The Weight of Judgment and the Beauty of Redemption
Today was challenging to read, but I had the wrong perspective.
I digested it through one lens—comfort and love. To help you digest it better, I thought I would give you a perspective of what God thinks of us by sharing what I think of my children.
Consider this letter I would write my girls before I die.
To my beloved children,
I LOVE YOU—before you were born, I dreamed of you. Long before I was married, I imagined you. There is nothing in this world that can stop me from loving you. I will always love you, no matter what you do or who you become.
And with this love, I must pour all of myself into who God wants you to become—that includes discipline with my love. When you read that you will need to be disciplined, I want you to remember that it does not show your lack of value but rather the totality of your value—all-encompassing love comes with righteous discipline.
And with this discipline comes your personal growth. With your personal growth comes a reflection of who God is. A reflection of who God is will always transform every environment you step into.
So, don’t get upset when the journey is tough or when the mess-ups pile high. Remember my love for you, and be open to the Holy Spirit’s guiding and direction.
If you remember my words, the narrative the world attempts to write over your life will melt off your identity like an iceberg ambushing the sun.
The Son is my ultimate goal of my discipline and love in your life, for with Him, no darkness shall come over you.
I love you. Always have. Always will.
Dad
God’s Character in His Word
My girls will read this and understand my character. More than likely, they will have a beautiful perspective of who I am and be grateful for what they read.
This is the same picture we have when reading the Bible—except there is one major difference. We have God, the Holy Spirit, with us every step of the way.
Me dying in my letter represents my physical absence. But though you can’t see God physically—except through His works in creation—He is ALWAYS there.
“This is sweet, James, but why the need for all the graphic detail of God’s vengeance and justice in Isaiah 34?”
The graphic detail in Isaiah 34—blood, swords, corpses, and cosmic destruction—serves multiple purposes, both for the original audience and for us today.
1. The Seriousness of Sin & Justice
God is not indifferent to sin. The imagery of blood and the sword reinforces that judgment is not symbolic or metaphorical—it is real, final, and terrifying.
Just as human courts must punish severe crimes, God’s justice must be executed against unrepentant wickedness.
If judgment were described lightly, it might not be taken seriously.
2. To Shake the Reader Awake
People tend to ignore warnings unless they feel the weight of what’s coming.
The descriptive nature of Isaiah 34 is meant to provoke deep reflection, even fear.
Think of Noah’s flood or Sodom and Gomorrah—the Bible doesn't downplay destruction because judgment is a wake-up call.
Without wake-up calls, we just sleep—the bad kind that leads to death.
3. The Sword as a Symbol of Divine Justice
"The sword of the Lord is filled with blood" (Isaiah 34:6) → This isn’t senseless violence; it’s God’s sword of justice.
In Revelation 19:15, Jesus is also described with a sword from His mouth → signifying that God's Word itself is judgment.
I would not read if I didn’t feel inner conviction or transformation from reading His word.
4. Echoes of the Final Judgment (End-Times Connection)
Isaiah 34 is not just about Edom—it foreshadows the final judgment, when God will purge the world of evil (Revelation 19).
The imagery aligns with Jesus' return, where the wicked face judgment, and the righteous are saved.
If, for some reason, the evil I see in the world did not have a conclusion, I would see no need in living in this world.
It would be utterly hopeless.
5. Blood as the Price of Sin
The shedding of blood is a constant theme in Scripture:
Sin leads to death.
Sacrifice requires blood.
Judgment is the ultimate payment for rebellion.
This is why Jesus' blood had to be shed—to take this judgment on Himself.
So, Why the Intensity?
Because judgment isn’t theoretical—it’s real.
Just like my love and discipline for my daughters is real, the graphic nature of Isaiah 34 is a mirror of what sin truly leads to:
Destruction
Separation from God
Loss of everything good
And yet, the hope of Isaiah 35 immediately follows—reminding us that judgment is not the end of the story.
For those who trust in God, redemption follows justice.
Never Finished Challenge: Read the Letter Again
Re-read the letter above that I wrote for my kids, but as if it were from God.
For Your Pocket: The weight of judgment is heavy, but the redemption from the cross is immeasurable.
What does today’s reading say about God?
He does not hide anything.
There is no surprise discipline and judgment—just as there is no surprise love.
Jesus came to satisfy the wrath I deserved.
And God had that planned before the foundation of the world.
Thank you, Jesus!
Thanks for sharing that letter. I WILL have that kind of love my son one day.