Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations: Prepared Hearts

Judgment at the House of God Part 1 of 3

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: New Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2012-02-09

Synopsis: In this sermon, Pastor John Weaver introduces a three-part study on 1 Peter 4:17-19, focusing on the theme that judgment begins at the house of God. He explains that judgment is seasonal, occurring when iniquity is full, and can be punitive, corrective, or preventative. Weaver emphasizes that God's judgment or chastening is for the benefit of believers, not against them, and that understanding God's holiness and man's depravity is essential to grasping this truth.

[John Weaver] Let's open our Bibles today to 1 Peter chapter 4. 1 Peter chapter 4. 1 Peter chapter 4. And we're going to be looking at verses 17 through 19. 1 Peter chapter 4 verses 17 through 19. Now, I will tell you before I read Scripture today that we're going to be on this passage the following two weeks as well. So I would encourage you to look at it not only today as we study it, but even the coming weeks and meditate upon it. There is a great deal of material in these three verses. So 1 Peter chapter 4, beginning there with verse 17.

[John Weaver] For the time has come that judgment must begin at the house of God. And if it first begin at us, What shall the end of them that obey not the gospel be? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore, let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

[John Weaver] Each of us has read, heard, and probably can quote the verse that is found in 1 Peter chapter 4 and verse 17. For the time has come that judgment must begin at the house of God, and if it first begin at us, what shall be the end of them that obey not the gospel? Those who are not able to quote that verse, at least understand the verse or the thrust of that verse, that judgment first begins at the house of God and then spreads outward.

[John Weaver] What I want to do in the next couple of weeks is break down this verse and demonstrate its teachings not only based upon the context but even the remote context. And we probably never considered the fact that this verse has really very wide applications. The truth of the matter is that most people do not want to understand this particular passage because most people really do not want to face truth.

[John Weaver] You can ask this question, why in the world would judgment first begin at the house of God? Why would God begin with His people? Unhappily, most professing Christians have no understanding of the principles of Holy Scripture. The average modern day Christian bases his understanding upon his experience or his own thought pattern and both are extremely defective. They're humanistic and rationalistic. Isaiah 55 verses 89, God tells us, For my thoughts are not your thoughts, saith the Lord, and my ways are not your ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. Very few people really and truly approach the Word of God as the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God.

[John Weaver] Most of us probably never ever seek to understand truth from God's perspective. What we prefer is to understand everything from our own perspective simply because we want to be the interpreters of reality. We want to be the ones to determine when judgment should or should not come. And we want to be the ones to determine whether or not God is just or unjust in sending judgment. But let me just spell this out for you. We are not the interpreters of reality. God is. And God is the one that determines those things. There are two major problems that the average Christian has when it comes to talking about judgment, chastisement, and suffering. The first major problem is this. We have misconceptions of God. The basic misconception is this, that the average individual wants to view God as loving and merciful, but they do not wish to view Him as righteous, holy, and just. The average professing Christian prefers to have God as an aged man, an old man in heaven, in a rocking chair, who has no interest in sin or rebellion or wickedness, but then he leniently winks at our sins and our indiscretions because he understands that we must sow our wild oats.

[John Weaver] No. What we fail to understand is this. Yes, God is loving. Yes, God is merciful, but God is also holy and God is also just. He said in Deuteronomy chapter 32 and verse 39, See now that I, even I am He, there is no God with me, I kill and I make alive, I wound and I healed, neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand. Notice what God said, I, even I am He, I kill, and I make alive. I wound and I heal, and there is none that can deliver out of my hand. You see, we try to make God like ourselves, and yet God is infinitely different than we are. God is infinitely holy and righteous, and God dwells in unapproachable light. Isaiah chapter 57 verse 15 tells us, For thus saith the High and Lofty One that inhabited the eternity, whose name is Holy, I dwell in the high and holy place.

[John Weaver] So God's holiness then demands justice and His righteousness makes justice inevitable. So one of our major problems is we fail to understand who God is. We fail to understand God's attributes. We try to make God from our own selves and from our own thinking, from our own perspective, when the God of Scripture is totally and completely different from the God of man's imagination. The second major problem that we have is this, that we fail to understand the doctrine of total depravity.

[John Weaver] We try to think of man as good and moral and upright and just simply because some individuals appear to be that way, We tend to think that's the way they are. We never really seriously consider the dubious, hypocritical, scheming, sinful, wicked, and rebellious nature of man. Do you think if I got on a modern day TV program or if I got before Congress and I said, men by nature hate God and they do not want Him. Do you think that would go over very well? And yet, you know, that's exactly what the Scripture teaches. Because the Bible says in Romans 8 verses 7 and 8, listen carefully, because the carnal mind is enmity against God. And the word enmity is a strong word for hatred. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be, so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. God specifically says that man's mind by nature is enmity against God.

[John Weaver] And what most Christians have done is this. They bought into the humanistic, rationalistic idea that man somehow by nature is good. No, man by nature is not good. Man by nature is wicked and evil. The Bible tells us, Romans 3, verses 10 through 12, let me quote it. You're going to be looking at a lot of scripture later. But Paul wrote in Romans 3, verses 10 and 12, as it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one. There is none that understandeth. There is none that seeketh after God.

[John Weaver] They're all gone out of the way. They're all together become unprofitable. There is none that doeth good, no, not one. Not one.

[John Weaver] Now, the point I'm trying to make is this. If we understood who God is, And if we understood what man is by nature, then we would certainly be more prone to understand God's judgment. For instance, if we really understood God's holiness and justice, and if we really understand man's depravity and wickedness, we would not be asking, why does God send judgment? We would be asking, Why are any of us left alive? Because we would understand that every sinner deserves death. Now, judgment certainly is not a pleasant issue to discuss.

[John Weaver] And most of us are very uncomfortable in discussing it because not only of our lack of understanding, but our detestation of suffering. And yet judgment is a reality of life. It's not only a reality of life for the unsaved, it is also a reality of life for the saved as well. So what I want to do is this. I want to begin today breaking down this passage and demonstrating what the Word of God actually teaches. Now, today we're only going to cover two points. The very first one is this. I want you to consider the season of judgment. Look in verse 17.

[John Weaver] He said, for the time is come. The time has come that judgment must begin at the house of God. So let's consider the season. The time has come. Has it ever dawned upon you that judgment, like everything else, is seasonal? We have spring, summer, fall, winter. And as long as God allows the earth to stand, those seasons are going to come continually. That's just simply a fact of life. The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 3 and verse 1, to everything there is a season and a time and a purpose under the heaven. To everything there's a season.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to hold 1 Peter chapter 1. Go back in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 32. Deuteronomy 32, and look if you would please at verse 35. Remember now, we're talking about the season. He said, for the time is come. And in Deuteronomy 32 and verse 35, I want you to note what God says, and I do love this verse. God says, Deuteronomy 32 verse 35, to me belongeth vengeance and recompense. Their foot shall slide in due time. for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste." Notice what God said, their foot shall slide in due time. Now when Peter said the time is come, he used the Greek word kairos which is translated in our Bibles as time, season, and due time. The Greek word kairos then refers to a definite time, a definite period, a time when things are brought to a crisis, and a time when events take place. Now, just to show you the seasonal aspect of judgment, I want you to turn in your Bibles to 2 Samuel chapter 11, and look at verse 1.

[John Weaver] Here's the best way to understand the seasonal aspect of judgment. 2 Samuel chapter 11 and look at verse 1. 2 Samuel 11 and verse 1. Look what the Bible says. Remember now, we're talking about seasonal judgments, explaining the word season. And it came to pass after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him in all Israel, and they destroyed the children of Ammon and besieged Rabbah, but David tarried still at Jerusalem." Now notice what that verse said, and it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle. You must remember, the Hebrew calendar actually began in the spring with Passover. When was the time when kings go forth to battle? It was in the spring.

[John Weaver] When there was plenty of food available for horses and soldiers and the winter rains and the winter cold was past. So the right time or the proper time or the season for going to war was in the spring. Now when he said it is time What he is saying in verse Peter is there is a proper time for judgment. There's a proper season for judgment. Let me ask this question.

[John Weaver] I want to answer it generally and then specifically. Here's my question. When is the proper season for judgment? When is the proper time for judgment? First of all, I'm going to give you a very general answer. The general answer for judgment is when our cup has been filled with sin and rebellion. Look in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter 15. Genesis 15. And notice if you would please verses 13 through 16. Look what God told Abram. Genesis 15.

[John Weaver] And let's begin there with verse 13. He told Abram, and he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them, and they shall afflict them four hundred years. And also that nation whom they shall serve will I judge, and afterward shall they come out with great substance. And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace, and thou shalt be buried in a good old age. But in the fourth generation, they, that is the children of Israel, shall come hither again. Why?

[John Weaver] For the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. What did God do? What did God do? God sent the children of Israel into Egypt for 400 years. Why? Because the iniquity of the Amorites was not yet full. Their cup had not been filled to the brim. And when it was filled to the brim, God brought Israel out of Egypt, put a sword in their hand and said, kill every one of them.

[John Weaver] That general principle that is true for the wicked is also true for the saints as well. When we have become slothful, and lazy, and indolent, and arrogant, and worthless, to the point that we're good for nothing, He'll send judgment. You say, how can you say good for nothing? Well, our Lord said it in Matthew 5 and verse 13, you'll remember it. When He said, you are the salt of the earth, But if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is set forth good for nothing, but to be cast out, listen, and to be trodden under the foot of men." The phrase, trodden under the foot of men, refers to judgment.

[John Weaver] That judgment may be mental and emotional in the form of detestation and despisement, Or it could be economic and the loss of dominion, or even militarily speaking and physically, where we're defeated and beaten down and some even lose their lives. But what did our Lord say? When the salt is lost its savor, it is henceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and to be trodden under the foot of men.

[John Weaver] Well, that's the general answer. That's the general principle. When our cup of iniquity is full, God sends judgment. However, let me answer a little more specifically. You see, judgment like chastisement, and by the way, they are intimately connected as you will find out before I close today. Judgment like chastisement may be sent for various reasons. There are different kinds of judgment. I could say there are different kinds of chastisement. First of all, there is punitive judgment or punitive chastisement. The word punitive means that someone is being punished for their sins.

[John Weaver] Have you ever whipped your child? That's punitive discipline. You're punishing them for their wrongdoing, for their wickedness. Now there are punitive judgments. There are punitive chastisements. For instance, the flood of Noah was punitive. The judgment of Canaan was punitive. Achan's judgment was punitive. There are many examples of punitive judgments in the Bible where God judged peoples and cities and nations for their sins. Secondly, There are corrective judgments or corrective chastisements in the Bible. For instance, the judgment at the Tower of Babel was both punitive and corrective. God judged them because of their sins and He corrected the problem. You're going to see that sometimes you can have a combination of the reasons or the types of judgment and correction in just simply one judgment or correction. Jonah's judgment was corrective.

[John Weaver] You remember how he got thrown overboard of the ship and the whale swallowed him? That judgment was corrective judgment. Because when the whale spit him out, he sure felt a whole lot more like preaching, didn't he? God changed his mind. God changed his conduct. So, corrective judgments And chastisements are spoken of numerous times in the Bible. Let me show you. Look in your Bibles to Psalm 39. We'll look in the book of Psalms and we'll go to the book of Jeremiah. Look in Psalm 39 if you would please. And verse 11. Just pointing out corrective judgments or corrective chastisements. Psalm 39 verse 11. Look what David said.

[John Weaver] And I want to emphasize the word correct here. Notice Psalm 39 verse 11, David said, When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth, surely every man is vanity. But note, when thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, sometimes a rebuke is all that is necessary. But God's rebuke can make a man consume away like a moth. But notice he's talking about a corrective judgment or corrective chastisement. Look in Psalm 94 and verse 10. Psalm 94 verse 10. Look at what is asked. Psalm 94 verse 10. He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? He that teaches man knowledge, shall he not know? He that chastiseth the heathen shall not he correct? There are indeed corrective judgments. There are corrective chastisements. Look in your Bibles to the book of Jeremiah chapter 2. Jeremiah. Turn right over to Jeremiah chapter 2. And notice if you would beginning there please with verse 19. Look what God tells the people. Jeremiah 2 verse 19. God says, Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backsliding shall reprove thee.

[John Weaver] Know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of hosts. Know that thine own wickedness shall correct thee." God is going to do some corrective chastening. Look, if you would, please, in Jeremiah 10 and verse 24. Jeremiah 10 verse 24. Here it is again, Jeremiah 10 verse 24. Jeremiah prays, O Lord, correct me, but with judgment, not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing. Now Jeremiah wanted to be corrected and he understood that judgment or chastisement is one of the means that God uses. But Jeremiah said, I certainly don't want to be corrected in your anger. Notice if you would, in Jeremiah chapter 30 and verse 11. Jeremiah 30 verse 11, just showing you there are corrective judgments, there are corrective chastisements. Jeremiah 30, notice if you would please verse 11. Look what God says. He tells His people, For I am with thee, saith the Lord, to save thee.

