WEBVTT

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 Hi everyone. We're going to read from Isaiah chapter 59 verses 1 to 20.

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 Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.

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 But your iniquities have separated you from your God. Your sins have hidden his face from you,

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 so that he will not hear. For your hands are stained with blood, your fingers with guilt,

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 your lips have spoken lies, and your tongue mutters wicked things.

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 No one calls for justice. No one pleads his case with integrity. They rely on empty arguments and

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 speak lies. They conceive trouble and give birth to evil. They hatch the eggs of vipers and spin

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 a spider's web. Whoever eats their eggs will die, and when one is broken, an adder is hatched.

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 Their cobwebs are useless for clothing. They cannot cover themselves with what they make.

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 Their deeds are evil deeds, and acts of violence are in their hands. Their feet rush into sin.

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 They are swift to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are evil thoughts. Ruin and destruction

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 mark their ways. The way of peace they do not know. There is no justice in their paths.

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 They have turned them into crooked roads. No one who walks in them will know peace.

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 So justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We look for light, but all is darkness.

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 For brightness, but we walk in deep shadows. Like the blind, we grope along the wall,

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 feeling our way like men without eyes. At midday, we stumble as if it were twilight.

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 Among the strong, we are like the dead. We all growl like bears. We moan mournfully like doves.

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 We look for justice, but find none. For deliverance, but it is far away.

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 For our offences are many in your sight, and our sins testify against us.

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 Our offences are ever with us, and we acknowledge our iniquities.

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 Rebellion and treachery against our Lord, turning our backs on our God.

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 Fomenting oppression and revolt, uttering lies our hearts have conceived.

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 So justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance.

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 Truth has stumbled in the streets.

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 Honesty cannot enter.

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 Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey.

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 The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice.

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 He saw that there was no one.

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 He was appalled that there was no one to intervene.

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 So his own arm worked salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him.

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 He put on righteousness as his breastplate and the helmet of salvation on his head.

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 He put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak.

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 According to what they have done, so will he repay.

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 Wrath to his enemies and retribution to his foes.

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 He will repay the islands their due.

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 From the west, men will fear the name of the Lord, and from the rising of the sun, they will revere his glory.

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 For he will come like a pent-up flood that the breath of the Lord drives along.

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 The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins, declares the Lord.

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 This is the word of the Lord.

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 Good morning, everyone.

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 My name is Martin.

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 If you still have your Bibles open at Isaiah chapter 59, keep them open there.

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 We'll be going to Isaiah 58 and 59 towards the end of my talk.

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 And the passages we'll be looking at before then will mostly come up on the screen.

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 So you can follow along on the screen for those.

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 We're looking this morning at the justice of God.

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 And if you have a bulletin, you'll see the outline there.

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 Really three main sections to this talk.

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 Justice as retribution, justice as right, and justice as restoration.

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 But let's commit our time together to the Lord.

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 Let's pray and ask for his help.

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 Heavenly Father, thank you that we can gather this morning and sing your praises.

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 You are worthy of all praise.

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 Father, we thank you that you speak to us in your word.

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 And we ask that as we meditate on it this morning, that you would move us, draw us into a deeper understanding of who you are,

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 your character, and all that you have done for our salvation.

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 We pray that our hearts will be uplifted this morning.

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 Please help me to speak clearly and faithfully as I ought.

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 And may you write your word on all of our hearts.

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 In Jesus' name, amen.

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 Well, I wonder what comes to mind when I say the phrase, the justice of God.

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 The justice of God.

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 God's justice.

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 Jesus.

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 I wonder if what first comes to mind for you, or maybe for some of us, is an image of God as a grim judge,

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 gavel in hand, ready to find people guilty, and to deliver a sentence.

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 I wonder if you picture God as judge when I speak about God's justice.

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 What comes to mind is God's judicial or legal justice, the justice of law courts, the justice of trial and punishment.

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 Is that what first comes to mind for you?

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 I know we discussed this at my Bible study group on Wednesday evening last week,

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 and for most of us, that was what first comes to mind.

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 The justice of God.

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 The judicial justice of God.

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 And we see this in the Bible.

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 So we see, for example, in Psalm 96,

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 God's justice is expressed in his act of judgment.

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 So Psalm 96 verse 13 says,

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 The Lord comes to judge the earth.

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 He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness.

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 God's judgment, you see there in Psalm 96 verse 13, is universal in scope.

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 He judges the earth.

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 He judges the world, the peoples.

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 Everyone is facing the judgment of God.

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 And God's judgment is executed in perfect justice.

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 He judges in righteousness and in faithfulness.

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 If you read verse 13, which comes at the end of the psalm,

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 if you read that in context,

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 you'll recognize that the response of creation to God's act of judgment is one of jubilation.

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 You've got it there in verses 11 and 13.

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 The heavens are glad, the earth's rejoicing.

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 And 12, the trees of the forest are singing for joy because God comes to judge in righteousness.

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 I wonder, is that, as we think about God coming to judge the world in righteousness,

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 are we singing for joy with the trees of the forest?

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 My family, we live near a train line.

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 You can walk through our backyard, hop over the back fence and there's some bushland there.

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 And a short walk through the bushland will take you to the train line.

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 And it's a train line that carries those coal trains from the Hunter Valley to Newcastle and back again.

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 You know those coal trains, dozens and dozens of carriages laden with coal.

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 They bear down along that track with this unstoppable momentum.

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 And a short walk through the bush at the back of our place and there it is, the train line.

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 No fences.

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 No warning signs.

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 You just walk through the bush and hop onto the train line if you want to.

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 We've told our kids, never go on the train line.

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 Even if you can't see a train anywhere, even if you can't hear a train coming, don't walk on the train line.

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 Never go on the train line.

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 So you don't want to put yourself in the path of a Newcastle coal train.

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 And yet all people are in the path of the coming judgment of God.

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 God judges the world.

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 He judges the peoples.

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 All people are in the path of the coming judgment of God.

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 Our sin puts us on the train track.

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 And the Bible is very clear.

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 All have sinned.

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 There's no one righteous, not even one.

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 So when I think about God's judgment, I find it unnerving.

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 I find it unsettling.

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 Because God's judgment means retribution.

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 It means, that word, retribution, just means being paid back.

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 God's judgment means he pays back our sin.

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 He punishes our sin.

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 That idea of retribution is expressed in numerous passages in the Bible.

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 Here's one of them.

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 Romans 2, verses 5 and 6.

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 Because of your hard and impenitent, that's unrepentant, your hard and impenitent heart,

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 you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.

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 He will render to each one according to his works.

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 That's an uncomfortable thought.

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 Remember the criminal on the cross next to Jesus?

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 One criminal was mocking Jesus.

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 The other criminal said to the first criminal,

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 Don't you fear God?

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 Since you're under the same sentence of crucifixion,

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 and we justly, for we are receiving the due reward for our deeds.

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 That criminal facing death, recognised he was receiving what his deeds deserved.

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 A just punishment for his sins.

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 When I think about the coal train of God's judgment,

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 I don't find myself easily singing for joy with the trees of the forest,

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 but rather trembling with the criminal on the cross.

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 Now last week, we were talking about the kindness of God.

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 And as we discussed the kindness of God,

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 we looked at a key moment of revelation in Exodus chapter 34,

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 when God reveals his name, his glory, his goodness, his character to Moses,

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 and thereby to Israel as well.

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 And we saw that God's revelation to Moses was of his kindness,

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 and I pointed to a magnificent trio of words that God is merciful,

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 that God is gracious, and that he's abounding in steadfast love.

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 That beautiful kindness of God.

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 But when we were looking at it last week,

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 we kind of cut God's revelation halfway through.

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 Because the latter part of God's self-revelation to Moses

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 concerns not his kindness, but his justice.

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 I'll read from Exodus 34 verses 6 and 7.

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 Then the Lord passed before Moses and proclaimed,

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 The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious,

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 slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,

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 keeping steadfast love for thousands,

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 forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.

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 See, there's the kindness of God.

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 But how does it continue?

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 But who will by no means clear the guilty,

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 visiting the iniquity of the fathers and the children

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 and the children's children

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 to the third and fourth generation.

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 Now, don't get hung up on the bit about children's children

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 to the third and fourth generation.

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 Basically, it's a dramatic way of expressing the idea

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 that God will completely punish sin.

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 The full punishment that sin deserves.

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 There's a terrible and tragic high-profile court case

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 in America at the moment.

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 Maybe you've been following this in the news

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 about a triple murder.

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 I won't say anything more about it than that.

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 But that court case has just ended in a mistrial.

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 The jury were unable to agree,

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 and so the judge dismissed them.

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 And the trial itself has been so widely publicised

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 that the prosecutors are saying,

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 well, a retrial may not be possible

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 because we don't actually know

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 whether we'd even be able to find 12 jurors

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 who are unacquainted with the case

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 who could sit in a jury.

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 But there are no mistrials with God.

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 Every verdict God delivers is true,

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 and every sentence of punishment

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 that he hands over is complete.

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 Sin is and will be punished to its full extent.

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 Now, Exodus 34 verses 6 and 7

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 leave a question hanging for us.

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 How do God's kindness

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 and God's justice work together?

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 How can God forgive iniquity, transgression and sin,

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 and yet also simultaneously

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 by no means clear the guilty?

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 I mean, aren't they contradictory?

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 How can he do both?

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 How can God be merciful

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 and just at the same time?

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 Now, that is absolutely the right question to ask.

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 It's the question that God's self-revelation to Moses

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 should lead us to ask.

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 And that is, of course, a question that leads us

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 into the meaning of the cross of Christ.

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 Now, we'll circle back to that later.

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 But I know that many of you

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 know your Bibles.

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 I know that most of us gathered here

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 have been well taught.

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 And for you,

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 what I have just raised

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 is a very familiar line of thought.

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 That line of thought

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 where we pose the question,

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 God, how can God be merciful

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 and just at the same time

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 and follow the logic through

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 to the answer God gives

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 in the cross of Christ

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 that's familiar to you?

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 We follow that question through

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 to, for example,

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 Romans chapter 3,

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 verses 21 to 26,

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 which Leon Morris called

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 possibly the most important

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 single paragraph ever written

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 about the justice of God

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 in Jesus dying

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 as a propitiation for our sins

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 so that God can be just

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 and the one who justifies

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 those who have faith in Jesus.

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 You know that.

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 That's a firmly embedded part

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 of your Christian framework

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 as it should be.

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 But I think there is one risk

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 that we have

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 as reformed evangelical Protestants.

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 And the risk is this,

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 that we can be so strong

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 on the legal, judicial,

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 retributive justice of God

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 that we might sometimes

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 slip into thinking

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 that when we've spoken

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 about God's judgment,

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 we've said all there is to say

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 about the justice of God.

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 Judgment and retribution

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 are what first come to mind

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 when we think of God's justice

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 and there's a risk

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 that our thoughts stop there

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 and go no further.

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 I want to suggest to you

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 that if they are the only thoughts

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 we have about God's justice,

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 then we'll actually end up

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 with the distorted picture

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 of who God is.

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 Because retributive justice

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 is only part

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 of what the Bible has to say

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 about the justice of God.

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 Indeed,

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 it's the smaller part.

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 It's a secondary

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 and derivative part.

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 Let me try and prove that to you.

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 I think I can ask you

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 one question

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 that will,

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 and you will immediately

00:17:31.120 --> 00:17:31.840
 recognise

00:17:31.840 --> 00:17:33.900
 that when it comes

00:17:33.900 --> 00:17:35.160
 to the justice of God,

00:17:35.400 --> 00:17:36.660
 judgement and retribution

00:17:36.660 --> 00:17:37.559
 are secondary,

00:17:37.820 --> 00:17:38.460
 not primary.

00:17:40.019 --> 00:17:40.960
 One question.

00:17:40.960 --> 00:17:45.519
 One question

00:17:45.519 --> 00:17:46.000
 and you'll see

00:17:46.000 --> 00:17:47.200
 that the punishment

00:17:47.200 --> 00:17:47.819
 for sin

00:17:47.819 --> 00:17:48.720
 is not really

00:17:48.720 --> 00:17:49.299
 at the heart

00:17:49.299 --> 00:17:50.299
 of God's justice.

00:17:52.340 --> 00:17:53.400
 Here's the question.

00:17:55.819 --> 00:17:57.819
 Would it still be true

00:17:57.819 --> 00:18:00.660
 that God himself

00:18:00.660 --> 00:18:01.539
 is righteous

00:18:01.539 --> 00:18:02.500
 and just

00:18:02.500 --> 00:18:04.700
 if Adam and Eve

00:18:04.700 --> 00:18:05.460
 had never sinned?

00:18:05.460 --> 00:18:11.900
 Let me make it

00:18:11.900 --> 00:18:12.559
 even clearer.

