Breakfast Club Devotion # 14 - Justice

I have always been inspired during the Christmas season by the promises of Isaiah 9:6-7: “A child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And his name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and uphold it with justice and righteousness, From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will accomplish this.” Similarly, Psalm 89:14 indicates “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Thy throne; Lovingkindness and truth go before Thee.”

These are lofty and inspiring concepts, yet abstract and difficult to understand. What is this “righteousness and justice?” The word “justice” (Hebrew “mishpat”) is used approximately 20 times in our passage of study (Isaiah 40 through 66) including the first of the “servant songs” referenced in BC #11. The word “righteousness” (Hebrew “tsadak” or “tsadaqah”) is used almost 40 times, such as 45:19, “I, the Lord, speak righteousness, declaring things that are upright” or 51:1, “Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness, who seek the Lord.”

According to Abraham Heschel (The Prophets, p. 200), justice has a meaning derived from the judgment or decision given by a judge, and is a mode of action, whereas righteousness is a quality, sometimes a quality of a person. The two Hebrew words are used almost interchangeably, especially in the King James version of the Bible. So, the concepts involve both quality and action, of the just and the righteous.

I have found it most helpful to keep in mind that the model “judge” is Jesus, and the model judgment is not a verdict, sentence, or punishment, but the redemptive acts that Jesus engages in and advocates. Similarly, the government spoken of in the passage above is not a human institution but an invisible kingdom which has the mission of establishing justice and righteousness after the pattern of the just and righteous king.