I. EXORDIUM:
Have you've been cheated in a court? Have you been deceived and felt that the judge who handled your case is an unjust judge.
II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:
Believers
III. OBJECTIVES:
To display characteristics of a Godly judgment.
IV. TEXT:
Isaiah 11:3 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
He will delight in obeying the Lord. He will not judge by appearance nor make a decision based on hearsay.
V. THESIS:
Characteristics of a Godly judgment are enumerated.
VI. TITLE:
Godly Judgment
VII. EXPLICATION:
A. Author: Isaiah - son of Amos, prophesied during reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah.
B. Isaiah is regarded as greatest Old Testament prophet: (1) preeminently the prophet of redemption, (2) passages in this book are among the finest in literature.
VIII. MAIN BODY:
A. Characteristics of Godly judgment:
1. The Judge will delight in obeying the LORD.
a. If a person delights in GOD's laws which is the Word of God, the Bible, GOD also delights in that person. (Psalms 119:111, Psalms 119:77, Psalms 119:174, Deuteronomy 30:9-10, Psalms 1:2, Psalms 37:4)
Psalms 119:111 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
Your laws are my treasure; they are my heart’s delight.
Psalms 119:77 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
Surround me with your tender mercies so I may live, for your instructions are my delight.
Psalms 119:174 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
O Lord, I have longed for your rescue, and your instructions are my delight.
Psalms 1:2 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night.
Psalms 37:4 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.
Deuteronomy 30:9 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
“The Lord your God will then make you successful in everything you do. He will give you many children and numerous livestock, and he will cause your fields to produce abundant harvests, for the Lord will again delight in being good to you as he was to your ancestors.
Deuteronomy 30:10 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
The Lord your God will delight in you if you obey his voice and keep the commands and decrees written in this Book of Instruction, and if you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and soul.
If you are judging someone or is task to judge between right and wrong, first, delight yourself in GOD by showing delight in His Words, and then GOD will be delighted in you, but you have to take the initiative and not the other way around. The word "delight" came from the Hebrew word which means pleasure, desire, something in your mind, and acceptable. When you delight in GOD and in His Words, it only means that you take pleasure in His Presence and in His Words, you desire GOD's Presence and His Words, GOD and in His Words is an acceptable matter always in your mind.
2. The Judge will never judge by the following:
a. appearance
b. false evidence
c. hearsay
Appearance or countenance as declared nearing it's counterpart Hebrew word "mareh" meaning view, a vision, things seen such as beauty, form, pattern, fair appearance. (1 Samuel 16:7) Something that can only be judged by seeing it or by the use of the eyes. Never judge by just seeing the appearance or coutenance or never judge by just your naked eye. For the eyes can see worthless things (Ps 119:37) and only by prayer and GOD's Words can it be delivered from these things.
1 Samuel 16:7 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
Psalms 119:37 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word.
Genesis 3:6 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.
Genesis 3:13 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
Then the Lord God asked the woman, “What have you done?” “The serpent deceived me,” she replied. “That’s why I ate it.”
For the eyes can be deceived by the devil as declared and admitted by Eve who have just used her sense of seeing and to her what GOD never intended for them to have was delicious, she wanted the wisdom that it will give her. That's about it, so don't trust your sense of seeing or by appearance and countenance conclude your judgment for it can be deceived. (Genesis 3:6,Genesis 3:13)
Both appearance and false evidence can be judged using the eyes and the hearsay by the ears.
To understand the situation fully, you have to use your eyes and ears that are sanctified by GOD and His Words like the confession of Job. (Job 13:1)
Job 13:1 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
“Look, I have seen all this with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears, and now I understand.
Come to GOD and let the creator of the eyes and ears cure your blindness and deafness. (Psalms 94:9) for there are ears that exist and they're not deaf but they can't hear. (Psalms 115:6,Psalms 135:17), these are the noses and ears of an idol, of which to those who worships them will be like them. (Psalms 115:8, Psalms 135:18)
Psalms 94:9 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
Is he deaf—the one who made your ears? Is he blind—the one who formed your eyes?
Psalms 115:6 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
They have ears but cannot hear, and noses but cannot smell.
Psalms 135:17 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
They have ears but cannot hear, and noses but cannot smell.
Psalms 115:8 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them.
Psalms 135:18 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them.
IX. CONCLUSION:
Turn to the LORD GOD and His Words and let GOD do the judgment for you, and pray that you will get His judgments. (Proverbs 20:12, Proverbs 2:2)
Proverbs 20:12 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
Ears to hear and eyes to see— both are gifts from the Lord.
Proverbs 2:2 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)
Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding.
