The Government of God with His Judgment to Gain a Universe Filled with Righteousness

The subject of Peter’s Epistles is the government of God with His judgment, for in it we see how the judgment of God today begins from the house of God and how He desires to clear up and purify the whole universe to have a new universe filled with His righteousness for His delight. Amen!

This week we come to a new Holy Word for Morning Revival based on the topic at the 2024 Thanksgiving Blending Conference, with the general subject being, Living a Christian Life and Church Life under the Government of God for the Economy of God.

The topic for this first week is, The Government of God for the Economy of God. The Lord wants to speak something to us and do something in us in order to meet His need.

In Matt. 11 the Lord Jesus went to at least three places, and each one of them rejected Him.

The Lord’s reaction was not to be disappointed or curse the cities or anything like that; rather, He said, I extol You, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and revealed them to the infants (Matt. 11:25).

If we think we are intelligent and wise, we do not see what is in God’s heart but rather, we reject Him and the gospel; but if we’re simple like a child, open to the Lord, we will receive the Lord’s speaking and He will bless us.

What does it mean to be wise and intelligent? It means that you know a lot, so when you see others, you think highly of yourself and not so highly of others, even considering them and what they do in a critical way.

An intelligent and wise person in himself is a critical bystander; he is proud of himself, self-assured, and closed in his spirit. Oh, Lord!

May we be like a child, like an infant, being seeking, humble, simple, pure, and open to the Lord.

We need to open to the Lord like a child to allow Him to speak to us what is in His heart.

Especially when we come to the books of 1 and 2 Peter, as we see that the subject of the books of Peter is the government of God with His judgment, we should not merely think that we know this and this is not that enjoyable, so we overlook it or just mentally grasp it.

May we truly open to the Lord so that we may see the central focus and basic structure of the Epistles of Peter.

As we consider the matters of God’s government and historic examples of His dealing in His judgment, we should not be distracted by these but rather, be brought to the central focus and basic structure of these epistles, which is the Triune God as our full enjoyment.

The Government of God with His Judgment for Him to gain a Universe filled with Righteousness

The subject of Peter’s Epistles is the government of God with His judgment.

Since his Epistles are concerned with the government of God, the judgement of God and of the Lord is referred to repeatedly (see 1 Pet. 2:23; 4:5-6, 17; 2 Pet. 2:3-4, 9; 3:7) as one of the main items.

Due to the rebellion of Satan and man’s fall, the entire universe became fallen and corrupted.

God created a perfect universe, and the sons of God rejoiced when the universe was created.

But Satan corrupted, defiled, and polluted the universe by his rebellion against God, and man was seduced to join him in his rebellion.

God has a purpose, a definite heart’s desire, which He intends to accomplish, and He will not be deterred from fulfilling it.

Therefore, God comes in to judge. God’s judgment began from the angels (3 Pet. 2:3-4) and passed through the generations of man in the Old Testament (vv. 5-9).

He judged Satan and the angels who joined him in his rebellion, and He judged the men who were fallen and rebelled against God in the Old Testament.

Then, in the New Testament age, the judgment begins from the house of God (1 Pet. 1:17; 2:23; 4:6, 17) and continues until the coming of the day of the Lord (2 Pet. 3:10), which will be a day of judgment on the Jews, the believers, and the Gentiles before the millennium (v. 12).

If we believers in Christ call as Father the One who, without respect of persons, judges according to each one’s work, we should pass the time of our sojourning in fear.

God is our Father, but if we do things against His government, He judges the things that are against His government so that He may bring us back into the enjoyment of Himself.

We are the holy children of our holy God and Father, and we should walk in a holy manner of life, being holy even as our Father is holy.

He is making us the same as He is – He is holy, and we are to be holy in all our manner of life.

But if we do things against His government, He will come in to judge.

May we see the government of God with His judgment today, and may we open to the Lord in all things to allow Him to judge and remove from us anything that is not of Him, even anything that is not Himself.

He wants to burn away anything in our being and in our living that is against His government; may we let Him judge us now, judging anything that does not match His holy nature so that we may be the same as He is, holy in all our manner of life.

1 Pet. 4:17 says that it is time for the judgment to begin from the house of God, and if first from us, what will be the end of those who disobey the gospel of God?

We should not worry about others, but we should live in our spirit, seeking to enjoy the Lord and being open to Him for Him to judge anything in us that is not according to His holy nature.

In the New Testament age, the judgment begins from the house of God and continues until the coming of the day of the Lord (2 Pet. 3:10), which will be a day of judgment on the Jews, the believers, and the Gentiles before the millennium.

