Scripture has many statements of divine comparisons of both the wickedness and the spirituality of humans. It even has a statement about differing levels of wickedness among evil spirits.
An examination of these statements brings out some important truths.
Divine Comparisons of Wickedness
God evaluates the wickedness of people in comparison with those who preceded them:
1Ki 16:25 But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the LORD, and did worse than all that were before him.
1Ki 21:25 But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.
Jer 7:26 Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers.
Jer 16:12 And ye have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the imagination of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me:
God evaluates the wickedness of His people in comparison with the wickedness of the heathen:
2Ch 33:9 So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel.
God even evaluates the wickedness of evil spirits in comparison with one another:
Mat 12:45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.
Divine Comparisons of Spirituality
God comparatively evaluates the spirituality of all who are living:
Job 1:8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
Job 2:3 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.
God evaluates the spirituality of people in comparison with both those who preceded them and those who came after them:
2Ki 18:5 He [Hezekiah] trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.
2Ki 23:25 And like unto him [Josiah] was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him.
Discussion
As the omniscient Judge of all (Heb. 12:23), God perfectly evaluates individually the wickedness of humans and evil spirits. What’s more, He flawlessly makes comparative evaluations both among those who are living and between those who are living with those who preceded them.
He also similarly evaluates the spirituality of people. He knows those who have trusted Him more than others have (cf. 2 Ki. 18:5), and He knows those who have been wholly His to a remarkable extent (cf. 2 Ki. 23:25).
Given the enormous number of divine commands revealed in both Testaments, the vast number of differing sins that people have committed, and the necessity of assessing not just actions but also underlying motives, it is plain that no one other than God could possibly even begin to evaluate the wickedness or spirituality of anyone properly. When we also take into account that God makes comparative evaluations that reflect His comprehensive knowledge of the actions, words, thoughts, and motives of all moral beings that have ever lived, both human and superhuman, we should regard God rightly as the only truly awesome Person in the universe.
Conclusion
Scripture reveals that God as the Judge righteously evaluates all moral beings in His universe. Even this brief consideration of how remarkable God’s judicial ability is in that respect should cause us to fear God, humble ourselves before Him, repent of all evil in our lives, and live pure and holy lives before Him by His grace!
Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.