[John Weaver] Though I make a full end of all nations, whether I have scattered thee, Yet will I not make a fool into thee, but I will correct thee in a measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished. So there are corrective judgments. There are punitive judgments. But thirdly, there are preventative judgments. There are some judgments, there are some chastisements that God sends that are preventative. I mentioned the Tower of Babel earlier. And I told you that that judgment was punitive, and I told you it was corrective, and it was, but it was also preventative. What God did prevented the wicked, rebellious sinners from carrying out their purpose. So you can find in this one particular instance that you have all three, punitive, corrective, and preventative. Now, there's another example of preventative judgments given throughout the Bible.

[John Weaver] For instance, did you realize that the entire Syrian army was smitten with blindness just to prevent it from capturing Elisha and the man who was with him? Let me just read the scripture for you. You can find it in 2 Kings 6 and verse 18. And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the Lord and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. And Elisha then led them to the king of Samaria. They had come after Elisha, and God prevented it by smiting them with blindness.

[John Weaver] Now, if you would turn in your Bibles to Acts chapter 13, let me show you another preventative judgment. Acts chapter 13, beginning there with verse 8. This is where Elamus, the sorcerer, was smitten with blindness. And, of course, God smote him with blindness to prevent him from hindering the work of God and the spread of the gospel. Acts chapter 13, beginning there with verse 8. Acts chapter 13, verse 8. But Elamus, the sorcerer, for so is his name by interpretation, withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the truth, or from the faith.

[John Weaver] Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him and said, O fool of all subtlety and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? Now behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness, and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord."

[John Weaver] Note, if you would please, God smote Elamus with blindness. Why? To prevent him from hindering the work of God. It was a preventative judgment.

[John Weaver] Now, no doubt, He probably deserved that and a whole lot more. But in this instance, it was basically preventative. You say, but that deals with sinners. Well, if you will turn in your Bibles, if you would, to 2 Corinthians chapter 12. Let me show you another preventative judgment that refers to saints very obviously. I don't think there's anyone in this room that's going to argue that the great apostle Paul was not a saint, was not a believer. So look in 2 Corinthians 12 and verse 7, what the Apostle Paul said concerning himself. 2 Corinthians 12 verse 7, And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan, to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. So there was some judgment, there was some chastisement that was placed upon Paul that kept him from pride and arrogance and from exalting himself above measure.

[John Weaver] Now some say it was a phalmia, I don't know, which is a horrible eye disease because in the book of Galatians Paul said, you see how large a letter I've written with mine own hand and the word large does not refer to length but refers to the size of the letters. So Paul may have been nearly blind, I don't know. I'm just simply saying whatever it was There was this thorn in the flesh, this messenger of Satan, to buffet him, to chastise him continually. Why?

[John Weaver] Lest he should be exalted above measure and thus sin against God. It's a preventative judgment.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Job, chapter 37, and let me just show you how this all works together. And this is why I'm trying to explain to you seasonal judgment, because Each one of these will have a different season. Generally speaking, you can say, yes, judgment comes when our cup is full. Whether you're sane or whether you're a sinner, it doesn't matter. But then when you understand that there are punitive judgments, and corrective judgments, and preventative judgments, each one of those would probably tend to have a different season. And I'll explain that a little bit later. So look in the book of Job, 37 it is, I believe. Yes, Job 37.

[John Weaver] And let's begin reading there with verse 9. And we'll read through verse 13. And I want you to hold this passage just for a little bit. We're going to look at some other scriptures in it. Job 37, beginning there with verse 9, we read, Out of the south cometh a whirlwind, and cold out of the north. By the breath of God frost is given, and the breath of the waters is straightened.

[John Weaver] Also, by watering he wearieth the thick cloud, he scattereth his bright cloud, and it is turned round about by his counsels, that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth." Now watch, he's talking about the clouds, he's talking about rain, he's talking about water, he's talking about frost, he's talking about sleet, he's talking about snow, he's talking about anything that's got water in it. Watch verse 13.

[John Weaver] He closeth it to come, whether for correction, or for His land, or for mercy. Now, let's stop right there. I want to point out that the word correction is translated as the word rod 34 times in our Bibles. What is the rod associated with? It's associated with chastisement, with punishment. The idea that Job 37 is expressing is that God, when He pleases, can send the rain or some type of element upon the earth for the purpose of executing His punishment.

[John Weaver] That's exactly what He did in the book of Genesis chapter 7 when He sent the flood in Noah's time. Today, God may send His rain in an overflowing flood, to sweep away the works of man, to lay waste our fields, to drown our crops, to destroy our houses, and to cut off the wicked. God can use any of those things. I want you to understand that weather-related problems are just as much the judgment of God as our pestilences and war. If we understand this simple truth, Then we will understand Micah 6 verse 9. Don't turn there, just let me quote it. God said, Hear ye the rod and him who hath appointed it. Hear ye the rod and him who hath appointed it. Now, I want you to understand something.

[John Weaver] Every one of us have disciplined our children. The very first way we discipline our children is by verbal admonishment. Don't do that. Please don't do that.

[John Weaver] Now this is for your good. Please do not do that. You're going to get harmed by it or you're going to cause harm to someone. Please don't do this. And you ask, and you ask, and you ask. And what does the child do? Ignore you. And then you bring the switch, then you bring the rod. And so the thought is this, if you won't hear the word, You'll hear the rod. So God says, Hear ye the rod and him who hath appointed it.

[John Weaver] Now, we're reading about rain in Job 37. I want you to hold Job 37 and turn in your Bibles to the book of Amos. The book of Amos. Hosea, Joel, Amos. One of the minor prophets. Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos. Look in Amos 4 and verse 7. Amos 4 and verse 7. Look at one of the judgments that God sent upon his people. He said this, verse 7, and also I withhold in the rain from you when there were yet three months to the harvest. I caused it to rain upon one city and caused it not to rain upon another city. One piece was rained upon and the piece were upon it rained not withered. What did God do? either sent the rain or God withheld the rain.

[John Weaver] Weather-related problems are in God's hands. Now, look back to Job 37 and verse 13 again, because we're still talking about rain, any shape, form or fashion. Job 37 verse 13, the Bible says, He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for His land, or for mercy. Now, note if you would, or for His land. You know, there's an interesting truth that is given here. Do you realize that sometimes God sends rain just for the earth's sake? Not for our sake, but for the earth's sake. And God sends the rain irrespective of man. For instance, look in Job 38 at verses 26 and 27. Job 38 verses 26 and 27. The Bible says that it is God who calls it to rain on the earth where no man is on the wilderness, where there is no man, to satisfy the desolate and waste ground and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth. In other words, God sends rain where there is no one around. And God does it just simply for the land's sake.

[John Weaver] God says, I can send that rain to accomplish my purpose. It may be for correction, it may be for the land, or it may be, He said, for mercy. In other words, God sends rain, sometimes to His people, just simply based upon His mercy.

[John Weaver] Now, I know I've probably told you this, but I'm going to tell you again, because I saw this with my own eyes. Whether you believe me or not, that's immaterial. It's still absolutely truth. In 1954, there was a drought. I was a boy, ten years old. My father was a deacon in the church. He went around and got all the men together, and they started praying for rain.

[John Weaver] And my dad had a neighbor that was not only a lost man, but a drunk. And just out of courtesy, dad went to him and said, we're having a prayer meeting and we'd like to invite you. All the farmers are getting together. And I was with my dad. And the man laughed in my dad's face and said, what good will that do? I'm not coming. Within just a day or two, God sent rain. And I'm going to tell you, I stood and watched that rain go right down our fence line.

[John Weaver] It rained on our farm. And it did not rain on His farm. So help me, that is the absolute truth. I saw it with my own eyes.

[John Weaver] Now God can send rain, He said, based upon His mercy. And God was merciful. to those who believed in Him. And God judged those who did not believe in Him.

[John Weaver] Now, the point I'm trying to make, there are seasons for judgment, and each season for judgment is based upon the reason for judgment. Whether it is punitive, corrective, or preventative. You see, God deals with us as a Father. Now, when we're talking about preventative judgment or corrective judgment, let me ask you a question. If your child is wicked and doing wrong, are you going to wait until he's in absolute rebellion before you try to do anything about it? No. Because you love that child, you're going to begin correcting him right away to prevent his course of action. Well, God does like we do, or we do like God does. We try to head off and we try to do everything that we can to prevent rebellion and prevent wickedness.

[John Weaver] Now, it is true, and I want you to turn to the book of Romans chapter 2. I'll show it to you. It is true that the wicked Do not understand these principles. And what the wicked do is this. They misinterpret God's patience, God's love, God's mercy, and God's forbearance. And here's what happens. Look in Romans chapter 2 verse 4. God says, or despises thou the riches of His goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance, But after thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God." I want you to note, if you would, very carefully that God says that He bears long with the wicked. When they despise His goodness and His mercy, He bears with them. When they despise His forbearance, then His long-suffering comes into play. When they despise His long-suffering, inevitably, invariably, there is a day of judgment because all they're doing is treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to hold 1 Peter 4. We're coming back there, but I want you to go back in your Bibles to the book of Ezekiel chapter 12. I want you to see how this is spelled out very succinctly, very clearly in Ezekiel chapter 12. You see, We are like Israel of old in this sense of the word. We think, well, you know, we're talking about judgment.

[John Weaver] Man, that's a long way off. That's not coming down to pike in my lifetime. No? Well, look what he said in Ezekiel 12, beginning there in verse 17. Ezekiel 12, verse 17. Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Son of man, eat thy bread with quaking, and drink thy water with trembling and with carefulness. And say unto the people of the land, Thus saith the Lord God of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and of the land of Israel, They shall eat their bread with carefulness, and drink their water with astonishment, that her land may be desolate from all that is therein, because of the violence of all them that dwell therein. And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, And the land shall be desolate, and you shall know that I am the LORD. And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Said the man, What is that proverb that you have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision, or every prophecy faileth?

[John Weaver] Tell them therefore, thus saith the LORD God, I will make this proverb to cease. and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel. But say unto them, The days are at hand, and the effect of every vision, or every prophecy. And there shall be no more any vain vision, or flattering divination within the house of Israel. For I am the Lord, I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass. It shall no more be prolonged, for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord God. Again, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he seeth is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of the times that are far off. Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God, There shall none of my words be prolonged any more, but the word which I have spoken shall be done, saith the Lord God."

[John Weaver] What did God tell these people? You might as well quit talking about the future. Bad English, but good theology. It ain't going to happen in the future. I'm sending it now. Period. Now. There is a season for judgment. Whether it is punitive, corrective, or preventative, there comes a time in history when God's judgment is going to fall. And when it comes, It will come in its fullness and its fury.

[John Weaver] Now, go back in your Bibles to 1 Peter chapter 4. I want to cover the second point. Just covered the first one. Watch. He says, for the time is come. That's the season. The time is come. Peter is saying judgment is about to fall. The time is now. Here's the second point. The sentence. For the time has come that judgment... What is the sentence? Judgment. The Greek word for judgment is the word krema. It is translated in our Bibles as judgment, damnation, condemnation, and to be condemned. The word is a legal word. It is...

[John Weaver] the decree of the judge. It is used in a forensic sense, and it refers to punishment of some sort. Now folks, listen carefully. Judgment is a severe trial. It may involve afflictions, sufferings, and even death. When you and I think of judgment, we tend to think of the judgment of unbelievers. We think of God's vengeance and God's wrath falling upon the wicked and rebellious. Now, it is true that God does judge the wicked.

[John Weaver] For instance, turn in your Bibles to 2 Peter, since you're right there. 2 Peter 2, and let's begin reading there with verse 4. 2 Peter 2, verse 4. 2 Peter 2, verse 4. For God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into the chains of darkness, to be reserved in a judgment, and spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world the ungodly, and turning

[John Weaver] the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example unto those that should afterwards live ungodly, and delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked, For that righteous man dwelling among them, and seeing and hearing vex his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds, the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust to the day of judgment to be punished."

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to note, in verse 5, he speaks of three major judgments. Actually, verses 4, 5, and 6. In verse 4, he speaks of the judgment of the angels. the fallen angels, in verse 5 he speaks of the judgment in Noah's day, and in verse 6 he speaks of the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah. So you have three major judgments, fallen angels, the antediluvians, and Sodom and Gomorrah. The word of God is just simply replete with God's judgment against the wicked. However, God does indeed judge his people.

[John Weaver] I can assure you that there are some who would say, no, no, no now. God does not judge His people. God chastises His people. That's just merely semantics. Chastisement is a judgment. If my child disobeys me, and I chastise that child, I have judged him guilty and deserving of chastisement.

