Isaiah 61:8-11 God Loves Justice.

For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity. In my faithfulness I will reward them and make an everlasting covenant with them.

It was the year of the Lord’s favour when God spoke through Prophet Isaiah. God promised to comfort His people, deliver them, show them favour, avenge their enemies and restore them because of the injustice and oppression they had suffered while they were in exile (Isaiah 61:1-7). He was precise in verse 8 about His love for justice. He said, “For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity. In my faithfulness, I will reward them and make an everlasting covenant with them.” In other words, even though Israel had been robbed and oppressed, in His faithfulness, He will reward (restore) them and enter into an eternal covenant relationship with them. From them on, their descendants will be famous among the nations and everyone who sees them will know that they are a people whom God has blessed. Beginning from verse 9, Isaiah began to rejoice over Jerusalem because of what God has done. First, she is likened to a bride dressed for her wedding and whom God has clothed with salvation and victory. To confirm these promises, he added that as the soil makes the sprout to come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the sovereign Lord will make righteousness (justice) and praise spring up before all nations (vv. 10-11).

God’s promise to restore His people was as a result of His love for justice as it is indicated in the passage. Although some people are tempted to believe that God does not care about giving justice because the righteous and the poor sometimes suffer and are oppressed, God loves justice. Believers may sometimes suffer injustice but they will surely be vindicated at God’s own time and things will turn around for their good. God clearly stated in verse 8 that He loves justice, hates robbery and iniquity but in His faithfulness, He promised to reward and make an everlasting covenant with them. This means that God wants believers in Christ to make justice prevail through righteousness in our workplaces, community, church and everywhere we go. God will vindicate us by punishing those who oppress us and reward us with salvation and victory. All the nations will see it and praise God.

What should be our attitude to oppression, based on this article?

*PRAYER POINTS*

• Lord Jesus, help me to promote and practice justice always.

• Pray and ask God for perseverance as you await justice.

• Let there be transformation in our country, O Lord, so that there will be justice and peace.