Tag: justice

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

It’s so simple. It’s so hard.

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Adam Nemeroff on Unsplash

Some “through the bible” thoughts from Micah 6.

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)

On any given day, it’s easy to resolve first thing in the morning to humbly walk with God, be kind, and do the right thing.

Then life happens. I forget. I get preoccupied. I get busy. I get defensive. And suddenly it’s all about me. Suddenly, I’m no so humble, nice, or interested in “justice.”

It sounds so simple. But it’s so hard to do. It’s not my problem. I don’t want to be nice. And I want to be recognized and appreciated. My natural inclination is just the opposite of what God wants.

And that’s the problem, isn’t it? I’m on a whole different page than God. Justice? Only if it’s in my best interest. Kindness? Maybe, if I think I might like you. Humility? I mostly think about me. I’m not as humble as I like to think.

In context, God’s people wanted to bring more sacrifices and give more offerings. But that’s not what he wanted. He wanted them to be different, to be nice, to make the world a better place.

I think it comes down to this: God doesn’t want me to do more for him. He does something — everything — for me. My God is just, kind, and humble. For me. Because I’m not good at this.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Broken

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Brandon Stoll on Unsplash

Some “through the bible” thoughts from Jeremiah 19.

“Go, and buy a potter’s earthenware flask…break the flask…and say, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: So will I break this people and this city” (Jeremiah 19:1,10,11).

In contrast to clay being formed by a potter, Jeremiah’s subsequent object lesson is breaking a bottle made of hardened clay, an image of the disaster God will bring on his people, “Because they have stiffened their neck, refusing to hear my words” (19:15).

The first thing that pops in my mind is the scene in Rocky IV, Ivan Drago, the Soviet champion says to Rocky, “I must break you.” Other images include breaking a wild horse, breaking in a new pair of running shoes, breaking up a task into manageable parts, breaking up hard soil for a garden, or breaking a bad habit.

God’s people are no longer moldable, having forsaken God to pursue idol worship with child sacrifice. They’ve closed their ears to God’s repeated warnings and calls to repentance. Mercy isn’t working. It’s going to take enemy invasion and destruction to get their attention. It’s like a house that’s beyond repair. “We’re going to have to tear it down and start over.”

It must have been tough for Jeremiah to proclaim this “no more Mr. Nice Guy” message. Well, actually, it was, because in the next chapter, the priest beats Jeremiah and puts him in the stocks. Jeremiah complains to God about the violent response to the message. He hates this job.

It’s ironic that Jeremiah has been sent to preach to people who refuse to listen. Seems like a waste of time. Yet it sets up an, “I told you so” future moment, as God’s justice and righteousness prevails.

Ultimately, Christ’s body will be broken for so many, like me, who just don’t listen, who find so many other things to worship, and are impossibly stubborn. Just like God’s people always have been.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

One spear; two speared

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Bakr Magrabi on pexels.com

A “through the bible” devotion from Numbers 25.

In a flagrant display of unfaithfulness and disobedience, an Israelite man brings a Midianite woman into his tent. Responding in faithfulness and obedience, Phineas, a grandson of Aaron, takes a spear and runs it through the two of them at the moment they are intimately involved in the inner room of their tent (Numbers 25:6-8).

Phineas is commended for this horrific act and promoted to permanent position of priesthood (25:12,13). Priests typically interceded for atonement. Here, it is to execute judgment.

Moses even records the names of the guilty parties. The man was Zimri; the woman was Cozbi. Their actions and their death triggered Israel’s attack on the Midianites and put an end to their seductive idolatry.

If you’re shocked by this account, I don’t blame you. But I’ll bet you’ve seen much worse in the movies you’ve streamed into your home. I’ll bet you’ve heard about even more scandalous behavior on the news. You may have even been a part of it yourself. This is our world. This has always been our world.

No one would blame God for throwing up his hands and just letting Israel (and all of us) self-destruct. But someone like Moses or Phineas or intercedes and the story goes on.

We’ll read about a future stroke of justice when Jesus is run through with a spear after he dies on the cross. He’s the priest, he endures God’s judgment, and he bleeds out in a scene just as gory as this one. Jesus steps in, and the story goes on.