[John Weaver] Now, in one sense of the word, yes indeed, there is a difference between the ungodly and the godly. God does not treat His own the way He treats the ungodly, that is for sure. But if I chastise my child, I also judge my child. I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews, back just a few pages. Hebrews chapter 12. And I want you to note what I'm talking about. And we're not just talking about God's judgment against the ungodly, but God's judgment against the godly. Notice Hebrews chapter 12, beginning there with verse 5.

[John Weaver] The Bible says, And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children. My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him. For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth. and scourge of every son whom he received. What's that mean? That means none of us get away without being chastened. If you endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons. For what son is he whom the father chastened not? But if you be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are you bastards and not sons.

[John Weaver] Furthermore, we've had fathers of our flesh who corrected us, and we gave them reverence. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure, but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

[John Weaver] Now no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous. Nevertheless, afterwards it yielded the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them that are exercised thereby. I want to point out that this passage is talking about chastisement. If you can sin and get away with it, if you can sin constantly and continually and never be chastised, you can mark it down, you don't belong to God. For he scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. And he said, if you be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are you bastards which is an illegitimate child and not sons. What is a bastard? A bastard is a child that the father does not recognize and will have nothing to do with and therefore he will not teach him or correct him or chastise him. Now God says that he's going to correct us. He's going to chastise us.

[John Weaver] He said we've had fathers of our flesh. who corrected us and we gave them reverence. I got news for you. I did not want my father to whip me. My mother sometimes, I didn't mind. But I sure did not want my father, because my dad did not play when it came to whipping. And I learned from him. And I learned a very important lesson. If you whip or discipline a child right, you don't have to do it often.

[John Weaver] You can ask any of my grandkids except one. None of them ever wanted to be whipped by me. Lacey is the only grandchild that I've never whipped. Never had to whip her. She's just sweet and obedient. She learned well. She watched me whip others and she understood. She didn't want any of that.

[John Weaver] Now, I'm just simply saying, this is what our fathers did. And we submitted to them. We recognized them.

[John Weaver] Now look what God said. Furthermore, we've had fathers of our flesh who corrected us and we gave them reverence. Shall not we much rather or much more be in subjection unto the father spirits and live.

[John Weaver] Now watch what he said in verse 10. For they, that is our earthly fathers, for a few days chasing us after their own pleasure. Sometimes your earthly parents chasing you because you made them angry. You made them mad. You pushed them too far, which is not a real good reason for whipping. I mean, you should have whipped before you ever got pushed too far. You understand what I'm saying?

[John Weaver] But you gave them reference. But notice what the Bible says in verse 10. But he, God, chastened us for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness. Why does God judge us? Why does God chasten us? To make us more holy. To make us more obedient. To make us more godly. Look in verse 11.

[John Weaver] Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous. You can believe me, I never saw my father coming with a switch and said, thank God, here comes Dad to give me a whipping. I never did that. But I got news for you. I am now thankful that He whipped me as He did. I really am. No matter how much it hurt. Because it corrected me. It stopped me.

[John Weaver] It prevented me from a lot of things. But notice if you would, He said in verse 11, nevertheless afterwards, that is when God chastens us, It yielded the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them that are exercised thereby." Now, so the Bible teaches that when God judges us, God chastens us, it's for our profit, it's for our benefit.

[John Weaver] Now you're going to say, but now wait a minute, Brother Weaver. This passage just talks about chastening. It doesn't mention the word judgment. Oh? Look then in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 11. I'm trying to show you that chastening and judgment are one and the same. It's a matter of semantics. Look in 1 Corinthians chapter 11 and let's begin reading there with verse 30. 1 Corinthians 11 verse 30.

[John Weaver] Paul in writing to these Corinthian Christians says this. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. One and the same thing. Notice what he said, For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and some sleep, some have even died. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, We're chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world.

[John Weaver] In other words, God's chastening is judgment. The word judged in 1 Corinthians 11 verses 31 and 32 is the exact same word that is used in 1 Peter 4 and verse 17. And what you find in 1 Corinthians 11 is this. The saints at Corinth were misusing and abusing the Lord's supper And they were being judged for their sins. Why? Because they did not judge themselves. They did not confess and acknowledge and repent of their sins. And so God judged them. God chastened them. Why?

[John Weaver] That they might not be condemned with the world. Some were sick. Some had even died. So the judgment or the chastening that took place in 1 Corinthians 11 was physical sickness and death. You've got to understand that judgment may be mild or severe, but it's still judgment. Chastening may be mild or severe, but it's still chastening. For the time is come, that's the season. The sentence is judgment.

[John Weaver] Let me make just two applications today. The first one is very simple. Judgment is either punitive, corrective, or preventative, yet it is still judgment. We as Christians must understand one very important truth from the scripture. That judgment or chastening is not against us, but for us. It is for our benefit. It is for our blessing. Whatever God does for His people, it is for our good and His glory. Ask yourself, was the Apostle Paul's judgment, was his thorn in the flesh against him or for him? Very obviously, it was for him. Was the judgment and the chastening of Job against him or for him? Very clearly, It was for him. Because when he came out of that judgment, when he came out of that chastening, he had a greater understanding of God and a greater understanding of himself.

[John Weaver] You must also remember that Jacob, when he thought that Joseph was dead, and Simeon was being held in prison, and the man in charge of Egypt was demanding that Benjamin come, or there would be no more food given to the family, Jacob said this, In Genesis 42 and verse 36, And Jacob his father said unto them, Me have you bereaved of my children, Joseph is not, Simeon is not, and now you will take Benjamin away. All of these things are against me. How many of those things were against Jacob? None. Because Joseph was on the throne in Egypt. And Simeon was going to be released. And Benjamin was going to see his brother first. And then Joseph is going to send and bring every one of them into the land and feed them. See, Jacob counted all these judgments were against him, but none were against him. Not one.

[John Weaver] The second thing we need to learn is this, and I'm going to demonstrate this far more next week, that judgment always begins at the house of God. begins with the people of God. And the question is, if it first begins with us, what shall be the end of the ungodly? Judgment is never against us. It is always for us. It is meant to be a benefit, a boon, and a blessing. And we need to learn to view it as such.

[John Weaver] Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee this day. We thank You, Lord, not only for all of Your blessings and mercies and benefits, but Lord, for all of Your correction, for all of Your chastisement, for all of Your multiple benefits that You've given to us over these years and keeping us and correcting us. Help us, Lord, to live for Thee to honor Thee in all that we say and do, in the name of Jesus Christ we ask and pray, Amen.

Judgment at the House of God Part 1 of 3

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	p0luZz5v-3w
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations: Prepared Hearts
Genre	Sermon
Date	2012-02-09
Dictation Name
Book	Book 155: Judgment at the House of God — Chapter 1
Source Timed Segments	81

Formatted Transcript

Introduction to the Passage

Weaver introduces 1 Peter 4:17-19 and announces a multi-week study, emphasizing the depth of these verses.

Let's open our Bibles today to 1 Peter chapter 4. 1 Peter chapter 4. And we're going to be looking at verses 17 through 19. 1 Peter chapter 4 verses 17 through 19. Now, I will tell you before I read Scripture today that we're going to be on this passage the following two weeks as well. So I would encourage you to look at it not only today as we study it, but even the coming weeks and meditate upon it. There is a great deal of material in these three verses. So 1 Peter chapter 4, beginning there with verse 17.

For the time has come that judgment must begin at the house of God. And if it first begin at us, what shall the end of them that obey not the gospel be? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore, let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

The Season of Judgment

Judgment is seasonal, occurring at a proper time (kairos), as illustrated by the time when kings go to war and the filling of the cup of iniquity.

And most of us are very uncomfortable in discussing it because not only of our lack of understanding, but our detestation of suffering. And yet judgment is a reality of life. It's not only a reality of life for the unsaved, it is also a reality of life for the saved as well. So what I want to do is this. I want to begin today breaking down this passage and demonstrating what the Word of God actually teaches. Now, today we're only going to cover two points. The very first one is this. I want you to consider the season of judgment. Look in verse 17.

He said, "For the time is come." The time has come that judgment must begin at the house of God. So let's consider the season. The time has come. Has it ever dawned upon you that judgment, like everything else, is seasonal? We have spring, summer, fall, winter. And as long as God allows the earth to stand, those seasons are going to come continually. That's just simply a fact of life. The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 3 and verse 1,

Scripture Reading — Ecclesiastes 3:1

"To everything there is a season and a time and a purpose under the heaven."

To everything there's a season.

Now, I want you to hold 1 Peter chapter 1. Go back in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 32. Deuteronomy 32, and look if you would please at verse 35. Remember now, we're talking about the season. He said, "For the time is come." And in Deuteronomy 32 and verse 35, I want you to note what God says, and I do love this verse. God says, Deuteronomy 32 verse 35,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 32:35

"To me belongeth vengeance and recompense. Their foot shall slide in due time. For the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste."

Notice what God said,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 32:35

"Their foot shall slide in due time."

Now when Peter said "the time is come," he used the Greek word kairos which is translated in our Bibles as time, season, and due time. The Greek word kairos then refers to a definite time, a definite period, a time when things are brought to a crisis, and a time when events take place. Now, just to show you the seasonal aspect of judgment, I want you to turn in your Bibles to 2 Samuel chapter 11, and look at verse 1.

Here's the best way to understand the seasonal aspect of judgment. 2 Samuel chapter 11 and look at verse 1. 2 Samuel 11 and verse 1. Look what the Bible says. Remember now, we're talking about seasonal judgments, explaining the word season.

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 11:1

"And it came to pass after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him in all Israel, and they destroyed the children of Ammon and besieged Rabbah, but David tarried still at Jerusalem."

Now notice what that verse said,

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 11:1

"And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle."

You must remember, the Hebrew calendar actually began in the spring with Passover. When was the time when kings go forth to battle? It was in the spring.

When there was plenty of food available for horses and soldiers and the winter rains and the winter cold was past. So the right time or the proper time or the season for going to war was in the spring. Now when he said "it is time," what he is saying in verse Peter is there is a proper time for judgment. There's a proper season for judgment. Let me ask this question. I want to answer it generally and then specifically. Here's my question. When is the proper season for judgment? When is the proper time for judgment? First of all, I'm going to give you a very general answer. The general answer for judgment is when our cup has been filled with sin and rebellion. Look in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter 15. Genesis 15. And notice if you would please verses 13 through 16. Look what God told Abram. Genesis 15.

And let's begin there with verse 13. He told Abram, "And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them, and they shall afflict them four hundred years. And also that nation whom they shall serve will I judge, and afterward shall they come out with great substance. And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace, and thou shalt be buried in a good old age. But in the fourth generation, they, that is the children of Israel, shall come hither again." Why? "For the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full." What did God do? What did God do? God sent the children of Israel into Egypt for 400 years. Why? Because the iniquity of the Amorites was not yet full. Their cup had not been filled to the brim. And when it was filled to the brim, God brought Israel out of Egypt, put a sword in their hand and said, kill every one of them.

That general principle that is true for the wicked is also true for the saints as well. When we have become slothful, and lazy, and indolent, and arrogant, and worthless, to the point that we're good for nothing, He'll send judgment. You say, how can you say good for nothing? Well, our Lord said it in Matthew 5 and verse 13, you'll remember it. When He said, "You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is set forth good for nothing, but to be cast out," listen, "and to be trodden under the foot of men." The phrase, "trodden under the foot of men," refers to judgment.

Types of Judgment: Punitive, Corrective, Preventative

Judgment can be punitive (punishment for sin), corrective (to correct behavior), or preventative (to stop sin), with biblical examples for each.

Have you ever whipped your child? That's punitive discipline. You're punishing them for their wrongdoing, for their wickedness. Now there are punitive judgments. There are punitive chastisements. For instance, the flood of Noah was punitive. The judgment of Canaan was punitive. Achan's judgment was punitive. There are many examples of punitive judgments in the Bible where God judged peoples and cities and nations for their sins. Secondly, there are corrective judgments or corrective chastisements in the Bible. For instance, the judgment at the Tower of Babel was both punitive and corrective. God judged them because of their sins and He corrected the problem. You're going to see that sometimes you can have a combination of the reasons or the types of judgment and correction in just simply one judgment or correction. Jonah's judgment was corrective.

You remember how he got thrown overboard of the ship and the whale swallowed him? That judgment was corrective judgment. Because when the whale spit him out, he sure felt a whole lot more like preaching, didn't he? God changed his mind. God changed his conduct. So, corrective judgments and chastisements are spoken of numerous times in the Bible. Let me show you. Look in your Bibles to Psalm 39. We'll look in the book of Psalms and we'll go to the book of Jeremiah. Look in Psalm 39 if you would please. And verse 11. Just pointing out corrective judgments or corrective chastisements. Psalm 39 verse 11. Look what David said.

