O LORD, how long shall I cry for help,
Habakkuk 1:2-4
and you will not hear?
Or cry to you “Violence!”
and you will not save (yasha)?
Why do you make me see iniquity,
and why do you idly look at wrong?
Destruction and violence are before me;
strife and contention arise.
So the law is paralyzed,
and justice (mishpat) never goes forth.
For the wicked surround the righteous (tzadik);
so justice (mishpat) goes forth perverted.
We’ve looked at all of Habakkuk’s first complaint. He sees violence and people wronging one another. While this is bound to happen in any society to some extent, what is most troubling is how the wicked get away with it. They twisted justice out of shape. How is the system supposed to work? What does the Bible mean by executing justice?
Judges Making Judgments
The Hebrew word for justice (מִשְׁפָּט, mishpat) is used over 400 times! This is a common word! While often used in a legal context for a judgment, legal claim, or legal case, it can also more generally describe what is just/right. It comes from the verb שָׁפַט (shaphat), meaning to judge, which occurs over 200 times. Other related words include shophet (a judge) and shephet (judgment/punishment). These words and ideas permeate the whole Bible.
Exodus introduces a section of laws (immediately after the Ten Commandments) with these words: “Now these are the rules (mishpatim) that you shall set before them” (Exodus 21:1). Moses appointed judges to administer justice. “And I charged your judges (shophtim) at that time, ‘Hear the cases between your brothers, and judge (shaphat) righteously (tzedek) between a man and his brother or the alien who is with him. You shall not be partial in judgment (mishpat). You shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not be intimidated by anyone, for the judgment (mishpat) is God’s. And the case that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it'” (Deuteronomy 1:16-17).
Judges as Leaders
It should come as no surprise that the book of Judges utilizes these words. The summary in Judges 2 describes how “the Lord raised up judges (shophtim), who saved (yasha, see notes) them” (Judges 2:16). The book of Ruth, occurring during this time period sums it up in its opening words: “In the days when the judges (shophtim) ruled (shaphat)”. Newer translations translate shaphat as “ruled” or “led” to describe their activities.
The period of the Judges comes to an end when the people ask for a king: “Now appoint for us a king to judge (shaphat) us like all the nations” (1 Samuel 8:5). In response, God instructs Samuel to “show them the ways (mishpat) of the king who shall reign over them” (1 Samuel 8:9). Not only does the king lead the nation, but he is also the chief judge.
Using Good Judgment
When Solomon became king, the Lord appeared to him and asked what he wanted. Solomon requested wisdom. Why? What did he want wisdom for? He said, “Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern (shaphat) your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern (shaphat) this your great people?” (1 Kings 3:9). God was pleased that he asked for “understanding to discern what is right” (1 Kings 3:11). He literally requested to “discern to hear mishpat“, desiring to administer justice well! After he gave a wise ruling, “all Israel heard of the judgment (mishpat) that the king had rendered, and they stood in awe of the king, because they perceived that the wisdom of God was in him to do justice (mishpat)” (1 Kings 3:28). This is what good leaders should strive for!
From these examples, we see that mishpat not only entails judging in court but leadership as well. We use the phrase “good judgment” to describe good decisions. Wise discernment comes from the Lord. God instructs Moses to make a “breastpiece of judgment (mishpat)” for the high priest (Exodus 28:15), to help in making decisions, whether legal or otherwise.
The Ultimate Judge
The ultimate judge, of course, is God. Abraham, when bargaining for his nephew Lot and the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, asks the Lord, “Shall not the Judge (shophet) of all the earth do what is just (mishpat)?” (Genesis 18:25).
God judges/rules the earth (Psalm 82:8) in righteousness (Psalm 96:13, 98:9) and equity (what is right/straight) (Psalm 9:8, 67:4, 75:2). While some judges/leaders on earth have good judgment and others bad, God’s judgments are always right.
While God has brought judgment throughout history, the Bible talks about a coming “Day of the Lord” when he will judge all of the nations. “I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment (shaphat) with them there” (Joel 3:2). Jehoshaphat means “The LORD judges”, an apt name for a valley of judgment. The Bible ends with the dead being judged (Revelation 20:11-13) before the restoration of creation.