Then, after the millennium, all the dead – including men and demons – will be judged and will perish (1 Pet. 4:5; 2 Pet. 3:7), and the heavens and the earth will be consumed by fire (vv. 10, 12).

The results of the various judgments of God are not the same – some judgments result in a disciplinary dealing, some in a dispensational punishment, and some in eternal perdition (2:1).

The end result of all the judgments, the Lord God will clear up and purify the entire universe so that He may have a new heaven and a new earth for a new universe filled with His righteousness (v. 13) for His delight. Amen!

Today we are the children of God, the house of God, and the judgment of God begins from His house; as we enjoy the Lord and grow in life to be transformed and conformed to His image, God is faithful to judge anything that doesn’t match His holy nature in us and in our living.

May we see the government of God with His judgment, may we open to the Lord for Him to judge in us what needs to be judged, and may we come back to the enjoyment of Christ day by day so that He may gain in us what He is after.

May the Lord gain the church as a realm filled with His righteousness, joy, and peace so that the church may be the kingdom of God on the earth today.

Lord Jesus, we love You and we open to You. May we see the government of God with His judgment and may we have our being fully open to God. Oh Lord, may we see that God’s judgment began from the angels and passed through the generations of man in the Old Testament. May we realize that today, in the New Testament age, the judgment of God begins from the house of God. We open to Your judgment today so that anything that doesn’t match Your holiness may be removed. Have Your way in us. Judge Your enemy and his ground in our being. Remove anything of darkness, death, rebellion, and sinfulness in us. Oh Lord, may we be purified and cleansed fully so that we may live Christ and live a holy life for the church life. We do not want to be judged with the world later or to receive a dispensational discipline or punishment; we open to Your judging today! Bring us fully back into the enjoyment of Christ as grace so that we may be Your corporate expression on the earth! Hallelujah, God is judging all things and all persons to clear up and purify the entire universe so that He may have a new heaven and a new earth filled with His righteousness for His delight!

God’s Governmental Judgment in the Book of Daniel: The Heavens Do Rule!

A very vivid portrait and illustration of the government of God with His judgment is seen in the book of Daniel, where we can see God’s governmental judgment being worked out.

In this book, we see King Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, who passed through God’s judgment, and then his descendant, Belshazzar, also did the same thing.

Though these are pagan kings, the principle of God’s governmental judgment in their case applies to us also in the New Testament.

They passed through God’s judgment because of their pride. Pride is something we all are sick of, to varying degrees and at various stages of manifestation.

We need to beware of pride. We are born with pride, for we are born in sin, and Satan’s first sin was pride.

In Isa. 14 and Ezek. 28 we see how this most honourable archangel, Lucifer, became Satan, simply because of his pride.

And Isaiah identifies Lucifer with Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon; just as Lucifer was, so Nebuchadnezzar was full of pride.

Lucifer looked at his beauty and his heart was lifted up because of his beauty, and became the first sinner, being proud. Oh, Lord Jesus!

Because of his pride, he wanted to exalt his throne above God’s throne.

This is another sin: putting ourselves on the throne and desiring to be higher than God. Oh, Lord!

Because Nebuchadnezzar’s “heart was lifted up and his spirit became so arrogant that he conducted himself in pride, he was deposed from his royal throne, and his glory was taken away from him” (Dan. 5:20).

God said that his kingdom would be assured to him after he had “come to know that the heavens do rule” (4:26; 5:21).

In other words, God wanted Nebuchadnezzar to know that it was not because of what he is that he obtained the kingdom, but because the heavens do rule.

However, the king became proud, and in Dan. 4-5 we see how he was judged by God; he was driven from the sons of men, his heart was made like that of a beast, and his dwelling place was with the wild donkeys.

Men fed him with grass, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven. Oh, Lord Jesus!

Then, after a certain period of time, he realized that the heavens do rule. We need to deal with pride, being sober-minded even as God has apportioned to each a measure of faith.

In the family life, in the church life, and in society, we need to be saved from pride, not thinking that we are above others or better than them but being sober-minded.

God is able to abase those who walk in pride. May we deal with pride today.

Although his descendant Belshazzar knew all this, his debauchery before God was an insult to God’s holiness, and Daniel told him that “the God in whose hand is your breath and to whom all your ways belong, you have not honored” (vv. 22-23). Oh, Lord!

Thus, his kingdom was divided and given to the Medes and Persians (v. 28).

Instead of learning from his predecessor’s experience, Belshazzar went even further in his pride, going so far that he took the holy vessels that used to be in the temple of God and used them for his party and worship to his gods; it was a time of debauchery.

