Moment With The Master
“The Justice of God”
Categories: Moment With The Master"Yet the children of your people say, 'The way of the Lord is not fair.' But it is their way which is not fair! (Ezekiel 33:17)
The very justice of God is of tremendous importance. Abraham acknowledged this when interceding with God on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah. (Genesis 18:25) A righteous man’s security depends on the truth that God is always equitable and fair.
However, through the ages man has been prone to question God’s justice. In the days of Ezekiel, Israel questioned the way God had treated her as a nation. (Ezekiel 18:1-32) The prophet taught them this important lesson: “God does not deal with us according to the conduct of our fathers, nor according to our past, but according to who we are right now”!
There are times when we are tempted to question God’s justice. The world abounds in inequities. Good people suffer. Wicked people prosper. This causes us to be hasty in our judgment of God. Our limited knowledge of all the ways of God may hinder us from recognizing the benefits he is bringing to us.
In addition, we are slow to acknowledge God’s power to change lives. We quickly label an individual according to past conduct. Acceptance and pardon is difficult. It is a challenge to believe God and his word can profoundly alter a life.
It is also common to call God unjust when we suffer for our own foolishness. God’s message to Israel: “Consider your ways!” (Ezekiel 18:32) It would be better to spend our time in self-examination rather than blaming God!
It is comforting to know that God is just. It is very consoling to know he is merciful. It is only a living faith and perfect submission that God accepts.
By George Slover
