JUST
“Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations. He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his teaching the islands will put their hope.” (Isaiah 42:1-4, ESV)
As we continue to look at the attributes of God, we are now examining how God is Just. God acts in line with justice. We’ve learned God is Love. He is Sovereign. God always does what is right. He determines right from wrong. He is Just and He takes this very seriously.
In this passage of Isaiah, God is talking about establishing His Justice. In the ancient Near East, establishing justice was usually assigned to kings. Here in this passage, the Servant is pictured as a royal figure and, as we see in this Scripture, an important role of the Servant is to “bring justice to the nations.” (42:1)
When we think of the word justice, we probably think of a judge who presides court proceedings. The Hebrew word translated as justice (mishpat) actually means more than just fairness in court. When we talk about God as just – because He is Holy, He sets the ultimate standard. He determines the beginning from the end and right from wrong. Justice is rooted in God because of His character – He is in Himself JUST. Therefore, this Servant that Isaiah is talking about that will bring justice to Israel and beyond is the Messiah – Jesus Christ. Jesus came into this world to conquer sin, bring forgiveness and offer new life through Him.
Billy Graham once shared this story:
“A number of years ago I was stopped for driving too fast in a speed zone, and in the courtroom I pleaded guilty. The judge was not only friendly but embarrassed for me to be in his court. The fine was ten dollars. If he had let me go free, it would have been inconsistent with justice. The penalty had to be paid either by me or someone else! Judgment is consistent with love. A God of love must be a God of justice. It is because God loves that He is just. His justice balances His love and makes His acts of both love and justice meaningful.
God could not consistently love men, if He did not provide for the judgment of evil-doers. His punishment of the evil-doer and His separation of the righteous is a manifestation of God’s great love. We must always look at the cross on the dark background of judgment. It was because God’s love for man was so intense that He gave His Son, so that man would not have to face judgment.”
God in His Mercy, Love and Justice is seen in the cross of Christ. The Justice of God is poured out on His Son. Jesus paid the debt for us and through Him, Justice has been satisfied.
PRAYER: Father, we thank You that You are Loving, that You are Sovereign, that You are Just – You always do what is right as You are the Supreme Judge, almighty God. Thank You that in Your Mercy and Love, You sent Your only Son, Jesus to pay a debt I could not pay back – and through that justice – we have a restored relationship with You. Lord, help us when we see injustices in this world taking place – as our hearts deeply grieve what is going on. We know, in the end, You will have the victory as You will make things right with Your divine justice. In Jesus’ mighty name we pray. Amen.
Please know I’m praying for you today, that God will encourage you and strengthen you through His Word. Whatever you are going through today, know He is near. Trust Him in all things. He is Just.
-Christine Batchelder