In 1963, Martin Luther King who wholeheartedly fought against social injustice quoted Amos 5: 24 in his most famous speech "I have a dream" saying: "But let judgment roll down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream." What did he really mean by that?
Justice and righteousness
It has been said: "When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist.". the tension is there between those who focus more on evangelism often to the neglect of social need such as feeding the hungry and seeking freedom and justice for the oppressed, and those who seek to change the world with socio-political actions.
Your duty as Christian is to both, evangelize and improve your society. Justice is actually central to faith living. The prophet Micah sums up the entire issue with few words: "He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6: 8).
The Bible is actually full of details about the way in which justice is to be practiced by the community. For instance, the law delivered by Muses after his meeting with God on the mountain includes a great deal about just actions (Exodus 23: 1-13). There are laws about fair business practices (Exodus 22: 25-27 or Leviticus 19: 11-37), legal justice (Exodus 22: 25-27, Leviticus 25, Deuteronomy 15: 1-4). Special care is given to strangers and sojourners (Exodus 23: 9). Special care is also given to those who are voiceless and on the margins of society, the orphan and widows (Deuteronomy 10: 17-19).
Justice for creation
The bible does not focus on God-man relationship only. It actually includes the whole of creation. We mostly remember God's covenant with humanity and neglect God's covenant with creation that was made with Noah after the flood. Our relationship to God's creation must be a righteous one based on respect and justice. Thus despite long held views of exploitation to the contrary (based in part on the exhortation to "have dominion" over the earth in Genesis 1: 26-28), we are to exercise justice in our relationship to the land (Psalm 37: 1-29, Jeremiah 7: 1-15).
Justice and worship
Most people misunderstand the concept of prayer. They think that going to Church for worship is a time of relaxation. This is not the case, God uses prayer to challenge us and face us with our dark-side. God challenges us to stand against hunger, homelessness, exploitation of the poor and the needy, you name it. This was the case at the time of Amos. People, in his time were prosperous but spiritually declining. God refused them saying:
"I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not delight in your solemn assemblies. Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your food offerings, I will not be pleased. Nor will I regard the peace offerings of your fat animals. Take the noise of your songs away from Me; for I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments. But let judgment roll down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream." Amos 5: 21-24
After Israel returned from Exile, they disputed the issue of fasting. So, God sent them the prophet Zakariah to inform them the following:
“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other.’
“But they stubbornly refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and stopped up their ears. They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. So the Lord Almighty was very angry.
“‘When I called, they did not listen; so when they called, I would not listen,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations, where they were strangers. The land was left so desolate behind them that no one could come or go. This is how they made the pleasant land desolate.’” Zechariah 7:8-14
This is what God in Isaiah had already said: “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?” (Isaiah 58:6).
What was true in ancient Israel is still true today. You have an opportunity here to do something you can not do in heaven, that is, to share the gospel and serve the people in need. So, social Justice and Christian living are inseparable. We need to be passionate and loving, truly concerned about our fellow human beings. St. Paul says: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3-4).
God of Justice
One of the most important verses in the bible with regard to justice is this: “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!” (Isaiah 30:18). So, the Lord is a God of justice and whoever does justice is of God. God is so passionate about justice:
"The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love" (Psalm 33:5). "Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you" (Psalm 89:14). "The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy" (Psalm 111:7). "Many seek an audience with a ruler, but it is from the Lord that man gets justice" (Proverbs 29:26). “For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity” (Isaiah 61:8).
Justice was also a concern for Jesus. He wanted to transcend social, racial and economic barriers in his ministry. He spoke about the Good Samaritan (Luke 10: 25-27). Dr. Kenneth Boa says: "In Jesus’ story of the Good Samaritan, we encounter three distinct philosophies of life. The thieves selfishly say, “What’s yours is mine.” The clergymen, with dreadful justification, say, “What’s mine is mine.” The despised Samaritan surprisingly says, “What’s mine is yours.” He alone is worthy of being called “good,” because he alone models the character and nature of God. It’s not just a matter of what he does, but what he is."
God's promise for the just people
There has been so many living saints who truly loved to evangelize the world and do justice to their fellow human beings. St. Ephrem the Syrian (303-373 AD) in ancient Christianity is remembered for his vital role in helping the poor. He actually helped alleviate the rigors of the famine of winter 372-73 by distributing food and money to the stricken and helping the poor.
the bible promises those who follow the example of St. Ephrem: "If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments and do them, then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. And your threshing shall reach to the vintage, and the vintage shall reach to the sowing time. And you shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely. And I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down and none shall make you afraid. … I will have respect to you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish My covenant with you. And I will set My tabernacle among you. And My soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be My people." (Leviticus 26: 3-12)
Those who live justly and faithfully will be blessed. This blessing continues in the New Testament as well. In Matthew 25: 31-46, we read in the famous sheep and goats parable of Jesus that those who will receive God's blessing are those who have served the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, the prisoner, the "least of these".
