“Why do the nations rebel?
Why are the countries devising plots that will fail?
The kings of the earth form a united front;
the rulers collaborate
against the Lord and his anointed king.
They say, “Let’s tear off the shackles they’ve put on us!
Let’s free ourselves from their ropes!”
The one enthroned in heaven laughs in disgust;
the Lord taunts them.” Psalm 2:1–4 (NET)
In western culture today there is no sense of justice. These are strong words coming from a mere 1st year university student. I’m not speaking of justice as some count justice. I am speaking of true justice.
Consider a few examples: A man violently rapes a woman and then another and then another only to murder the final one get caught and then spend 35 years in the prison system only to go to trial at the age of 65 and be given 3 life sentences over the course of a 5 year trial. The trial lasted 5 years because this man was wealthy and had really good i.e. expensive lawyers. He dies 1 year and six months into his 1st life sentence. Now, I ask…
Was justice done?
Another example?
A man rapes a woman no one is around to witness and he gets away with it for some time. The woman became pregnant with child via the heinous crime. She goes to the Planned Parenthood clinic near her home and ends the life of the growing child within her. Five years later she is married and has her first child, it dies of miscarriage, and a second, and then a third, in fact she is married to her husband for 10 years before he leaves her for another woman whom actually bares him children. She kills herself 5 years later. Ten years later abandoned video footage is found showing the man who originally raped the woman and he is sentenced to life in prison. Now, I ask…
Was Justice done?
One more?
A seventeen year old young man goes to a party with some friends. There are many underage teens at the party and he ends up making out with a 15 year old girl in a closet. They were extremely drunk at the time, and neither remember much after the fact, because, well alcohol. She remembers the event 30 years later in a self help therapy session, but unlike the original night she thinks the trauma she feels inside from some other repressed memory is really because he abused her. The man on the other hand had no memory of the event (again alcohol does that) and goes on to live a life without the need of self help repressed memory therapy. He also becomes a successful lawyer and then judge in the legal system (one unlike our earlier example lawyers). She then accuses him of the action done (in her own memory) he looses all respect from his peers and any future advancement in his lifelong vocation. It is in fact found out a few years later that she mad up the story whole cloth and it was actually a friend who experienced all the events and that her friend in a drunken stupor came onto the other underage youth (again alcohol). Now, I ask…
Was justice done?
As far as I know none of these are actual stories, though inspired by many different events gathered into three different stories. The real questions to be asked are these:
To whom was any justice done?
Please define justice?
Why does it even matter?
Only the Triune God of scripture defines justice and his terms are inextricable. A rapist is supposed to die, that is justice (Duet 22:25–27).
A murderer is supposed to die, that is justice (Gen 9:5–7).
To bare false witness and defame an innocent man without any evidence demands justice (Duet 19:15–21).
Western culture has rejected God and they are enraged at him. I’m certain no amount of gesticulation from culture or those who fain obeisance will turn the tides of divine judgement that has been inflicted. It is time for individuals to act on their own behalf as we always must and speak all the more the gospel of people’s salvation. For we deserve such justice for our own wrongs not just culture…
“Then he angrily speaks to them
and terrifies them in his rage, saying,
“I myself have installed my king
on Zion, my holy hill.”
The king says, “I will announce the Lord’s decree. He said to me:
‘You are my son! This very day I have become your father!
Ask me,
and I will give you the nations as your inheritance,
the ends of the earth as your personal property.
You will break them with an iron scepter;
you will smash them like a potter’s jar!’”
So now, you kings, do what is wise;
you rulers of the earth, submit to correction!
Serve the Lord in fear!
Repent in terror!
Give sincere homage!
Otherwise he will be angry,
and you will die because of your behavior,
when his anger quickly ignites.
How blessed are all who take shelter in him!” Psalm 2:5–12 (NET)
Daniel Gutfeld 