God's Right to Judge

We men, even Christian men, are often uncomfortable with God's justice. There are two reasons for that. The first is that we are mere creatures. That means that we do not have the infinitely-detailed big picture that God sees. There is no shame in that. However, the second is that we are sinners, and, therefore, hate God's pure justice. That should be a cause of shame.

One such case is Zechariah 8:10. God, through His prophet, refers to the judgment that had fallen on the ancestors of His audience: "There was no wage for man or any wage for beast, neither was there any safety from the foe for him who went out or came in, for I set every man against his neighbor." And this is exactly of what they had been warned by God through Moses: "A nation that you have not known shall eat up the fruit of your ground and of all your labors, and you shall be only oppressed and crushed continually" (Deuteronomy 28:33). If warning is given of a consequence for an action, is it unjust when that consequence is given? If a man warns his child that his toy will be taken away if he hits his brother again, do we not expect it to happen? Of course! But what is the response of the child? Wailing and gnashing of teeth, as if it is a big surprise.

There is a gap of about 800 to 900 years between Deuteronomy and Zechariah. Therefore, not only did Israel have plenty of advanced warning, but also plenty of opportunities to see it applied in their history. See the whole book of Judges for example.

So, how can God's actions be considered unjust? I think we see good reason to dispense with any pretense of ignorance. That leaves us with the other reason, the wickedness of men and our pretended right to judge the morality of God. Isn't that exactly what Satan offered to Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:5)?