Matt was eleven years old when his family took him to Disneyland for a summer vacation. He could hardly contain himself as the time for the vacation had drawn near. This was what he had hoped and dreamed for every moment since he learned of the trip. When they loaded into the car and headed to the airport it seemed like Dad drove 2 mph the entire way. Time couldn’t go fast enough until they were surrounded by the wonders of the Magic Kingdom.
This last year had seen quite a transformation in Matt. He used to visit the principal’s office at school pretty regularly and his grades weren’t so go good. Two years ago, Mom and dad told him if he could cease the trouble he kept getting into and improve his grades, then they would all take a trip to Disneyland at the end of the school year. Matt was excited, he had never been to Disneyland and really wanted to go! Nearly all of his friends had already been and they loved it. But Matt really didn’t think his parents wouldn’t take him if he didn’t meet their expectations. He knew they loved him and they wouldn’t possibly take away something so wonderful if he didn’t comply with their wishes. Shockingly, Matt was wrong. He didn’t clean up his behavior or his grades. At the end of the year, despite his sadness and obvious disappointment, Matt’s parents did not present him with the reward he was sure he would receive. They expressed their disappointment and informed him the result of his behavior was no trip.
That was a year ago. Matt realized his parents were serious when they followed through with their word. From that point on, he changed his behavior and he picked up his grades. This time when the end of the year came his parents praised him and rewarded him with the trip he most desired. Not only was Matt excited about the trip, but he was a much better person because of their instruction and judgment.
In Isaiah 1:16-17, the prophet Isaiah laid down the law of God upon the disobedient people of Judah. It wasn’t something they had not heard before by the hand of other prophets, nor had it changed from the warnings of the past, rather it was a consistent application from a God whose Word had not changed. God’s command began quite simply: “Cease to do evil, learn to do good, seek justice…” God had demonstrated from His past interaction with Judah that He was always serious about His Will. Beginning with the early days of the deliverance of the nation of Israel, God disciplined based upon their disobedience to Him and rewarded them when they chose to obey. He established this expectation for them at that time (Deuteronomy 28). God wanted them to enjoy the blessings of the Promised Land. Unfortunately, when they first came to the land their behavior kept them out. The children of that people learned a lesson. They changed their behavior and later entered the land they desired.
In the examples of Matt and the children of Israel there are many similarities. In both there is a washing which took place. Evil (disobedient) behaviors were put away and good behaviors were embraced. Equally present is the concept of justice. Justice is defined by many as a rendering of what is due. Under promise when man does well, he receives praise and reward. When he falters from expectation there is disappointment, loss, and sorrow. Indeed, justice is parallel to the concept of reaping and sowing (Galatians 6:8). Justice is related to a number of common terms: Law, ordinance, direction, instruction, rule, or an established pattern. As Isaiah used it when addressing Judah, the meaning has to do with a verdict or ruling. (For more information regarding the term please see footnote [1] at the end of this article.)
“In matters of truth and justice, there is no difference between large and small problems, for issues concerning the treatment of people are all the same.” – Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein accurately explains the concept of justice. As in Jesus time, men of today like to question what truth is (Pilate – “What is truth?” – John 18:38). Truth is viewed not as absolute, but varying from circumstance to circumstance. However, truth does not vary. Einstein knew this fact and appropriately made the comparison to justice. Sadly, because there has been so much injustice in the world, many hear of “justice” and think perhaps it is only a dream. Criminals are set free with little to no punishment, individuals who have lots of money are seemingly untouchable, and the law which is supposed to convict criminals often appears to hinder its own purpose. However, truth and justice are not subject to the actions of men. Men may spread falsehood or commit injustice, but they cannot alter the nature of truth or justice.
No matter who the individual is, rich, poor, powerful, meek, righteous, or evil, when they feel they have been wronged, they desire justice. There are varying examples in scripture of those who have desired justice be done. In the days of Solomon, two women had a dispute over a newborn infant. Both had newborns, but one child died in the night. The mother of the dead child switched children in the night. Both then claimed the living child was their own. To resolve the dispute, they went before Solomon for a ruling regarding who the real mother was. Solomon ruled and justice was accomplished (I Kings 3:16-28).
The prophet Habakkuk declared the following in Habakkuk 1:2-4:
O Jehovah, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear? I cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save. Why dost thou show me iniquity, and look upon perverseness? for destruction and violence are before me; and there is strife, and contention riseth up. Therefore the law is slacked, and justice doth never go forth; for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore justice goeth forth perverted.
Habbakuk looked at the environment in Judah (following the days of Isaiah) and saw they were evil. Justice had not yet been delivered. He saw the rulers of the land corrupted the law and the justice it was supposed to bring. Yet, God told him justice was coming and it would come by His hand through the Chaldeans. This time rather than through the hand of a chosen and very wise king of Israel, the justice would come through a prideful, arrogant, gentile nation. Regardless of the tool, through God, Justice was delivered.
