God's Concern Is Always About Justice

Nahum 1:1-14
Luke 11:37-52
The oracle of the prophet Nahum against Nineveh makes two distinct claims about God. One is that “the Lord is good, a stronghold in a day of trouble; he protects those who take refuge in him, even in a rushing flood” (Nahum 1:7-8a). But Nahum also asks, “Why do you plot against the Lord? He will make an end; no adversary will rise up twice” (v. 9). Can there really be such a divergence in God? Can God really be a source of such comfort and of yet of such judgment?

Luke’s account confirms that in Jesus Christ God is quite willing to make such a distinction. “Woe to you Pharisees!” Jesus says (Luke 11:42, 43, 44). And “Woe also to you lawyers!” he adds (vv. 46, 47, 52). Why does Jesus condemn these prominent members of his society? Because they do not “give for alms those things that are within” (v.41), “and (they) neglect justice and the love of God” (v.42), and “do not lift a finger to ease” the burden of the people (v.46) and have “taken away the key of knowledge…” and “hindered those who were entering” (v.52). God’s concern is always about justice. Divine judgment upholds it and God’s grace provides for it.

The temptation is to decide who in Luke’s account best represents us, and, frankly, few of us would ever willingly identify with the Pharisees or lawyers. But just as God offers judgment and grace, we as individuals and communities stand in need of both. As sinners we need God’s corrective judgment, and unworthy as we are, God remains faithful in the covenant relationship between God and God’s people. When we read scripture, when we pray and seek God’s guidance, when we participate in the life of the community of faith, we should expect and respond to God’s judgment and grace alike. It should inform our politics, our economic choices, our family relationships, our view of others, our understanding of patriotism, and every other facet of our lives. Indeed, as Americans enter the voting booth this coming Tuesday, it would behoove us to pause a moment to ponder where our nation stands in God’s judgment and how we can best reflect God’s grace in our policies.

God’s concern is always about justice. Our concern should always be about justice, too.

Prayer: O Lord, help us to receive and respond to your judgment while rejoicing in and reflecting your grace at all times. In Jesus’ name. Amen.