Day 2: What Is Justice?

Bible Time > God is Just > Day 2: What Is Justice?
Because GOD IS JUST, I know He will always treat me fairly!

Read or quote the memory verse.

God showed His justice in the story of Noah and the ark. Let's read the story and see what you think of God's justice.

Genesis 6:5-8, 13, 14, 18-20, 22; 7:7, and 10 says . . .

The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and He saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil. So the Lord was sorry He had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke His heart. And the Lord said, "I will wipe this human race I have created from the face of the earth. Yes, and I will destroy every living thing -- all the people, the large animals, the small animals that scurry along the ground, and even the birds of the sky. I am sorry I ever made them." But Noah found favor with the Lord . . .So God said to Noah . . . "Build a large boat from cypress wood and waterproof it with tar, inside and out . . . enter the boat -- you and your wife and your sons and their wives. Bring a pair of every kind of animal -- a male and a female -- into the boat with you to keep them alive during the flood. Pairs of every kind of bird, and every kind of animal, and every kind of small animal that scurries along the ground, will come to you to be kept alive . . ." So Noah did everything exactly as the Lord had commanded him . . . He went on board the boat to escape the flood -- he and his wife and his sons and their wives . . . After seven days, the waters of the flood came and covered the earth." Discover God Bible, (NLT).

What broke God's heart? (Everything the people God created thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil.)

Remember, God knows everything. He knew exactly what was in the heart of every person.

Let's read what Genesis 6:9 has to say about Noah.

Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God. Discover God Bible (NLT).

Before Jesus died on the cross for our sins, God considered people blameless if they followed His words and trusted in Him.

What kind of friendship with God did Noah have? (Noah had a close friendship with God.)

Read Hebrews 11:7.

It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith.Discover God Bible (NLT).

Why did God save Noah? (He trusted God and obeyed Him.)

When Noah built the ark, there weren't any power tools. Fortunately, people lived a lot longer back then than they do now, so Noah had plenty of time to build something as big as the ark!

It took Noah 120 years to build the ark!

Second Peter 2:5 tells us that Noah warned the world of God's judgment. After watching him build the ark for 120 years, however, they still didn't believe it.

Do you think God was just in His judgment?

The people had no excuses. They lived life without any thought or care about God. He knew their hearts, and He still gave them 120 years to believe!

Here is the important thing to remember: It wouldn't have mattered if He gave them 1200 years. God knew they would never change their minds about Him. They rejected Him, and their lack of faith brought His judgment.

When it comes to God's justice, the most important thing is faith.

What are you putting your faith in?

Have you put your faith in Jesus? If so, then there's no need to fear God's judgment! (See "The Four Fantastic Facts".)

Why does it matter?

Because God is Just, He doesn't expect us to be perfect; He only expects us to trust in Him.


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Thank God that your faith in Christ protects you from His punishment (just judgement) for what you do wrong.