Adventures with the Most High God: July 2016

Sunday, July 17, 2016

How others in the past dealt with injustice

We can be nostalgic and think of the good ol days. In some instances that may be true, but consider Solomon's words in Ecclesiastes - there is nothing new under the sun. Taking a look at four Old Testament books of Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah and Job through the book summaries from The Bible Project, evil and oppression from came from outside Israel (or your own nation), injustices you see from your own nation, or even just finding yourself in bad circumstances may seem like God is not concerned with us or details of our lives. God's response to Job brings out the finiteness of human minds and understanding and misconception of how complex our universe really is, and God informs Job of intricate things happening in all of creation, even when it began, to the tiniest need of a creature.

http://youtu.be/Y30DanA5EhU

Nahum

God is grieved with the evil and idolatry in our world. The Lord is slow to anger, but God won't allow violent empires to endure. God's justice, in His time,will bring down oppressors of every age.

One person's conversation with God about injustice during his time is from the prophet Habakkuk. One ministry I encountered I working with people traumatized by war have helped these victims of war by writing out laments to God. They express their complaint, but also recount how God has been faithful to them in the past, and also express their trust in God, now matter how little it may be on their part. Let's just face it God makes beautiful things out of a mess or the broken. I like the honest conversation of Habakkuk with God...and in each of these books, even though gloomy for the most part because of their nation's sinful state or other nations' greed for power, God gives a vision for that one day when He will make all things right. Sometimes even giving hope for a sooner response to unjust people.

http://youtu.be/OPMaRqGJPUU

God is good even though there is all sorts of evil in the world. This prophet laments and asks God to do something with injustice and evil. Habakkuk concludes with hopeful praise - trust and joy and an encouragement for how the righteous should live by faith. God is more concerned and loves us more than we know.

Prophet Zephaniah's message: seek the Lord!!

God's justice is like a consuming fire of divine judgement sent to purify people. Be humble and transformed by God's mercy. God's justice and God's love are the characteristics emphasized here.