The God of Justice (2)

I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against Him, until He pleads my case and executes justice for me.  He will bring me out to the light, and I will see His righteousness. Micah 7:9

Indignation – The storm warnings are out.  There is a fury in the sky, headed this way.  This is the big one, a 5.0 tornado, a category 5 hurricane, a sandstorm that none will survive.  That’s the impact of the Hebrew word za’aph.  God’s fury has arrived.  Most importantly, in the Hebrew Bible, this is the first word in the verse.  Za’aph YHWH is Micah’s cry.  God’s storm is pouring out on me.

Did you notice that Micah’s real focus is not on his personal guilt but rather on God’s anger?  I just might be able to bear up under guilt.  After all, I can always find excuses or resignation or denial.  Guilt is internal psychological distress.  There are pills for this.  But there is no remedy for God’s storm.  No denial, no excuse, no deflection can remove the lightning and wind that will destroy me.  There are no pills to keep the tornado from tearing my home apart.  God’s wrath is a cross no man can bear!

This recognition is crucial.  Our world would love to just deal with the guilt.  We could point to Jesus and happily say, “Oh, He paid for it all,” as though His death makes us immune.  We live in a religious atmosphere where believing is the equivalent of political endorsement.  Just put a “Jesus” sign on your car or wear a “WWJD” bracelet, and life will be wonderful.  We haven’t heard Micah.  It’s not guilt that he fears.  It’s God’s wrath.  My sin might produce an inner discomfort that I call “feeling guilty,” but it is not likely to place me in the hands of an angry God until I understand what justice means.  That’s a mistake Micah doesn’t make.  The first thing on his mind is God’s impending storm.  There is no avoiding the rushing disaster.

There are two results to za’aph.  The first is unsettled anger.  The storm clouds in the heart of a holy God will be unleashed.  The Bible calls this rage.  The second result is another emotional catastrophe.  Za’aph can also result in dejection (see Genesis 40:6).  There is a kind of hopelessness that comes as a result of those who refuse to act on the truth.  I’m not sure if God ever feels this way, but it wouldn’t surprise me.  Remember what He said about the evil of men before He washed the earth of them?  He grieved over their rebellion (Genesis 6:6).  Then the storm came.

One more look will cement the picture.  Jesus faces the same storm in the Garden on the night of His arrest.  “If this cup can pass,” is His recognition of the truth in Micah’s announcement.  The cup of God’s wrath is beyond bearing.  It took the life of the Son.  It will most certainly take our lives since we are far less human than He was.

Justice begins here.  It begins with the personal awareness that God’s storm clouds are coming for me.  Do you want to know what justice means?  Are you willing to look into the gale and see yourself?

Topical Index:  Justice