December 11, 1998, Friday

When will we have leaders that will judge with true equity

and balance and not by personal objectives? Could a person

be harmed emotionally or mentally if he is afraid of God?

Will there actually be a day of reckoning when the record

will be set straight?

Isaiah prophesied of the qualities of the Messiah that would

come to righteously lead His people with justice and equity--

"The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of

wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might,

The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. His

delight is in the fear of the Lord, And He shall not judge

by the sight of His eyes, Nor decide by the hearing of His

ears; But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, And

decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike

the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of

His lips He shall slay the wicked" (Isa 11:2-4). Jesus came

in humility to serve when born in manger, but when He comes

again, He will strike evil to destroy it.

After Moses gave his people God's ten commandments of

righteousness, the law that comes as a teacher for us, he

taught them why one should and how to revere the Lord---

"Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the rays

of lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the

mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they feared

and stood afar off. Then they said to Moses, "You speak

with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us,

lest we die." And Moses said to the people, "Do not fear;

for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be

before you, so that you may not sin" (Exo 20:18-20).

A healthy reverence and fear of God is a trait of wisdom.

Isaiah tells us that even though men may allow all the

standards of truth and righteousness to be torn down,

He will repay those those who did so with His fury---

"So they will fear The Name of the Lord from the west,

And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy

comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord will lift

up a standard against him" (Isa 59:19). God won't permit

evil to prevail, but will cause His Name to be feared.

Let us remember who is the God that is our Banner. God's

Name is Jehová Nissi. He is the God whose Banner over

us is His love. He raises up His standard of righteousness

for us when the enemy comes in like a flood. He makes

that standard of righteousness a higher calling in your life.

Lift your hands to Him and Praise Him today for the fact

that He is the God who is our Banner and sign to rally

our cause!