Lev 24-25 Justice, Mercy, God's Blessing

February 9th, Leviticus 24-25

       What is Justice? There seems to be two(or maybe three) sides to this coin. First we find these verses in Leviticus 24. It is the eye for an eye code. Injury for injury, break for break, life for life. To some, this sounds a bit harsh. But let me interject that before we get too immersed in how bad this might sound, it is a break from the the more normal view of justice that people have.
       The normal view of justice that mankind has when there is no restraint is eye for head, life for entire families life and all your belongings and the offender's existence stricken from the record forever. Victims never want something equal from someone, victims want offenders to pay at levels that are over the top. You killed my cow, I kill your herd. God's instruction here is to show some constraint to the injustice of justice that human nature seeks.
       I say all of that, because it seems there is a new understanding that all of these thoughts are wrong. Life for life is defined by me as life taken wrongfully is paid for by life taken justly. But some are rearranging the terms using the word violence. Seeing both acts as violence and that all violence is evil. Change the word from justice to violence and words are being used to incite a bunch of feelings into the system of justice. Our symbol for justice here in America is the lady blindfolded with a scale. Feelings are what make people want more than justice, and it seems to also make want people less than justice feeling bad for people who have done wrong.
       Some say that the New Testament is a new way. That forgiveness is the order of the day. That all sounds nice until my family is murdered and the judge simply asks me to forgive the person and lets them go free. People then cry out for justice.

Overjustice, Justice, Underjustice   Certainly subject for debate.

       Good News: The Year of Jubilee  The year of restoration.  An underlying theme in this is the realization that the land is not to be swallowed up by a few to lord it over many, rather that the land is on loan for a certain number of growing seasons. When you buy land your actually purchasing the number of crops you can get off the land before you give it back in the Year of Jubillee. How much better would it be if we saw our lives as leasing what is God's. Holding it with an open palm instead of a clenched fist.
       A year for trusting God's provision. In the sixth year a crop that is three times what it is in a normal year. All of this is about putting our trust in Christ that he will provide for our needs.

       In the song "My Jesus I love thee" one of the lines says "I'll praise thee as long as Thou lendest me breath." From matters of justice to the realization that life is on loan all I can really think to say is... COME LORD JESUS COME.