Today I headed out to a birthday celebration for a little girl, a friend of my own youngest daughter, who I remember being born 3 yrs ago. We were out celebrating all morning, and came home at lunch time. I plopped down on FB and was jarred by the news and information screaming from the wall. So awful, so sad and so tragic. 10 minutes after reading up on the news, I had my own little 3 yr old come up to me and ask me to help her put on her dress-up dressy dress. with a black cowboy hat on top. And all I wanted to do was hug her to me, squeeze her tight, and Thank God that she was with me, and is still. Hearts, thoughts, prayers and sorrows going out to Connecticut today, on this sombor 7th evening of Chanukah. Hope you have had a a blessed week, and that you have a peaceful Sabbath this evening.
The Purpose of Law
‘Whole Bible Christianity,’ Chapter 8, The Whole Purpose of Law
Another blessing from the Law that could use a whole book is justice. Everything God gives us is connected together and balanced, and justice is right there in the mix, with love and mercy. Micah tells us this in a summary of the Law, which is similar to the ‘two commands’ and many other summaries.
8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8 ESV)
His Law teaches us real justice, which is mixed with mercy, love and humility. Everyone has some sense of justice. Anyone who has raised children, or been a child, knows the laser-like focus on justice a child has when mom is handing out deserts and a sibling has a larger slice. Generally, though, our innate sense of justice is very self-centered and lopsided. God’s justice, outlined in the Law, is much more balanced, holy, loving and merciful.
Many, many blessings flow from learning and applying His brand of justice in the Law. Sadly, in modern culture, justice is falling by the wayside. Lawyers tell me that juries convict on feelings rather than testimony and facts. Jail has replaced paying restitution. The death penalty is taking a holiday, but the blood of innocents aborted cries out for justice, and surely deafens heavenly watchers. Murderers, kidnappers and rapists go free, but tax problems get you jailed.
The church is right in there with modern culture in what it approves. We do not make thorough investigations (Deuteronomy 13:14, 17:14, and 19:18). We judge by appearances (John 7:24). More weight is given to a wealthy person’s opinions over a poor person’s (Exodus 23:6). In general we do not speak out against abortion, homosexuality, adultery, witchcraft, drugs, and other behavior as we should. Nor do we restrict it in our assemblies. Matthew 18 is never applied correctly to my knowledge. Well, maybe to thin out the disagreeable. To make us feel better we throw a coat of ‘social justice’ over the gaping mud holes made by ignoring His real justice, and call it good. At least until we step in the hole and find ourselves up to our armpits in alligators.
Remember, the root of blessing is the presence of God. A curse, at its root, is the absence of God. Creation is under a curse, meaning that God has withdrawn to some extent. That’s why we have thorns and poisonous critters to fight all the time. If we reject the Law, we compound the curse with a lack of justice, and God will not allow injustice to continue forever.