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Friday, March
10, 2023
"When
Justice Is
Perverted"
Message
summary:
Let
us as God's
people
continue to
reflect and
demonstrate
the holy
character of
God in being
just.
Listen
to our message
on your audio
player.
"Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted" (Habakkuk 1:4). "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8).
"Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted" (Habakkuk 1:4). "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8).
Now
in my sixties
there are many
things I have
never done in
life. One is
my civic duty
to serve on a
jury. I was
scheduled to
serve on a
jury about 25
years ago in
New England
but that trial
was canceled.
About ten
years earlier
I was
impaneled to
serve on a
jury where we
lived in
Northern
Pennsylvania
(see the brief
note following
the devotional
for a report
of my
experience).
Today
we hear a lot
about social
justice and
certainly all
earnest
followers of
Christ should
be concerned
with justice.
A fundamental
attribute of
God is His
Justness.
The
justice of God
is the absence
and
impossibility
of any moral
disorder
within
Himself. God's
justice is
thus
equivalent to
His infinite
holiness and
perfect
goodness.
The
law given by
Moses served
as the basis
for justice in
the
Israelites'
society. When
the law was
ignored,
rampant
injustice
followed and
the daily
verse
describes
these
conditions.
Most
Bible scholars
believe
Habakkuk
served God at
the time
immediately
prior to God's
judgment and
the Babylonian
exile. However
there was a
temporary
period of
prosperity at
this time and
it had a
lulling effect
on all but the
most faithful.
Times were
good; who
needs God?
Sound
familiar?
Today's
text, although
describing
that period, in
so many ways
describes our
own age: "Therefore
the law is
paralyzed, and
justice never
prevails. The
wicked hem in
the righteous,
so that
justice is
perverted"
(Habakkuk
1:4). It's
so uncannily
contemporary
you may wonder
what
version
words it this
way (NIV).
However other
well known
versions are
very similar:
"Therefore
the law is
slacked, and
judgment doth
never go
forth: for the
wicked doth
compass about
the righteous;
therefore
wrong judgment
proceedeth."
(KJV)
"Therefore
the Law is
ignored, And
justice is
never upheld.
For the wicked
surround the
righteous;
Therefore
justice comes
out
confused."
(NASB)
"So
the law is
paralyzed, and
justice never
goes forth.
For the wicked
surround the
righteous; so
justice goes
forth
perverted."
(ESV)
(See
here
for this verse
in many
versions)
During
this period
Habakkuk
declared:
- the law is paralyzed
- justice never prevails
- the
wicked hem in
the righteous
and
- justice
is perverted
These
words sure
seem to
describe our
own age. In
fact often the
word "justice"
itself has
been perverted
and turned
around. What
is actually
justice is
called
injustice and
what is
actually an
injustice is
called
justice. This
not only
applies to the
criminal
justice system
but to many
areas of life.
It's related
to calling
evil good and
good evil.
Let us, as God's people, continue to reflect and demonstrate the holy character of God in being just. As another Old Testament prophet says, "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8).
Let us, as God's people, continue to reflect and demonstrate the holy character of God in being just. As another Old Testament prophet says, "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8).
Stephen
and Brooksyne
Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father,
when we read
in Habakkuk
about the law
being
paralyzed or
powerless to
the people of
the land it
seems to be
describing our
day as
corruption and
evil is not
only tolerated
but is being
signed into
law while the
biblical
foundation
upon which our
land was
founded and
has stood upon
is being
pulled out
from under us.
Justice does
not prevail
when wicked
rulers or
spineless
cowards,
whether in
law,
education,
business or
religion,
close their
eyes to the
narrow path of
righteousness
and instead
enter the
broad gate
that leads to
destruction.
Make us strong
and courageous
so that we
don't align
ourselves with
that which
undermines the
truth of Holy
Scriptures
that are able
to make us
wise unto
salvation.
Help us always
to do justly,
love mercy and
to walk humbly
with You, our
Lord and
Savior in
these perilous
days. It's in
His name that
we pray. Amen.“Some
ideas are so
stupid that
only
intellectuals
believe
them.”
George Orwell
My
experience as
a juror:
This happened in upstate Pennsylvania when I was impaneled and it was such an eye opener for me. It involved a drunk driving case that resulted in an injury. In final juror selection the defense attorney questioned all the prospective jurors to determine if they might have a prejudice that would hinder their impartiality.
This happened in upstate Pennsylvania when I was impaneled and it was such an eye opener for me. It involved a drunk driving case that resulted in an injury. In final juror selection the defense attorney questioned all the prospective jurors to determine if they might have a prejudice that would hinder their impartiality.
