring of His Spirit – so you will again feel love for God’s glory, joy in God, delight in God.