Justice is Near to the Heart of God

IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Justice is Near to the Heart of God

Date: Aug. 21, 2014

Passage

Amos 5:14-27 (ESV)

14   Seek good, and not evil,
    that you may live;
  and so the LORD, the God of hosts, will be with you,
    as you have said.
15   Hate evil, and love good,
    and establish justice in the gate;
  it may be that the LORD, the God of hosts,
    will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.

16 Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the Lord:

  “In all the squares there shall be wailing,
    and in all the streets they shall say, ‘Alas! Alas!’
  They shall call the farmers to mourning
    and to wailing those who are skilled in lamentation,
17   and in all vineyards there shall be wailing,
    for I will pass through your midst,”
      says the LORD.

18   Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD!
    Why would you have the day of the LORD?
  It is darkness, and not light,
19     as if a man fled from a lion,
    and a bear met him,
  or went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall,
    and a serpent bit him.
20   Is not the day of the LORD darkness, and not light,
    and gloom with no brightness in it?
21   “I hate, I despise your feasts,
    and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.
22   Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,
    I will not accept them;
  and the peace offerings of your fattened animals,
    I will not look upon them.
23   Take away from me the noise of your songs;
    to the melody of your harps I will not listen.
24   But let justice roll down like waters,
    and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

25 “Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? 26 You shall take up Sikkuth your king, and Kiyyun your star-god—your images that you made for yourselves, 27 and I will send you into exile beyond Damascus,” says the LORD, whose name is the God of hosts.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV) is adapted from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. All rights reserved.

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Daily Bread

Key Verse: 5:24

But let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

First, God shows his people the way (14-17). God calls his people to seek and love the good and to hate evil. An expression of this was to maintain justice in the courts. In order to receive the Lord's mercy, Israel's leaders would have to repent, confess and practically reform their ways. This would not be easy, but it was God's way to save them. God would surely help them if they would only humble themselves. Our God is powerful, faithful and dependable. He is more than able to save those who seek to know God's heart.

Second, God desires justice to cover the land (18-27). He desires justice to roll on like a river, whose water permeates the entire land. God wants justice to spread across our land through his people until everything is drenched with justice. This means that outside of our worship services and devotions, we must care about others' plight by praying and working for justice until it permeates our lives and communities. Justice is near the heart of God. True justice is born of God and his word.

Prayer: Lord, so often I am concerned only about my own devotion to you. Help me to concern about things outside my personal space, like spreading justice.

One Word: Seek the Lord and live

The Lamb Will Triumph

Revelation 17:1-18

Key Verse: 17:14

Today's Question

What is creation?

See answer and references