00:18:13.720 --> 00:18:15.059
 If not only humanity

00:18:15.059 --> 00:18:16.180
 but even the devil

00:18:16.180 --> 00:18:17.259
 and the devil's angels

00:18:17.259 --> 00:18:18.000
 had never fallen

00:18:18.000 --> 00:18:18.640
 into sin,

00:18:19.600 --> 00:18:20.120
 that is,

00:18:20.180 --> 00:18:21.460
 if all God's creatures

00:18:21.460 --> 00:18:22.319
 had remained

00:18:22.319 --> 00:18:23.319
 obedient to him,

00:18:24.600 --> 00:18:25.519
 if there was

00:18:25.519 --> 00:18:26.380
 no sin

00:18:26.380 --> 00:18:27.299
 to be punished,

00:18:29.140 --> 00:18:30.000
 could you still

00:18:30.000 --> 00:18:31.140
 say that God himself

00:18:31.140 --> 00:18:32.480
 is perfectly righteous

00:18:32.480 --> 00:18:34.299
 and perfectly just?

00:18:34.299 --> 00:18:37.980
 I mean,

00:18:38.019 --> 00:18:38.099
 sure,

00:18:38.139 --> 00:18:38.680
 that's a hypothetical

00:18:38.680 --> 00:18:39.359
 question

00:18:39.359 --> 00:18:41.019
 but do you see

00:18:41.019 --> 00:18:41.519
 the question?

00:18:43.279 --> 00:18:44.180
 I think you would

00:18:44.180 --> 00:18:44.839
 have to answer

00:18:44.839 --> 00:18:45.460
 that question

00:18:45.460 --> 00:18:46.339
 with a resounding

00:18:46.339 --> 00:18:47.240
 yes.

00:18:50.919 --> 00:18:51.099
 See,

00:18:51.339 --> 00:18:51.940
 look at

00:18:51.940 --> 00:18:52.480
 Deuteronomy

00:18:52.480 --> 00:18:54.740
 32 verse 3 to 4.

00:18:54.740 --> 00:19:21.019
 Now,

00:19:21.120 --> 00:19:21.779
 isn't it true

00:19:21.779 --> 00:19:23.079
 that all God's

00:19:23.079 --> 00:19:23.799
 ways are

00:19:23.799 --> 00:19:24.460
 justice

00:19:24.460 --> 00:19:25.740
 irrespective

00:19:25.740 --> 00:19:26.299
 of whether

00:19:26.299 --> 00:19:26.779
 there is

00:19:26.779 --> 00:19:27.379
 any sin

00:19:27.379 --> 00:19:27.779
 for God

00:19:27.779 --> 00:19:28.319
 to punish?

00:19:30.059 --> 00:19:30.680
 All

00:19:30.680 --> 00:19:31.339
 his ways

00:19:31.339 --> 00:19:32.119
 are justice.

00:19:34.160 --> 00:19:35.000
 Not just

00:19:35.000 --> 00:19:35.399
 the act

00:19:35.399 --> 00:19:36.759
 of retribution.

00:19:37.740 --> 00:19:38.119
 Everything

00:19:38.119 --> 00:19:38.819
 God does

00:19:38.819 --> 00:19:39.579
 is justice.

00:19:41.799 --> 00:19:42.299
 Or look

00:19:42.299 --> 00:19:43.200
 at Psalm 33

00:19:43.200 --> 00:19:44.420
 verses 4 and 5.

00:19:44.420 --> 00:19:44.500
 5.

00:19:45.700 --> 00:19:46.600
 For the word

00:19:46.600 --> 00:19:47.220
 of the Lord

00:19:47.220 --> 00:19:48.100
 is upright

00:19:48.100 --> 00:19:50.259
 and all

00:19:50.259 --> 00:19:51.039
 his work

00:19:51.039 --> 00:19:51.539
 is done

00:19:51.539 --> 00:19:52.539
 in faithfulness.

00:19:53.539 --> 00:19:54.820
 He loves

00:19:54.820 --> 00:19:55.500
 righteousness

00:19:55.500 --> 00:19:56.779
 and justice.

00:19:57.779 --> 00:19:58.600
 The earth

00:19:58.600 --> 00:19:59.259
 is full

00:19:59.259 --> 00:19:59.640
 of the

00:19:59.640 --> 00:20:00.340
 steadfast

00:20:00.340 --> 00:20:00.880
 love

00:20:00.880 --> 00:20:01.320
 of the

00:20:01.320 --> 00:20:01.800
 Lord.

00:20:04.019 --> 00:20:04.580
 Now,

00:20:04.720 --> 00:20:05.100
 in Exodus

00:20:05.100 --> 00:20:06.060
 34

00:20:06.060 --> 00:20:07.460
 verses 6

00:20:07.460 --> 00:20:07.920
 and 7,

00:20:08.039 --> 00:20:08.440
 we feel

00:20:08.440 --> 00:20:09.120
 a tension.

00:20:09.259 --> 00:20:09.840
 There's a tension

00:20:09.840 --> 00:20:10.440
 there in God's

00:20:10.440 --> 00:20:11.180
 revelation to Moses,

00:20:11.259 --> 00:20:11.740
 a tension

00:20:11.740 --> 00:20:12.220
 between

00:20:12.220 --> 00:20:13.480
 God's mercy

00:20:13.480 --> 00:20:15.299
 and his

00:20:15.299 --> 00:20:15.680
 justice,

00:20:15.799 --> 00:20:17.059
 his steadfast

00:20:17.059 --> 00:20:17.620
 love

00:20:17.620 --> 00:20:18.799
 in Exodus

00:20:18.799 --> 00:20:19.579
 34

00:20:19.579 --> 00:20:21.819
 and his

00:20:21.819 --> 00:20:22.259
 justice.

00:20:22.400 --> 00:20:22.740
 How can

00:20:22.740 --> 00:20:23.079
 God be

00:20:23.079 --> 00:20:23.640
 merciful and

00:20:23.640 --> 00:20:24.120
 just at the

00:20:24.120 --> 00:20:24.779
 same time?

00:20:25.779 --> 00:20:26.140
 But there's

00:20:26.140 --> 00:20:26.759
 no tension

00:20:26.759 --> 00:20:27.799
 in Psalm 33

00:20:27.799 --> 00:20:28.640
 verses 4 and

00:20:28.640 --> 00:20:29.140
 5

00:20:29.140 --> 00:20:31.319
 between

00:20:31.319 --> 00:20:31.920
 God's

00:20:31.920 --> 00:20:32.819
 righteousness

00:20:32.819 --> 00:20:33.779
 and justice

00:20:33.779 --> 00:20:34.759
 and steadfast

00:20:34.759 --> 00:20:35.259
 love.

00:20:35.500 --> 00:20:35.860
 There's no

00:20:35.860 --> 00:20:36.600
 tension there.

00:20:38.220 --> 00:20:38.920
 The next

00:20:38.920 --> 00:20:39.240
 verse

00:20:39.240 --> 00:20:39.839
 in the

00:20:39.839 --> 00:20:40.160
 Psalm,

00:20:40.360 --> 00:20:40.700
 the next

00:20:40.700 --> 00:20:41.039
 verse is

00:20:41.039 --> 00:20:41.339
 going to

00:20:41.339 --> 00:20:41.740
 talk about

00:20:41.740 --> 00:20:42.039
 God's

00:20:42.039 --> 00:20:42.400
 work of

00:20:42.400 --> 00:20:43.000
 creation

00:20:43.000 --> 00:20:44.000
 in language

00:20:44.000 --> 00:20:44.440
 that's very

00:20:44.440 --> 00:20:45.140
 reminiscent of

00:20:45.140 --> 00:20:45.460
 Genesis

00:20:45.460 --> 00:20:46.319
 chapter 1.

00:20:48.620 --> 00:20:49.140
 Faithfulness,

00:20:49.380 --> 00:20:49.740
 righteousness,

00:20:50.039 --> 00:20:50.339
 justice,

00:20:50.599 --> 00:20:51.079
 steadfast

00:20:51.079 --> 00:20:51.420
 love

00:20:51.420 --> 00:20:52.259
 characterise

00:20:52.259 --> 00:20:52.740
 all of

00:20:52.740 --> 00:20:53.079
 God's

00:20:53.079 --> 00:20:53.539
 work.

00:20:55.380 --> 00:20:55.640
 Now,

00:20:55.680 --> 00:20:55.880
 let me

00:20:55.880 --> 00:20:56.299
 pause here

00:20:56.299 --> 00:20:56.579
 to say

00:20:56.579 --> 00:20:56.859
 something

00:20:56.859 --> 00:20:57.120
 about

00:20:57.120 --> 00:20:58.000
 language

00:20:58.000 --> 00:20:58.400
 while we've

00:20:58.400 --> 00:20:58.720
 still got

00:20:58.720 --> 00:20:59.019
 those

00:20:59.019 --> 00:20:59.400
 verses

00:20:59.400 --> 00:20:59.700
 on the

00:20:59.700 --> 00:21:00.000
 screen.

00:21:01.140 --> 00:21:01.660
 Last

00:21:01.660 --> 00:21:01.859
 week,

00:21:01.880 --> 00:21:02.059
 when we

00:21:02.059 --> 00:21:02.279
 looked at

00:21:02.279 --> 00:21:02.420
 the

00:21:02.420 --> 00:21:02.700
 kindness

00:21:02.700 --> 00:21:02.940
 of

00:21:02.940 --> 00:21:03.180
 God,

00:21:03.259 --> 00:21:03.339
 I

00:21:03.339 --> 00:21:03.559
 pointed

00:21:03.559 --> 00:21:03.740
 to

00:21:03.740 --> 00:21:03.900
 that

00:21:03.900 --> 00:21:04.359
 magnificent

00:21:04.359 --> 00:21:04.819
 trio

00:21:04.819 --> 00:21:05.099
 of

00:21:05.099 --> 00:21:05.599
 words,

00:21:05.920 --> 00:21:06.420
 compassion,

00:21:06.960 --> 00:21:07.319
 grace,

00:21:07.620 --> 00:21:08.079
 steadfast

00:21:08.079 --> 00:21:08.559
 love.

00:21:09.120 --> 00:21:09.519
 This

00:21:09.519 --> 00:21:09.720
 week,

00:21:09.759 --> 00:21:09.960
 as we

00:21:09.960 --> 00:21:10.460
 consider the

00:21:10.460 --> 00:21:10.779
 justice

00:21:10.779 --> 00:21:11.319
 of God,

00:21:11.319 --> 00:21:11.960
 the two

00:21:11.960 --> 00:21:12.659
 key words

00:21:12.659 --> 00:21:13.279
 are those

00:21:13.279 --> 00:21:13.740
 I've

00:21:13.740 --> 00:21:14.099
 highlighted

00:21:14.099 --> 00:21:14.500
 there in

00:21:14.500 --> 00:21:14.939
 the first

00:21:14.939 --> 00:21:15.599
 line of

00:21:15.599 --> 00:21:16.319
 verse 5,

00:21:16.419 --> 00:21:16.839
 Psalm 33

00:21:16.839 --> 00:21:17.539
 verse 5,

00:21:18.240 --> 00:21:19.759
 righteousness

00:21:19.759 --> 00:21:20.500
 and justice.

00:21:20.500 --> 00:21:21.980
 The Hebrew

00:21:21.980 --> 00:21:22.599
 word for

00:21:22.599 --> 00:21:23.220
 righteousness is

00:21:23.220 --> 00:21:23.480
 the word

00:21:23.480 --> 00:21:23.919
 tzedakah,

00:21:23.920 --> 00:21:24.180
 tzedakah,

00:21:24.500 --> 00:21:26.880
 which is

00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:27.340
 usually

00:21:27.340 --> 00:21:28.080
 translated as

00:21:28.080 --> 00:21:28.440
 righteousness.

00:21:28.660 --> 00:21:29.180
 The word

00:21:29.180 --> 00:21:29.800
 translated there

00:21:29.800 --> 00:21:30.320
 as justice

00:21:30.320 --> 00:21:30.600
 is the

00:21:30.600 --> 00:21:30.740
 word

00:21:30.740 --> 00:21:31.240
 mishpat,

00:21:31.380 --> 00:21:31.700
 which is

00:21:31.700 --> 00:21:32.080
 sometimes

00:21:32.080 --> 00:21:32.480
 or often

00:21:32.480 --> 00:21:32.960
 translated

00:21:32.960 --> 00:21:33.779
 as judgment.

00:21:34.680 --> 00:21:35.259
 Whenever in

00:21:35.259 --> 00:21:35.920
 English Bibles,

00:21:36.100 --> 00:21:36.700
 if ever in

00:21:36.700 --> 00:21:37.000
 the Old

00:21:37.000 --> 00:21:37.300
 Testament,

00:21:37.440 --> 00:21:37.940
 if you see

00:21:37.940 --> 00:21:38.340
 the word

00:21:38.340 --> 00:21:38.980
 justice in

00:21:38.980 --> 00:21:39.279
 English,

00:21:39.400 --> 00:21:40.160
 it's probably

00:21:40.160 --> 00:21:41.200
 translating a

00:21:41.200 --> 00:21:41.660
 form of

00:21:41.660 --> 00:21:41.960
 one of

00:21:41.960 --> 00:21:42.400
 those two

00:21:42.400 --> 00:21:42.860
 words,

00:21:44.920 --> 00:21:45.279
 tzedakah

00:21:45.279 --> 00:21:46.120
 or mishpat.

