Some notes on judgement

judgement involves a declaring of the truth
[passive judgement]
the emperor is naked
the white wall which reveals the true colours of anything placed against it [le corbusier]
one reason we can imagine the evil standing before god and arguing is that we have never seen god face to face - 'hills fall on us, mountains cover us' - the presence of god itself is judgement

when things are seen for what they are, their fate can be justly determined [active judgement]
active judgement - the retributive action of god aimed at putting things right
god is not vindictive - his judgement is always aimed at sorting things out for good
justice
the definitive settling of accounts once and for all
the final decision on the goodness or badness of something
right finally recognised as right, good as good, evil as evil
deceptive appearances put aside to reveal truth
reward and punishment apportioned - the enactment of justice

amos 7 & 8

israel was blind and self-deluded about her spiritual, social and political condition
god through the prophets declares the truth of the situation
telling the truth was not enough to move israel to act
and therefore eventually god has to do what has to be done to put things right

in the short term that means destruction - the dismantling of all that is corrupt.
it has proved impossible either to change it or to make people see that change was needed - and so all that can be done is to sweep it away.
judgement always comes in order to secure salvation in the long term.