This was an insult to God’s holiness. And all of a sudden, a hand appeared and wrote on the wall; somehow, God’s hand appeared and wrote some words on the wall.

Here we see the government of God with His judgment in action.

The king’s countenance changed, his thoughts alarmed him, the joints of his hips loosened and his knees began to knock together; he was really afraid.

He asked for the interpretation of what was written, and his mother told him that Daniel could do it.

What God wrote was that God numbered his kingdom, and brought it to an end; He weighed Belshazzar on a scale and found him lacking, so he will take his kingdom and give it to others.

Though Belshazzar knew of what happened to Nebuchadnezzar, he did not humble his heart, but exalted himself against the Lord of the heavens.

The God in whose hand is his breath and to whom all his ways belong, he did not honor (Dan. 5:22-24). So God took his kingdom and gave it to the Medes and Persians, on that very night.

This is very sobering to us in our Christian life. In one night, the entire course of history changed, and he who was proud existed no more after that.

May we see the government of God with His judgment and may we come to the Lord to deal with any pride and rebelliousness against Him.

May we open to the Lord and allow Him to shine on us in this matter day by day.

Lord Jesus, we give ourselves to You today. We want to live before You, accepting and being open to Your judging in our being and in our living. May we see the government of God with His judgment and may we allow God to judge in us what needs to be judged. Save us from pride. Oh Lord, we want to be one with You to deal with our pride. May we be sober-minded in considering ourselves, even considering that others are better than us. Amen, Lord, save us from insulting Your holiness by what we speak or do today. May we realize that God holds in His hand our very breath, and all our ways belong to Him. We honor You, Lord, and we worship You. May we live a Christian life and church life under the government of God with His judgement, living a holy life in the church life for God to be expressed through us. Keep us enjoying You today. Oh Lord, bring us back to the proper enjoyment of Christ in all things. Gain in us what You are after!

References and Hymns on this Topic

• Inspiration for this article/sharing comes from the Word of God, the enjoyment in the ministry, a sharing by brother Ed Marks in the message for this week, and portions from, Life-study of Daniel, msgs. 6-7, as quoted in the Holy Word for Morning Revival on, Living a Christian Life and Church Life under the Government of God for the Economy of God (2024 Thanksgiving Blending Conference), week 1, The Government of God for the Economy of God.
• Similar articles on this topic:
  – Daniel (Program #1) – An Introductory Word, via, Bible Study Radio.
  – God’s judgment, a portion from, Life-Study of 1 & 2 Thessalonians, Chapter 25, by Witness Lee.
  – 17 Bible Prophecies Concerning Christ to Strengthen Your Faith, via, Holding to Truth in Love.
  – God’s government and God’s grace, article via, Shepherding Words.
  – New Jerusalem, the Center of God’s Administration, via, New Jerusalem blog.
  – Life-study of 1 & 2 Peter & Jude, recommending the Radio Broadcast here.
  – The government of God and entrance into the kingdom, article via, Affirmation and Critique.
  – Christ executing His judgment over the world, a portion from, Life-Study of Psalms, Chapter 36, by Witness Lee.
  – What is the relationship between God’s government and God’s grace? More via, Living to Him.
  – Three crucial matters in the book of Daniel – God’s heavenly rule, the preeminence of Christ, and the portion of God’s people, a portion from, Life-Study of Daniel, Chapter 12, by Witness Lee.
• Hymns on this topic:
  – We praise Thee for Thy righteousness; / Thy justice, Father, we confess, / And fully testify. / Thou art the judge of all mankind, / In Thee injustice none can find, / Nor wrong to Thee apply… / All people Thou wilt judge one day, / Thy righteousness to all display / By Christ, Thy Son, our Lord; / Yet fast we’ll stand, for none can move, / Thy righteousness we’ll ever prove, / With grace Thou wilt afford. (Hymns #21 stanzas 1 and 5)
  – Oh, purify us, Lord, by speaking in our heart; / Thy living, spoken word this washing will impart. / Increase Thy speaking, Lord, and cleanse our every part. / Oh, purify us, Lord, we pray. / Oh, purify us, Lord, today; / Wash all our natural life away. / Speak now Thy words in us, / And make us glorious. / O Lord, do speak in us today. (Hymns #1135 stanza 2 and chorus)
  – Lo, the kingdom of the world is now the kingdom of the Lord! / O what joy to all the saints does His eternal reign afford! / Let us swell the mighty chorus of His praise in one accord— / The victory is won! / That great dragon, the old serpent called the devil, down is cast; / Satan and his fallen angels’ long deceiving days are past! / Now our praises like a thunder through the universe shall blast— / The victory is won! (Hymns #1101 stanzas 1-2)