00:21:46.300 --> 00:21:46.660
 Mishpat.

00:21:46.660 --> 00:21:47.580
 But also,

00:21:47.740 --> 00:21:48.120
 those two

00:21:48.120 --> 00:21:48.740
 words are

00:21:48.740 --> 00:21:49.660
 often paired

00:21:49.660 --> 00:21:50.120
 together,

00:21:50.940 --> 00:21:51.320
 righteousness

00:21:51.319 --> 00:21:52.139
 and justice.

00:21:52.939 --> 00:21:53.659
 They're brought

00:21:53.659 --> 00:21:54.099
 together.

00:21:55.099 --> 00:21:55.679
 There are other

00:21:55.679 --> 00:21:56.299
 words that are

00:21:56.299 --> 00:21:57.179
 linked to them

00:21:57.179 --> 00:21:57.679
 at times,

00:21:57.779 --> 00:21:58.700
 like uprightness,

00:21:58.740 --> 00:21:59.119
 which you can

00:21:59.119 --> 00:21:59.639
 see there in

00:21:59.639 --> 00:22:00.759
 the first line

00:22:00.759 --> 00:22:01.480
 of verse 4,

00:22:02.299 --> 00:22:03.159
 truth.

00:22:04.039 --> 00:22:04.439
 The word

00:22:04.439 --> 00:22:05.399
 faithfulness there

00:22:05.399 --> 00:22:05.819
 in the second

00:22:05.819 --> 00:22:06.679
 line of verse 4,

00:22:07.159 --> 00:22:08.539
 that's often

00:22:08.539 --> 00:22:09.119
 grouped with

00:22:09.119 --> 00:22:09.639
 the justice

00:22:09.639 --> 00:22:10.419
 words or

00:22:10.419 --> 00:22:11.059
 with the

00:22:11.059 --> 00:22:11.779
 kindness

00:22:11.779 --> 00:22:12.359
 words,

00:22:12.960 --> 00:22:13.539
 because God

00:22:13.539 --> 00:22:14.139
 is always,

00:22:14.279 --> 00:22:15.019
 he's faithfully,

00:22:15.119 --> 00:22:15.819
 he's consistently

00:22:15.819 --> 00:22:16.779
 who he is,

00:22:17.639 --> 00:22:18.240
 unfailingly

00:22:18.240 --> 00:22:18.599
 so.

00:22:21.319 --> 00:22:22.220
 But when we

00:22:22.220 --> 00:22:22.579
 get those

00:22:22.579 --> 00:22:23.099
 two words

00:22:23.099 --> 00:22:23.539
 together,

00:22:23.759 --> 00:22:24.220
 righteousness

00:22:24.220 --> 00:22:24.939
 and justice,

00:22:25.159 --> 00:22:25.500
 tzedakah

00:22:25.500 --> 00:22:26.339
 and mishpat,

00:22:28.519 --> 00:22:30.480
 that justice

00:22:30.480 --> 00:22:31.139
 duo,

00:22:32.379 --> 00:22:33.279
 that's talking

00:22:33.279 --> 00:22:33.720
 about the

00:22:33.720 --> 00:22:34.259
 justice of

00:22:34.259 --> 00:22:34.899
 God in

00:22:34.899 --> 00:22:35.460
 some form.

00:22:37.980 --> 00:22:38.579
 And Psalm

00:22:38.579 --> 00:22:39.659
 33 verse 5

00:22:39.659 --> 00:22:40.220
 says that

00:22:40.220 --> 00:22:41.919
 God loves,

00:22:42.659 --> 00:22:44.019
 he loves

00:22:44.019 --> 00:22:46.279
 righteousness

00:22:46.279 --> 00:22:47.839
 and justice.

00:22:47.839 --> 00:22:51.220
 He delights

00:22:51.220 --> 00:22:51.599
 in it.

00:22:52.939 --> 00:22:53.359
 He is

00:22:53.359 --> 00:22:54.240
 absolutely

00:22:54.240 --> 00:22:55.059
 committed

00:22:55.059 --> 00:22:56.759
 to what

00:22:56.759 --> 00:22:57.539
 is

00:22:57.539 --> 00:22:58.439
 right.

00:23:00.079 --> 00:23:00.759
 Here's

00:23:00.759 --> 00:23:00.980
 another

00:23:00.980 --> 00:23:01.459
 example,

00:23:01.619 --> 00:23:02.179
 Psalm 89

00:23:02.179 --> 00:23:03.099
 verse 14,

00:23:04.240 --> 00:23:04.599
 righteousness

00:23:04.599 --> 00:23:05.559
 and justice

00:23:05.559 --> 00:23:06.099
 are the

00:23:06.099 --> 00:23:06.740
 foundation

00:23:06.740 --> 00:23:07.519
 of his

00:23:07.519 --> 00:23:08.159
 throne,

00:23:08.899 --> 00:23:09.319
 of your

00:23:09.319 --> 00:23:09.759
 throne.

00:23:10.799 --> 00:23:11.339
 Steadfast

00:23:11.339 --> 00:23:11.859
 love and

00:23:11.859 --> 00:23:12.459
 faithfulness

00:23:12.459 --> 00:23:13.039
 go before

00:23:13.039 --> 00:23:13.379
 you.

00:23:14.539 --> 00:23:15.059
 God's

00:23:15.059 --> 00:23:15.980
 rule as

00:23:15.980 --> 00:23:16.919
 the divine

00:23:16.919 --> 00:23:17.459
 king,

00:23:17.460 --> 00:23:17.980
 the ruler

00:23:17.980 --> 00:23:18.600
 overall,

00:23:18.840 --> 00:23:19.620
 is founded

00:23:19.620 --> 00:23:20.019
 on what

00:23:20.019 --> 00:23:20.579
 is right.

00:23:22.559 --> 00:23:23.240
 And what

00:23:23.240 --> 00:23:23.640
 is right

00:23:23.640 --> 00:23:24.160
 is ultimately

00:23:24.160 --> 00:23:25.019
 determined by

00:23:25.019 --> 00:23:25.519
 who God

00:23:25.519 --> 00:23:26.120
 himself is,

00:23:26.180 --> 00:23:26.700
 by God's

00:23:26.700 --> 00:23:27.440
 own character.

00:23:28.940 --> 00:23:29.559
 So the

00:23:29.559 --> 00:23:30.100
 reason we

00:23:30.100 --> 00:23:30.519
 live in a

00:23:30.519 --> 00:23:31.279
 universe where

00:23:31.279 --> 00:23:32.079
 kindness is

00:23:32.079 --> 00:23:32.700
 right and

00:23:32.700 --> 00:23:33.420
 cruelty is

00:23:33.420 --> 00:23:33.900
 wrong is

00:23:33.900 --> 00:23:34.400
 because God

00:23:34.400 --> 00:23:34.900
 himself is

00:23:34.900 --> 00:23:35.319
 kind.

00:23:36.680 --> 00:23:37.360
 God defines

00:23:37.360 --> 00:23:37.720
 what is

00:23:37.720 --> 00:23:38.059
 right.

00:23:39.940 --> 00:23:40.620
 So the

00:23:40.620 --> 00:23:41.240
 deepest sense

00:23:41.240 --> 00:23:41.799
 of justice

00:23:41.799 --> 00:23:42.220
 in the

00:23:42.220 --> 00:23:43.259
 Bible is

00:23:43.259 --> 00:23:45.100
 justice as

00:23:45.100 --> 00:23:45.860
 right.

00:23:45.859 --> 00:23:47.639
 God

00:23:47.639 --> 00:23:48.000
 is

00:23:48.000 --> 00:23:50.119
 a

00:23:50.119 --> 00:23:50.879
 basis for

00:23:50.879 --> 00:23:51.299
 morality.

00:23:52.240 --> 00:23:52.679
 There

00:23:52.679 --> 00:23:53.559
 is absolute

00:23:53.559 --> 00:23:54.139
 goodness.

00:23:55.479 --> 00:23:56.019
 There is a

00:23:56.019 --> 00:23:56.599
 way things

00:23:56.599 --> 00:23:57.099
 are supposed

00:23:57.099 --> 00:23:57.819
 to be.

00:24:00.199 --> 00:24:00.979
 And that

00:24:00.979 --> 00:24:01.519
 way the

00:24:01.519 --> 00:24:02.379
 Bible calls

00:24:02.379 --> 00:24:03.199
 justice and

00:24:03.199 --> 00:24:03.740
 righteousness.

00:24:07.240 --> 00:24:08.240
 Good is

00:24:08.240 --> 00:24:08.579
 more

00:24:08.579 --> 00:24:09.319
 substantial

00:24:09.319 --> 00:24:10.639
 than

00:24:10.639 --> 00:24:11.079
 evil.

00:24:11.979 --> 00:24:12.819
 Good is

00:24:12.819 --> 00:24:13.699
 more real

00:24:13.700 --> 00:24:15.059
 than

00:24:15.059 --> 00:24:15.559
 evil.

00:24:16.600 --> 00:24:17.299
 Good is

00:24:17.299 --> 00:24:17.799
 eternal.

00:24:19.779 --> 00:24:20.240
 Evil is

00:24:20.240 --> 00:24:20.660
 temporary.

00:24:22.840 --> 00:24:23.819
 Good is

00:24:23.819 --> 00:24:24.380
 in its

00:24:24.380 --> 00:24:25.140
 own right

00:24:25.140 --> 00:24:27.180
 because God

00:24:27.180 --> 00:24:27.660
 is good.

00:24:29.559 --> 00:24:30.100
 Evil is

00:24:30.100 --> 00:24:30.740
 parasitic.

00:24:31.299 --> 00:24:31.840
 It can only

00:24:31.840 --> 00:24:32.680
 ever occur as

00:24:32.680 --> 00:24:33.400
 a corruption

00:24:33.400 --> 00:24:34.160
 of what is

00:24:34.160 --> 00:24:34.500
 good.

00:24:36.559 --> 00:24:37.140
 And

00:24:37.140 --> 00:24:38.080
 justice as

00:24:38.080 --> 00:24:39.319
 right is

00:24:39.319 --> 00:24:40.200
 more essential

00:24:40.200 --> 00:24:41.460
 than justice

00:24:41.460 --> 00:24:42.539
 as judgment.

00:24:42.539 --> 00:24:42.659
 judgment.

00:24:43.259 --> 00:24:43.720
 To quote

00:24:43.720 --> 00:24:44.079
 Christian

00:24:44.079 --> 00:24:44.500
 ethicist

00:24:44.500 --> 00:24:45.279
 Oliver O'Donovan,

00:24:46.259 --> 00:24:46.980
 justice as

00:24:46.980 --> 00:24:48.359
 right is a

00:24:48.359 --> 00:24:49.480
 presupposition

00:24:49.480 --> 00:24:51.039
 of justice

00:24:51.039 --> 00:24:51.720
 as judgment.

00:24:52.720 --> 00:24:53.599
 You can see

00:24:53.599 --> 00:24:53.819
 that,

00:24:53.899 --> 00:24:54.240
 can't you?

00:24:55.460 --> 00:24:56.180
 Justice as

00:24:56.180 --> 00:24:56.879
 right is a

00:24:56.879 --> 00:24:58.039
 presupposition

00:24:58.039 --> 00:24:59.519
 of justice

00:24:59.519 --> 00:25:00.259
 as judgment.

00:25:00.359 --> 00:25:00.659
 In other

00:25:00.659 --> 00:25:00.960
 words,

00:25:01.279 --> 00:25:02.079
 you can only

00:25:02.079 --> 00:25:03.159
 engage in

00:25:03.159 --> 00:25:03.700
 an act of

00:25:03.700 --> 00:25:04.159
 judgment

00:25:04.159 --> 00:25:06.079
 if there

00:25:06.079 --> 00:25:07.659
 is right

00:25:07.659 --> 00:25:08.720
 that is the

00:25:08.720 --> 00:25:09.319
 basis of

00:25:09.319 --> 00:25:09.879
 your judgment.

00:25:09.880 --> 00:25:10.000
 judgment.

00:25:11.600 --> 00:25:12.300
 If there's

00:25:12.300 --> 00:25:12.920
 no right,

00:25:13.040 --> 00:25:13.320
 there can

00:25:13.320 --> 00:25:13.680
 be no

00:25:13.680 --> 00:25:14.080
 judgment.

00:25:16.660 --> 00:25:17.360
 If there's

00:25:17.360 --> 00:25:18.040
 no law,

00:25:18.720 --> 00:25:19.080
 there can

00:25:19.080 --> 00:25:19.440
 be no

00:25:19.440 --> 00:25:20.220
 law courts.

