The verdict
“The gavel is up, the verdict is down. Not guilty.”
Part 2: The verdict
Isaiah 26:9
…When your judgements come upon the earth,
The people of the world learn righteousness.
God sat down in the court room, sitting as judge.
A criminal case.
I approached the bench.
Cringing.
Knowing it was me.
The gavel went up.
The verdict came down.
"Not guilty.”
Tight eyes, open.
I stumble away confused.
I sit with no breath.
Disbelief.
Man enters open door.
Approaches the bench.
I know Him.
The Judge's Son.
He walks in.
Looks Father in the eye.
Father summons Son.
Words exchanged in whisper.
Judge's Son nods His head.
Leaves His Father's face.
Sits solo as defendant.
Innocent until proven guilty.
Prosecutors enter ready to throw accusations.
I am confused.
I should be the one in the silver chair.
Isn’t that why I was summoned?
To sit in judgement?
But there He sat in my cold chair silent.
Accuser throwing words.
Laced with hate.
Someone must pay.
He sits in silence.
Saying nothing in defense.
A fool!
Why?
Why does the innocent one sit silent?
Why?
Why no word uttered in his defense?
Why?
Why does Judge let Son be subject?
He could throw out the case.
I know He is innocent.
I am the one who committed the crime.
Heresy the accusers herald.
Heresy!
I hear the words come from my own mouth.
"Heresy!"
What is He doing?
This can’t be right.
This isn’t the right way.
Yet here I watch.
Heresy come from on high.
From the Judge.
From the Judge’s Son.
Sitting there silent.
I see my shadow with the accusers.
Accusing him to his face.
“Liar! Hater! You never even cared! You brought the trouble in my life! You caused the pain!! You you you!! It’s all you!!”
My heart cry.
Dead in my face.
Dead in my heart.
Dead in my words.
Death words.
Dead words.
Hurled at His back.
And He sat there silent.
Looking me straight in the eyes.
No vien of vengeance.
No view of anger.
Yet a glow.
A fiery flame in His eyes.
“My love is as strong as death, my jealousy unyielding as the grave."
Did He speak them?
Did I hear rightly?
He sealed it.
With a look, a glance.
My heart burned and tore.
No breath in me.
Yet, still I thought.
"Surely He will leave...
...escape or run."
He was a Great Magician.
The fortune tellers were telling.
He had gifts, power and might.
I heard he silenced a storm.
He was the Judge’s Son.
But there He sat.
Still.
And I sat.
Still.
Staring in disbelief.
I look to the Judge.
Surely He will give the release.
It's His Son.
His Only Son.
He could still throw out the case.
The gavel gripped
smooth and round
came down down down
taking verdict
from Judge seated high
to ground.
And that smooth gavel slammed to table with tears.
Yet no fear.
And Father judged Son guilty.
No fable.
Surely the judge knew one hundred percent it was I.
Why?
Whispers exchanged.
Finally reached my ear.
“Son, it is time.
My heart it breaks and breaks.
It shatters.
It rages.
Bringing me to my knees.
They have forgotten who I am.
They have been misled.
My lost sons and daughters.
Bring them home please.
You the first...
will you be the last?
Erase death from their face.
Will you take it?
Death to the grave?
Will you take it all.
With the promise to save?”
Son like Father.
Heart breaking on knees.
Weeping and keeping in step,
The cry comes.
As heaven gives to earth.
Echoing His "I’m all in" token.
And so Judge’s Only Son sat.
While the smooth gavel went down...
...in silence,
lips sealed.
Verdict shaking ground.
Tearing courtroom curtains.
And all the accusers, bystanders and lovers.
Could see.
In amazement at the judgement.
Though they had hoped it.
Willed it.
Sill they stood in wonder.
Why,
Judge judging son with his holy thunder?
Son proclaimed guilty.
The judgement...
...final.
The sentence is uttered.
“Death penalty, no other.”
The courtroom in chaos.
Floored, I lay in wonder.
----
Isaiah 26:9
…when your judgements come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness.
Ephesians 2
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesha and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast.
a 3 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.
Habakuk 1:5
Look at the nations and watch-- and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.
1 Corinthians 1:25
For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
Song of Songs 8:6
Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.
"Mercy triumphs over judgement." - Mercy, Brave New World, Amanda Cook.
Mercy is His Judgement.
----
"The gavel is up, the verdict goes down. Not guilty."
Part 1: The gavel