Judgment in Habakkuk’s Day
When God answers Habakkuk, he tells him the Babylonians’ “justice (mishpat) and dignity go forth from themselves” (Habakkuk 1:7). Proper justice isn’t “going forth” in Israel, so it will go forth from their enemy instead. God says that “they have rejected my rules (mishpatim)…. And I will execute judgments (mishpatim) in your midst in the sight of the nations” (Ezekiel 5:6, 8). God ensures justice will eventually be served one way or another.
To Ponder…
Pray for our judges. May they judge impartially and make righteous/right judgements.
Pray for our leaders. May they use use good judgment to make wise decisions.
Pray for each other. May we seek to obey God’s rules/mishaptim that he designed for our good.
Wicked surround the righteous. Wicked people are surrounding Trump. See that. This planet will fall apart. Devils panic. People are fixated on making money. That causes injustice.
Charity is the bond of perfectness. Charity has nothing to do with a place that receives money.
God’s justice that condemns comes when a person dies or when Jesus is seen with power and great glory. Our judgment needs to be the judgment that Jesus used when he had blood in him. Christ’s judging condemned no one. Jesus looks for people who were like him praising them. Jesus says who wanted him to be dead judging rightly. Jesus judged the evil intent of people wanting a person to be stoned refusing to do that making the woman’s accusers to go away. This nation is blaspheming God’s name not using the kind of Judging Jesus used saying this is a Christian nation.
Christs mind in our mind saves us. That is being saved by grace. A legal system that exists makes people to be like Christs enemies. Police are compelled to obey Satan in the legal system or lose their job. Money makes us to feel self-sufficient. Satan likes that feeling existing in a person’s mind. We cannot control when we die. Jesus did that. People need to be like Jesus before they die. Once to live and then the judgment. People who make, enforce the legal system laws, and agree with them will not fare well on judgment day. That legal system is as void of mercy as the universe is void of breathable air. People who show mercy are punished on this world.
God’s help through people.
Don’t blame God. Satan brought suffering. Satan is making Trump to suffer through people.
Jesus had compasson on they that suffered healing them.
People are looking at God as being outside of them. The mind of the non-condemning Father God needs to be in our mind. people will truly be free when that happens.
God is patiently waiting to see Jesus in others.
Legal system and money will vanish when people repent. God made all things. They are very good. Man made money.
God’s justice on Judgment Day will judge as to who is like Jesus and who is not like Jesus. That judgment is final. Our judging needs to be the same not condemning anyone. God’s justice through us will free people. The justice of man incarcerates people.
Executing Justice is relieving the trouble that is given to people. Money is at the root of this. Money is against freely we have received all things freely give.
Judges are not judging like Jesus judged. Christ condemned no one. Jesus edified people. Jesus wants people to judge as to who loves another more than another and why. Jesus judged Nathanel saying he had no guile. Nathaniel had religion that was not vain. Jamie’s 1:26 – 27. Nathaniel was not spotted with the world. Peter had good judgment judging as to who loved the forgiver of debts more than another. Peter judged rightly. Sodomites were religious people who used a condeming form of judging. God did not save the two beings and Lot from being edified when the mass of people wanted one person to judge the beings in Lots house. Genisis 19 – 9.
They that are married to Jesus will see Jesus as light. They that grieve his Spirit out of them will see God’s light as a consuming fire.
We need to judge ourselves determining this: Am I like Jesus or not.
We need to know Jesus. Jesus whipped no one. People whipped him. Jesus cast out they that sold and bought in the temple. Matthew 21:12, KJV.
We are all guilty having death in us. The being who brought death brought money and taxes.
God sees all things. Fear him. Law, as it is, is making people to fear people. They that do that will fear Jesus when he is seen as he is. Christs body is orange red in his glory – sardine and jasper stone.
The wicked surround all those in charge of earthly governments, regardless of political affiliation. There is not [one] whom Satan’s demons do not corrupt.