00:25:22.780 --> 00:25:23.580
 In one

00:25:23.580 --> 00:25:23.980
 sense,

00:25:24.340 --> 00:25:24.620
 judgment

00:25:24.620 --> 00:25:25.420
 only becomes

00:25:25.420 --> 00:25:26.460
 necessary when

00:25:26.460 --> 00:25:26.980
 there's been

00:25:26.980 --> 00:25:27.680
 transgression,

00:25:28.680 --> 00:25:29.820
 when there's a

00:25:29.820 --> 00:25:30.660
 deviation from

00:25:30.660 --> 00:25:31.320
 what's right.

00:25:31.319 --> 00:25:35.059
 justice as

00:25:35.059 --> 00:25:36.539
 right is

00:25:36.539 --> 00:25:40.159
 general

00:25:40.159 --> 00:25:40.799
 justice.

00:25:41.079 --> 00:25:41.639
 Justice as

00:25:41.639 --> 00:25:42.439
 right is

00:25:42.439 --> 00:25:42.980
 what God

00:25:42.980 --> 00:25:43.899
 always is

00:25:43.899 --> 00:25:44.259
 and what

00:25:44.259 --> 00:25:44.799
 God does

00:25:44.799 --> 00:25:45.099
 all the

00:25:45.099 --> 00:25:45.599
 time.

00:25:46.879 --> 00:25:47.579
 Justice as

00:25:47.579 --> 00:25:48.359
 judgment is

00:25:48.359 --> 00:25:49.379
 special justice.

00:25:49.639 --> 00:25:50.119
 It's a tool

00:25:50.119 --> 00:25:50.599
 which God

00:25:50.599 --> 00:25:51.379
 picks up and

00:25:51.379 --> 00:25:51.899
 puts down

00:25:51.899 --> 00:25:52.220
 again.

00:25:57.740 --> 00:25:58.240
 Now,

00:25:58.279 --> 00:25:58.619
 we've already

00:25:58.619 --> 00:25:59.099
 seen that

00:25:59.099 --> 00:25:59.659
 justice in

00:25:59.659 --> 00:26:00.079
 the sense

00:26:00.079 --> 00:26:00.799
 of right,

00:26:00.980 --> 00:26:01.519
 capital R

00:26:01.519 --> 00:26:01.839
 right,

00:26:01.960 --> 00:26:02.240
 is an

00:26:02.240 --> 00:26:03.500
 attribute of

00:26:03.500 --> 00:26:04.159
 God himself.

00:26:07.619 --> 00:26:08.279
 That what

00:26:08.279 --> 00:26:09.019
 defines right

00:26:09.019 --> 00:26:09.339
 is the

00:26:09.339 --> 00:26:09.839
 character of

00:26:09.839 --> 00:26:10.099
 God.

00:26:13.039 --> 00:26:13.759
 And I

00:26:13.759 --> 00:26:14.159
 think this

00:26:14.159 --> 00:26:14.659
 is important

00:26:14.659 --> 00:26:16.000
 to grasp,

00:26:16.319 --> 00:26:16.480
 right,

00:26:16.519 --> 00:26:17.039
 this point I'm

00:26:17.039 --> 00:26:17.319
 making,

00:26:17.439 --> 00:26:18.119
 so that we

00:26:18.119 --> 00:26:18.859
 have fitting

00:26:18.859 --> 00:26:19.579
 thoughts about

00:26:19.579 --> 00:26:20.980
 God and

00:26:20.980 --> 00:26:21.579
 his justice.

00:26:22.879 --> 00:26:23.399
 God's

00:26:23.399 --> 00:26:23.939
 positive

00:26:23.939 --> 00:26:24.799
 justice

00:26:24.799 --> 00:26:26.659
 precedes

00:26:26.659 --> 00:26:27.460
 his negative

00:26:27.460 --> 00:26:28.159
 justice.

00:26:28.160 --> 00:26:28.259
 justice.

00:26:30.420 --> 00:26:31.000
 Yes,

00:26:31.100 --> 00:26:31.400
 God's

00:26:31.400 --> 00:26:31.759
 justice

00:26:31.759 --> 00:26:32.519
 means that

00:26:32.519 --> 00:26:32.779
 he's

00:26:32.779 --> 00:26:33.220
 determined

00:26:33.220 --> 00:26:33.740
 to punish

00:26:33.740 --> 00:26:34.160
 sin.

00:26:35.860 --> 00:26:36.800
 But God's

00:26:36.800 --> 00:26:37.519
 justice means

00:26:37.519 --> 00:26:38.160
 he's determined

00:26:38.160 --> 00:26:38.759
 to punish

00:26:38.759 --> 00:26:39.300
 sin because

00:26:39.300 --> 00:26:40.519
 God's justice

00:26:40.519 --> 00:26:41.140
 means that

00:26:41.140 --> 00:26:41.480
 he is

00:26:41.480 --> 00:26:42.279
 absolutely,

00:26:42.880 --> 00:26:43.580
 fundamentally,

00:26:44.000 --> 00:26:44.759
 immutably

00:26:44.759 --> 00:26:45.759
 committed to

00:26:45.759 --> 00:26:46.500
 what is

00:26:46.500 --> 00:26:47.040
 right,

00:26:48.040 --> 00:26:49.480
 to what is

00:26:49.480 --> 00:26:49.880
 good.

00:26:50.820 --> 00:26:51.259
 He is

00:26:51.259 --> 00:26:51.700
 just,

00:26:51.700 --> 00:26:52.640
 he does

00:26:52.640 --> 00:26:53.080
 justice,

00:26:53.200 --> 00:26:53.960
 he establishes

00:26:53.960 --> 00:26:54.519
 justice,

00:26:54.519 --> 00:26:54.619
 justice.

00:26:55.879 --> 00:26:56.599
 And his

00:26:56.599 --> 00:26:56.960
 act of

00:26:56.960 --> 00:26:57.619
 judgment is

00:26:57.619 --> 00:26:59.799
 one move

00:26:59.799 --> 00:27:00.799
 God makes

00:27:00.799 --> 00:27:02.019
 in establishing

00:27:02.019 --> 00:27:02.660
 justice.

00:27:03.859 --> 00:27:04.900
 Let me say

00:27:04.900 --> 00:27:05.279
 four more

00:27:05.279 --> 00:27:05.700
 things about

00:27:05.700 --> 00:27:06.180
 justice as

00:27:06.180 --> 00:27:06.339
 right.

00:27:06.420 --> 00:27:06.759
 I'll try and

00:27:06.759 --> 00:27:07.059
 say these

00:27:07.059 --> 00:27:07.619
 quite quickly

00:27:07.619 --> 00:27:09.079
 and then we'll

00:27:09.079 --> 00:27:09.599
 move on to the

00:27:09.599 --> 00:27:10.059
 third point,

00:27:10.259 --> 00:27:10.700
 justice as

00:27:10.700 --> 00:27:11.039
 restoration.

00:27:11.480 --> 00:27:11.859
 Let me say

00:27:11.859 --> 00:27:12.220
 four more

00:27:12.220 --> 00:27:12.599
 things about

00:27:12.599 --> 00:27:13.079
 justice as

00:27:13.079 --> 00:27:13.339
 right.

00:27:14.099 --> 00:27:14.480
 First,

00:27:14.779 --> 00:27:15.339
 justice as

00:27:15.339 --> 00:27:16.619
 right is

00:27:16.619 --> 00:27:17.480
 imprinted on

00:27:17.480 --> 00:27:18.019
 creation.

00:27:18.720 --> 00:27:19.819
 It's imprinted

00:27:19.819 --> 00:27:20.460
 on creation.

00:27:22.019 --> 00:27:22.160
 Now,

00:27:22.240 --> 00:27:22.779
 God in his

00:27:22.779 --> 00:27:23.220
 freedom,

00:27:23.480 --> 00:27:23.799
 he has

00:27:23.799 --> 00:27:24.660
 made things

00:27:24.660 --> 00:27:25.279
 a particular

00:27:25.279 --> 00:27:25.759
 way.

00:27:27.039 --> 00:27:27.660
 There is a

00:27:27.660 --> 00:27:29.039
 natural order

00:27:29.039 --> 00:27:30.039
 to what God

00:27:30.039 --> 00:27:30.599
 has made.

00:27:32.000 --> 00:27:32.660
 Some things

00:27:32.660 --> 00:27:33.200
 are right

00:27:33.200 --> 00:27:34.019
 purely because

00:27:34.019 --> 00:27:34.579
 of who God

00:27:34.579 --> 00:27:34.819
 is,

00:27:34.940 --> 00:27:35.700
 and it's

00:27:35.700 --> 00:27:36.039
 hard to

00:27:36.039 --> 00:27:36.539
 imagine that

00:27:36.539 --> 00:27:36.839
 they could

00:27:36.839 --> 00:27:37.500
 possibly be

00:27:37.500 --> 00:27:37.859
 different.

00:27:38.539 --> 00:27:39.440
 God being

00:27:39.440 --> 00:27:40.059
 who he is,

00:27:40.119 --> 00:27:40.519
 they couldn't

00:27:40.519 --> 00:27:41.119
 be otherwise.

00:27:41.779 --> 00:27:42.500
 Speaking the

00:27:42.500 --> 00:27:43.000
 truth is

00:27:43.000 --> 00:27:43.440
 right,

00:27:44.559 --> 00:27:45.799
 and lying

00:27:45.799 --> 00:27:46.299
 is not

00:27:46.299 --> 00:27:46.980
 right because

00:27:46.980 --> 00:27:47.460
 God is

00:27:47.460 --> 00:27:47.819
 true.

00:27:48.899 --> 00:27:49.740
 As I said

00:27:49.740 --> 00:27:49.960
 earlier,

00:27:50.079 --> 00:27:50.700
 kindness is

00:27:50.700 --> 00:27:51.160
 right and

00:27:51.160 --> 00:27:51.740
 cruelty is

00:27:51.740 --> 00:27:52.220
 not right

00:27:52.220 --> 00:27:52.759
 because God

00:27:52.759 --> 00:27:53.240
 is kind,

00:27:53.319 --> 00:27:53.599
 because of

00:27:53.599 --> 00:27:54.039
 who God

00:27:54.039 --> 00:27:54.379
 is.

00:27:55.480 --> 00:27:55.839
 But there

00:27:55.839 --> 00:27:56.220
 are other

00:27:56.220 --> 00:27:56.879
 things that

00:27:56.879 --> 00:27:57.960
 could have

00:27:57.960 --> 00:27:58.879
 been different

00:27:58.879 --> 00:28:00.619
 if God

00:28:00.619 --> 00:28:01.079
 had made

00:28:01.079 --> 00:28:01.460
 the world

00:28:01.460 --> 00:28:01.859
 a different

00:28:01.859 --> 00:28:02.319
 way.

00:28:04.279 --> 00:28:04.940
 Like a

00:28:04.940 --> 00:28:05.339
 composer

00:28:05.339 --> 00:28:06.180
 writing music,

00:28:07.059 --> 00:28:08.420
 God has

00:28:08.420 --> 00:28:09.140
 made the

00:28:09.140 --> 00:28:09.779
 creation the

00:28:09.779 --> 00:28:10.119
 way he

00:28:10.119 --> 00:28:10.539
 wanted it

00:28:10.539 --> 00:28:10.980
 to be,

00:28:11.140 --> 00:28:11.500
 but he

00:28:11.500 --> 00:28:11.900
 was free

00:28:11.900 --> 00:28:12.299
 to make

00:28:12.299 --> 00:28:12.660
 it however

00:28:12.660 --> 00:28:13.220
 he liked

00:28:13.220 --> 00:28:13.700
 in accordance

00:28:13.700 --> 00:28:14.039
 with his

00:28:14.039 --> 00:28:14.440
 character.

00:28:15.819 --> 00:28:16.400
 If you

00:28:16.400 --> 00:28:16.940
 take a

00:28:16.940 --> 00:28:17.339
 piece of

00:28:17.339 --> 00:28:17.559
 music,

00:28:17.680 --> 00:28:19.140
 say Beethoven's

00:28:19.140 --> 00:28:19.359
 Fifth

00:28:19.359 --> 00:28:19.859
 Symphony,

00:28:19.859 --> 00:28:22.240
 Beethoven

00:28:22.240 --> 00:28:22.859
 could have

00:28:22.859 --> 00:28:23.219
 chosen

00:28:23.219 --> 00:28:23.679
 different

00:28:23.679 --> 00:28:24.179
 notes.

00:28:25.819 --> 00:28:26.319
 He could

00:28:26.319 --> 00:28:26.459
 have

00:28:26.459 --> 00:28:26.979
 arranged

00:28:26.979 --> 00:28:27.179
 the

00:28:27.179 --> 00:28:27.519
 various

00:28:27.519 --> 00:28:27.939
 parts

00:28:27.939 --> 00:28:28.500
 differently,

00:28:29.379 --> 00:28:30.740
 but he

00:28:30.740 --> 00:28:31.259
 wrote it a

00:28:31.259 --> 00:28:31.839
 certain way.

