The Justice of the One
“Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb,
and the leopard shall lie down with the kid;
the calf and the young lion shall browse together,
with a little child to guide them.”Isaiah 11:6
What comes to mind when you hear the term “justice?” Perhaps you think of a courtroom and a judge, a defendant and witnesses, perhaps even a jury. Maybe the idea of retribution and punishment or the concept of guilt and innocence comes to mind. Or maybe the scale of justice balance imagery. These come to mind because that is how justice is depicted in this world that we live in, one that is bound by time and space. However, the justice of the One who is Justice itself transcends this world and time and space. The justice of the One is defined by unmerited mercy, love, and grace, all of which are extended towards us and given to us, if only we choose to receive them.
Isaiah prophesied of a day where justice and faithfulness embrace, where the people will be judged not by their appearances, but by their heart. A day and a place where all will live in perfect harmony. This justice that the Lord will mete out is His love. “Not as the world gives do I give” (John 14:27). His justice is reconciliation. His justice is mercy. For all. This may seem impossible but it is possible for God, for He can make a shoot sprout from a stump, draw light out of darkness, and bring life out of death.
The One whom Isaiah’s prophecy points to is the mightier One who John the Baptist proclaimed in the wilderness. John the Baptist preached, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” While baptizing at the Jordan River, some of the Pharisees and Sadducees came to him and he admonished them calling them “a brood of vipers” who are like trees that do not bear good fruit. However, John the Baptist still encourages them and extends the invitation to repent to them. For no one is beyond God‘s mercy and Jesus came for all.
As we continue with this Advent season, let us reflect upon the encounter between John the Baptist and the Pharisees and Sadducees. Are we Christians simply in name or are we Christians because of the way we live? Are we like trees that bear good fruit or are we trees that are just for show? It is not enough to simply to say that we love God and that we follow Jesus. It is not enough to simply post online about how much God means to us. We need to live it out; we need to live in a manner that allows people to encounter Christ in us. This Advent may we be like John the Baptist, who in all humility, lived out the call to which God had called him, making Jesus Christ known to all and telling people of the unconditional love and boundless mercy of God, that which is the justice of the One.
