“Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”
Worship is pleasing to the Lord but only in conjunction with our obedience to His new covenant commands where our love and compassion reign.
Not so long ago the whole world witnessed the final cries of “I can’t breathe” of someone under the knee of another and they were shocked and deeply incensed to their core by a feeling of injustice on many levels.
The awfulness and the hopelessness of the scenario, brought forth in us, a righteous anger and compassion.
Now to amplify that immeasurably we glimpse a snippet of the intolerance God feels towards injustice. The Trinity who are Love, Good, Holy, are equally justice.
They are intent upon restoring right to wherever wrong is triumphing.
“For I the Lord love justice; I hate robbery and wrong;”
All of God’s ways are just. He has no external standards of righteousness outside Himself. He is the standard and He cannot be anything otherwise than Holy.
“But the Lord of hosts is exalted in justice, and the Holy God shows himself holy in righteousness.”
He will neither overlook or over punish but will judge accurately and give people what they rightly deserve and are owed.
God serves us all especially any who are under the knee and gasping to live for whatever reason. His heart leans always towards the vulnerable.
Scripture depicts this entirely both in the Old and New Testament.
““Thus says the Lord of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.””
God is deeply opposed to injustice. Jesus showed us how to be likewise. We equally have this responsibility.
“You go, and do likewise.”
Those who justify themselves keep the broken world at arms length. We draw them close if our hearts are in step with Jesus’ heart. It is the indispensable evidence of Him in our lives.
The degree of our sense of justice and our identity with all humans being in Gods image and subsequently of worth and deserving our voice, attention and concern.
We listen and witness cries for justice with empathy when in compassion we can enter into their sorrow.
The Holy Spirit tunes us into the justice within God’s heart.
Only then will we speak out on behalf of those whose voice is drowned out and defend their cause.
“learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.”
As image bearers of God we humbly walk as He rules and reigns in our lives to let justice flow like a river.
The illustration shows us bending the knee to those fighting for breath under the knee of injustice. God’s river of justice flowing through us to emanate light that pushes back the darkness.
Six Scriptures that come to mind:
“Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” Amos 5:23-24 ESV
“But the Lord of hosts is exalted in justice, and the Holy God shows himself holy in righteousness.” Isaiah 5:16 ESV
“For I the Lord love justice; I hate robbery and wrong; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.” Isaiah 61:8 ESV
““Thus says the Lord of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.” Zechariah 7:9-10 ESV
“He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.” Luke 10:37 ESV.
“learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.” Isaiah 1:17 ESV
The song House Of The Lord. Phil Wickham
Lessisgreater 