00:28:31.939 --> 00:28:32.439
 He wrote it

00:28:32.439 --> 00:28:32.899
 the way he

00:28:32.899 --> 00:28:33.339
 wanted it

00:28:33.339 --> 00:28:33.839
 to be,

00:28:34.159 --> 00:28:34.919
 according to

00:28:34.919 --> 00:28:35.559
 his freedom

00:28:35.559 --> 00:28:35.919
 as a

00:28:35.919 --> 00:28:36.359
 composer.

00:28:38.240 --> 00:28:38.939
 If you

00:28:38.939 --> 00:28:39.319
 are now

00:28:39.319 --> 00:28:39.819
 part of

00:28:39.819 --> 00:28:40.479
 an orchestra

00:28:40.479 --> 00:28:41.899
 that is

00:28:41.899 --> 00:28:42.639
 playing

00:28:42.639 --> 00:28:43.579
 Beethoven's

00:28:43.579 --> 00:28:44.359
 Fifth

00:28:44.359 --> 00:28:44.779
 Symphony,

00:28:44.779 --> 00:28:46.379
 you don't

00:28:46.379 --> 00:28:46.779
 have the

00:28:46.779 --> 00:28:47.019
 same

00:28:47.019 --> 00:28:47.420
 freedom

00:28:47.420 --> 00:28:47.680
 that

00:28:47.680 --> 00:28:48.019
 Beethoven

00:28:48.019 --> 00:28:48.639
 had.

00:28:49.839 --> 00:28:50.420
 There is

00:28:50.420 --> 00:28:50.980
 a way it

00:28:50.980 --> 00:28:51.460
 is supposed

00:28:51.460 --> 00:28:51.940
 to be.

00:28:52.039 --> 00:28:52.279
 If you

00:28:52.279 --> 00:28:52.920
 play different

00:28:52.920 --> 00:28:53.299
 notes,

00:28:53.359 --> 00:28:53.660
 then you're

00:28:53.660 --> 00:28:54.079
 playing the

00:28:54.079 --> 00:28:54.299
 wrong

00:28:54.299 --> 00:28:54.819
 notes.

00:28:57.899 --> 00:28:58.500
 As a

00:28:58.500 --> 00:28:58.779
 member of

00:28:58.779 --> 00:28:59.099
 an orchestra,

00:28:59.240 --> 00:28:59.599
 you don't

00:28:59.599 --> 00:28:59.940
 have the

00:28:59.940 --> 00:29:00.619
 composer's

00:29:00.619 --> 00:29:01.000
 freedom.

00:29:01.220 --> 00:29:01.500
 As

00:29:01.500 --> 00:29:02.099
 creatures in

00:29:02.099 --> 00:29:02.359
 God's

00:29:02.359 --> 00:29:02.720
 creation,

00:29:02.839 --> 00:29:03.119
 we don't

00:29:03.119 --> 00:29:03.440
 have the

00:29:03.440 --> 00:29:03.940
 creator's

00:29:03.940 --> 00:29:04.279
 freedom.

00:29:06.200 --> 00:29:06.639
 With

00:29:06.639 --> 00:29:07.259
 justice,

00:29:07.599 --> 00:29:07.940
 the way

00:29:07.940 --> 00:29:08.440
 things are

00:29:08.440 --> 00:29:09.000
 supposed to

00:29:09.000 --> 00:29:09.319
 be in

00:29:09.319 --> 00:29:09.879
 this world

00:29:09.879 --> 00:29:10.960
 is determined

00:29:10.960 --> 00:29:11.660
 both by

00:29:11.660 --> 00:29:12.079
 God's

00:29:12.079 --> 00:29:12.440
 immutable

00:29:12.440 --> 00:29:12.980
 character,

00:29:13.220 --> 00:29:13.539
 but also

00:29:13.539 --> 00:29:13.940
 just by

00:29:13.940 --> 00:29:14.299
 the way

00:29:14.299 --> 00:29:14.519
 he's

00:29:14.519 --> 00:29:14.759
 made

00:29:14.759 --> 00:29:14.920
 the

00:29:14.920 --> 00:29:15.320
 world,

00:29:15.940 --> 00:29:17.980
 by God's

00:29:17.980 --> 00:29:18.320
 creative

00:29:18.320 --> 00:29:18.700
 freedom.

00:29:19.860 --> 00:29:20.240
 For

00:29:20.240 --> 00:29:20.640
 example,

00:29:20.880 --> 00:29:21.120
 God

00:29:21.120 --> 00:29:21.680
 gives

00:29:21.680 --> 00:29:23.240
 animate

00:29:23.240 --> 00:29:23.720
 creatures,

00:29:23.860 --> 00:29:24.539
 humans and

00:29:24.539 --> 00:29:24.920
 animals,

00:29:25.039 --> 00:29:25.440
 he gives

00:29:25.440 --> 00:29:25.720
 us,

00:29:26.299 --> 00:29:26.440
 in

00:29:26.440 --> 00:29:26.720
 Genesis

00:29:26.720 --> 00:29:27.259
 chapter 1,

00:29:27.400 --> 00:29:28.220
 plants and

00:29:28.220 --> 00:29:29.259
 fruit trees

00:29:29.259 --> 00:29:30.539
 as food.

00:29:33.779 --> 00:29:34.380
 The way

00:29:34.380 --> 00:29:34.920
 things are

00:29:34.920 --> 00:29:35.480
 supposed to

00:29:35.480 --> 00:29:35.779
 be,

00:29:35.900 --> 00:29:36.240
 if you

00:29:36.240 --> 00:29:36.700
 read

00:29:36.700 --> 00:29:37.039
 Genesis

00:29:37.039 --> 00:29:37.740
 chapters 1

00:29:37.740 --> 00:29:38.080
 and 2,

00:29:38.220 --> 00:29:38.700
 is that

00:29:38.700 --> 00:29:39.860
 vegetation,

00:29:40.480 --> 00:29:40.980
 the plants

00:29:40.980 --> 00:29:41.460
 and fruit

00:29:41.460 --> 00:29:41.779
 trees,

00:29:41.880 --> 00:29:42.559
 are supposed

00:29:42.559 --> 00:29:43.720
 to produce

00:29:43.720 --> 00:29:44.640
 enough food

00:29:44.640 --> 00:29:45.500
 to sustain

00:29:45.500 --> 00:29:46.339
 animal and

00:29:46.339 --> 00:29:47.019
 human life.

00:29:47.100 --> 00:29:47.200
 Now,

00:29:47.279 --> 00:29:47.460
 that's

00:29:47.460 --> 00:29:48.200
 expanded to

00:29:48.200 --> 00:29:49.279
 where God

00:29:49.279 --> 00:29:49.660
 permits,

00:29:50.700 --> 00:29:51.240
 I'll get to

00:29:51.240 --> 00:29:51.420
 that in a

00:29:51.420 --> 00:29:51.519
 moment.

00:29:52.519 --> 00:29:53.000
 So,

00:29:53.140 --> 00:29:54.380
 they produce

00:29:54.380 --> 00:29:54.860
 enough food

00:29:54.860 --> 00:29:55.360
 to sustain

00:29:55.360 --> 00:29:56.200
 animal and

00:29:56.200 --> 00:29:56.839
 human life.

00:29:58.539 --> 00:29:59.039
 So,

00:29:59.120 --> 00:29:59.420
 where there's

00:29:59.420 --> 00:29:59.860
 a drought

00:29:59.860 --> 00:30:02.200
 and the

00:30:02.200 --> 00:30:02.900
 crops fail

00:30:02.900 --> 00:30:05.079
 and the

00:30:05.079 --> 00:30:05.680
 fruit trees

00:30:05.680 --> 00:30:06.259
 perish,

00:30:07.180 --> 00:30:07.579
 when there's

00:30:07.579 --> 00:30:07.980
 a drought

00:30:07.980 --> 00:30:08.980
 and creatures

00:30:08.980 --> 00:30:10.019
 die because

00:30:10.019 --> 00:30:10.660
 of insufficient

00:30:10.660 --> 00:30:11.319
 food,

00:30:11.319 --> 00:30:11.359
 food,

00:30:11.819 --> 00:30:12.319
 that's not

00:30:12.319 --> 00:30:12.639
 the way

00:30:12.639 --> 00:30:13.019
 things are

00:30:13.019 --> 00:30:13.279
 meant to

00:30:13.279 --> 00:30:13.559
 be.

00:30:16.139 --> 00:30:16.619
 God,

00:30:16.879 --> 00:30:17.299
 after the

00:30:17.299 --> 00:30:17.519
 flood,

00:30:17.639 --> 00:30:17.960
 permits

00:30:17.960 --> 00:30:18.839
 humans to

00:30:18.839 --> 00:30:19.619
 kill and

00:30:19.619 --> 00:30:20.419
 eat animals,

00:30:21.119 --> 00:30:21.599
 but God

00:30:21.599 --> 00:30:22.079
 does not

00:30:22.079 --> 00:30:22.960
 permit animals

00:30:22.960 --> 00:30:23.559
 to kill and

00:30:23.559 --> 00:30:24.259
 eat humans.

00:30:25.220 --> 00:30:26.039
 God says,

00:30:26.119 --> 00:30:26.259
 you know,

00:30:26.500 --> 00:30:27.480
 he says that

00:30:27.480 --> 00:30:28.519
 animals,

00:30:29.519 --> 00:30:30.000
 the blood of

00:30:30.000 --> 00:30:30.500
 humans will be

00:30:30.500 --> 00:30:31.240
 required of

00:30:31.240 --> 00:30:31.740
 them because

00:30:31.740 --> 00:30:32.319
 humans are

00:30:32.319 --> 00:30:32.740
 made in the

00:30:32.740 --> 00:30:33.079
 image of

00:30:33.079 --> 00:30:33.460
 God.

00:30:34.139 --> 00:30:34.379
 So,

00:30:34.439 --> 00:30:34.779
 there's an

00:30:34.779 --> 00:30:35.000
 order.

00:30:35.159 --> 00:30:35.559
 Humans are

00:30:35.559 --> 00:30:36.139
 placed over

00:30:36.139 --> 00:30:36.639
 animals and

00:30:36.639 --> 00:30:37.679
 humans can

00:30:37.679 --> 00:30:38.119
 eat animals,

00:30:38.220 --> 00:30:38.579
 but animals

00:30:38.579 --> 00:30:39.039
 can't eat

00:30:39.039 --> 00:30:39.419
 humans.

00:30:39.559 --> 00:30:40.019
 There's a way

00:30:40.019 --> 00:30:40.399
 things are

00:30:40.399 --> 00:30:40.879
 supposed to

00:30:40.879 --> 00:30:41.200
 be.

00:30:41.319 --> 00:30:45.819
 For us,

00:30:45.939 --> 00:30:46.119
 right,

00:30:46.220 --> 00:30:46.480
 the way

00:30:46.480 --> 00:30:46.799
 things are

00:30:46.799 --> 00:30:47.259
 supposed to

00:30:47.259 --> 00:30:47.519
 be is

00:30:47.519 --> 00:30:47.859
 determined

00:30:47.859 --> 00:30:48.480
 both by

00:30:48.480 --> 00:30:49.000
 who God

00:30:49.000 --> 00:30:49.399
 is and

00:30:49.399 --> 00:30:49.819
 also by

00:30:49.819 --> 00:30:50.339
 the natural

00:30:50.339 --> 00:30:50.879
 order of

00:30:50.879 --> 00:30:51.740
 the creation

00:30:51.740 --> 00:30:52.139
 which he's

00:30:52.139 --> 00:30:52.519
 established.

00:30:52.659 --> 00:30:52.919
 That's the

00:30:52.919 --> 00:30:53.339
 first thing.

00:30:53.679 --> 00:30:54.119
 Second thing

00:30:54.119 --> 00:30:54.720
 about justice

00:30:54.720 --> 00:30:55.279
 is right is

00:30:55.279 --> 00:30:56.879
 revealed to

00:30:56.879 --> 00:30:57.179
 us.

00:30:57.599 --> 00:30:58.379
 Psalm 119

00:30:58.379 --> 00:30:59.000
 is a lengthy

00:30:59.000 --> 00:31:00.200
 song and

00:31:00.200 --> 00:31:00.539
 one of the

00:31:00.539 --> 00:31:01.159
 main themes

00:31:01.159 --> 00:31:01.619
 is the

00:31:01.619 --> 00:31:02.460
 excellence of

00:31:02.460 --> 00:31:03.119
 God's word,

00:31:03.220 --> 00:31:03.720
 his law.

