OUR DAILY BREAD             Tuesday, June 13, 1995   
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READ:   Psalm 58

        
                GOD'S JUSTICE

     "The righteous shall rejoice when 
       he sees the vengeance (of God)."

                     - Psalm 58:10

John Wayne Gacy was executed by the State of Illinois
for kidnapping, torturing, and murdering 33 young men.
Gacy was an evil, cruel, hateful man, and I confess
I'm glad he's no longer a threat to society.

But that raises difficult questions in my mind.  What
should a believer's attitude be when the wicked are
punished?  Should we rejoice when cruel people pay
for the suffering they have caused?

We get some help in Psalm 58, where David prayed
that God would execute justice on the evil people
who opposed him.  "Break their teeth in their 
mouth," he entreated (v. 6).  "Let them be like...
a stillborn child" (v. 8).  Those are strong words!

But a key observation must be made here.  David
was praying that God's justice would be carried out 
against the incorrigibly wicked who, "like the deaf
cobra," ignored all attempts to turn from their error 
(vv. 3-5).

God is a God of justice.  His holiness is affirmed
when child molesters, mass murderers, and the
defrauders of the innocent pay for their crimes.

Let's rejoice that God cannot tolerate evil.  But
let's also rejoice that God is merciful.  Through
the sacrifice of His Son, we are forgiven and God's 
justice is satisfied.

                                -- David C. Egner

        Now evil prospers, falsehood reigns,
           And darkness dims the light;
        But we rejoice to know that Christ
         Will one day set things right.

                                -- Sper

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             THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
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         "Vengeance is mine, I will repay,"
               says the Lord."
                        --Romans 12:19
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THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalms 58-60

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