And I want to emphasize the word correct here. Notice Psalm 39 verse 11, David said,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 39:11

"When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth, surely every man is vanity."

But note,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 39:11

"When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity,"

sometimes a rebuke is all that is necessary. But God's rebuke can make a man consume away like a moth. But notice he's talking about a corrective judgment or corrective chastisement. Look in Psalm 94 and verse 10. Psalm 94 verse 10. Look at what is asked. Psalm 94 verse 10. "He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? He that teaches man knowledge, shall he not know? He that chastiseth the heathen shall not he correct?" There are indeed corrective judgments. There are corrective chastisements. Look in your Bibles to the book of Jeremiah chapter 2. Jeremiah. Turn right over to Jeremiah chapter 2. And notice if you would beginning there please with verse 19. Look what God tells the people. Jeremiah 2 verse 19. God says, "Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backsliding shall reprove thee."

"Know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of hosts. Know that thine own wickedness shall correct thee." God is going to do some corrective chastening. Look, if you would, please, in Jeremiah 10 and verse 24. Jeremiah 10 verse 24. Here it is again, Jeremiah 10 verse 24. Jeremiah prays, "O Lord, correct me, but with judgment, not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing." Now Jeremiah wanted to be corrected and he understood that judgment or chastisement is one of the means that God uses. But Jeremiah said, "I certainly don't want to be corrected in your anger." Notice if you would, in Jeremiah chapter 30 and verse 11. Jeremiah 30 verse 11, just showing you there are corrective judgments, there are corrective chastisements. Jeremiah 30, notice if you would please verse 11. Look what God says. He tells His people, "For I am with thee, saith the Lord, to save thee."

"Though I make a full end of all nations, whether I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee, but I will correct thee in a measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished." So there are corrective judgments. There are punitive judgments. But thirdly, there are preventative judgments. There are some judgments, there are some chastisements that God sends that are preventative. I mentioned the Tower of Babel earlier. And I told you that that judgment was punitive, and I told you it was corrective, and it was, but it was also preventative. What God did prevented the wicked, rebellious sinners from carrying out their purpose. So you can find in this one particular instance that you have all three, punitive, corrective, and preventative. Now, there's another example of preventative judgments given throughout the Bible.

For instance, did you realize that the entire Syrian army was smitten with blindness just to prevent it from capturing Elisha and the man who was with him? Let me just read the scripture for you. You can find it in 2 Kings 6 and verse 18.

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 6:18

"And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the Lord and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha."

And Elisha then led them to the king of Samaria. They had come after Elisha, and God prevented it by smiting them with blindness.

Now, if you would turn in your Bibles to Acts chapter 13, let me show you another preventative judgment. Acts chapter 13, beginning there with verse 8. This is where Elymas, the sorcerer, was smitten with blindness. And, of course, God smote him with blindness to prevent him from hindering the work of God and the spread of the gospel. Acts chapter 13, beginning there with verse 8. Acts chapter 13, verse 8. "But Elymas, the sorcerer, for so is his name by interpretation, withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the truth, or from the faith."

"Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him and said, O full of all subtlety and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? Now behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness, and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord." Note, if you would please, God smote Elymas with blindness. Why? To prevent him from hindering the work of God. It was a preventative judgment.

Now, no doubt, he probably deserved that and a whole lot more. But in this instance, it was basically preventative. You say, but that deals with sinners. Well, if you will turn in your Bibles, if you would, to 2 Corinthians chapter 12. Let me show you another preventative judgment that refers to saints very obviously. I don't think there's anyone in this room that's going to argue that the great apostle Paul was not a saint, was not a believer. So look in 2 Corinthians 12 and verse 7, what the Apostle Paul said concerning himself. 2 Corinthians 12 verse 7, "And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan, to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure." So there was some judgment, there was some chastisement that was placed upon Paul that kept him from pride and arrogance and from exalting himself above measure.

Now some say it was ophthalmia, I don't know, which is a horrible eye disease because in the book of Galatians Paul said, "You see how large a letter I've written with mine own hand" and the word large does not refer to length but refers to the size of the letters. So Paul may have been nearly blind, I don't know. I'm just simply saying whatever it was, there was this thorn in the flesh, this messenger of Satan, to buffet him, to chastise him continually. Why? Lest he should be exalted above measure and thus sin against God. It's a preventative judgment.

Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Job, chapter 37, and let me just show you how this all works together. And this is why I'm trying to explain to you seasonal judgment, because each one of these will have a different season. Generally speaking, you can say, yes, judgment comes when our cup is full. Whether you're saint or whether you're a sinner, it doesn't matter. But then when you understand that there are punitive judgments, and corrective judgments, and preventative judgments, each one of those would probably tend to have a different season. And I'll explain that a little bit later. So look in the book of Job, 37 it is, I believe. Yes, Job 37.

And let's begin reading there with verse 9. And we'll read through verse 13. And I want you to hold this passage just for a little bit. We're going to look at some other scriptures in it. Job 37, beginning there with verse 9, we read,

Scripture Reading — Job 37:9-13

"Out of the south cometh a whirlwind, and cold out of the north. By the breath of God frost is given, and the breath of the waters is straightened."

Weather as an Instrument of Judgment

God uses weather, such as rain or drought, for correction, mercy, or the land's sake, as seen in Job 37 and Amos 4.

Scripture Reading — Job 37:9-13

"Out of the south cometh a whirlwind, and cold out of the north. By the breath of God frost is given, and the breath of the waters is straightened." "Also, by watering he wearieth the thick cloud, he scattereth his bright cloud, and it is turned round about by his counsels, that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth."

Now watch, he's talking about the clouds, he's talking about rain, he's talking about water, he's talking about frost, he's talking about sleet, he's talking about snow, he's talking about anything that's got water in it. Watch verse 13.

Scripture Reading — Job 37:9-13

"He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for His land, or for mercy."

Now, let's stop right there. I want to point out that the word correction is translated as the word rod 34 times in our Bibles. What is the rod associated with? It's associated with chastisement, with punishment. The idea that Job 37 is expressing is that God, when He pleases, can send the rain or some type of element upon the earth for the purpose of executing His punishment. That's exactly what He did in the book of Genesis chapter 7 when He sent the flood in Noah's time. Today, God may send His rain in an overflowing flood, to sweep away the works of man, to lay waste our fields, to drown our crops, to destroy our houses, and to cut off the wicked. God can use any of those things. I want you to understand that weather-related problems are just as much the judgment of God as our pestilences and war. If we understand this simple truth, then we will understand Micah 6 verse 9. Don't turn there, just let me quote it. God said, "Hear ye the rod and him who hath appointed it. Hear ye the rod and him who hath appointed it." Now, I want you to understand something.

Every one of us have disciplined our children. The very first way we discipline our children is by verbal admonishment. "Don't do that. Please don't do that." "Now this is for your good. Please do not do that. You're going to get harmed by it or you're going to cause harm to someone. Please don't do this." And you ask, and you ask, and you ask. And what does the child do? Ignore you. And then you bring the switch, then you bring the rod. And so the thought is this, if you won't hear the word, you'll hear the rod. So God says, "Hear ye the rod and him who hath appointed it."

Now, we're reading about rain in Job 37. I want you to hold Job 37 and turn in your Bibles to the book of Amos. The book of Amos. Hosea, Joel, Amos. One of the minor prophets. Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos. Look in Amos 4 and verse 7. Amos 4 and verse 7. Look at one of the judgments that God sent upon his people. He said this, verse 7, "And also I withholden the rain from you when there were yet three months to the harvest. I caused it to rain upon one city and caused it not to rain upon another city. One piece was rained upon and the piece whereupon it rained not withered." What did God do? He either sent the rain or God withheld the rain.

Weather-related problems are in God's hands. Now, look back to Job 37 and verse 13 again, because we're still talking about rain, any shape, form or fashion. Job 37 verse 13, the Bible says, "He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for His land, or for mercy." Now, note if you would, "or for His land." You know, there's an interesting truth that is given here. Do you realize that sometimes God sends rain just for the earth's sake? Not for our sake, but for the earth's sake. And God sends the rain irrespective of man. For instance, look in Job 38 at verses 26 and 27. Job 38 verses 26 and 27. The Bible says that it is God who calls it to rain on the earth where no man is on the wilderness, where there is no man, to satisfy the desolate and waste ground and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth. In other words, God sends rain where there is no one around. And God does it just simply for the land's sake.

God says, I can send that rain to accomplish my purpose. It may be for correction, it may be for the land, or it may be, He said, for mercy. In other words, God sends rain, sometimes to His people, just simply based upon His mercy. Now, I know I've probably told you this, but I'm going to tell you again, because I saw this with my own eyes. Whether you believe me or not, that's immaterial. It's still absolutely truth. In 1954, there was a drought. I was a boy, ten years old. My father was a deacon in the church. He went around and got all the men together, and they started praying for rain.

And my dad had a neighbor that was not only a lost man, but a drunk. And just out of courtesy, dad went to him and said, "We're having a prayer meeting and we'd like to invite you. All the farmers are getting together." And I was with my dad. And the man laughed in my dad's face and said, "What good will that do? I'm not coming." Within just a day or two, God sent rain. And I'm going to tell you, I stood and watched that rain go right down our fence line. It rained on our farm. And it did not rain on his farm. So help me, that is the absolute truth. I saw it with my own eyes.

Now God can send rain, He said, based upon His mercy. And God was merciful to those who believed in Him. And God judged those who did not believe in Him.

The Sentence: Judgment

The Greek word krima denotes a legal decree of punishment; judgment is a severe trial that can include affliction and death.

the decree of the judge. It is used in a forensic sense, and it refers to punishment of some sort. Now folks, listen carefully. Judgment is a severe trial. It may involve afflictions, sufferings, and even death. When you and I think of judgment, we tend to think of the judgment of unbelievers. We think of God's vengeance and God's wrath falling upon the wicked and rebellious. Now, it is true that God does judge the wicked.

Chastening as Judgment for Believers

God chastens His children as a form of judgment for their profit and holiness, as taught in Hebrews 12 and 1 Corinthians 11.

Now, in one sense of the word, yes indeed, there is a difference between the ungodly and the godly. God does not treat His own the way He treats the ungodly, that is for sure. But if I chastise my child, I also judge my child. I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews, back just a few pages. Hebrews chapter 12. And I want you to note what I'm talking about. And we're not just talking about God's judgment against the ungodly, but God's judgment against the godly. Notice Hebrews chapter 12, beginning there with verse 5.

The Bible says, "And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children. My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him. For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth." What's that mean? That means none of us get away without being chastened. "If you endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons. For what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if you be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are you bastards and not sons."

"Furthermore, we've had fathers of our flesh who corrected us, and we gave them reverence. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure, but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness." "Now no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous. Nevertheless, afterwards it yielded the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them that are exercised thereby." I want to point out that this passage is talking about chastisement. If you can sin and get away with it, if you can sin constantly and continually and never be chastised, you can mark it down, you don't belong to God. For he scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. And he said, "If you be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are you bastards" which is an illegitimate child "and not sons." What is a bastard? A bastard is a child that the father does not recognize and will have nothing to do with and therefore he will not teach him or correct him or chastise him. Now God says that he's going to correct us. He's going to chastise us.

He said we've had fathers of our flesh who corrected us and we gave them reverence. I got news for you. I did not want my father to whip me. My mother sometimes, I didn't mind. But I sure did not want my father, because my dad did not play when it came to whipping. And I learned from him. And I learned a very important lesson. If you whip or discipline a child right, you don't have to do it often.

You can ask any of my grandkids except one. None of them ever wanted to be whipped by me. Lacey is the only grandchild that I've never whipped. Never had to whip her. She's just sweet and obedient. She learned well. She watched me whip others and she understood. She didn't want any of that.

Now, I'm just simply saying, this is what our fathers did. And we submitted to them. We recognized them. Now look what God said. "Furthermore, we've had fathers of our flesh who corrected us and we gave them reverence. Shall not we much rather or much more be in subjection unto the Father of spirits and live?"

Now watch what he said in verse 10. "For they," that is our earthly fathers, "for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure." Sometimes your earthly parents chastened you because you made them angry. You made them mad. You pushed them too far, which is not a real good reason for whipping. I mean, you should have whipped before you ever got pushed too far. You understand what I'm saying?

But you gave them reverence. But notice what the Bible says in verse 10. "But he," God, "chasteneth us for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness." Why does God judge us? Why does God chasten us? To make us more holy. To make us more obedient. To make us more godly. Look in verse 11.

"Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous." You can believe me, I never saw my father coming with a switch and said, "Thank God, here comes Dad to give me a whipping." I never did that. But I got news for you. I am now thankful that He whipped me as He did. I really am. No matter how much it hurt. Because it corrected me. It stopped me.

It prevented me from a lot of things. But notice if you would, He said in verse 11, "Nevertheless afterwards," that is when God chastens us, "it yielded the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them that are exercised thereby." Now, so the Bible teaches that when God judges us, God chastens us, it's for our profit, it's for our benefit. Now you're going to say, "But now wait a minute, Brother Weaver. This passage just talks about chastening. It doesn't mention the word judgment." Oh? Look then in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 11. I'm trying to show you that chastening and judgment are one and the same. It's a matter of semantics. Look in 1 Corinthians chapter 11 and let's begin reading there with verse 30. 1 Corinthians 11 verse 30.

Paul in writing to these Corinthian Christians says this. "For this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world." One and the same thing. Notice what he said, "For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and some sleep," some have even died. "For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we're chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world."

In other words, God's chastening is judgment. The word judged in 1 Corinthians 11 verses 31 and 32 is the exact same word that is used in 1 Peter 4 and verse 17. And what you find in 1 Corinthians 11 is this. The saints at Corinth were misusing and abusing the Lord's supper and they were being judged for their sins. Why? Because they did not judge themselves. They did not confess and acknowledge and repent of their sins. And so God judged them. God chastened them. Why?

That they might not be condemned with the world. Some were sick. Some had even died. So the judgment or the chastening that took place in 1 Corinthians 11 was physical sickness and death. You've got to understand that judgment may be mild or severe, but it's still judgment. Chastening may be mild or severe, but it's still chastening. "For the time is come," that's the season. The sentence is judgment.

Applications: Judgment is for Our Good

Judgment is not against believers but for their benefit, as seen in the lives of Paul, Job, and Jacob; it begins with God's people.

Let me make just two applications today. The first one is very simple. Judgment is either punitive, corrective, or preventative, yet it is still judgment. We as Christians must understand one very important truth from the scripture. That judgment or chastening is not against us, but for us. It is for our benefit. It is for our blessing. Whatever God does for His people, it is for our good and His glory. Ask yourself, was the Apostle Paul's judgment, was his thorn in the flesh against him or for him? Very obviously, it was for him. Was the judgment and the chastening of Job against him or for him? Very clearly, it was for him. Because when he came out of that judgment, when he came out of that chastening, he had a greater understanding of God and a greater understanding of himself.

You must also remember that Jacob, when he thought that Joseph was dead, and Simeon was being held in prison, and the man in charge of Egypt was demanding that Benjamin come, or there would be no more food given to the family, Jacob said this, in Genesis 42 and verse 36, "And Jacob his father said unto them, Me have you bereaved of my children, Joseph is not, Simeon is not, and now you will take Benjamin away. All of these things are against me." How many of those things were against Jacob? None. Because Joseph was on the throne in Egypt. And Simeon was going to be released. And Benjamin was going to see his brother first. And then Joseph is going to send and bring every one of them into the land and feed them. See, Jacob counted all these judgments were against him, but none were against him. Not one.

The second thing we need to learn is this, and I'm going to demonstrate this far more next week, that judgment always begins at the house of God. It begins with the people of God. And the question is, if it first begins with us, what shall be the end of the ungodly? Judgment is never against us. It is always for us. It is meant to be a benefit, a boon, and a blessing. And we need to learn to view it as such.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Seasonal Nature of Judgment

Summary: Judgment occurs at a divinely appointed time (kairos), often when iniquity is full, and can vary based on its purpose.

Evidence: Weaver cites Ecclesiastes 3:1, Deuteronomy 32:35, and Genesis 15:16 to show that judgment has a proper season.

God's Holiness and Man's Depravity

Summary: Misconceptions about God's character and human nature lead to a failure to understand judgment; God is holy and just, and man is inherently sinful.

Evidence: Weaver references Isaiah 55:8-9, Deuteronomy 32:39, Romans 8:7-8, and Romans 3:10-12 to support this theme.

Judgment as Chastening for Believers

Summary: God's judgment on His people is chastening meant for correction and holiness, not condemnation, as seen in Hebrews 12 and 1 Corinthians 11.

Evidence: Weaver explains that chastening and judgment are synonymous, citing Hebrews 12:5-11 and 1 Corinthians 11:30-32.

Judgment is for Believers' Benefit

Summary: God's judgment is always for the good of His people, not against them, as illustrated by Paul's thorn and Job's trials.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'judgment or chastening is not against us, but for us,' and gives examples from Paul and Job.

Key Arguments

Judgment begins at the house of God

Summary: Peter declares that the time for judgment to start with God's people has come, which is a foundational principle for understanding divine judgment.

Evidence: Weaver reads 1 Peter 4:17 and emphasizes that judgment first begins at the house of God.

Misunderstanding God leads to rejecting judgment

Summary: Many Christians reject the idea of judgment because they view God only as loving and merciful, ignoring His holiness and justice.

Evidence: Weaver argues that the average Christian has misconceptions of God, preferring a lenient deity who winks at sin.

Judgment is seasonal and purposeful

Summary: Judgment comes at a specific time (kairos) and can be punitive, corrective, or preventative, each with its own season.

Evidence: Weaver explains the Greek word kairos and gives examples like the flood, Tower of Babel, and Paul's thorn.

Chastening is a form of judgment for believers

Summary: The Bible equates chastening with judgment, showing that God disciplines His children to prevent condemnation with the world.

Evidence: Weaver cites 1 Corinthians 11:30-32, where being judged is equated with being chastened.

Scripture References

1 Peter 4:17-19

Context: The primary passage of the sermon, introducing judgment beginning at the house of God.

Isaiah 55:8-9

Context: Used to show that God's thoughts and ways are higher than man's, countering humanistic thinking.

Deuteronomy 32:39

Context: Demonstrates God's sovereignty over life and death, wounding and healing.

Isaiah 57:15

Context: Highlights God's holiness and dwelling in a high and holy place.

Romans 8:7-8

Context: Shows the carnal mind is enmity against God, supporting total depravity.

Romans 3:10-12

Context: Quoted to prove that no one is righteous or seeks God by nature.

Ecclesiastes 3:1

Context: Establishes that everything has a season, including judgment.

Deuteronomy 32:35

Context: Shows that vengeance belongs to God and judgment comes in due time.

2 Samuel 11:1

Context: Illustrates the seasonal aspect of judgment by noting the time when kings go to war.

Genesis 15:13-16

Context: Explains that judgment on the Amorites was delayed until their iniquity was full.

Matthew 5:13

Context: Warns that salt losing its savor is trodden under foot, a reference to judgment.

Psalm 39:11

Context: Shows God corrects man for iniquity, making his beauty consume away.

Psalm 94:10

Context: Asks if God who chastises the heathen will not correct, indicating corrective judgment.

Jeremiah 2:19

Context: States that one's own wickedness will correct them, a form of corrective judgment.

Jeremiah 10:24

Context: Jeremiah prays for correction with judgment but not in God's anger.

Jeremiah 30:11

Context: God promises to correct Israel in measure, not leaving them unpunished.

2 Kings 6:18

Context: God smites the Syrian army with blindness as a preventative judgment.

Acts 13:8-12

Context: Elymas is struck blind to prevent him from hindering the gospel, a preventative judgment.

2 Corinthians 12:7

Context: Paul's thorn in the flesh was given to prevent pride, a preventative judgment.

Job 37:9-13

Context: God sends weather for correction, for the land, or for mercy, showing His control over judgment.

Historical References

Flood of Noah

Context: Mentioned as an example of punitive judgment.

Judgment of Canaan

Context: Cited as a punitive judgment.

Achan's judgment

Context: Given as an example of punitive judgment.

Tower of Babel

Context: Described as a judgment that was punitive, corrective, and preventative.

Jonah's judgment

Context: Mentioned as corrective judgment when he was swallowed by the whale.

1954 drought and answered prayer

Context: Weaver recounts a personal story of God sending rain on his father's farm but not on a neighbor's as a sign of mercy and judgment.

Important Quotes

For the time has come that judgment must begin at the house of God. And if it first begin at us, what shall the end of them that obey not the gospel be?

Significance: This is the central verse of the sermon, establishing the theme that judgment starts with God's people.

The truth of the matter is that most people do not want to understand this particular passage because most people really do not want to face truth.

Significance: Highlights the human tendency to avoid the uncomfortable reality of divine judgment.

We are not the interpreters of reality. God is.

Significance: Emphasizes God's sovereignty in defining truth and judgment, countering humanistic thinking.

If we really understood God's holiness and justice, and if we really understand man's depravity and wickedness, we would not be asking, why does God send judgment? We would be asking, why are any of us left alive?

Significance: Argues that a proper view of God and man leads to an acceptance of judgment as deserved.

Their foot shall slide in due time.

Significance: Quoted from Deuteronomy 32:35 to illustrate that judgment comes at its appointed season.

For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

Significance: Key verse from 1 Corinthians 11 showing the link between self-judgment, divine judgment, and chastening.

Judgment or chastening is not against us, but for us. It is for our benefit. It is for our blessing.

Significance: Summarizes the sermon's application that God's judgment is ultimately for the good of believers.

Discussion Questions

Why do you think most people, including Christians, resist the idea that judgment begins at the house of God?

Context: Weaver notes that most people do not want to face the truth of this passage.

How does a misunderstanding of God's holiness and man's depravity affect our view of judgment?

Context: Weaver argues that misconceptions of God and man lead to rejecting the necessity of judgment.

In what ways can judgment be seasonal in our personal lives or in the church today?

Context: Weaver explains that judgment has a proper time (kairos) and can be seen in various biblical examples.

How can we distinguish between punitive, corrective, and preventative judgment in our own experiences?

Context: Weaver outlines three types of judgment with biblical examples.

What does it mean that God chastens us for our profit, and how should we respond to chastening?

Context: Weaver cites Hebrews 12:10-11 to show that chastening yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness.

How does the example of Jacob in Genesis 42:36 help us trust that God's judgments are for our good?

Context: Weaver uses Jacob's mistaken belief that all things were against him to illustrate that God's plans are beneficial.

Applications

View judgment as for our benefit

Summary: Believers should understand that God's judgment or chastening is not against them but for their good and holiness.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'judgment or chastening is not against us, but for us,' and gives examples like Paul and Job.

Examine ourselves to avoid judgment

Summary: If we judge ourselves through confession and repentance, we may avoid God's disciplinary judgment.

Evidence: Weaver references 1 Corinthians 11:31, 'if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.'

Trust God's timing in judgment

Summary: Recognize that judgment comes in God's appointed season and for His purposes, whether punitive, corrective, or preventative.

Evidence: Weaver explains the concept of kairos and seasonal judgment from Deuteronomy 32:35 and Ecclesiastes 3:1.

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T18:48:05Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T11:30:21Z

