A Just God

 

God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 2 Thessalonians 1:6.

While we are taught not to repay evil for evil  or not to revert back to the old eye for an type of justice, God considers it just or even righteous to repay the enemies who afflict us. We are after all, children of Abraham grafted into the covenant, and an even better one with Jesus’ sacrifice, which fulfilled the law and prophets, while the eye for the eye is out and the moat and beam is in, we don’t have the right to take the law into our own hands, or set out like a lynch mob or vigilantes, no, God has the the last say. He even told Abraham He would bless those who blessed him and curse those who cursed him.

Abraham left Ur, steeped in idolatry, he lived under grace before the Ten Commandments, the people wanted God to command them, they could not do it, He knew it but gave them anyway.  Jesus fulfilled all the law, giving the commandment to love, thereby keeping all. He was the one needful sacrifice, once and for all who would believe. Giving us grace and truth and the ministry of the Spirit.

And here’s what God has to say about it.

The LORD says, ‘Am I not storing up these things, sealing them away in my treasury?

I will take revenge; I will pay them back. In due time their feet will slip. Their day of disaster will arrive, and their destiny will overtake them. Deuteronomy 32:34, 35, and one translation says the day of their disaster is near, their doom is coming quickly.

From the same verse in Contemporary English, Soon our enemies will get what they deserve–suddenly they will slip, and total disaster will quickly follow.

Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.” Romans 12:19

Is He ever a just God? While we may have trials, and injustices are heaped upon us, which is also relative to Isaiah 53 and He, being crushed for our iniquities. Though it is hard sometimes, okay, lots of times to keep quiet about certain things, it is better for Him to handle the problems we can’t. Much better!

This past week for example, there was another workplace shooting. Never a good idea to retaliate, there is not a good enough reason for that. Nor to murder people with words or the old if looks could kill. It may not appear to be fair that a baby has cancer, and an older person is healed or that someone who has given his life to helping children is fending off death, while others his age are partying and doing drugs.

But 1 Samuel 16:7, reminds us that we look at outward appearances while God looks at hearts. And Matthew 5:45 assures us that we are the children of our Father, but He allows both sun and rain to fall on the righteous and unrighteous.

So we see the word here for just as interchangeable with righteous. Here are a few examples, Job was upright, righteous, or just. Look how the devil went after him. Whatever you think of God in that situation, remember he lived in the time of Joseph, and the devil singled him out much like Peter, while Job prayed, Jesus was standing right there with Peter and he did not heed the warning, but He is just and restored them both, and who is to say He would not have, even Judas, had He asked, Jesus was still calling him friend as he betrayed him with a kiss. But I do believed He prophesied that he would not earlier on. He know what we will believe or not.

The centurion at the crucifixion even stated that Jesus was surely a righteous or just man. Luke 23:47 And Ecclesiastes 7:20 declares that there is not a single just/ righteous man or woman who does good continually and never sins. Thank God for Jesus, we are only righteous because of Him. And we look at things one way while God sees it all, even Hagar acknowledged  Him as El Roi, the God who sees. Roi or ro-ey is also the word for shepherd.

So let’s remember to overcome this way, If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head. Whether you or he realizes it or not.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:20,21.

You may not always think God is fair, but He upholds His Word, and is working out things you might not see yet, that is faith, and sometimes He is merciful, and others He protected you, this is a better point of view.

I will sing to the LORD because He is good to me. Psalm136:1

 Let a just God take care of the enemies of our soul. He is omniscient , we aren’t. And He is a just God.

Roberto Delgado Webb, Unsplash, thank you.