Prayer
Dear Lord, I dare to call you my Father because you made me your son through Jesus. I thank you for showing me the truth about how to live a just life: in serving others and helping them to know you better. Give me the courage Lord to sacrifice some of my time, money, and rest for those in need. I ask you to help me to make my thoughts, words and actions according to your will. So that I may praise you with all of my being. I make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen
source: http://syriacbiblestudy.blogspot.com/2009/06/in-1963-martin-luther-king-who.html
Justice and righteousness
It has been said: "When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist.". the tension is there between those who focus more on evangelism often to the neglect of social need such as feeding the hungry and seeking freedom and justice for the oppressed, and those who seek to change the world with socio-political actions.Your duty as Christian is to both, evangelize and improve your society. Justice is actually central to faith living. The prophet Micah sums up the entire issue with few words: "He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6: 8).
The Bible is actually full of details about the way in which justice is to be practiced by the community. For instance, the law delivered by Muses after his meeting with God on the mountain includes a great deal about just actions (Exodus 23: 1-13). There are laws about fair business practices (Exodus 22: 25-27 or Leviticus 19: 11-37), legal justice (Exodus 22: 25-27, Leviticus 25, Deuteronomy 15: 1-4). Special care is given to strangers and sojourners (Exodus 23: 9). Special care is also given to those who are voiceless and on the margins of society, the orphan and widows (Deuteronomy 10: 17-19).
Justice for creation
The bible does not focus on God-man relationship only. It actually includes the whole of creation. We mostly remember God's covenant with humanity and neglect God's covenant with creation that was made with Noah after the flood. Our relationship to God's creation must be a righteous one based on respect and justice. Thus despite long held views of exploitation to the contrary (based in part on the exhortation to "have dominion" over the earth in Genesis 1: 26-28), we are to exercise justice in our relationship to the land (Psalm 37: 1-29, Jeremiah 7: 1-15).Justice and worship
Most people misunderstand the concept of prayer. They think that going to Church for worship is a time of relaxation. This is not the case, God uses prayer to challenge us and face us with our dark-side. God challenges us to stand against hunger, homelessness, exploitation of the poor and the needy, you name it. This was the case at the time of Amos. People, in his time were prosperous but spiritually declining. God refused them saying:"I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not delight in your solemn assemblies. Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your food offerings, I will not be pleased. Nor will I regard the peace offerings of your fat animals. Take the noise of your songs away from Me; for I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments. But let judgment roll down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream." Amos 5: 21-24
After Israel returned from Exile, they disputed the issue of fasting. So, God sent them the prophet Zakariah to inform them the following:
“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other.’
“But they stubbornly refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and stopped up their ears. They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. So the Lord Almighty was very angry.
“‘When I called, they did not listen; so when they called, I would not listen,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations, where they were strangers. The land was left so desolate behind them that no one could come or go. This is how they made the pleasant land desolate.’” Zechariah 7:8-14
This is what God in Isaiah had already said: “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?” (Isaiah 58:6).
What was true in ancient Israel is still true today. You have an opportunity here to do something you can not do in heaven, that is, to share the gospel and serve the people in need. So, social Justice and Christian living are inseparable. We need to be passionate and loving, truly concerned about our fellow human beings. St. Paul says: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3-4).
God of Justice
One of the most important verses in the bible with regard to justice is this: “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!” (Isaiah 30:18). So, the Lord is a God of justice and whoever does justice is of God. God is so passionate about justice:"The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love" (Psalm 33:5). "Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you" (Psalm 89:14). "The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy" (Psalm 111:7). "Many seek an audience with a ruler, but it is from the Lord that man gets justice" (Proverbs 29:26). “For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity” (Isaiah 61:8).
Justice was also a concern for Jesus. He wanted to transcend social, racial and economic barriers in his ministry. He spoke about the Good Samaritan (Luke 10: 25-27). Dr. Kenneth Boa says: "In Jesus’ story of the Good Samaritan, we encounter three distinct philosophies of life. The thieves selfishly say, “What’s yours is mine.” The clergymen, with dreadful justification, say, “What’s mine is mine.” The despised Samaritan surprisingly says, “What’s mine is yours.” He alone is worthy of being called “good,” because he alone models the character and nature of God. It’s not just a matter of what he does, but what he is."
God's promise for the just people
There has been so many living saints who truly loved to evangelize the world and do justice to their fellow human beings. St. Ephrem the Syrian (303-373 AD) in ancient Christianity is remembered for his vital role in helping the poor. He actually helped alleviate the rigors of the famine of winter 372-73 by distributing food and money to the stricken and helping the poor.the bible promises those who follow the example of St. Ephrem: "If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments and do them, then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. And your threshing shall reach to the vintage, and the vintage shall reach to the sowing time. And you shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely. And I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down and none shall make you afraid. … I will have respect to you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish My covenant with you. And I will set My tabernacle among you. And My soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be My people." (Leviticus 26: 3-12)
Those who live justly and faithfully will be blessed. This blessing continues in the New Testament as well. In Matthew 25: 31-46, we read in the famous sheep and goats parable of Jesus that those who will receive God's blessing are those who have served the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, the prisoner, the "least of these".
Prayer
Dear Lord, I dare to call you my Father because you made me your son through Jesus. I thank you for showing me the truth about how to live a just life: in serving others and helping them to know you better. Give me the courage Lord to sacrifice some of my time, money, and rest for those in need. I ask you to help me to make my thoughts, words and actions according to your will. So that I may praise you with all of my being. I make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen
source: http://syriacbiblestudy.blogspot.com/2009/06/in-1963-martin-luther-king-who.html
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