Clean Transcript

Judgment at the House of God Part 1 of 3

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Let's open our Bibles today to 1 Peter chapter 4. 1 Peter chapter 4. And we're going to be looking at verses 17 through 19. 1 Peter chapter 4 verses 17 through 19. Now, I will tell you before I read Scripture today that we're going to be on this passage the following two weeks as well. So I would encourage you to look at it not only today as we study it, but even the coming weeks and meditate upon it. There is a great deal of material in these three verses. So 1 Peter chapter 4, beginning there with verse 17.
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For the time has come that judgment must begin at the house of God. And if it first begin at us, what shall the end of them that obey not the gospel be? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore, let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
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Each of us has read, heard, and probably can quote the verse that is found in 1 Peter chapter 4 and verse 17. "For the time has come that judgment must begin at the house of God, and if it first begin at us, what shall be the end of them that obey not the gospel?" Those who are not able to quote that verse at least understand the verse or the thrust of that verse, that judgment first begins at the house of God and then spreads outward.
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What I want to do in the next couple of weeks is break down this verse and demonstrate its teachings not only based upon the context but even the remote context. And we probably never considered the fact that this verse has really very wide applications. The truth of the matter is that most people do not want to understand this particular passage because most people really do not want to face truth.
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You can ask this question, why in the world would judgment first begin at the house of God? Why would God begin with His people? Unhappily, most professing Christians have no understanding of the principles of Holy Scripture. The average modern day Christian bases his understanding upon his experience or his own thought pattern and both are extremely defective. They're humanistic and rationalistic. Isaiah 55 verses 8-9, God tells us, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, saith the Lord, and my ways are not your ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." Very few people really and truly approach the Word of God as the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God.
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Most of us probably never ever seek to understand truth from God's perspective. What we prefer is to understand everything from our own perspective simply because we want to be the interpreters of reality. We want to be the ones to determine when judgment should or should not come. And we want to be the ones to determine whether or not God is just or unjust in sending judgment. But let me just spell this out for you. We are not the interpreters of reality. God is. And God is the one that determines those things. There are two major problems that the average Christian has when it comes to talking about judgment, chastisement, and suffering. The first major problem is this. We have misconceptions of God. The basic misconception is this, that the average individual wants to view God as loving and merciful, but they do not wish to view Him as righteous, holy, and just. The average professing Christian prefers to have God as an aged man, an old man in heaven, in a rocking chair, who has no interest in sin or rebellion or wickedness, but then He leniently winks at our sins and our indiscretions because He understands that we must sow our wild oats.
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No. What we fail to understand is this. Yes, God is loving. Yes, God is merciful, but God is also holy and God is also just. He said in Deuteronomy chapter 32 and verse 39, "See now that I, even I am He, there is no God with me, I kill and I make alive, I wound and I heal, neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand." Notice what God said, "I, even I am He, I kill, and I make alive. I wound and I heal, and there is none that can deliver out of my hand." You see, we try to make God like ourselves, and yet God is infinitely different than we are. God is infinitely holy and righteous, and God dwells in unapproachable light. Isaiah chapter 57 verse 15 tells us, "For thus saith the High and Lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy, I dwell in the high and holy place."
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So God's holiness then demands justice and His righteousness makes justice inevitable. So one of our major problems is we fail to understand who God is. We fail to understand God's attributes. We try to make God from our own selves and from our own thinking, from our own perspective, when the God of Scripture is totally and completely different from the God of man's imagination. The second major problem that we have is this, that we fail to understand the doctrine of total depravity.
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We try to think of man as good and moral and upright and just simply because some individuals appear to be that way, we tend to think that's the way they are. We never really seriously consider the dubious, hypocritical, scheming, sinful, wicked, and rebellious nature of man. Do you think if I got on a modern day TV program or if I got before Congress and I said, men by nature hate God and they do not want Him. Do you think that would go over very well? And yet, you know, that's exactly what the Scripture teaches. Because the Bible says in Romans 8 verses 7 and 8, listen carefully, "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God." And the word enmity is a strong word for hatred. "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be, so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." God specifically says that man's mind by nature is enmity against God.
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And what most Christians have done is this. They bought into the humanistic, rationalistic idea that man somehow by nature is good. No, man by nature is not good. Man by nature is wicked and evil. The Bible tells us, Romans 3, verses 10 through 12, let me quote it. You're going to be looking at a lot of scripture later. But Paul wrote in Romans 3, verses 10 and 12, "As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one. There is none that understandeth. There is none that seeketh after God."
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"They're all gone out of the way. They're all together become unprofitable. There is none that doeth good, no, not one." Not one.
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Now, the point I'm trying to make is this. If we understood who God is, and if we understood what man is by nature, then we would certainly be more prone to understand God's judgment. For instance, if we really understood God's holiness and justice, and if we really understand man's depravity and wickedness, we would not be asking, why does God send judgment? We would be asking, why are any of us left alive? Because we would understand that every sinner deserves death. Now, judgment certainly is not a pleasant issue to discuss.
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And most of us are very uncomfortable in discussing it because not only of our lack of understanding, but our detestation of suffering. And yet judgment is a reality of life. It's not only a reality of life for the unsaved, it is also a reality of life for the saved as well. So what I want to do is this. I want to begin today breaking down this passage and demonstrating what the Word of God actually teaches. Now, today we're only going to cover two points. The very first one is this. I want you to consider the season of judgment. Look in verse 17.
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He said, "For the time is come." The time has come that judgment must begin at the house of God. So let's consider the season. The time has come. Has it ever dawned upon you that judgment, like everything else, is seasonal? We have spring, summer, fall, winter. And as long as God allows the earth to stand, those seasons are going to come continually. That's just simply a fact of life. The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 3 and verse 1, "To everything there is a season and a time and a purpose under the heaven." To everything there's a season.
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Now, I want you to hold 1 Peter chapter 1. Go back in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 32. Deuteronomy 32, and look if you would please at verse 35. Remember now, we're talking about the season. He said, "For the time is come." And in Deuteronomy 32 and verse 35, I want you to note what God says, and I do love this verse. God says, Deuteronomy 32 verse 35, "To me belongeth vengeance and recompense. Their foot shall slide in due time. For the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste." Notice what God said, "Their foot shall slide in due time." Now when Peter said "the time is come," he used the Greek word kairos which is translated in our Bibles as time, season, and due time. The Greek word kairos then refers to a definite time, a definite period, a time when things are brought to a crisis, and a time when events take place. Now, just to show you the seasonal aspect of judgment, I want you to turn in your Bibles to 2 Samuel chapter 11, and look at verse 1.
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Here's the best way to understand the seasonal aspect of judgment. 2 Samuel chapter 11 and look at verse 1. 2 Samuel 11 and verse 1. Look what the Bible says. Remember now, we're talking about seasonal judgments, explaining the word season. "And it came to pass after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him in all Israel, and they destroyed the children of Ammon and besieged Rabbah, but David tarried still at Jerusalem." Now notice what that verse said, "And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle." You must remember, the Hebrew calendar actually began in the spring with Passover. When was the time when kings go forth to battle? It was in the spring.
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When there was plenty of food available for horses and soldiers and the winter rains and the winter cold was past. So the right time or the proper time or the season for going to war was in the spring. Now when he said "it is time," what he is saying in verse Peter is there is a proper time for judgment. There's a proper season for judgment. Let me ask this question.
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I want to answer it generally and then specifically. Here's my question. When is the proper season for judgment? When is the proper time for judgment? First of all, I'm going to give you a very general answer. The general answer for judgment is when our cup has been filled with sin and rebellion. Look in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter 15. Genesis 15. And notice if you would please verses 13 through 16. Look what God told Abram. Genesis 15.
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And let's begin there with verse 13. He told Abram, "And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them, and they shall afflict them four hundred years. And also that nation whom they shall serve will I judge, and afterward shall they come out with great substance. And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace, and thou shalt be buried in a good old age. But in the fourth generation, they, that is the children of Israel, shall come hither again." Why?
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"For the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full." What did God do? What did God do? God sent the children of Israel into Egypt for 400 years. Why? Because the iniquity of the Amorites was not yet full. Their cup had not been filled to the brim. And when it was filled to the brim, God brought Israel out of Egypt, put a sword in their hand and said, kill every one of them.
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That general principle that is true for the wicked is also true for the saints as well. When we have become slothful, and lazy, and indolent, and arrogant, and worthless, to the point that we're good for nothing, He'll send judgment. You say, how can you say good for nothing? Well, our Lord said it in Matthew 5 and verse 13, you'll remember it. When He said, "You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is set forth good for nothing, but to be cast out," listen, "and to be trodden under the foot of men." The phrase, "trodden under the foot of men," refers to judgment.
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That judgment may be mental and emotional in the form of detestation and despisement, or it could be economic and the loss of dominion, or even militarily speaking and physically, where we're defeated and beaten down and some even lose their lives. But what did our Lord say? When the salt is lost its savor, it is henceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and to be trodden under the foot of men.
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Well, that's the general answer. That's the general principle. When our cup of iniquity is full, God sends judgment. However, let me answer a little more specifically. You see, judgment like chastisement, and by the way, they are intimately connected as you will find out before I close today. Judgment like chastisement may be sent for various reasons. There are different kinds of judgment. I could say there are different kinds of chastisement. First of all, there is punitive judgment or punitive chastisement. The word punitive means that someone is being punished for their sins.
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Have you ever whipped your child? That's punitive discipline. You're punishing them for their wrongdoing, for their wickedness. Now there are punitive judgments. There are punitive chastisements. For instance, the flood of Noah was punitive. The judgment of Canaan was punitive. Achan's judgment was punitive. There are many examples of punitive judgments in the Bible where God judged peoples and cities and nations for their sins. Secondly, there are corrective judgments or corrective chastisements in the Bible. For instance, the judgment at the Tower of Babel was both punitive and corrective. God judged them because of their sins and He corrected the problem. You're going to see that sometimes you can have a combination of the reasons or the types of judgment and correction in just simply one judgment or correction. Jonah's judgment was corrective.
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You remember how he got thrown overboard of the ship and the whale swallowed him? That judgment was corrective judgment. Because when the whale spit him out, he sure felt a whole lot more like preaching, didn't he? God changed his mind. God changed his conduct. So, corrective judgments and chastisements are spoken of numerous times in the Bible. Let me show you. Look in your Bibles to Psalm 39. We'll look in the book of Psalms and we'll go to the book of Jeremiah. Look in Psalm 39 if you would please. And verse 11. Just pointing out corrective judgments or corrective chastisements. Psalm 39 verse 11. Look what David said.
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And I want to emphasize the word correct here. Notice Psalm 39 verse 11, David said, "When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth, surely every man is vanity." But note, "When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity," sometimes a rebuke is all that is necessary. But God's rebuke can make a man consume away like a moth. But notice he's talking about a corrective judgment or corrective chastisement. Look in Psalm 94 and verse 10. Psalm 94 verse 10. Look at what is asked. Psalm 94 verse 10. "He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? He that teaches man knowledge, shall he not know? He that chastiseth the heathen shall not he correct?" There are indeed corrective judgments. There are corrective chastisements. Look in your Bibles to the book of Jeremiah chapter 2. Jeremiah. Turn right over to Jeremiah chapter 2. And notice if you would beginning there please with verse 19. Look what God tells the people. Jeremiah 2 verse 19. God says, "Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backsliding shall reprove thee."
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"Know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of hosts. Know that thine own wickedness shall correct thee." God is going to do some corrective chastening. Look, if you would, please, in Jeremiah 10 and verse 24. Jeremiah 10 verse 24. Here it is again, Jeremiah 10 verse 24. Jeremiah prays, "O Lord, correct me, but with judgment, not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing." Now Jeremiah wanted to be corrected and he understood that judgment or chastisement is one of the means that God uses. But Jeremiah said, "I certainly don't want to be corrected in your anger." Notice if you would, in Jeremiah chapter 30 and verse 11. Jeremiah 30 verse 11, just showing you there are corrective judgments, there are corrective chastisements. Jeremiah 30, notice if you would please verse 11. Look what God says. He tells His people, "For I am with thee, saith the Lord, to save thee."
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"Though I make a full end of all nations, whether I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee, but I will correct thee in a measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished." So there are corrective judgments. There are punitive judgments. But thirdly, there are preventative judgments. There are some judgments, there are some chastisements that God sends that are preventative. I mentioned the Tower of Babel earlier. And I told you that that judgment was punitive, and I told you it was corrective, and it was, but it was also preventative. What God did prevented the wicked, rebellious sinners from carrying out their purpose. So you can find in this one particular instance that you have all three, punitive, corrective, and preventative. Now, there's another example of preventative judgments given throughout the Bible.
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For instance, did you realize that the entire Syrian army was smitten with blindness just to prevent it from capturing Elisha and the man who was with him? Let me just read the scripture for you. You can find it in 2 Kings 6 and verse 18. "And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the Lord and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha." And Elisha then led them to the king of Samaria. They had come after Elisha, and God prevented it by smiting them with blindness.
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Now, if you would turn in your Bibles to Acts chapter 13, let me show you another preventative judgment. Acts chapter 13, beginning there with verse 8. This is where Elymas, the sorcerer, was smitten with blindness. And, of course, God smote him with blindness to prevent him from hindering the work of God and the spread of the gospel. Acts chapter 13, beginning there with verse 8. Acts chapter 13, verse 8. "But Elymas, the sorcerer, for so is his name by interpretation, withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the truth, or from the faith."
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"Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him and said, O full of all subtlety and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? Now behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness, and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord."
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Note, if you would please, God smote Elymas with blindness. Why? To prevent him from hindering the work of God. It was a preventative judgment.
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Now, no doubt, he probably deserved that and a whole lot more. But in this instance, it was basically preventative. You say, but that deals with sinners. Well, if you will turn in your Bibles, if you would, to 2 Corinthians chapter 12. Let me show you another preventative judgment that refers to saints very obviously. I don't think there's anyone in this room that's going to argue that the great apostle Paul was not a saint, was not a believer. So look in 2 Corinthians 12 and verse 7, what the Apostle Paul said concerning himself. 2 Corinthians 12 verse 7, "And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan, to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure." So there was some judgment, there was some chastisement that was placed upon Paul that kept him from pride and arrogance and from exalting himself above measure.
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Now some say it was ophthalmia, I don't know, which is a horrible eye disease because in the book of Galatians Paul said, "You see how large a letter I've written with mine own hand" and the word large does not refer to length but refers to the size of the letters. So Paul may have been nearly blind, I don't know. I'm just simply saying whatever it was, there was this thorn in the flesh, this messenger of Satan, to buffet him, to chastise him continually. Why?
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Lest he should be exalted above measure and thus sin against God. It's a preventative judgment.
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Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Job, chapter 37, and let me just show you how this all works together. And this is why I'm trying to explain to you seasonal judgment, because each one of these will have a different season. Generally speaking, you can say, yes, judgment comes when our cup is full. Whether you're saint or whether you're a sinner, it doesn't matter. But then when you understand that there are punitive judgments, and corrective judgments, and preventative judgments, each one of those would probably tend to have a different season. And I'll explain that a little bit later. So look in the book of Job, 37 it is, I believe. Yes, Job 37.
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And let's begin reading there with verse 9. And we'll read through verse 13. And I want you to hold this passage just for a little bit. We're going to look at some other scriptures in it. Job 37, beginning there with verse 9, we read, "Out of the south cometh a whirlwind, and cold out of the north. By the breath of God frost is given, and the breath of the waters is straightened."
