Faith’s Stand: Discerning Divine Judgment

If you do not stand firm in your faith,
You will not stand at all!
Isaiah 7:9

When the women came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense (Luke 25:9-11). This was because they were without the Spirit. They could not accept this was coming from God! To them it seemed to be foolishness, they could not understand, for this had to be spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:14). They were making judgments by human standards.

However, the Son of Man said, “I pass judgment on no one,” (John 8:15). One day as Jesus was speaking, the Jewish leaders brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery and put her in front of the crowd (John 8:3). Was she naked, or simply covered with a sheet? Surely, she was frightened, humiliated, ashamed, guilty of being used for pleasure and for disdain at the hands of those who demean and abuse.

These teachers of the law had discriminated among themselves and became judges with evil thoughts (James 2:4) for where was the adulterous man? Fairness: Which of them had any? They didn’t even know the meaning of the word (Psalm 58:1 TLB), “The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”

They were setting a trap to use against Jesus. But the Lord stooped down and wrote in the dust with His finger. They kept demanding an answer, so He stood up and said, “Let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Then He stooped down and continued to write in the dust.

When they heard this, one-by-one from the oldest they all slipped away, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she answered. “Well, neither do I,” Jesus said. “Go and sin no more,” John 8:4-10 NLT.

There was no mentioned made in reference to what Jesus wrote in the dust, but these words once written on a wall in the book of Daniel came to mind:   MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN

MENE means “numbered:” The Lord laughs at the wicked, for He knows                                                        

                                            Their day of defeat is coming (Psalm 37:13)

MENE – The wicked are crushed by disaster, but the godly have a                                       

               Refuge when they die (Proverbs 14:32 NLT)

TEKEL means “weighed:” All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,

                                          For their justice and dignity proceed only from

                                          Themselves (Habakkuk 1:7 AMP), but the Lord

                                          Weighs the spirits, the thoughts and intents of       

                                         The heart (Proverbs 16:2 AMP)

PARSIN means “divided:” Realize you have been disloyal, wavering

                                          Individuals with divided interests! Come close to

                                          God and He will come close to you. Recognize

                                          You are sinners! Get your soiled hands clean,

                                           And purify your hearts of spiritual adultery

                                          (James 4:8 AMP)

Stop judging by mere appearances and make a right judgment (John 7:24).

For you may think it is okay to condemn people, but you are just as bad, and have no excuse! When you say they have done what is wrong and should be punished, you condemn yourself, for you who judge others do things that are also wrong.

Since you judge others for doing wrong, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment for doing what is wrong. Don’t you understand how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with us? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that His kindness is intended to turn us from the error in our judgments? (Romans 2:1-4 NLT).

The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).

Hear My words, you who desire Wisdom,
Listen to Me, you who are willing to learn,
For the ear tests words as the tongue tastes food.
Discern what is right, learn together what is good!
Job 34:2-4