Here's another interesting trivia. Can you guess which state grows at least 60% of US roses? Is it Colorado; Florida; Pennysylvania; or California? Hint: most roses exchanged at Valentines Day are grown in South America. Take a guess __________________
Tuesday 2/14
Prov. 28:5 "Evil people don't understand justice, but those who follow the Lord understand completely."
Let's go back to this concept we touched on yesterday of "justice". Despite our human desire for justice, the Bible doesn't define justice in either Old Testament or New Testament. However, though there is no specific definition being provided anywhere in the Bible. But in fact sometimes even more confusing, but it constantly focuses on justice, and how that when justice prevails in a people; wealth, peace, clarity, productivity, and strength are the natural outcome.
Even though the religions of the Near Eastern cultures are devoid of content on justice, God exhibits great concern throughout the Old Testament for us human beings & the issues we face related to justice. The scripture expresses the fact that God is a personal being, who is interested in justice being honored to all of His creation. The Bible expresses this concern for humanity & the imperative need for justice, in fact, we see this laid out in several incidents.
Cain's murder of Abel; God exiled him, and marked him (Gen. 4:9-16) where God exhibits His compassion, but also justice, though God doesn't kill Cain, He punished Cain for killing his brother for the rest of his life.
The laws that God laid down for Israel, emphasized retribution, for example this is found in Ex. 21:22-25 along with providing several other incidents & the expected retribution examples. The purposed reason that is presented speaks of retribution is in order to limit blood vengeance. This was taught in order to balance justice in order to avoid excessive punishment, (in order to limit the punishment more extreme than the crime itself).
By these guidelines being passed on by God, they are intended to avoid any further damage to mankind & its culture. These guides protect mankind from exacting vengeance & its reaction. Present example being the Hatfield & MacCoy fude, which was famous for bringing revenge for generations. If they had followed the scriptural example the loss of life would have been limited to a one time consequence.
Several examples of this are presented in Scripture:
2 Sam. 1 2 where David committed adultery & set up the killing of Bathsheba's husband Uriah
Isa. 10 Isaiah speaks of the injustice of unjust judges, and the authoring of unjust laws & the consequences
There are several other instances referred to: Israel falling to Assyria; Judah to Babylon; and many more.
However, God assures all of His people that due to His unflapible love; both society & individuals will receive justice if not in this lifetime in eternity.
The New Testament continues these principle on, we could list them on an on, but we won't. I suggest you study this out further in answer to many other issues:
In short the Sermon on the Mount illustrates for us God's emphasis on heart attitude & our need to leave vengeance to Him, because to ignore this only brings a raging practice of personal vengence which in turn, will destroy all people who hold onto vengence in the thinking of carrying out justice.
The overwhelming message for us is to "put on the mind of Christ", He sacrificed his body in atonement for our sins. On the other hand we must chapion justice in our lives & uphold the arm of justice, through legal means. To fail in this covenant promise would result in a world of injustice, and the loss of innocent lives.
So Go With God for He will see to it that justice will prevail. There is so much depth to Solomon's words that we will never achieve a full understanding, but, as we study & meditate on it we will naturally gain in wisdom.
C. S. Lewis "Don't shine so that others will see you, rather, shine so that through you, others can see Him.:
Colorado