Blessed are Those Who Cry out for Justice – 2/3

At the centre of all good theology is God Himself. He is the reference point by which we figure out all the rest. Last time we just how passionately God is a God of justice who loves justice. God works for justice. God commands justice be practised. God condemns injustice. God promises justice will come through Messiah’s Kingdom.

The comprehensive nature of God’s justice is further expressed as follows:

• The common parallelism of ‘righteousness’ and ‘justice’ highlights the comprehensive character of the language, as well as making it impossible for us to think that we can have one without the other: just two different ways to say the same thing. Job 29:14, Psalm 11:7, 36:6, 50:6, 72:1 & 2, Proverbs 8:20, Isaiah 1:27, 5:7, 5:16, 11:4, 16:5, 28:17, 32:1, 32:16, 51:5, 59:9, 59:14, Jeremiah 12:1, Amos 5:7, 5:24, 6:12, Habakkuk 1:4.
• Likewise, the common pairing of these two words in other ways.1 Kings 10:9, 2 Chronicles 9:8, Job 37:23, Psalm 33:5, 97:2, 103:6, Proverbs 21:15, 29:7, Isaiah 9:7, 33:5, Jeremiah 9:24, Hosea 2:19, Zephaniah 3:5.

Righteousness and justice are also integrated with other realities of God’s character and work:

• In Psalm 33:5, YAHWEH’s love for righteousness and justice is at the heart of His expansive lovingkindness that fills the earth. Cf. 1 Kings 10:9, 2 Chronicles 9:8, Isaiah 16:5, Hosea 2:19, 12:6.
• Isaiah 11:5 parallels righteousness with faithfulness in describing the Messiah. See also Nehemiah 9:33, Psalm 40:10, 85:10 & 11, 89:14, 96:13, 119:75, 132:9, 143:1, 145:17, Isaiah 1:21, 1:26, 16:5, 26:2, 42:3, 61:8, Ezekiel 18:9, Habakkuk 2:4, Zechariah 8:8.
• Isaiah 51:1-6 integrates the coming of justice, compassion, light, righteousness, and salvation to the nations. Included here is the restorative renewal of Zion which will bring Eden-like gardens and much celebration. See also Psalm 36:5-7, 85:9-13, Isaiah 1:27, 46:13, 56:1.
• Genesis 18:25 declares, “Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?” God’s righteousness/justice determines the outcomes of His judgements. Whether in restoration or condemnation, the Judge of all the earth makes right what is wrong. See also Psalm 9:8, 72:2, 94:15, 96:13, 98:9, Isaiah 11:3-4, 16:5.
• Isaiah 5:16 states that the holiness of God requires justice and righteousness. Cf. Psalm 97:12, 145:17, Amos 2:7, Daniel 9:24.
• As Psalm 85:10 expresses so well, righteousness and peace come together in a kiss. Justice and peace are interdependent. See also Isaiah 9:7, 32:15-17, 59:8. The implications for Colossians 1:15-20 are enormous. Isaiah 32:15-17 describes the impact of the pouring out of God’s Spirit, peace incorporating justice and righteousness transforms the land.

The Old Testament anticipates a transformation of nations in which each nation is put to right and holiness, salvation, justice, and so on are one integrated package. This is the agenda of the Messiah, who is Lord of Heaven and Earth, the Suffering Servant, and the Son of God. Through Christ, through repentance and faith, through forgiveness and new life, being included in this new world becomes God’s gift to us. Abandonment, banishment, and death is the alternative.

Most of the Biblical detail about what we can expect of Christ is laid out in the Old Testament. Our understanding of His agenda, and the agenda we have as His disciples, is seriously weakened when we fail to devote substantial study to the wealth of OT information that sets up the coming and work of the Messiah.

Our God has a deep love of and commitment to all who suffer from the injustices of human society. Such love flows from the most fundamental essence of who God is. The OT promises of a new day in which righteousness and justice flow throughout the earth (Amos 5:24) are all pivotal to the reign of Christ. His Kingdom comes to put all to right.

We have laid out a summary of the Old Testament foundations for understanding God’s love for justice. A new day dawns for justice when Jesus, the Son of God, comes to rule.

1. MESSIAH’S COMING INAUGURATES THIS NEW ERA OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND JUSTICE.

Jesus’ Kingdom, though so small in its beginnings, eventually will fill the earth with the liberation (Romans 8:18-23), renewal (Revelation 21:5), and reconciliation (Colossians 1:15-23) of all things. For humankind, repentance and faith continue to be the gateway into this new global order. In Christ, our righteous God will put all to right and so fill the earth with His glory. Justice will be perfected in every nation. This new order across His creation is God’s gift to His people. Hence, setting aside a people for Himself by grace through faith is an indispensable component of Christ’s agenda.

Jesus repeatedly speaks up and acts against injustice, as we would expect given Isaiah 11:1-9. When Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,” the wealth of OT material on justice and righteousness leaves us with no doubt that justice is integral to Jesus’ words.

The inauguration of this Kingdom incorporates the whole of the First Advent from the Incarnation to Jesus’ enthronement at the right hand of God. The decisive moment is His obedience unto death whereby He dies the death that should have been ours, and confirms His worthiness to rule supreme which includes His victory over all the powers of rebellion.

Consider these New Testament big-picture visions. This future directs and shapes the current agenda of the Son of God as He rules to bring all nations into submission (Psalm 2:1-12).

Given the promises that Messiah brings justice and righteousness to all the earth (see part two), justice for the poor and the victims of injustice, justice in the affairs of nations and between nations, then ….

• When Jesus declared, “All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18), justice and righteousness are inevitable consequences of His rule. He has the authority to make it so.
• When Jesus referred to the coming restoration/renewal (Matthew 19:28), righteousness and justice are integral to this expectation. See also Acts 3:21.
• When Paul states that Jesus has been exalted to the right hand of God above every power and authority (Ephesians 1:19-23), justice and righteousness are on His agenda for all the earth. All things caught up in Christ (Ephesians 1:9-10), and all things in submission to Christ (Philippians 2:9-11), and therefore all things perfectly characterized by all aspects of righteousness and justice.
• When Paul writes of the reconciliation of all things (Colossians 1:15-20) and the liberation of creation from the curse of human sin (Romans 8:19-23), justice and righteousness will be fully woven into all things. Note the comprehensive nature of “all things” in Colossians 1:15-17.
• When John declares that renewal of all things is coming with the new heaven and new earth, with the arrival of the New Jerusalem, and the presence of the Lord God Almighty, justice and righteousness will be perfected in everything (Revelation 21:1-5).

We have surveyed the groundwork for appreciating God’s love of social justice. There is the wealth of expressions throughout the Old Testament about what it means for God to be a just God. The New Testament builds on this foundation in Jesus Himself and in the Kingdom He announced as commencing in Him.

All good theology stirs up many good questions and God’s love of justice is no different. Next time we will engage with a few of these.

Graham Chipps