A Closed Universe (1)

Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the LORD understand all things.  Proverbs 28:5

Evil Men – What did you expect?  Did you think that men who do not pursue an intimate relationship with God nor seek His counsel will give you justice?  How could they?  They live in a closed universe – closed to their own best guesses about what is right and wrong.  Their justice is stirred, and shaken, with personal motivation, leverage, influence and pressure. 

The Bible calls these people anshei-ra.  The critical term is ra, an adjective that covers a very wide range of bad and evil behaviors.  In this context, it is used to describe people who do not subject themselves to the authority of God, who spurn His law and character and rely on their own system of assumptions to render judgments.  These are not necessarily people of the court.  The Bible is clear.  Anyone who rejects God’s rule is blind to true justice. 

Followers of the Way will certainly not be surprised to find themselves in conflict with these people, even when evil men are in positions of authority and are supposed to represent what is just.  But the proverb applies across the board.  We find miscarries of justice at all levels of society because men and women who live without an active presence of God are simply not able to discern good and evil – and act accordingly.  Jesus called them “the blind leading the blind.”  We, the followers of the King, are usually the victims.

Today is the day for adjusting your view of justice in this world.  Peter calls us alien residents.  Abraham shows us that we are wanderers.  Jesus invites us on a long journey of suffering in the same direction.  But the Bible never suggests that we will experience heaven on earth.  This world has fallen.  It can be restored, slowly, carefully and in great agony and struggle, but it will never be the new heaven and the new earth.  Joy is not the same as justice.  When every knee bows and every heart proclaims that Jesus is Lord, then justice will rule the earth.  Until then, anshei-ra will live in the dark, and expect you to do the same.  You will be ill prepared for life as it is if you expect of men what only God can give.

Of course, you could decide to participate in the closed universe model.  But then you would  have to be blind, wouldn’t you?