00:31:04.079 --> 00:31:04.500
 And a number

00:31:04.500 --> 00:31:05.220
 of times the

00:31:05.220 --> 00:31:06.259
 psalmist combines

00:31:06.259 --> 00:31:07.639
 that justice

00:31:07.639 --> 00:31:08.439
 word pair,

00:31:08.619 --> 00:31:09.399
 mishpat and

00:31:09.399 --> 00:31:10.379
 tzedek,

00:31:10.380 --> 00:31:11.400
 form of the

00:31:11.400 --> 00:31:11.700
 righteousness

00:31:11.700 --> 00:31:12.060
 word,

00:31:12.440 --> 00:31:13.460
 in an expression

00:31:13.460 --> 00:31:14.040
 for God's

00:31:14.040 --> 00:31:14.440
 word.

00:31:14.940 --> 00:31:15.480
 So to give you

00:31:15.480 --> 00:31:15.840
 a couple of

00:31:15.840 --> 00:31:16.180
 examples,

00:31:16.340 --> 00:31:17.220
 Psalm 119

00:31:17.220 --> 00:31:17.840
 verse 7,

00:31:18.400 --> 00:31:19.060
 I'll praise you

00:31:19.060 --> 00:31:19.540
 with an upright

00:31:19.540 --> 00:31:21.000
 heart when I

00:31:21.000 --> 00:31:21.600
 learn your

00:31:21.600 --> 00:31:22.640
 righteous rules.

00:31:22.760 --> 00:31:23.260
 When I learn

00:31:23.260 --> 00:31:23.720
 your righteous

00:31:23.720 --> 00:31:24.160
 rules is

00:31:24.160 --> 00:31:25.140
 literally when I

00:31:25.140 --> 00:31:26.120
 learn the

00:31:26.120 --> 00:31:27.360
 judgments of

00:31:27.360 --> 00:31:28.200
 your righteousness,

00:31:29.000 --> 00:31:30.080
 that justice

00:31:30.080 --> 00:31:30.740
 word pair.

00:31:31.000 --> 00:31:32.040
 Or Psalm 119

00:31:32.040 --> 00:31:32.740
 verse 60,

00:31:32.740 --> 00:31:33.700
 the sum of

00:31:33.700 --> 00:31:34.799
 your word is

00:31:34.799 --> 00:31:36.259
 truth and

00:31:36.259 --> 00:31:37.299
 every judgment

00:31:37.299 --> 00:31:37.880
 of your

00:31:37.880 --> 00:31:38.539
 righteousness

00:31:38.539 --> 00:31:39.339
 endures

00:31:39.339 --> 00:31:39.779
 forever.

00:31:41.059 --> 00:31:42.039
 God's revealed

00:31:42.039 --> 00:31:45.220
 word encapsulates

00:31:45.220 --> 00:31:46.299
 his justice.

00:31:47.620 --> 00:31:48.700
 He's made his

00:31:48.700 --> 00:31:49.660
 justice, his

00:31:49.660 --> 00:31:50.620
 righteousness known

00:31:50.620 --> 00:31:51.299
 to us.

00:31:52.480 --> 00:31:53.240
 Proverbs makes a

00:31:53.240 --> 00:31:54.059
 similar point about

00:31:54.059 --> 00:31:54.480
 wisdom.

00:31:55.099 --> 00:31:55.599
 In Proverbs

00:31:55.599 --> 00:31:56.299
 chapter 1

00:31:56.299 --> 00:31:57.620
 verses 1 to 3,

00:31:57.680 --> 00:31:58.420
 the Proverbs of

00:31:58.420 --> 00:31:59.440
 Solomon, son of

00:31:59.440 --> 00:32:00.180
 David, king of

00:32:00.180 --> 00:32:00.980
 Israel, to know

00:32:00.980 --> 00:32:01.480
 wisdom and

00:32:01.480 --> 00:32:02.200
 instruction, to

00:32:02.200 --> 00:32:03.140
 understand words

00:32:03.140 --> 00:32:04.180
 of insight, to

00:32:04.180 --> 00:32:05.060
 receive instruction

00:32:05.060 --> 00:32:06.620
 in wise dealing,

00:32:07.539 --> 00:32:08.480
 in righteousness,

00:32:09.660 --> 00:32:12.740
 justice, and

00:32:12.740 --> 00:32:13.160
 equity.

00:32:13.340 --> 00:32:13.660
 That's the

00:32:13.660 --> 00:32:14.460
 uprightness word,

00:32:14.519 --> 00:32:15.080
 that last one

00:32:15.080 --> 00:32:15.279
 there.

00:32:17.680 --> 00:32:18.460
 Justice is

00:32:18.460 --> 00:32:19.299
 revealed to us,

00:32:19.480 --> 00:32:20.580
 thirdly, so that

00:32:20.580 --> 00:32:21.340
 we can do it.

00:32:21.720 --> 00:32:22.539
 Justice as right

00:32:22.539 --> 00:32:23.460
 is required of

00:32:23.460 --> 00:32:23.779
 us.

00:32:25.320 --> 00:32:26.000
 So Proverbs

00:32:26.000 --> 00:32:27.060
 21 verse 3,

00:32:27.180 --> 00:32:28.200
 to do righteousness

00:32:28.200 --> 00:32:29.060
 and justice is

00:32:29.060 --> 00:32:30.000
 more acceptable to

00:32:30.000 --> 00:32:30.559
 the Lord than

00:32:30.559 --> 00:32:31.339
 sacrifice.

00:32:32.859 --> 00:32:34.140
 Or a famous

00:32:34.140 --> 00:32:34.779
 passage from

00:32:34.779 --> 00:32:36.019
 Amos, Amos 5

00:32:36.019 --> 00:32:36.819
 verse 22 to

00:32:36.819 --> 00:32:37.819
 24, even

00:32:37.819 --> 00:32:38.200
 though you

00:32:38.200 --> 00:32:38.900
 offer me your

00:32:38.900 --> 00:32:39.599
 burnt offerings

00:32:39.599 --> 00:32:40.140
 and grain

00:32:40.140 --> 00:32:40.720
 offerings, I

00:32:40.720 --> 00:32:41.460
 will not accept

00:32:41.460 --> 00:32:42.420
 them, and the

00:32:42.420 --> 00:32:43.200
 peace offerings of

00:32:43.200 --> 00:32:43.759
 your fattened

00:32:43.759 --> 00:32:44.400
 animals, I will

00:32:44.400 --> 00:32:45.099
 not look upon

00:32:45.099 --> 00:32:46.079
 them, take away

00:32:46.079 --> 00:32:46.559
 from me the

00:32:46.559 --> 00:32:47.099
 noise of your

00:32:47.099 --> 00:32:48.039
 songs, to the

00:32:48.039 --> 00:32:48.559
 melody of your

00:32:48.559 --> 00:32:49.200
 harps, I will

00:32:49.200 --> 00:32:51.740
 not listen, but

00:32:51.740 --> 00:32:53.059
 let justice roll

00:32:53.059 --> 00:32:54.240
 down like waters

00:32:54.240 --> 00:32:55.980
 and righteousness

00:32:55.980 --> 00:32:57.180
 like an ever

00:32:57.180 --> 00:32:58.079
 flowing stream.

00:32:58.299 --> 00:32:58.900
 What's God

00:32:58.900 --> 00:32:59.559
 saying to the

00:32:59.559 --> 00:33:00.299
 people through

00:33:00.299 --> 00:33:00.700
 the prophet

00:33:00.700 --> 00:33:01.299
 Amos?

00:33:02.119 --> 00:33:02.619
 Religion

00:33:02.619 --> 00:33:03.659
 without justice

00:33:03.659 --> 00:33:04.359
 is empty.

00:33:04.579 --> 00:33:05.419
 Let justice

00:33:05.419 --> 00:33:06.500
 roll down like

00:33:06.500 --> 00:33:07.079
 waters and

00:33:07.079 --> 00:33:07.919
 righteousness like

00:33:07.919 --> 00:33:08.240
 an ever

00:33:08.240 --> 00:33:08.879
 flowing stream.

00:33:09.159 --> 00:33:10.159
 God requires

00:33:10.159 --> 00:33:11.119
 justice of

00:33:11.119 --> 00:33:11.500
 us.

00:33:14.500 --> 00:33:15.419
 The fourth

00:33:15.419 --> 00:33:15.980
 thing to say

00:33:15.980 --> 00:33:19.019
 is that the

00:33:19.019 --> 00:33:21.359
 right that God

00:33:21.359 --> 00:33:22.700
 requires of us

00:33:22.700 --> 00:33:25.379
 includes the

00:33:25.380 --> 00:33:26.400
 kind of right

00:33:26.400 --> 00:33:27.760
 that's needed

00:33:27.760 --> 00:33:29.140
 when things

00:33:29.140 --> 00:33:29.480
 have gone

00:33:29.480 --> 00:33:29.820
 wrong.

00:33:31.640 --> 00:33:32.320
 Let me say

00:33:32.320 --> 00:33:32.560
 that again.

00:33:32.620 --> 00:33:33.300
 The right God

00:33:33.300 --> 00:33:34.360
 requires of us

00:33:34.360 --> 00:33:35.240
 includes the

00:33:35.240 --> 00:33:36.260
 kind of right

00:33:36.260 --> 00:33:37.120
 that is needed

00:33:37.120 --> 00:33:38.740
 when things have

00:33:38.740 --> 00:33:39.260
 gone wrong.

00:33:40.200 --> 00:33:40.900
 So now we're

00:33:40.900 --> 00:33:41.540
 going to finally

00:33:41.540 --> 00:33:42.180
 get to Isaiah

00:33:42.180 --> 00:33:43.200
 chapters 58 and

00:33:43.200 --> 00:33:43.700
 59.

00:33:43.880 --> 00:33:44.240
 Have a look at

00:33:44.240 --> 00:33:45.080
 this with me.

00:33:47.160 --> 00:33:47.920
 Isaiah chapter

00:33:47.920 --> 00:33:49.040
 58 verses 1 and

00:33:49.040 --> 00:33:49.260
 2.

00:33:49.400 --> 00:33:49.800
 Let me just,

00:33:50.120 --> 00:33:50.400
 we're going to

00:33:50.400 --> 00:33:50.860
 get a little bit

00:33:50.860 --> 00:33:51.720
 of context here.

00:33:51.720 --> 00:33:53.319
 Isaiah 58

00:33:53.319 --> 00:33:53.900
 verses 1 and

00:33:53.900 --> 00:33:54.079
 2.

00:33:54.079 --> 00:33:54.980
 Cry aloud,

00:33:55.279 --> 00:33:55.860
 do not hold

00:33:55.860 --> 00:33:57.740
 back, lift up

00:33:57.740 --> 00:33:58.480
 your voice like

00:33:58.480 --> 00:33:58.960
 a trumpet,

00:33:59.319 --> 00:33:59.980
 declare to my

00:33:59.980 --> 00:34:00.519
 people their

00:34:00.519 --> 00:34:01.220
 transgression,

00:34:01.539 --> 00:34:02.319
 to the house of

00:34:02.319 --> 00:34:02.900
 Jacob their

00:34:02.900 --> 00:34:03.480
 sins.

00:34:04.400 --> 00:34:05.240
 Yet they seek

00:34:05.240 --> 00:34:06.140
 me daily and

00:34:06.140 --> 00:34:06.920
 delight to know

00:34:06.920 --> 00:34:09.059
 my ways, as if

00:34:09.059 --> 00:34:09.720
 they were a

00:34:09.720 --> 00:34:10.619
 nation that did

00:34:10.619 --> 00:34:12.300
 righteousness and

00:34:12.300 --> 00:34:13.220
 did not forsake

00:34:13.220 --> 00:34:13.980
 the judgment of

00:34:13.980 --> 00:34:14.539
 their God.

00:34:14.679 --> 00:34:15.800
 They ask of me

00:34:15.800 --> 00:34:16.780
 righteous judgments

00:34:16.780 --> 00:34:17.760
 and they delight to

00:34:17.760 --> 00:34:18.280
 draw near to God.

00:34:18.380 --> 00:34:19.099
 Can you see that

00:34:19.099 --> 00:34:20.579
 justice word pair

00:34:20.579 --> 00:34:21.579
 there in verse 2?

00:34:21.719 --> 00:34:25.459
 Israel are seeking

00:34:25.459 --> 00:34:26.059
 God, they're

00:34:26.059 --> 00:34:26.939
 praying to him,

00:34:27.119 --> 00:34:27.939
 they're engaging in

00:34:27.939 --> 00:34:28.839
 religion or Judah

00:34:28.839 --> 00:34:30.179
 rather, trying to

00:34:30.179 --> 00:34:30.899
 draw near to God,

00:34:30.939 --> 00:34:32.139
 as if they actually

00:34:32.139 --> 00:34:33.279
 were people who did

00:34:33.279 --> 00:34:34.119
 righteousness and

00:34:34.119 --> 00:34:34.759
 didn't forsake

00:34:34.759 --> 00:34:35.319
 justice.

