If you grew up in the 60’s in the USA, the odds are very high that you either watched or heard key phrases from a television program called “Laugh-In.”
Several of the show’s elements have become mainstays of American pop culture. The “Flying Fickle Finger of Fate” was verbally awarded every week for the most ridiculous news story. But a little-known fact is that fourteen people actually received one of the statues as a reward for providing key services to the television program. (I know this because one of my close friends was one of them. He got the final award before the mold was broken, and he has it proudly displayed in his office.) The closing credits of the program rolled across the screen over the “Joke Wall” as celebrities delivered one liners such as one comedian saying “I got a new car for my wife,” and another retorting “Gee, I wonder how much I could get for mine?”
Show watchers will remember phrases like “Look that up in your Funk & Wagnalls” or “Sock it to me!” But Flip Wilson (and even Sammy Davis Jr.) popularized one of the classics. “Here Come Da Judge!!!” Though the phrase had actually originated years earlier with singer and comedian Pigmeat Markham, it was Flip and Sammy who made it a household word. (Yeah, ok, FOUR household words; but you know what I mean.)
The lyrics of Markham’s 1968 song actually serve as an apropos intro to today’s verse:
GOD SEES THAT JUSTICE IS DONE
Part of Pigmeat’s first verse says this ….
I don’t want no tears, I don’t want no lies
Above all, I don’t want no alibis
Whether your personal convictions lean more liberal or more conservative, all you need to do is take a look at the news on any given day and you will see multiple situations desperately in need of God‘s judgment. One doesn’t even need to give illustrations that would bring possible arguments, like Kyle Rittenhouse and the Kenosha Wisconsin shootings or the Portland Oregon riots of 2020. People might view those situations from differing perspectives.
But no one can argue about slavery.
Today across the world, more people are in slavery than any other time in our history. According to estimates by the United States government, last year sex trafficking worldwide became the single largest source of illegal money in the world! Sex trafficking generates more money than all our alcohol sales, all drug sales, and all illegal arms sales combined.
Bonded labor and multiple forms of human trafficking run rampant, and less than 1/10 of 1% of its victims are rescued every year. This is a situation crying out for God’s justice, whether you’re a conservative or a liberal.
No one can argue about genocide and murder.
More Christians were killed because of their faith last year than have been killed in ages past. Yes, believers in Jesus die for their faith every day. (In fact, an average of 13 a day!) In 2020 over 4700 Christians were murdered BECAUSE they were Christians. That’s a 60% increase from the 2983 martyrs who died in 2019. But most of the time, we don’t hear about it. News like that doesn’t fit the profile of what most news agencies or networks are going to place into their program lineup. But it happens. It happens with ferocity and viciousness that demands the justice of God be done.
GOD SEES THAT JUSTICE IS DONE
Our problem is that we look at situations today, situations that break our hearts; and we want justice to be done NOW. We want to see the pain stopped, the lives saved. We don’t understand the WHY behind justice delayed.
Except when WE are the ones about to come under judgment. We who want justice for others, want mercy for ourselves.
Of course, sometimes we know that judgment is coming and it really can’t be avoided. Not long ago I was driving on the highway and saw a sports car with a bumper sticker. What was interesting is that this bumper sticker was not affixed to the back of the vehicle, but it was right along the bottom of the driver side window. It said, “Let me guess – License and Registration.” Now there’s a person who knows judgment is coming.
If you were wondering why God is withholding justice, the answer is something He’s actually made plain in the Scriptures. He tells us that He is choosing to be patient because He doesn’t want anyone to perish. God wants to give everyone every opportunity to come to repentance. At this point in time, God is focused on His provision of a Savior.
But that same chapter in the book of 2 Peter that promises God’s patience ALSO promises His return. Right after Peter tells us that God wants everyone to come to repentance, he tells us that the day of the Lord will come. And it’s going to come like a thief.
What does he mean by that? He means to tell us that God is going to come in an unexpected way, and an unexpected time. But come He will !!
And when He comes to be a judge, the heavens themselves will disappear with a massive roar. The very elements of our lives will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.
Right now, our Lord’s patience means salvation.
Right now the way is open for all who want to come and plead for the mercy of the court.
Right now that door is open to everyone who wants to walk through it.
All who want to ask for the grace of Christ to be poured into their lives, for their sins to be forgiven on the basis of his sacrifice are welcome to come. But that door, like all doors, will eventually close. And lock. And then, court will be in session.
And at that point it will be too late! At that point, either you have the grace of Christ or you do not. It’s the church’s job to present the case for Christ. To make sure that everyone hears of the offer being made. Right now, it’s the church’s job to preach salvation by grace through faith. A new life, full and free.
But the day is coming when that offer will expire. The day is coming when those who have received the offer will receive grace, and those who have refused the offer will receive justice.
At that point, just like Pigmeat Markham foresaw in his lyrics, God will not want any alibis.
You and I, in fact everyone on the planet, we are going to meet God someday.
You can meet Him today, and come to know Him as your Father. Or you can wait. And then, when you do meet Him, He will not be your father. He will be your judge. He is a good judge. He judges justly, and fairly. He judges based on the evidence set before him.
I want God to be my Daddy. I am grateful that he is.
But, my friends, someday we’re going to hear it said — “Here Come Da Judge.”
GOD SEES THAT JUSTICE IS DONE
