Justice and Righteousness

George Floyd. Two weeks ago, few people knew George Floyd’s name. Today, almost everyone does. His tragic death is at the forefront of our nation. As I have tried to process all aspects of his death and the aftermath of it, I was reminded of a message from an Old Testament prophet.

In the middle of the eighth century B.C., God called a man named Amos to be His voice in his time. The man we now know as the prophet Amos was a shepherd and farmer before God called him. We do not know a great deal about the life and history of Amos, and most people are probably not that familiar with the Old Testament book that bears his name, but most of us have heard one enduring, powerful statement He spoke to the people on behalf of the Lord. As recorded in Amos 5:21-24, Amos says these words from the mouth of God:

I hate, I reject your festivals,
Nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies.
Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings,
I will not accept them;
And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fatlings.
Take away from Me the noise of your songs;
I will not even listen to the sound of your harps.
But let justice roll down like waters
And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

This last sentence as a call for justice has been powerful throughout the ages in many situations. It remains a compelling and prophetic word for us today. A word we very much need to hear, and to understand in its entirety, in our time.

 First, it is addressed to those who were considered to be God’s people. It was not a word for the pagan nations of the day, but for those who knew and claimed to bear the name of Yahweh as their God. God spoke clearly to them of what He desired from them. It was not festivals or solemn assemblies. It was not offerings, singing, or music. What God desired of His people was for justice and righteousness to flow through their land like a river that never dried up. God said that without justice and righteousness, their worship and offerings were worthless to Him, and He would neither look nor listen to them. He uses words like “hate, reject, take away, will not even look or listen,” to describe His total rejection of their worship of Him without justice and righteousness being practiced and expressed. There can be no mistaking the clarity of these words.

I have been thinking of this passage for several days now, in the aftermath of the tragic and senseless killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, and in the context of the riots that have followed. I want to share a few thoughts that I believe to be true. I will share them one by one for clarity, but please understand that one flows into the next, and should be seen as a single, complete thought.

1. Both justice AND righteousness are necessary, and in fact, can not be divided. Without righteousness, there is no real hope for justice, and without justice, righteousness is compromised and incomplete. To focus only on justice or righteousness to the exclusion or minimization of the other is to ensure neither are achieved. We do not get to pick one or the other.

2. The death of George Floyd demands justice, and also graphically portrays other injustices that must be addressed, and to which justice must come. 

3. It is, and will always be, impossible for this justice to be fully realized apart from righteousness. The only thing that can happen is that injustice will be temporarily mollified or one injustice gets swapped for a different one. Neither option is what God desires.

4. To seek justice through unrighteous measures and actions only compounds the problem. It is an unfruitful exercise, counter-productive, and ultimately hurts the cause of justice. Justice is one of the highest ideals of a society, and reflects the righteous character of God. Proverbs 14:34 says, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people. If we want to be exalted to the place of justice, it will come through the practice of righteousness.

5. The People of God cannot expect those apart from God to exhibit justice or righteousness. BUT WE SHOULD, AND WE MUST EXHIBIT BOTH. 

 Justice and Righteousness are both cornerstones of the nature of God. We have the privilege and the responsibility to demonstrate both to the world. It is the only hope for justice. It is the only hope for righteousness. In our land, or in any land. “Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”