Here’s a word from King David. Psalm 7:8 “The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me.
Psalm 7:11 “God judgeth the righteous …” Psalm 9:8 “And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.”
Psalm 50:4 “He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people. (6) And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah.”
And from the prophet Zechariah, Zechariah 9:9 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.”
If there is one clear statement in the Bible on the justice of God, it’s this. He will judge in righteousness. If there is something that we human beings are very rarely able to do, it’s to judge in righteousness. In many, if not most cases, we judge without knowing all the facts. We judge in the wrong spirit. And we judge without knowing what the best judgment is.
Now, let me show you what makes this story so practical and appropriate for you and me.
The story of Absalom’s reaction to Amnon’s sin shows us what God is not. Let me show you justice from the viewpoint of the one who inflicts the justice.
Absalom’s actions towards Amnon were wrong in at least three ways.
One, he broke the sixth commandment “Thou shalt not kill.”
Two, he knew he was doing something wrong because he did his plan from David.
And three, afterwards he ran away. II Samuel 13:34 says II Samuel 13:34 “But Absalom fled.”
You see, when we take matters into our own hands, especially matter of justice, and we disregard the LORD and His word, we will never be satisfied with this kind of justice.
Doesn’t this show you that Absalom was not satisfied that he could quote “punish” Amnon for what he had done? Did he in any way find peace in taking the life of his brother?
How do you feel when you “punish” someone who has personally sinned against you? Well, could you find satisfaction in personally punishing someone who has offended someone close to you? Probably not.
Let’s say justice is done now. Your offender has been put in jail, how much satisfaction and peace does that bring to your soul?
Wouldn’t Absalom have been a whole lot further ahead if he had chosen forgiveness towards his offender/brother? Can you imagine the difference it will make in you when you choose forgiveness over personal justice? Amnon did not deserve Absalom’s forgiveness any more than you or I deserve God’s forgiveness and mercy.
As well, even if David, the King, severely punished Amnon, Absalom might still have hated him. Folks, what Absalom needed was exactly what you and I need, to be forgiven.
Suppose Amnon said to Absalom and Tamar, “I repent. I am sorry. Will you forgive me?”
What difference would that have made in Tamar and Absalom?
The Bible says that Amnon, after his sin, was to marry Tamar. But Absalom made sure he didn’t. You see, only God can take revenge in the right spirit. I don’t believe in any way that taking the life of Amnon expressed justice. If anything, it simply shows vengeance from Absalom when he should have left Amnon in the hands of the law and truth and in the hands of the LORD.
And as a last word, let me add on more aspect of justice that is often overlooked. Here’s Psalm 62:12 “Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.”
Habakkuk 3:2 “... in wrath remember mercy.”
There are many, many things that can and need to be said about carrying out justice. But don’t forget this side of the picture.
Here’s how God deals with us. He must exercise mercy alongside justice and wrath. He is a just God. But He is also at the very same time a merciful God.
Why else did He send Jesus to die if it wasn’t that He is both just and merciful?
Here’s how God dealt with your sins. Jesus was crucified. His death paid the entire penalty that you deserve for your sins. Now, inside that penalty there is a provision of mercy. The LORD provides forgiveness to every single person who repents of his sin and believes on Christ. God always has and always will remember mercy in His wrath against sin.
You see, the ultimate manner in which we are to deal with each other is in love. Yes, we’ve all been sinned against. Yes, we’ve all have reason to ask God to judge others in our lives who have sinned against us. But if God’s goal for each of us is to love Him first and love others ahead of ourselves, shouldn’t we simply ask ourselves in every case “Is this love?”
So, what will you do now that you see what the Bible says about justice? Will you let the LORD have His way in your life today? If not, why not?
Here’s the Submission Prayer. “LORD, I submit all I am to you, my spirit, my soul, and my body. Do with me what is most pleasing to you. Work out Your will upon me today.” Amen
Psalm 7:11 “God judgeth the righteous …” Psalm 9:8 “And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.”
Psalm 50:4 “He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people. (6) And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah.”
And from the prophet Zechariah, Zechariah 9:9 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.”
If there is one clear statement in the Bible on the justice of God, it’s this. He will judge in righteousness. If there is something that we human beings are very rarely able to do, it’s to judge in righteousness. In many, if not most cases, we judge without knowing all the facts. We judge in the wrong spirit. And we judge without knowing what the best judgment is.
Now, let me show you what makes this story so practical and appropriate for you and me.
The story of Absalom’s reaction to Amnon’s sin shows us what God is not. Let me show you justice from the viewpoint of the one who inflicts the justice.
Absalom’s actions towards Amnon were wrong in at least three ways.
One, he broke the sixth commandment “Thou shalt not kill.”
Two, he knew he was doing something wrong because he did his plan from David.
And three, afterwards he ran away. II Samuel 13:34 says II Samuel 13:34 “But Absalom fled.”
You see, when we take matters into our own hands, especially matter of justice, and we disregard the LORD and His word, we will never be satisfied with this kind of justice.
Doesn’t this show you that Absalom was not satisfied that he could quote “punish” Amnon for what he had done? Did he in any way find peace in taking the life of his brother?
How do you feel when you “punish” someone who has personally sinned against you? Well, could you find satisfaction in personally punishing someone who has offended someone close to you? Probably not.
Let’s say justice is done now. Your offender has been put in jail, how much satisfaction and peace does that bring to your soul?
Wouldn’t Absalom have been a whole lot further ahead if he had chosen forgiveness towards his offender/brother? Can you imagine the difference it will make in you when you choose forgiveness over personal justice? Amnon did not deserve Absalom’s forgiveness any more than you or I deserve God’s forgiveness and mercy.
As well, even if David, the King, severely punished Amnon, Absalom might still have hated him. Folks, what Absalom needed was exactly what you and I need, to be forgiven.
Suppose Amnon said to Absalom and Tamar, “I repent. I am sorry. Will you forgive me?”
What difference would that have made in Tamar and Absalom?
The Bible says that Amnon, after his sin, was to marry Tamar. But Absalom made sure he didn’t. You see, only God can take revenge in the right spirit. I don’t believe in any way that taking the life of Amnon expressed justice. If anything, it simply shows vengeance from Absalom when he should have left Amnon in the hands of the law and truth and in the hands of the LORD.
And as a last word, let me add on more aspect of justice that is often overlooked. Here’s Psalm 62:12 “Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.”
Habakkuk 3:2 “... in wrath remember mercy.”
There are many, many things that can and need to be said about carrying out justice. But don’t forget this side of the picture.
Here’s how God deals with us. He must exercise mercy alongside justice and wrath. He is a just God. But He is also at the very same time a merciful God.
Why else did He send Jesus to die if it wasn’t that He is both just and merciful?
Here’s how God dealt with your sins. Jesus was crucified. His death paid the entire penalty that you deserve for your sins. Now, inside that penalty there is a provision of mercy. The LORD provides forgiveness to every single person who repents of his sin and believes on Christ. God always has and always will remember mercy in His wrath against sin.
You see, the ultimate manner in which we are to deal with each other is in love. Yes, we’ve all been sinned against. Yes, we’ve all have reason to ask God to judge others in our lives who have sinned against us. But if God’s goal for each of us is to love Him first and love others ahead of ourselves, shouldn’t we simply ask ourselves in every case “Is this love?”
So, what will you do now that you see what the Bible says about justice? Will you let the LORD have His way in your life today? If not, why not?
Here’s the Submission Prayer. “LORD, I submit all I am to you, my spirit, my soul, and my body. Do with me what is most pleasing to you. Work out Your will upon me today.” Amen