00:34:39.019 --> 00:34:40.099
 This is a chapter,

00:34:40.239 --> 00:34:41.139
 Isaiah 58 is a

00:34:41.139 --> 00:34:42.159
 chapter about Judah's

00:34:42.159 --> 00:34:43.099
 failure to do

00:34:43.099 --> 00:34:43.859
 righteousness and

00:34:43.859 --> 00:34:44.319
 justice.

00:34:45.859 --> 00:34:47.019
 They're asking God

00:34:47.019 --> 00:34:48.939
 to do justice but

00:34:48.939 --> 00:34:49.719
 they're failing to do

00:34:49.719 --> 00:34:50.279
 it themselves.

00:34:50.280 --> 00:34:51.900
 Now how have they

00:34:51.900 --> 00:34:52.820
 been failing to do

00:34:52.820 --> 00:34:53.360
 justice?

00:34:53.880 --> 00:34:55.060
 Well it's both in

00:34:55.060 --> 00:34:56.660
 what they've done and

00:34:56.660 --> 00:34:57.420
 in what they've failed

00:34:57.420 --> 00:34:57.800
 to done.

00:34:58.100 --> 00:34:59.080
 They've committed sins

00:34:59.080 --> 00:35:00.560
 of commission and

00:35:00.560 --> 00:35:01.980
 sins of omission.

00:35:03.120 --> 00:35:04.500
 So in what they did,

00:35:04.540 --> 00:35:05.300
 look at verse 3 and

00:35:05.300 --> 00:35:05.640
 4.

00:35:05.639 --> 00:35:10.319
 Why have we fasted,

00:35:10.379 --> 00:35:11.039
 they ask, and you

00:35:11.039 --> 00:35:11.739
 not seen it?

00:35:12.539 --> 00:35:13.500
 Why have we humbled

00:35:13.500 --> 00:35:14.639
 ourselves and you take

00:35:14.639 --> 00:35:15.559
 no knowledge of it?

00:35:17.159 --> 00:35:17.759
 Why aren't you

00:35:17.759 --> 00:35:18.239
 listening to our

00:35:18.239 --> 00:35:18.900
 prayers, God?

00:35:19.900 --> 00:35:20.819
 Here's God's answer.

00:35:21.099 --> 00:35:22.019
 Behold, in the day of

00:35:22.019 --> 00:35:23.299
 your fast, you seek

00:35:23.299 --> 00:35:24.400
 your own pleasure and

00:35:24.400 --> 00:35:25.579
 oppress all your

00:35:25.579 --> 00:35:26.139
 workers.

00:35:27.420 --> 00:35:28.639
 Behold, you fast only

00:35:28.639 --> 00:35:30.000
 to quarrel and to fight

00:35:30.000 --> 00:35:30.819
 and to hit with a

00:35:30.819 --> 00:35:31.539
 wicked fist.

00:35:32.599 --> 00:35:33.719
 Fasting like this day

00:35:33.719 --> 00:35:34.559
 will not make your

00:35:34.559 --> 00:35:35.519
 voice to be heard on

00:35:35.519 --> 00:35:35.799
 high.

00:35:36.199 --> 00:35:36.759
 See, there's their

00:35:36.759 --> 00:35:37.679
 sins of commission,

00:35:37.899 --> 00:35:39.219
 oppression, fighting,

00:35:39.480 --> 00:35:40.759
 quarrelling, violence.

00:35:43.339 --> 00:35:44.079
 That's how they're

00:35:44.079 --> 00:35:44.980
 failing in justice.

00:35:46.500 --> 00:35:47.339
 But they're also

00:35:47.339 --> 00:35:48.480
 failing by what they

00:35:48.480 --> 00:35:49.379
 did not do, their

00:35:49.379 --> 00:35:50.339
 sins of omission.

00:35:50.480 --> 00:35:51.219
 Look down at verse

00:35:51.219 --> 00:35:51.639
 6.

00:35:51.639 --> 00:35:53.440
 Is not this the fast I

00:35:53.440 --> 00:35:53.980
 choose?

00:35:54.599 --> 00:35:56.059
 To loose the bonds of

00:35:56.059 --> 00:35:56.659
 wickedness?

00:35:57.420 --> 00:35:59.219
 To undo the straps of

00:35:59.219 --> 00:35:59.759
 the yoke?

00:36:00.319 --> 00:36:01.719
 To let the oppressed go

00:36:01.719 --> 00:36:03.059
 free and to break every

00:36:03.059 --> 00:36:03.480
 yoke?

00:36:04.019 --> 00:36:05.139
 Is it not to share your

00:36:05.139 --> 00:36:06.480
 bread with the hungry and

00:36:06.480 --> 00:36:07.299
 to bring the homeless

00:36:07.299 --> 00:36:08.599
 poor into your house?

00:36:09.039 --> 00:36:10.059
 When you see the naked

00:36:10.059 --> 00:36:11.219
 to cover him and not to

00:36:11.219 --> 00:36:12.219
 hide yourself from your

00:36:12.219 --> 00:36:12.839
 own flesh?

00:36:13.359 --> 00:36:14.559
 Then shall your light

00:36:14.559 --> 00:36:15.799
 break forth like the

00:36:15.799 --> 00:36:16.779
 dawn and your healing

00:36:16.779 --> 00:36:18.119
 shall spring up speedily.

00:36:18.799 --> 00:36:20.259
 And your righteousness

00:36:20.260 --> 00:36:21.440
 shall go before you.

00:36:21.780 --> 00:36:22.900
 The glory of the Lord

00:36:22.900 --> 00:36:24.340
 shall be your rear guard.

00:36:25.620 --> 00:36:26.460
 We could go on.

00:36:30.340 --> 00:36:32.640
 Verse 10.

00:36:33.580 --> 00:36:34.240
 Or verse 9.

00:36:34.520 --> 00:36:35.580
 If you take away the

00:36:35.580 --> 00:36:36.460
 yoke from your midst,

00:36:36.580 --> 00:36:37.300
 the pointing of the

00:36:37.300 --> 00:36:38.100
 finger and speaking

00:36:38.100 --> 00:36:39.160
 wickedness, if you

00:36:39.160 --> 00:36:40.520
 pour yourself out for

00:36:40.520 --> 00:36:42.700
 the hungry and satisfy

00:36:42.700 --> 00:36:43.600
 the desire of the

00:36:43.600 --> 00:36:45.080
 afflicted, then shall

00:36:45.080 --> 00:36:46.160
 your light rise in the

00:36:46.160 --> 00:36:47.320
 darkness and your gloom

00:36:47.320 --> 00:36:48.620
 be as the noonday.

00:36:48.800 --> 00:36:50.180
 What is the justice God

00:36:50.179 --> 00:36:50.599
 wants of us?

00:36:50.759 --> 00:36:51.779
 Well, it includes the

00:36:51.779 --> 00:36:52.859
 kind of right that's

00:36:52.859 --> 00:36:53.679
 needed when things have

00:36:53.679 --> 00:36:54.219
 gone wrong.

00:37:00.460 --> 00:37:01.639
 We've seen justice as

00:37:01.639 --> 00:37:02.619
 retribution, the

00:37:02.619 --> 00:37:03.519
 punishment for evil.

00:37:03.599 --> 00:37:04.639
 We've seen justice as

00:37:04.639 --> 00:37:05.839
 right, the way things

00:37:05.839 --> 00:37:06.480
 ought to be.

00:37:06.799 --> 00:37:07.679
 Now we're beginning to

00:37:07.679 --> 00:37:08.619
 see a third form of

00:37:08.619 --> 00:37:09.539
 justice, justice as

00:37:09.539 --> 00:37:10.279
 restoration.

00:37:12.639 --> 00:37:14.440
 Restoration, like

00:37:14.440 --> 00:37:16.980
 retribution, presupposes

00:37:16.980 --> 00:37:18.139
 right, that there is a

00:37:18.139 --> 00:37:18.960
 way things are supposed

00:37:18.960 --> 00:37:19.460
 to be.

00:37:20.019 --> 00:37:21.440
 And it presupposes that

00:37:21.440 --> 00:37:23.699
 things have gone off

00:37:23.699 --> 00:37:24.079
 track.

00:37:27.259 --> 00:37:28.759
 In a world where things

00:37:28.759 --> 00:37:29.779
 are not as they are

00:37:29.779 --> 00:37:31.579
 supposed to be, God

00:37:31.579 --> 00:37:33.299
 wants his people to be

00:37:33.299 --> 00:37:34.659
 agents of restoration.

00:37:36.019 --> 00:37:37.159
 In a world that's

00:37:37.159 --> 00:37:38.699
 haywire because of sin,

00:37:39.519 --> 00:37:40.739
 where there's misery and

00:37:40.739 --> 00:37:42.299
 grief and suffering, God

00:37:42.299 --> 00:37:44.059
 wants his people to bring

00:37:44.059 --> 00:37:44.579
 relief.

00:37:46.980 --> 00:37:49.500
 It is right that people

00:37:49.500 --> 00:37:52.019
 are free from tyranny and

00:37:52.019 --> 00:37:52.440
 oppression.

00:37:54.139 --> 00:37:56.340
 And so God calls on us to

00:37:56.340 --> 00:37:57.440
 loose the bonds of

00:37:57.440 --> 00:37:58.639
 wickedness and to break

00:37:58.639 --> 00:37:59.360
 every yoke.

00:38:00.840 --> 00:38:03.579
 It is right when all have

00:38:03.579 --> 00:38:04.340
 enough to eat.

00:38:05.279 --> 00:38:06.820
 And so God calls on us to

00:38:06.820 --> 00:38:07.940
 share our food with the

00:38:07.940 --> 00:38:08.219
 hungry.

00:38:08.219 --> 00:38:11.739
 It is right when we all,

00:38:11.839 --> 00:38:13.599
 all of us have secure

00:38:13.599 --> 00:38:14.959
 shelter, somewhere to live.

00:38:15.179 --> 00:38:16.559
 And so God calls on his

00:38:16.559 --> 00:38:17.659
 people to bring the

00:38:17.659 --> 00:38:19.059
 homeless into their

00:38:19.059 --> 00:38:21.919
 houses, to clothe the

00:38:21.919 --> 00:38:22.279
 naked.

00:38:23.059 --> 00:38:25.579
 Verse 7, not hide

00:38:25.579 --> 00:38:27.039
 yourself from your own

00:38:27.039 --> 00:38:27.500
 flesh.

00:38:27.659 --> 00:38:28.779
 How can we look on another

00:38:28.779 --> 00:38:29.699
 human being who's

00:38:29.699 --> 00:38:31.939
 suffering, our own flesh

00:38:31.939 --> 00:38:33.459
 and blood made in God's

00:38:33.459 --> 00:38:35.859
 image, and turn away from

00:38:35.859 --> 00:38:36.399
 their need?

00:38:36.400 --> 00:38:39.980
 But of course the point of

00:38:39.980 --> 00:38:41.639
 Isaiah 58 and 59 is that

00:38:41.639 --> 00:38:42.720
 that's what humanity have

00:38:42.720 --> 00:38:43.079
 done.

00:38:43.900 --> 00:38:44.660
 I mean these words are

00:38:44.660 --> 00:38:45.280
 written to Judah,

00:38:45.400 --> 00:38:46.420
 particularly in Isaiah's

00:38:46.420 --> 00:38:47.539
 day, the 8th century BC,

00:38:48.039 --> 00:38:49.320
 but they're equally true of

00:38:49.320 --> 00:38:50.880
 us, of all, of all

00:38:50.880 --> 00:38:51.320
 humanity.

00:38:55.039 --> 00:38:56.519
 The consequences of our

00:38:56.519 --> 00:38:58.940
 failure to do justice and

00:38:58.940 --> 00:39:00.420
 righteousness are twofold.

00:39:00.980 --> 00:39:01.780
 Firstly, there's a

00:39:01.780 --> 00:39:03.260
 separation between God and

00:39:03.260 --> 00:39:03.599
 us.

00:39:04.740 --> 00:39:06.039
 Chapter 59, verse 1,

00:39:06.039 --> 00:39:07.759
 verse 2, your iniquities

00:39:07.759 --> 00:39:08.940
 have made a separation

00:39:08.940 --> 00:39:10.840
 between you and your God

00:39:10.840 --> 00:39:12.079
 and your sins have hidden

00:39:12.079 --> 00:39:13.559
 his face from you so that

00:39:13.559 --> 00:39:14.400
 he does not hear.

00:39:15.099 --> 00:39:16.179
 We're cut off from God.

00:39:17.759 --> 00:39:19.400
 Second consequences is that

00:39:19.400 --> 00:39:20.699
 there's the breakdown of

00:39:20.699 --> 00:39:22.420
 society and community life.

00:39:22.800 --> 00:39:24.360
 Verse 4, no one enters

00:39:24.360 --> 00:39:26.279
 suit justly, no one goes to

00:39:26.279 --> 00:39:26.920
 law honestly.

