NO VACANCIES AT THIS COURT
Posted: August 5, 2005

     Nine of the most powerful individuals in America serve unseen and unknown by most of their fellow countrymen. With the wave of a hand and the stroke of a pen they are able to alter our lives, our laws, and our liberties. They are the Justices of the United States Supreme Court. Recent rulings, resignations, and rumours of resignations, however, have pushed the Court into the forefront of the news.      Americans are becoming increasingly interested in and concerned about the rulings emanating from the Court. The infamous Texas sodomy case, which appears to be paving the way for same-sex and polygamous marriages, attracted attention due to the Court's reliance on foreign law. A recent ruling allowing local governments to seize private property by eminent domain in order to give it to private developers, shocked many because it flies in the face of the United States Constitution.

    More examples could be cited from the stream of convoluted reasoning surrounding the various Ten Commandments cases. Is it or is it not constitutional to display the Ten Commandments on public property or in public buildings? Maybe, maybe not. Depends on who, when, where, and why. After the last two Ten Commandments rulings that emanated from the Court, which meets behind doors bearing the Ten Commandments and under the watchful gaze of Moses holding the Ten Commandments, who knows? But, I guess that is what happens when you elevate a private letter of President Thomas Jefferson above the Constitution.

     Other Americans have become interested in the Supreme Court due to the recent resignation of Justice Sandra Day O'Conner and the imminent departure of Chief Justice William Renquist. Politicians and pundits speculate about who President Bush should or should not name to the Court and the effects his nominees will have on the Court's future rulings. Rumors of the possible retirement of Justice John Paul Stevens later this year only fan the flame.

     Now, although the Supreme Court largely operates unseen and unappreciated, it's actions greatly affect each of us. The cases referred to above should suffice to illustrate the point. If not, remember that it was the Court that booted prayer and Bible reading out of the public schools and legalized abortion on demand throughout the country.

    Fortunately, there is a higher court than the United States Supreme Court. It is not a World Court. It is a heavenly Court. It is God's Court. And, although it operates largely unseen and unappreciated, what happens there greatly affects us as well.

    Unlike the Supreme Court, God's Court has one Judge instead of nine. God Himself. And, as we see from Numbers 23:19, God's Court is not divided nor does it reverse itself: "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?"

     God's Court also has a prosecutor. The identity of the prosecutor is revealed in the Book of Job. Look at chapter one, verses 6-11: "Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face."

    We read much the same in chapter 2, verses 1-5: "Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD. And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face."

    The devil's purpose is to accuse us before God as he did with Job. However, there is coming a day when he will no longer be able to do so. Revelation 12:7-10 tells us: "And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night."

    Thankfully, there is also a great Defender at God's Court. He is revealed in 1 John 2:1-2: "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." And, according to Romans 8:34 "...It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us."

     Picture, if you will then, the heavenly court. Satan appears before God the Father as the prosecuting attorney with us in his sights. He levies many grievous charges against us. Gleefully he presents the court with the evidence of our sins and iniquities-many of which he tempted us to commit in the first place.

    Satisfied that he has made an airtight case against us, the devil demands that God pass the sentence that He Himself has decreed: "The soul that sinneth, it shall die (Ezekiel 18:20)"!

    Silence fills the court as the devil steps back. God, who cannot go back on His Word, must render a just verdict. The court holds its collective breath as Jesus Christ, the Advocate, steps forward.

    For some, Jesus merely shows the nail scars on His hands and feet and points to His blood on the altar and reminds the Father that "... the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin (1 John 1:7)". The debt has been paid, He says, and their sins have been washed away. God smiles in agreement with the Advocate.

    Unfortunately, for others, Jesus slowly shakes His head back and forth, denying those that denied Him (Matthew 10:33). Their sin is evident for all the court to see and God must sadly agree with the prosecutor.

     Why the difference?

     Well, unfortunately not all have trusted in Jesus Christ. If you would benefit from the services of our great Advocate, "Ye must be born again (John 3:7)". You must believe that Jesus Christ shed His blood and died to pay for your sin. Otherwise, the blood that He shed on Calvary holds no cleansing power for you because "[h]e that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God (John 3:18)".

     If you have trusted Christ as your Savior then you have been born again. In that case, we have the precious promise that He "...is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them (Hebrews 7:25)".

     Like the Supreme Court, God's Court has a governing document - the Word of God. Jesus said in John 12:48, "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day." That is why Jesus warned us in Matthew 4:4, "...It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."

     Have you obeyed the Word of God and trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior? Or are you still lost in your sin? Do you have an Advocate to plead your case in that heavenly courtroom? Or must God agree with the prosecutor and say, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die" ?

     Please let us know if we can help you .

    -Pastor Davis