Justice: Standing in the Gap Загвар

Heavy Things

While growing up, we receive instruction from caretakers and teachers designed to form us into particular kinds of people. In the biblical story, God gives the Israelites instruction, the Torah, in order to form them into loving people who operate with justice and righteousness.

God directs the Israelites to come to the aid of the poor (Leviticus 25:22,25,35) and teaches them to neither take advantage of the vulnerable (Exodus 22:22) nor oppress the foreigners living among them (Exodus 22:21,23:9). Commands like these reveal justice at the heart of the Torah.

When Jesus comes, he explains that he hasn’t come to discard God’s instructions to Israel in the Old Testament but to fill them full (Matthew 5:17). He rebukes some of the religious leaders for not fulfilling the Torah’s demand for justice (Matthew 23:23). And he instructs everyone to live according to the heartbeat of the Torah by treating others with the same fairness, kindness and generosity that we want to receive (Matthew 7:12).

Reflection:

How have you understood the purpose of God’s commands in the Old Testament? How would it affect your perspective if you viewed them as wisdom meant to form the Israelites into a loving people characterized by righteousness and justice?

When is it most difficult for you to treat others the way you’d like to be treated? Ask God to give you his heart for justice in those situations.