00:39:27.039 --> 00:39:27.960
 This is chapter 59.

00:39:28.340 --> 00:39:29.659
 They rely on empty pleas,

00:39:29.779 --> 00:39:30.900
 they speak lies, they

00:39:30.900 --> 00:39:32.179
 conceive mischief and give

00:39:32.179 --> 00:39:33.099
 birth to iniquity.

00:39:34.039 --> 00:39:35.480
 No justice breaks down in

00:39:35.480 --> 00:39:36.000
 society.

00:39:39.119 --> 00:39:40.719
 Verse 7, their feet run to

00:39:40.719 --> 00:39:42.000
 evil, they're swift to shed

00:39:42.000 --> 00:39:43.159
 innocent blood, their

00:39:43.159 --> 00:39:43.980
 thoughts are thoughts of

00:39:43.980 --> 00:39:44.460
 iniquity.

00:39:44.799 --> 00:39:45.839
 Desolation and destruction

00:39:45.839 --> 00:39:46.920
 are in their highways.

00:39:47.059 --> 00:39:48.400
 The way of peace they do not

00:39:48.400 --> 00:39:48.619
 know.

00:39:48.699 --> 00:39:49.719
 There's no justice in their

00:39:49.719 --> 00:39:50.219
 paths.

00:39:50.659 --> 00:39:51.480
 They've made their roads

00:39:51.480 --> 00:39:51.819
 crooked.

00:39:51.960 --> 00:39:53.460
 No one who treads on them

00:39:53.460 --> 00:39:54.219
 knows peace.

00:39:56.079 --> 00:39:57.880
 Therefore, justice is far from

00:39:57.880 --> 00:40:00.480
 us and righteousness does not

00:40:00.480 --> 00:40:01.179
 overtake us.

00:40:01.179 --> 00:40:02.419
 We hope for light and behold

00:40:02.419 --> 00:40:03.559
 darkness and for brightness,

00:40:03.739 --> 00:40:04.699
 but we walk in gloom.

00:40:04.980 --> 00:40:08.059
 Isaiah 59 verse 14, justice

00:40:08.059 --> 00:40:10.539
 is turned back and righteousness

00:40:10.539 --> 00:40:12.039
 stands far away.

00:40:13.139 --> 00:40:15.460
 For truth has stumbled in the

00:40:15.460 --> 00:40:17.759
 public squares and uprightness

00:40:17.759 --> 00:40:18.519
 cannot enter.

00:40:19.219 --> 00:40:21.239
 Truth is lacking and he who

00:40:21.239 --> 00:40:23.019
 departs from evil makes himself

00:40:23.019 --> 00:40:23.679
 a prey.

00:40:25.619 --> 00:40:26.699
 And those last few verses

00:40:26.699 --> 00:40:27.859
 sound familiar, don't they?

00:40:28.440 --> 00:40:29.719
 Truth has stumbled in the

00:40:29.719 --> 00:40:31.359
 public squares, he who departs

00:40:31.359 --> 00:40:32.859
 from evil makes himself a prey.

00:40:34.259 --> 00:40:35.639
 Just think of the number of

00:40:35.639 --> 00:40:37.859
 lies and falsehoods that are

00:40:37.859 --> 00:40:40.259
 trumpeted in the media and in

00:40:40.259 --> 00:40:41.779
 parliament and in the public

00:40:41.779 --> 00:40:43.019
 squares of our society.

00:40:45.419 --> 00:40:49.559
 Try to defend in public the

00:40:49.559 --> 00:40:51.779
 truth that an unborn baby is a

00:40:51.779 --> 00:40:54.500
 human being and they will come

00:40:54.500 --> 00:40:55.000
 for you.

00:40:58.260 --> 00:40:59.579
 But what I want you to see is

00:40:59.579 --> 00:41:00.460
 God's response.

00:41:02.340 --> 00:41:05.199
 Look at Isaiah 59 verse 15,

00:41:05.320 --> 00:41:05.880
 second half.

00:41:06.739 --> 00:41:09.320
 The Lord saw it and it

00:41:09.320 --> 00:41:10.539
 displeased him.

00:41:13.539 --> 00:41:16.199
 It displeased him that there was

00:41:16.199 --> 00:41:17.019
 no justice.

00:41:17.019 --> 00:41:20.259
 So what would God do?

00:41:20.619 --> 00:41:21.300
 Verse 16.

00:41:21.699 --> 00:41:23.559
 He saw that there was no man and

00:41:23.559 --> 00:41:25.280
 wondered that there was no one to

00:41:25.280 --> 00:41:26.039
 intercede.

00:41:28.980 --> 00:41:31.039
 Then his own arm brought salvation

00:41:31.039 --> 00:41:33.960
 and his righteousness upheld him.

00:41:34.659 --> 00:41:36.719
 He put on righteousness as a

00:41:36.719 --> 00:41:38.500
 breastplate and a helmet of

00:41:38.500 --> 00:41:40.340
 salvation on his head.

00:41:41.840 --> 00:41:43.880
 He put on garments of vengeance for

00:41:43.880 --> 00:41:45.480
 clothing and wrapped himself in

00:41:45.480 --> 00:41:46.980
 zeal as a cloak.

00:41:47.880 --> 00:41:49.159
 According to their deeds,

00:41:49.300 --> 00:41:50.440
 so will he repay.

00:41:50.940 --> 00:41:52.179
 Wrath to his adversaries,

00:41:52.380 --> 00:41:53.500
 repayment to his enemies,

00:41:53.840 --> 00:41:55.280
 to the coastlands he will render

00:41:55.280 --> 00:41:57.659
 repayment, so they shall fear the

00:41:57.659 --> 00:41:59.760
 name of the Lord from the west and

00:41:59.760 --> 00:42:01.740
 his glory from the rising of the

00:42:01.740 --> 00:42:03.579
 sun, for he will come like a

00:42:03.579 --> 00:42:06.500
 rushing stream which the wind of

00:42:06.500 --> 00:42:07.639
 the Lord drives.

00:42:09.000 --> 00:42:11.500
 And our redeemer will come to

00:42:11.500 --> 00:42:14.699
 Zion, to those in Jacob who turn

00:42:14.699 --> 00:42:17.179
 from transgression declares the

00:42:17.179 --> 00:42:17.559
 Lord.

00:42:17.980 --> 00:42:19.839
 What would God do when he's

00:42:19.839 --> 00:42:21.439
 displeased that there is no

00:42:21.439 --> 00:42:22.679
 justice in our world?

00:42:24.279 --> 00:42:26.059
 He takes justice into his own

00:42:26.059 --> 00:42:26.519
 hands.

00:42:28.019 --> 00:42:30.659
 He clothes himself, he arms himself

00:42:30.659 --> 00:42:31.719
 to bring justice.

00:42:32.599 --> 00:42:36.639
 Notice there in verse 17, 16 and

00:42:36.639 --> 00:42:39.839
 17, that righteousness, one of

00:42:39.839 --> 00:42:42.079
 those justice words, righteousness and

00:42:42.079 --> 00:42:43.920
 salvation are basically used there

00:42:43.920 --> 00:42:44.619
 synonymously.

00:42:46.460 --> 00:42:49.659
 God's bringing of justice is his

00:42:49.659 --> 00:42:50.699
 bringing of salvation.

00:42:52.420 --> 00:42:54.900
 It includes retribution in verse 18,

00:42:55.000 --> 00:42:56.000
 the repayment of sin.

00:42:57.860 --> 00:42:59.599
 But the goal is restoration.

00:42:59.920 --> 00:43:02.059
 It's verse 19, that people will again

00:43:02.059 --> 00:43:03.179
 fear the name of the Lord.

00:43:04.519 --> 00:43:06.179
 Verse 20, that people will turn from

00:43:06.179 --> 00:43:07.639
 their iniquities, from transgression,

00:43:09.339 --> 00:43:09.759
 redemption.

00:43:12.899 --> 00:43:15.159
 Can you see God's love for justice,

00:43:16.559 --> 00:43:20.259
 God's commitment to justice, is more

00:43:20.259 --> 00:43:21.659
 than a commitment to punish evil.

00:43:23.539 --> 00:43:25.539
 It's a commitment to restore what is

00:43:25.539 --> 00:43:29.500
 right, to bring about what is good.

00:43:29.500 --> 00:43:33.960
 God's love for justice is not satisfied

00:43:33.960 --> 00:43:36.880
 only by his negative justice, by

00:43:36.880 --> 00:43:37.460
 retribution.

00:43:39.780 --> 00:43:42.320
 God's love for justice is manifest in

00:43:42.320 --> 00:43:44.599
 his desire for positive justice, for

00:43:44.599 --> 00:43:47.400
 restoration, for setting, restoring

00:43:47.400 --> 00:43:50.039
 everything to be as it should be.

00:43:50.039 --> 00:43:56.159
 No more oppression.

00:43:57.139 --> 00:43:58.259
 No more deceit.

00:43:59.340 --> 00:44:02.099
 No more malice or hunger or poverty or

00:44:02.099 --> 00:44:05.179
 malnutrition or addiction or sickness or

00:44:05.179 --> 00:44:05.599
 death.

00:44:08.279 --> 00:44:11.619
 God restoring things as they should be.

00:44:12.340 --> 00:44:15.199
 That's the justice God takes on himself

00:44:15.199 --> 00:44:17.820
 because there's no one else to do it.

00:44:17.820 --> 00:44:21.620
 How does God do this?

00:44:22.500 --> 00:44:24.500
 Verse 20, a redeemer will come to Zion.

00:44:24.660 --> 00:44:25.840
 We know who that redeemer is.

00:44:25.940 --> 00:44:27.600
 Turn back with me to Isaiah chapter 42.

00:44:27.820 --> 00:44:28.920
 We're going to finish with this passage

00:44:28.920 --> 00:44:30.440
 here, Isaiah chapter 42.

00:44:33.680 --> 00:44:35.420
 Another passage which speaks about how

00:44:35.420 --> 00:44:36.539
 God brings justice.

00:44:39.120 --> 00:44:41.380
 Speaking, as Isaiah does in a number of

00:44:41.380 --> 00:44:42.840
 passages, of God's servant.

00:44:43.320 --> 00:44:44.960
 Again, we know who God's servant is.

00:44:47.820 --> 00:44:50.059
 Isaiah 42, verse 1 to 4.

00:44:50.160 --> 00:44:54.460
 Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my

00:44:54.460 --> 00:44:57.039
 chosen, in whom my soul delights.

00:44:57.820 --> 00:44:59.900
 I have put my spirit upon him.

00:45:00.640 --> 00:45:02.960
 He will bring forth justice to the

00:45:02.960 --> 00:45:03.360
 nations.

00:45:04.680 --> 00:45:07.880
 He will not cry aloud or lift up his

00:45:07.880 --> 00:45:10.600
 voice or make it heard in the street.

00:45:10.599 --> 00:45:14.039
 A bruised reed he will not break.

00:45:15.039 --> 00:45:17.779
 And a faintly burning wick he will not

00:45:17.779 --> 00:45:18.319
 quench.

00:45:19.199 --> 00:45:22.059
 He will faithfully bring forth justice.

00:45:23.059 --> 00:45:25.159
 He will not grow faint or be discouraged till

00:45:25.159 --> 00:45:28.339
 he has established justice in the earth and the

00:45:28.339 --> 00:45:31.539
 coastlands wait for his law.

00:45:33.039 --> 00:45:35.339
 I mean, how does Jesus, God's servant,

00:45:35.539 --> 00:45:36.920
 bring forth justice?

00:45:36.920 --> 00:45:44.119
 He does it in such a way as to care for the very,

00:45:44.240 --> 00:45:44.820
 very weakest.

00:45:47.880 --> 00:45:50.320
 Not breaking the bruised reed.

00:45:51.200 --> 00:45:53.500
 Not snuffing out the smouldering wick.

00:45:58.380 --> 00:46:01.139
 Matthew chapter 12 quotes these four verses of

00:46:01.139 --> 00:46:02.619
 Isaiah about Jesus.

00:46:02.619 --> 00:46:06.279
 And in context, we read in Matthew 12, many

00:46:06.279 --> 00:46:09.900
 followed him and he healed all of them.

00:46:12.339 --> 00:46:15.179
 This was to fulfil what was spoken by the

00:46:15.179 --> 00:46:15.940
 prophet Isaiah.

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 And then this passage, Isaiah 42, 1 to 4.

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 See, Jesus' healing miracles were a sign of what

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 he was doing.

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 The blind see, the lame walk, the deaf hear,

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 the dead are raised, lepers are cleansed.

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 What was Jesus doing?

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 He was restoring what was right.

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 He was restoring creation to the way it's meant to be.

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 How did Jesus bring forth justice?

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 He perfectly lived justice as right.

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 He absorbed in himself justice as retribution.

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 He brings to victory justice as restoration.

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 Praise be to God.

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 Please may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may