Advent for the Ages
PSALM 82 (LSB throughout unless otherwise noted)
A Psalm of Asaph.
1 God takes His stand in the congregation of God;
He judges in the midst of gods.
2 How long will you judge unrighteously
And show partiality to the wicked? Selah.
3 Give justice to the poor and the orphan;
Justify the afflicted and destitute.
4 Protect the poor and needy;
Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.
5 They do not know and do not understand;
They walk about in darkness;
All the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6 I said, “You are gods,
And all of you are sons of the Most High.
7 “Nevertheless you will die like men
And you will fall like any one of the princes.”
8 Arise, O God, judge the earth!
For it is You who will inherit all the nations.
There is a backstory to everything. In Psalm 82, a cosmic curtain is pulled back providing a glimpse of an assembly of Yahweh’s divine council, in which He issues a judgment on the spiritual beings (i.e. gods, sons of God) for their corrupt rule of the nations. [The backstory for this includes God’s judgment after the Tower of Babel, when God distributed authority of the nations among His heavenly realm, referenced in Deuteronomy 32:8–9 (ESV):
8 When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance,
when he divided mankind,
he fixed the borders of the peoples
according to the number of the sons of God.
9 But the LORD’s portion is his people,
Jacob his allotted heritage.]
In Psalm 82, note how the grounds for judgment are described as injustice for the marginalized and vulnerable. After God decrees that the judgment of the gods will be their own fall and death, the psalmist, Asaph, concludes with the prayer for God to arise and judge the earth—and take His possession of the nations.
The multiple occasions of the advent of God (rising up; arrival; “the day of Yahweh”) throughout the scriptural story include judgment in two ways: 1) condemnation for those set against His rule; 2) rescue for those who are His, who suffer under unrighteous rule.
For example, consider these occasions in Old Testament history:
8th Century B.C. – Judgment of the Northern Kingdom Israel, but rescue for Judah
7th Century B.C. – Judgment of Assyria and also the Southern Kingdom Judah, but rescue for the remnant of Judah through exile
6th Century B.C. – Judgment of Babylon, but rescue for the remnant of Judah who return from exile
. . . The pattern continues and culminates in the advent of God in Christ, where all of these themes converge. Jesus Himself identifies Himself as the true Son of God in contrast with the corrupt sons of God, pointing to the evidence of His works of justice which stand in direct contrast to the grounds of injustice described in Psalm 82 (Luke 4:17–21; 7:20–23, 29; John 10:30–38).
Jesus answers the prayer of Ps 82:8a: “Arise, O God, judge the earth!”—He Himself says, “For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind” (John 9:39).
Jesus also answers the prayer of Ps 82:8b: “For it is you who will inherit all the nations.”—After He had risen, He staked His claim: “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations . . .” (Matthew 28:18b–19a).
In light of His Advent for the Ages, where does this leave us in this 2024 Season of Advent?—First, a word of warning—throughout the centuries, including in Jesus’ day, and certainly in our own, the religious people of God thought themselves in the right and all others in the wrong, but God’s judgment revealed that they too were among the unrighteous and unjust. So our first step is always our own repentance!
Then we continue to humbly pray: Rise up, O God! We seek His judgment even as the foundations of our world are still shaking with wars, oppression, and crushing injustice. But at the same time, we seek His rescue even as His kingdom increases over all the earth among all nations. Wherever the peoples experience His presence, they taste His goodness and justice. There is much more to come in the final advent of judgment and resurrection, but for now, we seek to “taste and see” . . . (Ps 34:8).
So in this Season of Advent, may we humble ourselves and pray: 1) Rise up, O God, for judgment and restoration, and 2) help us participate in your good works as the Righteous Ruler of heaven and earth.