A final example that is most striking is from a heavenly scene in Revelation 6:9-10:
And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of them that had been slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: and they cried with a great voice, saying, How long, O Master, the holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
Even in heaven, there are those who desire justice to come about on the earth. They desire that the rulings according to the Law of God be enacted so that the proper outcome of evil and righteousness can be achieved.
Now the words of Isaiah, “Seek justice”… Wicked Judah is encouraged to repent of their ways, learn God’s truth path, and “seek justice”. They are to seek (follow) a proper verdict. Men often follow what they think is right. In fact, this exact thing occurred during the time of the judges: “In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 17:6) Of course, this in direct opposition to what Israel had originally been commanded (Deuteronomy 12:8). Men are not to follow their own thoughts, but God’s true commandments and verdicts. Assumptions just land them in trouble (i.e. Saul’s sacrifice, Nadab & Abihu’s strange fire, Uzzah’s hand on the ark). Seeking justice does not mean seek man’s opinion’s or assumptions. No person should be happy simply having behaviors for the sake of activity’s sake. Their direction should have divine purpose and authority behind it.
When Isaiah speaks of Judah seeking justice, one might consider the fact that as people doing evil, justice would mean discipline. Why on earth would anyone want to seek their own discipline? Drunkards, drug users, tobacco chewers and smokers, adulterous marital partners, homosexuals, couples who shack up, gamblers, immoral dressers, embezzlers, dishonest businessmen, all who don’t put God first, etc. don’t want to hear a verdict against the activities they are enjoying. This was exactly the attitude of the people of Isaiah’s time:
Isaiah 30:9 – For it is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of Jehovah; that say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits, get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.
Now, if the situation is framed differently, there will be a different initial response from those engaged in disobedience to God. What if Judah was asked, how would you like God’s blessings and have a better life? It’s seems the answer would likely be 100% “yes” in every era. However, that is only when man can follow his own will. When it is made clear man must follow God’s Word, disobedience and rebellion break out. Their hearts and ears certainly do not want to hear the verdict of condemnation and punishment. What does God think of such people? He sees them as fools (Proverbs 1:7).
Seeking justice upon oneself whether it is favorable or unfavorable is exactly what God wanted for Judah and all men. If someone is trying to make a living and provide for their family by painting landscapes and selling them, would they not want to know how to improve their painting technique even if it meant the previous method being used was said to be inferior? Would it not be wise, if they were going to skydive from a plane for the first time, to seek instruction rather than rely on their own instincts to make it safely to the ground? Even if it happened that they had to endure the embarrassment of being told their parachute was on backward? The verdict given in both situations has everything to do with truth. The justice of the decision is given out in a fair manner. Now consider the following verses:
Deuteronomy 8:5 – And thou shalt consider in thy heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so Jehovah thy God chasteneth thee.
Proverbs 13:24 – Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him. [ESV]
Hebrews 12:5-11 – And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
These three verses point important aspects of justice when it must deliver consequences that are based on disobedient behavior. First, justice which is based on the laws of God is grounded in the love of God for mankind. Second, we ought to revere God for the verdict He gives. Finally, the justice of God is designed to benefit man toward the blessings of holiness. There are a number of verses in scripture that resound these truths, but encouragement is given here to take these few verses from proverbs to heart (Proverbs 4:1, 13, 5:23, 6:23, 8:33, 9:9, 19:20, 23:23).
When Isaiah expressed the concern of God over His people Judah directing them to “seek justice”, he presented them with an option to better themselves. He offered an opportunity to put away the past and lovingly embrace the deep love of their Father. This is advice that mankind today must not dismiss. It is truth that they should cling to an entire life long. God’s justice nudges man toward purity, growth, blessing, and an eternal reward.
Moving toward the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC, Judah would feel the discipline of justice through love that God would ordain. Jeremiah would proclaim just before those days:
And thou shalt say unto them, This is the nation that hath not hearkened to the voice of Jehovah their God, nor received instruction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth. (Jeremiah 7:28)
But they hearkened not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, and might not receive instruction. (Jeremiah 17:23)
May these words not be spoken in regard to our souls. Let us seek instruction and seek the justice which God has exacted in the past rather than experience the wrath of His justice in the future.
The next article in this series will focus on Isaiah’s words: “Reprove the Ruthless”.
Footnotes:
1) The Hebrew word “Justice” Isaiah spoke in Isaiah 1:16-17 was mishpâṭ. Scholars have applied Strong’s number H4941 for its definition. Interestingly enough, H4941 is used 23 times in conjunction with the word “justice” in the King James Bible. However, it is only one time that it is represented by that term in its 23 occurrences with “justice” (Job 36:17). Typically, H4941 appears as the word “judgment” and on its own is actually used over 400 times in the Old Testament. Why render the phrase “seek justice” rather than “seek judgment”? The reason is based on a clearer understanding of common terms utilized in English today. The word H4941 is best associated with the term “justice”. This is demonstrated in its rendering as such in the ASV, NASV, ESV, and NKJV.