Often, it’s the innocent ones who suffer. Children go to bed hungry because their parents waste the family money on their addictions. Hostile takeovers result in lost jobs and tragic consequences for hard-working innocent families. Mass shootings in schools, grocery stores, businesses, and places of entertainment kill or hurt innocent victims. Home and business invasions and porch pirates cost innocent people time and money. Wars result in the death or injury of people on the sidelines.
Another form of suffering that is just as painful as physical misery is the emotional trauma when someone spreads lies about us. We experience a strong desire to fight back and defend ourselves. Perhaps this is what gave rise to the phrase, “stabbed in the back.”
In this blog, I will explore the outcomes of two situations in which we see God’s justice carried out.
The first story, found in 1 Kings 21, revolves around Naboth, a simple farmer who owned land that abutted to some of the king’s land. Just like today, people with money often get the property they want “by hook or by crook”. King Ahab wanted the property, but Naboth refused to sell or trade.
Ahab moped, but his wife, Jezebel, refused to be turned down. She wrote letters in the king’s name to the civic leaders of Naboth’s town. She told them to have a couple of men falsely accuse Naboth of blasphemy, and then take Naboth outside the city and stone him to death. Talk about an abuse of power! She only cared about his land.
Though Naboth died, God carried out justice for him. During a battle, a stray arrow pierced King Ahab between sections of his armor. By the end of the day, he was dead. Later, some of Jezebel’s servants shoved her out an upper window. Her dead body was trampled by horses and then eaten by wild dogs. Justice was served! It is not always so swift or obvious, but God will avenge the innocent.
The second story revolves around the Lord Jesus. Lied about and falsely accused, “He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.” (1 Peter 2:23). Like Naboth, Jesus was killed. God’s justice was carried out, not against the Lord’s accusers only, but against all of us.
God’s wrath against sin was fully carried out against our Substitute, the Lord Jesus. It was still wrong for the religious leaders of Jesus’ day to lie about Him, but the world has benefited from it. As a result, salvation is offered as a gift by Jesus. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
When we suffer the pain of being falsely accused, Jesus is our example. “For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps.” (1 Peter 2:19–21)
A possible reason for God’s justice to not move as swiftly as we like is that God wants us to experience a deeper fellowship with Jesus. This was the desire of the Apostle Paul. “I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death.” (Philippians 3:10)
Keep trusting the Lord. He promises to take care of your reputation. “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is Mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19)
No Comments
Leave a comment Cancel