The
defense
attorney asked
questions such
as, "Are you a
member of MADD
(Mothers
Against Drunk
Driving)? Do
you know
anybody that's
a member of
MADD?
Etc. Etc. I
was excused
from serving
presumably
because I was
a conservative
minister
likely
profiled as a
non-drinker.
(Later the
District
Attorney
verified
this). And
indeed I am
both, (a
conservative
and
non-drinker)
although I
feel that
would not have
prevented me
from being
objective and
capable of
demonstrating
justice.
I had blocked the day off and decided to hang around and observe the trial. It was a very interesting defense. Amazingly the defense did not deny that the defendant had been drinking or was even drunk when the police arrived and gave him the sobriety test. Their basic contention was that due to the time he left the bar he was not yet actually drunk at the precise time of the accident since the alcohol had not had time to circulate through his system. A high priced "expert witness" was brought in from out of state to explain this view. Well, at least the simple folks in that part of the country (many of whom used and knew plenty about alcohol) could see through such a flimsy excuse. I talked to the District Attorney after the trial and the defendant was found guilty. Justice prevailed in this case!
I had blocked the day off and decided to hang around and observe the trial. It was a very interesting defense. Amazingly the defense did not deny that the defendant had been drinking or was even drunk when the police arrived and gave him the sobriety test. Their basic contention was that due to the time he left the bar he was not yet actually drunk at the precise time of the accident since the alcohol had not had time to circulate through his system. A high priced "expert witness" was brought in from out of state to explain this view. Well, at least the simple folks in that part of the country (many of whom used and knew plenty about alcohol) could see through such a flimsy excuse. I talked to the District Attorney after the trial and the defendant was found guilty. Justice prevailed in this case!
Another
example of
what I suspect
is injustice:
The other day
I received a
check for 16
cents (pardon
my coffee
stains!).
Apparently
unbeknownst to
me I was part
of a class
action lawsuit
against Apple.
I checked out
the website
and it appears
to be
legitimate.
Essentially I
must have had
an Apple phone
many years ago
and Apple had
done something
to violate
their contract
(best I can
determine
using non
Apple
servers).
Well, some law
group noticed
this and
decided to
fight for the
little guys
(like me) and
filed a class
action against
Apple on our
behalf. Apple
settled for
millions of
dollars and my
share was a
paltry 16
cents (I
assume others
as well). But
how much do
you suppose
the admin
costs were (it
would have
cost more to
mail out the
check than the
face value)
and then there
would of
course be the
exorbitant
attorney fees.
I am not
defending
Apple but I
hardly think
the attorneys
that ginned up
this suit were
being
altruistic!
Today's
Suggested
Music and Supplemental
Resources
"Micah
6:8"
Click
to listen on
YouTube
Maranatha
Music
A great way to
learn a
Scripture
verse is to
sing it,
However I am
unaware of any
music for our
text from
Habakkuk
today.
Last
night we
attended a
concert with
musician Brooke
Ligertwood
from New
Zealand who
has written
many of the
worship songs
we enjoy
singing. WJTL
sponsored the
concert which
was much more
like a worship
service than a
concert. It
was the very
first night
that she
launched her
tour "Seven"
and was held
at Calvary
Church where
we attend. The
worship was
much like that
which I
envision
heaven to be
when we stand
face to face
with the King
of kings. When
we came to the
worship song,
"What a
Beautiful Name
It Is" the
atmosphere
took us to a
higher plain
of awe and
majesty of our
all-powerful
God. I wish we
could have
captured it on
camera but it
wouldn't be
the same. The
instrumentation
and
amplification
was many
decibals
higher than
our ears were
comfortable
with, but we
could still
very much
enjoy the
worship, the
biblically
rich lyrics
presented in
song, and the
worshipful
spirit of
Brooke and the
band members.
Holy
Spirit help me
see
Where there is Nineveh in me
Turn away Your wrath once more
God have mercy
Where there is Nineveh in me
Turn away Your wrath once more
God have mercy
What
does it mean
that God is
just?
From
Compelling
Truth website
After
the concert
the two
birthday girls
stood together
- Nickie, a
WJTL announcer
who turned 50
years old, and
Ester who
turned 34.
Ester is
enjoying her
expanded
birthday
blessings as
she attended
Newboys about
a week ago and
will see Mark
Lowry on the
19th. She
enjoys these
concerts and
often attends
them as a
volunteer for
WJTL.
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radioPermissions: Please feel free to pass on, reproduce and distribute any material on Daily Encouragement Net, in part or in whole, in any format, provided that you do not alter the wording in any way or charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. It is our desire to spread this material, not protect or restrict it. We do request that you keep the contact, copyright and subscription information intact.
Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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