“I will come to you in judgment, and I will be ready to witness against sorcerers and adulterers; against those who swear falsely; against those who oppress the widow and the fatherless, and cheat the wage earner; and against those who deny justice to the foreigner.” Malachi 3:2-3 HCSB
My grandmother was the Justice of Peace in Amarillo, Texas for 25 years and retired when she was 75 years old. She was the judge that presided over many cases in the course of her extended term in office. Many times there were witnesses to crimes that were called to give an account of what they had seen and heard. Depending upon the charge, sometimes she made the judgment of what the punishment was to be for the crime and at other times a jury would determine the punishment.
In this verse, God indicates that He will judge the people of Judah. He will be a witness against those who practice the occult; those who depart form God’s pattern for family life; those who do not tell the truth; those who take advantage of those who cannot help themselves; those employers who cheat their employees; and those who refuse hospitality to a foreigner. God hates sin and someday He will bring His wrath and judgment against all the sin and evil of this world. The Good News is that God has also provided a way to escape His judgment by providing the perfect sacrifice for our sins through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Challenge: If we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, God will forgive us and give us eternal life. If we do not accept God’s free gift of salvation, we will someday face God’s judgment and wrath. He will be a witness against us.