this blog and its content are meant to glorify the Almighty.

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

**Sheeps and Goats

People who believe that they have been abused seek justice. The abused want wrong to be punished amd the right to be rewarded. Where wrong have triumphed, the look for restitution. Where right has been ignored, they look for recognition. By contrast, people who have abused others seeks mercy. When their wrong go unnoticed, they hope it will remain so. When their wrongs are exposed, they hope that they not be caught. Should those people be brought to justice, they look for mercy. When mercy is granted, the abused cry," Where's the justice?" When the abused are dealt with firmly, they complaint," Where's the mercy?"
There are simlar complaints in Ezekiel's time, directed against the Lord! The people were saying, " the Lord is not just." To this the Lord replied," I will judged each of you according to your deeds" (Ezek. 33:20). The "deeds" of which he spoke were the dealings that the people of Israel were having with each other. They all belonged to the same nation, were all beneficiaries of the same covenant, and were all suffering the same punishments for the unfaihfulness. But there the similarity ended. From a distance, they all looked the same. But the Lord knew the difference and promised that He will separate "the sheeps from the goats" (34:17). The Lord will deal with the "fat and powerful" who were abusing the "injured" and the "weak" (34:16). What would be the Lord's treatment of the abusers? He promised to feed them -- but to "feed them justice" (34:16).
The Lord's indignation and promised judgement were leveled at those whose behavior showed scant regard for anyone other than themselves. Maintaining the sheeps and goats analogy, He complainted," Is it not enough for you to keep the best of the pastures for yourselves?" Must you also trample down the rest? ... All that is left for My flock to eat is what you have trampled down. All they have to drink is the water that you have fouled" (34:18-19).
Social studies is the name we give to concerns to this nature today. It has always been a concern of the Lord's. But it has not necessarily been a concern of his people. The Lord repeatedly sent His prophets to remind His people that they must treat their neighbors justly. And He constantly reminded them that failure to exercise justice would mean they would be subjected to divine justice! But they dished out injustice and craved mercy. Nothing has changed.
Fortunately for us, our just and righteous Lord is full of compassion and grace. When we appreciate this and appropriate His mercy, we will demonstrate a concern for justice.
This separates the sheeps from the goats.

from "The one year book of devotions for men" by Stuart Briscoe

Last edited 10:52 PM

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