Justice and Righteousness - Never-Ending Streams

 

Lady Justice, Singapore Supreme Court

'Let justice roll on like a river and righteousness like a never failing stream!' Amos 5:24

We tend to make a display of our piety, paying so much attention to ceremonies, rituals, praises and worships. Our temple worships can be like Chinese Opera with clanging symbols and beating of drums. Our church worship can be like Taylor Swift Concerts with electric guitars, electronic keyboards and electric drums. There is no denying that when we worship God together we want to put in our best efforts. However this show of religiosity can be very insincere, and if so it is repugnant to God who used the strongest words through the Prophet Amos.

'I hate, I despise  your religious festivals; you assemblies are a stench to me. Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard form them. Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen listen to the music of your harps.' Amos 5:21-23

We may wonder why this litany of pronouncements against false, insincere and showy worship. The Lord prefers His people to 'walk the talk' with sincere justice and righteousness marking their daily living.

'But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never failing stream' Amos 5:24

The Hebrew word for justice is Mishpat. The meaning goes beyond just rightness or wrongness, nor punishment of wrongdoing. It also means to treat others with equity, giving people what they are due.

Timothy Keller in his essay on Justice in the Bible (Ref 1) noted, "Biblical justice is not a set of bullet points or a set of rules and guidelines. It is rooted in the very character of God and it is the outworking of that character, which is never less than just." One attribute of the Triune God, noted Keller,  is the immaculate equity and justness in all His dealings with man at all times and in all ways.

Tim Keller wrote, "One principle of biblical justice is universal equality which means that every person should be treated by the same standards and the same respect regardless of class, race, ethnicity, nationality, gender or of any other social category." 

'You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbour.' Leviticus 19:15

The Hebrew word for righteousness is Tzadegah means being upright, as in someone who is straight in his dealings with God and others. Timothy Keller in a short article on Biblical righteousness (Ref 2) noted that it is not just about private morality; it is not personal but inevitably social. Tim Keller noted that Tzadegah refers to day by day living in which a person conducts all his relationships in family and society with fairness, generosity and equity.'

When the Prophet Amos wrote, "Let justice roll like a river and righteousness like a never failing stream" he was referring not about personal nor corporate piety but personal and corporate conduct, the way we treat others. 

Both Micah 6 and Amos 5 told us not to be preoccupied by the practices or rituals of our faith but to put the faith that we have to right practices. The practical expressions of our belief in and love for God should be lived out naturally, abundantly and evidently, like never-ending streams.

The hymn 'Brother, Sister, Let Me Serve' is the Christian call to selfless service and community. We have the chance to show justice, kindness, righteousness and humility in walking alongside others and bearing one another's joys and sorrows. God will be pleased if we learn to treat each other with justice and righteousness.

'To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.' Proverbs 21:3

 

Brother, Sister Let Me Serve You.

Let Me Be As Christ To You;

Pray That I May Have The Grace To

Let You Be My Servant Too.

Brother, Sister Let Me Serve You.

Let Me Be As Christ To You;

Pray That I May Have The Grace To

Let You Be My Servant Too.

We Are Pilgrims On A Journey,

And Companions On The Road;

We Are Here To Help Each Other

Walk The Mile And Bear The Load.

I Will Hold The Christ-Light For You

In The Night-Time Of Your Fear;

I Will Hold My Hand Out To You,

Speak The Peace You Long To Hear.

I Will Weep When You Are Weeping;

When You Laugh I’ll Laugh With You;

I Will Share Your Joy And Sorrow

Till We’ve Seen This Journey Through.

When We Sing To God In Heaven

We Shall Find Such Harmony,

Born Of All We’ve Known Together

Of Christ’s Love And Agony.

Brother, Sister Let Me Serve You.

Let Me Be As Christ To You;

Pray That I May Have The Grace To

Let You Be My Servant Too.

Lionel

Ref 1: Timothy Keller: https://quarterly.gospelinlife.com/justice-in-the-bible/

Ref 2: Timothy Keller: https://generositymonk.com/2016/09/14/tim-keller-biblical-righteousness-exhibits-generosity/