DAILY TEXT, Today Monday September 9, 2024, Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right? (Gen. 18:25).

Let us examine the Scriptures every day 2024

Monday, September 9, 2024

Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right? (Gen. 18:25)

A good judge must have a thorough knowledge of the law. He must be able to distinguish between right and wrong. What other qualifications must he meet? Before he renders a ruling, he must be able to take into account all the important factors in a case. In this respect, there is no one more qualified to be a judge than Jehovah. He is not like human judges. He always knows perfectly well all the factors that influence the cases before him. (Gen. 18:20, 21; Ps. 90:8) He does not judge based only on what humans see and hear. He understands well how a person’s DNA, upbringing, environment, and mental and emotional state influence a person’s actions. Furthermore, Jehovah reads hearts—that is, he understands our motivations, intentions, and desires. Not a single detail escapes him; everything is exposed to his eyes. (Heb. 4:13) So Jehovah’s forgiveness is based on a thorough knowledge of each situation. w22.06 4 pars. 8, 9.

Why can we say that Jehovah’s decisions are always just? (Deuteronomy 32:4)

Jehovah’s decisions are always fair. He is completely impartial. His forgiveness is never dependent on a person’s appearance, financial situation, social position, or abilities. (1 Sam. 16:7; Jas. 2:1–4) Jehovah cannot be pressured or bribed. (2 Chron. 19:7) And he is not swayed by frustration or feelings. (Ex. 34:7) Jehovah is indeed the best Judge there is because his understanding of us and our circumstances is perfect. (Read Deuteronomy 32:4.)

Why is Jehovah's forgiveness incomparable?

The writers of the Hebrew Scriptures knew that Jehovah’s forgiveness is incomparable. They sometimes used a Hebrew term that, according to one reference work, “is reserved especially to denote the forgiveness granted by God to the sinner.” This work adds: “It is never used to denote that lower kind and measure of forgiveness which is exercised by one man toward another” (Synonyms of the Old Testament, translation and adaptation by Santiago Escuain). Only Jehovah has the power to completely forgive a repentant sinner. And how do we feel when Jehovah forgives us?

What does a person who receives Jehovah's forgiveness enjoy? And does Jehovah's forgiveness have an expiration date?

When we accept the fact that Jehovah has forgiven us, “times of relief” come to us. And that includes peace of mind and a good conscience. All of this cannot come from human forgiveness but from forgiveness given by “Jehovah himself.”—Acts 3:19. When Jehovah forgives us, he allows us to be his friends again. It is as if we had never sinned.

After Jehovah has forgiven a person, he never again accuses or punishes him for what he did. (Isa. 43:25; Jer. 31:34) Jehovah puts his sins “as far away as the east is from the west.” (Ps. 103:12) Thinking about the immensity of his forgiveness awakens in us gratitude and reverence. (Ps. 130:4) But whom does Jehovah forgive in this way?

What have we learned so far about Jehovah's forgiveness?

As we have seen, Jehovah's forgiveness does not depend on the severity of a sin. Furthermore, we have learned that Jehovah uses his knowledge as our Creator, Lawgiver, and Judge when deciding whether to forgive someone or not. So what things does Jehovah look for?

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