The following student report was submitted by Ambassador League Agent Nathan K. during the 2008-2009 League.
Mission: Research - Justice
In Deuteronomy 16:20 we read: "Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue, that you may live and possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you." Justice is very important in God's eyes!
According to the dictionary, justice is rendering everyone that which is his due. Jeremiah 17:10 says: "I the Lord search the heart, I test the mind, even to give to each man according to his ways, according to the results of his deeds."
In 1 Kings 3:9-12, God appeared to Solomon in a dream. Solomon was asking God for the wisdom to govern the people of Israel. Verse 9 says: "So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?
It pleased the Lord that Solomon had sought such ability. God said to him: "Because you have asked this thing and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself discernment to understand justice. Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee."
What a remarkable promise. No one will ever compare to the wisdom that God gave Solomon -- He made him the wisest man that ever lived.
There are other Bible verses about justice worth considering. Proverbs 28:5 says: "Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand all things." God will show Himself to them who seek Him. In Proverbs 21:3 we see that: "To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord more than sacrifice."
Justice is a way of living, it is not something to be done merely at certain times or places. God would rather that we live righteous, just, lives than to give sacrifices to Him. Proverbs 29:26 says: "Many seek the ruler's favor, but justice for man comes from the Lord." God is the only giver of true justice.
The book of Proverbs has many insights about justice. Proverbs 21:7 says: "The violence of the wicked will destroy them, because they refuse to do justice." God is talking about the spiritual not the physical when he says "the violence of the wicked will destroy them." If we look at things in the Bible in a physical light, we will live our lives always in the physical. But if we begin to look at things in the Bible in a spiritual light we will begin to live a spiritual life.
Isaiah 59:4 says: "None call for justice, nor any plead for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity." This verse describes modern America all too well.
Isaiah 58:2: "Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God." This is an example of how our country should be.
Justice is something I always knew about, but never truly recognized how important it is to God. Without justice there would be no consequences for our actions, no standard or right or wrong to live by. God wants us to live justly; keeping His word ever before our eyes helps us do that.