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"Also, by watering he wearieth the thick cloud, he scattereth his bright cloud, and it is turned round about by his counsels, that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth." Now watch, he's talking about the clouds, he's talking about rain, he's talking about water, he's talking about frost, he's talking about sleet, he's talking about snow, he's talking about anything that's got water in it. Watch verse 13.
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"He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for His land, or for mercy." Now, let's stop right there. I want to point out that the word correction is translated as the word rod 34 times in our Bibles. What is the rod associated with? It's associated with chastisement, with punishment. The idea that Job 37 is expressing is that God, when He pleases, can send the rain or some type of element upon the earth for the purpose of executing His punishment.
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That's exactly what He did in the book of Genesis chapter 7 when He sent the flood in Noah's time. Today, God may send His rain in an overflowing flood, to sweep away the works of man, to lay waste our fields, to drown our crops, to destroy our houses, and to cut off the wicked. God can use any of those things. I want you to understand that weather-related problems are just as much the judgment of God as our pestilences and war. If we understand this simple truth, then we will understand Micah 6 verse 9. Don't turn there, just let me quote it. God said, "Hear ye the rod and him who hath appointed it. Hear ye the rod and him who hath appointed it." Now, I want you to understand something.
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Every one of us have disciplined our children. The very first way we discipline our children is by verbal admonishment. "Don't do that. Please don't do that."
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"Now this is for your good. Please do not do that. You're going to get harmed by it or you're going to cause harm to someone. Please don't do this." And you ask, and you ask, and you ask. And what does the child do? Ignore you. And then you bring the switch, then you bring the rod. And so the thought is this, if you won't hear the word, you'll hear the rod. So God says, "Hear ye the rod and him who hath appointed it."
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Now, we're reading about rain in Job 37. I want you to hold Job 37 and turn in your Bibles to the book of Amos. The book of Amos. Hosea, Joel, Amos. One of the minor prophets. Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos. Look in Amos 4 and verse 7. Amos 4 and verse 7. Look at one of the judgments that God sent upon his people. He said this, verse 7, "And also I withholden the rain from you when there were yet three months to the harvest. I caused it to rain upon one city and caused it not to rain upon another city. One piece was rained upon and the piece whereupon it rained not withered." What did God do? He either sent the rain or God withheld the rain.
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Weather-related problems are in God's hands. Now, look back to Job 37 and verse 13 again, because we're still talking about rain, any shape, form or fashion. Job 37 verse 13, the Bible says, "He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for His land, or for mercy." Now, note if you would, "or for His land." You know, there's an interesting truth that is given here. Do you realize that sometimes God sends rain just for the earth's sake? Not for our sake, but for the earth's sake. And God sends the rain irrespective of man. For instance, look in Job 38 at verses 26 and 27. Job 38 verses 26 and 27. The Bible says that it is God who calls it to rain on the earth where no man is on the wilderness, where there is no man, to satisfy the desolate and waste ground and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth. In other words, God sends rain where there is no one around. And God does it just simply for the land's sake.
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God says, I can send that rain to accomplish my purpose. It may be for correction, it may be for the land, or it may be, He said, for mercy. In other words, God sends rain, sometimes to His people, just simply based upon His mercy.
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Now, I know I've probably told you this, but I'm going to tell you again, because I saw this with my own eyes. Whether you believe me or not, that's immaterial. It's still absolutely truth. In 1954, there was a drought. I was a boy, ten years old. My father was a deacon in the church. He went around and got all the men together, and they started praying for rain.
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And my dad had a neighbor that was not only a lost man, but a drunk. And just out of courtesy, dad went to him and said, "We're having a prayer meeting and we'd like to invite you. All the farmers are getting together." And I was with my dad. And the man laughed in my dad's face and said, "What good will that do? I'm not coming." Within just a day or two, God sent rain. And I'm going to tell you, I stood and watched that rain go right down our fence line.
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It rained on our farm. And it did not rain on his farm. So help me, that is the absolute truth. I saw it with my own eyes.
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Now God can send rain, He said, based upon His mercy. And God was merciful to those who believed in Him. And God judged those who did not believe in Him.
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Now, the point I'm trying to make, there are seasons for judgment, and each season for judgment is based upon the reason for judgment. Whether it is punitive, corrective, or preventative. You see, God deals with us as a Father. Now, when we're talking about preventative judgment or corrective judgment, let me ask you a question. If your child is wicked and doing wrong, are you going to wait until he's in absolute rebellion before you try to do anything about it? No. Because you love that child, you're going to begin correcting him right away to prevent his course of action. Well, God does like we do, or we do like God does. We try to head off and we try to do everything that we can to prevent rebellion and prevent wickedness.
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Now, it is true, and I want you to turn to the book of Romans chapter 2. I'll show it to you. It is true that the wicked do not understand these principles. And what the wicked do is this. They misinterpret God's patience, God's love, God's mercy, and God's forbearance. And here's what happens. Look in Romans chapter 2 verse 4. God says, "Or despisest thou the riches of His goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance, but after thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God." I want you to note, if you would, very carefully that God says that He bears long with the wicked. When they despise His goodness and His mercy, He bears with them. When they despise His forbearance, then His long-suffering comes into play. When they despise His long-suffering, inevitably, invariably, there is a day of judgment because all they're doing is treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath.
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Now, I want you to hold 1 Peter 4. We're coming back there, but I want you to go back in your Bibles to the book of Ezekiel chapter 12. I want you to see how this is spelled out very succinctly, very clearly in Ezekiel chapter 12. You see, we are like Israel of old in this sense of the word. We think, well, you know, we're talking about judgment.
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Man, that's a long way off. That's not coming down the pike in my lifetime. No? Well, look what he said in Ezekiel 12, beginning there in verse 17. Ezekiel 12, verse 17. "Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Son of man, eat thy bread with quaking, and drink thy water with trembling and with carefulness. And say unto the people of the land, Thus saith the Lord God of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and of the land of Israel, They shall eat their bread with carefulness, and drink their water with astonishment, that her land may be desolate from all that is therein, because of the violence of all them that dwell therein. And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be desolate, and you shall know that I am the LORD. And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, What is that proverb that you have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision, or every prophecy faileth?"
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"Tell them therefore, thus saith the LORD God, I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel. But say unto them, The days are at hand, and the effect of every vision, or every prophecy. And there shall be no more any vain vision, or flattering divination within the house of Israel. For I am the Lord, I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass. It shall no more be prolonged, for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord God. Again, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he seeth is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of the times that are far off. Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God, There shall none of my words be prolonged any more, but the word which I have spoken shall be done, saith the Lord God."
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What did God tell these people? You might as well quit talking about the future. Bad English, but good theology. It ain't going to happen in the future. I'm sending it now. Period. Now. There is a season for judgment. Whether it is punitive, corrective, or preventative, there comes a time in history when God's judgment is going to fall. And when it comes, it will come in its fullness and its fury.
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Now, go back in your Bibles to 1 Peter chapter 4. I want to cover the second point. Just covered the first one. Watch. He says, "For the time is come." That's the season. The time is come. Peter is saying judgment is about to fall. The time is now. Here's the second point. The sentence. "For the time has come that judgment..." What is the sentence? Judgment. The Greek word for judgment is the word krima. It is translated in our Bibles as judgment, damnation, condemnation, and to be condemned. The word is a legal word. It is...
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the decree of the judge. It is used in a forensic sense, and it refers to punishment of some sort. Now folks, listen carefully. Judgment is a severe trial. It may involve afflictions, sufferings, and even death. When you and I think of judgment, we tend to think of the judgment of unbelievers. We think of God's vengeance and God's wrath falling upon the wicked and rebellious. Now, it is true that God does judge the wicked.
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For instance, turn in your Bibles to 2 Peter, since you're right there. 2 Peter 2, and let's begin reading there with verse 4. 2 Peter 2, verse 4. 2 Peter 2, verse 4. "For God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into the chains of darkness, to be reserved in a judgment, and spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world the ungodly, and turning"
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"the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example unto those that should afterwards live ungodly, and delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked, for that righteous man dwelling among them, and seeing and hearing vex his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds, the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust to the day of judgment to be punished."
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Now, I want you to note, in verse 5, he speaks of three major judgments. Actually, verses 4, 5, and 6. In verse 4, he speaks of the judgment of the angels, the fallen angels, in verse 5 he speaks of the judgment in Noah's day, and in verse 6 he speaks of the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah. So you have three major judgments, fallen angels, the antediluvians, and Sodom and Gomorrah. The word of God is just simply replete with God's judgment against the wicked. However, God does indeed judge his people.
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I can assure you that there are some who would say, "No, no, no now. God does not judge His people. God chastises His people." That's just merely semantics. Chastisement is a judgment. If my child disobeys me, and I chastise that child, I have judged him guilty and deserving of chastisement.
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Now, in one sense of the word, yes indeed, there is a difference between the ungodly and the godly. God does not treat His own the way He treats the ungodly, that is for sure. But if I chastise my child, I also judge my child. I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews, back just a few pages. Hebrews chapter 12. And I want you to note what I'm talking about. And we're not just talking about God's judgment against the ungodly, but God's judgment against the godly. Notice Hebrews chapter 12, beginning there with verse 5.
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The Bible says, "And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children. My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him. For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth." What's that mean? That means none of us get away without being chastened. "If you endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons. For what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if you be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are you bastards and not sons."
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"Furthermore, we've had fathers of our flesh who corrected us, and we gave them reverence. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure, but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness."
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"Now no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous. Nevertheless, afterwards it yielded the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them that are exercised thereby." I want to point out that this passage is talking about chastisement. If you can sin and get away with it, if you can sin constantly and continually and never be chastised, you can mark it down, you don't belong to God. For he scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. And he said, "If you be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are you bastards" which is an illegitimate child "and not sons." What is a bastard? A bastard is a child that the father does not recognize and will have nothing to do with and therefore he will not teach him or correct him or chastise him. Now God says that he's going to correct us. He's going to chastise us.
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He said we've had fathers of our flesh who corrected us and we gave them reverence. I got news for you. I did not want my father to whip me. My mother sometimes, I didn't mind. But I sure did not want my father, because my dad did not play when it came to whipping. And I learned from him. And I learned a very important lesson. If you whip or discipline a child right, you don't have to do it often.
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You can ask any of my grandkids except one. None of them ever wanted to be whipped by me. Lacey is the only grandchild that I've never whipped. Never had to whip her. She's just sweet and obedient. She learned well. She watched me whip others and she understood. She didn't want any of that.
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Now, I'm just simply saying, this is what our fathers did. And we submitted to them. We recognized them.
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Now look what God said. "Furthermore, we've had fathers of our flesh who corrected us and we gave them reverence. Shall not we much rather or much more be in subjection unto the Father of spirits and live?"
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Now watch what he said in verse 10. "For they," that is our earthly fathers, "for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure." Sometimes your earthly parents chastened you because you made them angry. You made them mad. You pushed them too far, which is not a real good reason for whipping. I mean, you should have whipped before you ever got pushed too far. You understand what I'm saying?
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But you gave them reverence. But notice what the Bible says in verse 10. "But he," God, "chasteneth us for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness." Why does God judge us? Why does God chasten us? To make us more holy. To make us more obedient. To make us more godly. Look in verse 11.
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"Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous." You can believe me, I never saw my father coming with a switch and said, "Thank God, here comes Dad to give me a whipping." I never did that. But I got news for you. I am now thankful that He whipped me as He did. I really am. No matter how much it hurt. Because it corrected me. It stopped me.
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It prevented me from a lot of things. But notice if you would, He said in verse 11, "Nevertheless afterwards," that is when God chastens us, "it yielded the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them that are exercised thereby." Now, so the Bible teaches that when God judges us, God chastens us, it's for our profit, it's for our benefit.
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Now you're going to say, "But now wait a minute, Brother Weaver. This passage just talks about chastening. It doesn't mention the word judgment." Oh? Look then in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 11. I'm trying to show you that chastening and judgment are one and the same. It's a matter of semantics. Look in 1 Corinthians chapter 11 and let's begin reading there with verse 30. 1 Corinthians 11 verse 30.
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Paul in writing to these Corinthian Christians says this. "For this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world." One and the same thing. Notice what he said, "For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and some sleep," some have even died. "For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we're chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world."
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In other words, God's chastening is judgment. The word judged in 1 Corinthians 11 verses 31 and 32 is the exact same word that is used in 1 Peter 4 and verse 17. And what you find in 1 Corinthians 11 is this. The saints at Corinth were misusing and abusing the Lord's supper and they were being judged for their sins. Why? Because they did not judge themselves. They did not confess and acknowledge and repent of their sins. And so God judged them. God chastened them. Why?
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That they might not be condemned with the world. Some were sick. Some had even died. So the judgment or the chastening that took place in 1 Corinthians 11 was physical sickness and death. You've got to understand that judgment may be mild or severe, but it's still judgment. Chastening may be mild or severe, but it's still chastening. "For the time is come," that's the season. The sentence is judgment.
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Let me make just two applications today. The first one is very simple. Judgment is either punitive, corrective, or preventative, yet it is still judgment. We as Christians must understand one very important truth from the scripture. That judgment or chastening is not against us, but for us. It is for our benefit. It is for our blessing. Whatever God does for His people, it is for our good and His glory. Ask yourself, was the Apostle Paul's judgment, was his thorn in the flesh against him or for him? Very obviously, it was for him. Was the judgment and the chastening of Job against him or for him? Very clearly, it was for him. Because when he came out of that judgment, when he came out of that chastening, he had a greater understanding of God and a greater understanding of himself.
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You must also remember that Jacob, when he thought that Joseph was dead, and Simeon was being held in prison, and the man in charge of Egypt was demanding that Benjamin come, or there would be no more food given to the family, Jacob said this, in Genesis 42 and verse 36, "And Jacob his father said unto them, Me have you bereaved of my children, Joseph is not, Simeon is not, and now you will take Benjamin away. All of these things are against me." How many of those things were against Jacob? None. Because Joseph was on the throne in Egypt. And Simeon was going to be released. And Benjamin was going to see his brother first. And then Joseph is going to send and bring every one of them into the land and feed them. See, Jacob counted all these judgments were against him, but none were against him. Not one.
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The second thing we need to learn is this, and I'm going to demonstrate this far more next week, that judgment always begins at the house of God. It begins with the people of God. And the question is, if it first begins with us, what shall be the end of the ungodly? Judgment is never against us. It is always for us. It is meant to be a benefit, a boon, and a blessing. And we need to learn to view it as such.
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Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee this day. We thank You, Lord, not only for all of Your blessings and mercies and benefits, but Lord, for all of Your correction, for all of Your chastisement, for all of Your multiple benefits that You've given to us over these years and keeping us and correcting us. Help us, Lord, to live for Thee to honor Thee in all that we say and do, in the name of Jesus Christ we ask and pray, Amen.
#81 | 58:29 to 59:04 | cleaned

