PSALM 82 - GOD'S JUSTICE OVER JUDGES
PSALM 82 – GOD’S JUSTICE OVER JUDGES
Tuesday Morning Bible Study
September 15, 2020
The Judges and Rulers of the earth are judged by this Word.
“The Scripture Cannot Be Broken.”
I believe Asaph received a vision of the Court of Heaven and this Psalm is a prophetic picture of this great assembly presided over by Elohiym, the Supreme God of all the mighty of the earth. This is not an ordinary council meeting, it is a trial and God presides as judge. Those who are being judged are the gods of the nations. This is lower case (g) and could have a dual meaning of both the demonic princes over the earth and/or their earthly counter parts.
God is standing in the court of heaven. The Word of God declares he is the judge of all the mighty (el) of the earth. The charge of God against earth’s very great judges is:
1. Not listening to true justice.
2. Corrupting what is right by judging in favor of the wrong.
3. Not defending the poor and fatherless
4. Nor do justice to the afflcted and needy.
God makes his judgment and his sentence of death. This is a powerful Word of God and I believe we can stand before God and ask him to judge the mighty-ones of the earth and bring justice not only to our nation, but the naitons of the earth.
82:1-2: -(T.P.T.) All rise! For God now comes to judge as he convenes heaven’s courtroom! He judges every judge and rules over every ruler! Saying, How long will you judges refuse to listen to the voice of true justice and continue to corrupt what is right by judging in favor of the wrong?
82:1-2: - (K.J.V.) God (Elohiym) stands in the congregation of the mighty, he judges among the gods. (Saying) How long will you judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.
At this celestial Nuremberg, He accuses the various national deities of misrule, of abuse of the powers delegated to them. Their showing was deplorable; there was no regard for morality in pagan cultures; highly religious though they were. More like they were very superstitious. Superstition is always a worship of Satan and his demonic powers.
In these verses God confronts them of their duties to mankind:
82: 3-5: (T.P.T.) Defend the defenseless, the fatherless and the forgotton, the disenfranchised and the destitute. Your duty is to deliver the poor and the powerless. Liberate them from the grasp of the wicked. But you continue in your darkness and ignorance while the foundations of society are shaken to the core.
82: 3-5: (K.J.V.) Defend the poor and fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy; rid them out of the hand of the wicked. They know not, neither wil they understand; they walk on in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are out of course.
Another translation reads “rid them out of the hand of the lawless.”
“All the foundations of the earth are out of course.” The foundations of the earth were laid at the time of the singing of the stars and angels. The earthly judges are oblivious to the foundations of the earth being shaken. “Ignorant and senseless, they carry on blindly, undermining the very basis of earthly society.” (Jreusalem Bible) They walk around in bewilderment.
I stand before God and His heavenly court today, and charge the Justice System of the United States of America with this Word of God.
God charged the office of judges with the responsibility of social justice. The failure to stand up for the unborn, injustice, moral standards, and the underprivileged are indictable offenses by God. Yet, these mighty ones who have been given the priviledge of social responsibility undermine the very basis of earthly society.
We can further say that when God established the foundations of the earth, He set in place His law of marriage and family. He created male and female in His image to be fruitful, and multiply and replenish the earth, subdue it; and have dominion. Foundations = “pillars, or the settled order of truth or institutions.”
1 Cor. 3: 10-15: According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and others build thereon. But let every man take heed how he builds thereupon. No other foundation can man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble. Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abides which he has built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
Again, this world judges not only ministers, but in concert with Psalm 82, judges the rulers and judges of the earth.
82: 6-7: (T.P.T.) Didn’t I commision you as judges, saying “You are all like gods, since you judge on my behalf. You are all like sons of the Most High, my representatives. Nevertheless, in death you ar enothing but mere men! You will be laid in the ground like any prince and you will die.”
82: 6-7: (K.J.V.) I have said, you are gods; and all of you are children of the Most-High. But you shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.
Jesus quoted this verse, so there is no way to water it down, or try to explain it away.
John 10:34-35: Jesus answered them, is it not written in your law, I said, you are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
The only other scripture that it is written, “Ye are gods” is Isa. 41:23 and it is God rebuking anyone who comes against His blessing to Israel.
The leaders of Israel were called princes as well as the leaders of the twelve tribes.
Numbers 16:2: They rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown.
Now in verse 8, we have the verdict of God’s judgment. A death sentence is passed. Despite their supernatural rank, they are to be stripped of their privileges and suffer the degrading penalty of death. Like the victims of a political coup d’etat, they will fall into the infernal abyss, the furnace of God. This is an assurance of God’s sovereignty. Whether these are heathen gods as some think, mighty rulers, or demonic prices and their counter-parts, they are ultimately accountable to God and will be judged by Him. Jewish tradition applies the psalm to human judges.
82:8: (T.P.T.) All rise! For God now takes his place as Judge of all the earth! Don’t you know that everything and everyone belongs to him? The nations will be sifted in his hands!
Psa. 82:8: (K.J.V.)Arise, O God, judge the earth: for you shall inherit all nations.
God has been speaking to Asaph. Now in verse 8, Asaph declares the sovereignty of God over the earth as well as nations. The psalmist adds a fervent Amen to the divine pronouncement. The “All rise” is for the nations to rise as God takes his place as Judge of all the earth and has made his judgment yesterday, today and tomorrow. His righteous judgment never changes against these sins. The scripture cannot be broken.
Isa. 45:24: Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed. 46:1: Bel bow down, Nebo stoops…
The New Testament celebrates the triumph of Christ over “the rulers and authorities,” the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Eph. 6:12: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Col. 2:15: Having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Whether man or principalities and powers, their doom is sealed. Those who have the privilege of God’s office whether civil or spiritual, they will receive the judgment proclaimed from the Court of Heaven. Asaph was given a vision of that court on the day the verdict was rendered. Hallelujah!
1Co. 15:24Then comes the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries Church
Scripture from K.J.V. and T.P.T.
I entered into the labors of F. F. Bruce Bible Commentary, Leslie C. Allen. Comments and conclusions are my own and do not reflect the views of Brother Allen.