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T18:48:05Z

Judgment at the House of God Part 1 of 3

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

In this sermon, Pastor John Weaver introduces a three-part study on 1 Peter 4:17-19, focusing on the theme that judgment begins at the house of God. He explains that judgment is seasonal, occurring when iniquity is full, and can be punitive, corrective, or preventative. Weaver emphasizes that God's judgment or chastening is for the benefit of believers, not against them, and that understanding God's holiness and man's depravity is essential to grasping this truth.

Introduction to the Passage

Weaver introduces 1 Peter 4:17-19 and announces a multi-week study, emphasizing the depth of these verses.

The Season of Judgment

Judgment is seasonal, occurring at a proper time (kairos), as illustrated by the time when kings go to war and the filling of the cup of iniquity.

Scripture Reading — Ecclesiastes 3:1

"To everything there is a season and a time and a purpose under the heaven."

To everything there's a season.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 32:35

"To me belongeth vengeance and recompense. Their foot shall slide in due time. For the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste."

Notice what God said,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 32:35

"Their foot shall slide in due time."

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 11:1

"And it came to pass after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him in all Israel, and they destroyed the children of Ammon and besieged Rabbah, but David tarried still at Jerusalem."

Now notice what that verse said,

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 11:1

"And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle."

You must remember, the Hebrew calendar actually began in the spring with Passover. When was the time when kings go forth to battle? It was in the spring.

Types of Judgment: Punitive, Corrective, Preventative

Judgment can be punitive (punishment for sin), corrective (to correct behavior), or preventative (to stop sin), with biblical examples for each.

And I want to emphasize the word correct here. Notice Psalm 39 verse 11, David said,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 39:11

"When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth, surely every man is vanity."

But note,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 39:11

"When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity,"

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 6:18

"And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the Lord and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha."

And Elisha then led them to the king of Samaria. They had come after Elisha, and God prevented it by smiting them with blindness.

Scripture Reading — Job 37:9-13

"Out of the south cometh a whirlwind, and cold out of the north. By the breath of God frost is given, and the breath of the waters is straightened."

Weather as an Instrument of Judgment

God uses weather, such as rain or drought, for correction, mercy, or the land's sake, as seen in Job 37 and Amos 4.

Scripture Reading — Job 37:9-13

"Out of the south cometh a whirlwind, and cold out of the north. By the breath of God frost is given, and the breath of the waters is straightened." "Also, by watering he wearieth the thick cloud, he scattereth his bright cloud, and it is turned round about by his counsels, that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth."

Scripture Reading — Job 37:9-13

"He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for His land, or for mercy."

Now God can send rain, He said, based upon His mercy. And God was merciful to those who believed in Him. And God judged those who did not believe in Him.

The Sentence: Judgment

The Greek word krima denotes a legal decree of punishment; judgment is a severe trial that can include affliction and death.

Chastening as Judgment for Believers

God chastens His children as a form of judgment for their profit and holiness, as taught in Hebrews 12 and 1 Corinthians 11.

Applications: Judgment is for Our Good

Judgment is not against believers but for their benefit, as seen in the lives of Paul, Job, and Jacob; it begins with God's people.

Judgment at the House of God Part 1 of 3

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	p0luZz5v-3w
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Sin, Judgment, and Gospel Foundations: Prepared Hearts
Genre	Sermon
Date	2012-02-09
Dictation Name
Book	Book 155: Judgment at the House of God — Chapter 1
Source Timed Segments	81

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction to the Passage: Weaver introduces 1 Peter 4:17-19 and announces a multi-week study, emphasizing the depth of these verses.
The Season of Judgment: Judgment is seasonal, occurring at a proper time (kairos), as illustrated by the time when kings go to war and the filling of the cup of iniquity.
Types of Judgment: Punitive, Corrective, Preventative: Judgment can be punitive (punishment for sin), corrective (to correct behavior), or preventative (to stop sin), with biblical examples for each.
Weather as an Instrument of Judgment: God uses weather, such as rain or drought, for correction, mercy, or the land's sake, as seen in Job 37 and Amos 4.
The Sentence: Judgment: The Greek word krima denotes a legal decree of punishment; judgment is a severe trial that can include affliction and death.
Chastening as Judgment for Believers: God chastens His children as a form of judgment for their profit and holiness, as taught in Hebrews 12 and 1 Corinthians 11.
Applications: Judgment is for Our Good: Judgment is not against believers but for their benefit, as seen in the lives of Paul, Job, and Jacob; it begins with God's people.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Judgment begins at the house of God

Peter declares that the time for judgment to start with God's people has come, which is a foundational principle for understanding divine judgment.

Weaver reads 1 Peter 4:17 and emphasizes that judgment first begins at the house of God.

Misunderstanding God leads to rejecting judgment

Many Christians reject the idea of judgment because they view God only as loving and merciful, ignoring His holiness and justice.

Weaver argues that the average Christian has misconceptions of God, preferring a lenient deity who winks at sin.

Judgment is seasonal and purposeful

Judgment comes at a specific time (kairos) and can be punitive, corrective, or preventative, each with its own season.

Weaver explains the Greek word kairos and gives examples like the flood, Tower of Babel, and Paul's thorn.

Chastening is a form of judgment for believers

The Bible equates chastening with judgment, showing that God disciplines His children to prevent condemnation with the world.

Weaver cites 1 Corinthians 11:30-32, where being judged is equated with being chastened.

Scripture References

1 Peter 4:17-19: The primary passage of the sermon, introducing judgment beginning at the house of God.
Isaiah 55:8-9: Used to show that God's thoughts and ways are higher than man's, countering humanistic thinking.
Deuteronomy 32:39: Demonstrates God's sovereignty over life and death, wounding and healing.
Isaiah 57:15: Highlights God's holiness and dwelling in a high and holy place.
Romans 8:7-8: Shows the carnal mind is enmity against God, supporting total depravity.
Romans 3:10-12: Quoted to prove that no one is righteous or seeks God by nature.
Ecclesiastes 3:1: Establishes that everything has a season, including judgment.
Deuteronomy 32:35: Shows that vengeance belongs to God and judgment comes in due time.
2 Samuel 11:1: Illustrates the seasonal aspect of judgment by noting the time when kings go to war.
Genesis 15:13-16: Explains that judgment on the Amorites was delayed until their iniquity was full.
Matthew 5:13: Warns that salt losing its savor is trodden under foot, a reference to judgment.
Psalm 39:11: Shows God corrects man for iniquity, making his beauty consume away.
Psalm 94:10: Asks if God who chastises the heathen will not correct, indicating corrective judgment.
Jeremiah 2:19: States that one's own wickedness will correct them, a form of corrective judgment.
Jeremiah 10:24: Jeremiah prays for correction with judgment but not in God's anger.
Jeremiah 30:11: God promises to correct Israel in measure, not leaving them unpunished.
2 Kings 6:18: God smites the Syrian army with blindness as a preventative judgment.
Acts 13:8-12: Elymas is struck blind to prevent him from hindering the gospel, a preventative judgment.
2 Corinthians 12:7: Paul's thorn in the flesh was given to prevent pride, a preventative judgment.
Job 37:9-13: God sends weather for correction, for the land, or for mercy, showing His control over judgment.

Historical References

Flood of Noah: Mentioned as an example of punitive judgment.
Judgment of Canaan: Cited as a punitive judgment.
Achan's judgment: Given as an example of punitive judgment.
Tower of Babel: Described as a judgment that was punitive, corrective, and preventative.
Jonah's judgment: Mentioned as corrective judgment when he was swallowed by the whale.
1954 drought and answered prayer: Weaver recounts a personal story of God sending rain on his father's farm but not on a neighbor's as a sign of mercy and judgment.

Important Quotes

For the time has come that judgment must begin at the house of God. And if it first begin at us, what shall the end of them that obey not the gospel be?

This is the central verse of the sermon, establishing the theme that judgment starts with God's people.

The truth of the matter is that most people do not want to understand this particular passage because most people really do not want to face truth.

Highlights the human tendency to avoid the uncomfortable reality of divine judgment.

We are not the interpreters of reality. God is.

Emphasizes God's sovereignty in defining truth and judgment, countering humanistic thinking.

If we really understood God's holiness and justice, and if we really understand man's depravity and wickedness, we would not be asking, why does God send judgment? We would be asking, why are any of us left alive?

Argues that a proper view of God and man leads to an acceptance of judgment as deserved.

Their foot shall slide in due time.

Quoted from Deuteronomy 32:35 to illustrate that judgment comes at its appointed season.

For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

Key verse from 1 Corinthians 11 showing the link between self-judgment, divine judgment, and chastening.

Judgment or chastening is not against us, but for us. It is for our benefit. It is for our blessing.

Summarizes the sermon's application that God's judgment is ultimately for the good of believers.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

Why do you think most people, including Christians, resist the idea that judgment begins at the house of God?

[Context]

Weaver notes that most people do not want to face the truth of this passage.

[Question]

How does a misunderstanding of God's holiness and man's depravity affect our view of judgment?

[Context]

Weaver argues that misconceptions of God and man lead to rejecting the necessity of judgment.

[Question]

In what ways can judgment be seasonal in our personal lives or in the church today?

[Context]

Weaver explains that judgment has a proper time (kairos) and can be seen in various biblical examples.

[Question]

How can we distinguish between punitive, corrective, and preventative judgment in our own experiences?

[Context]

Weaver outlines three types of judgment with biblical examples.

[Question]

What does it mean that God chastens us for our profit, and how should we respond to chastening?

[Context]

Weaver cites Hebrews 12:10-11 to show that chastening yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness.

[Question]

How does the example of Jacob in Genesis 42:36 help us trust that God's judgments are for our good?

[Context]

Weaver uses Jacob's mistaken belief that all things were against him to illustrate that God's plans are beneficial.

Applications

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