Justice

"As for the cities which you shall give from the possession of the sons of Israel, you shall take more from the larger and you shall take less from the smaller; each shall give some of his cities to the Levites in proportion to his possession which he inherits... The cities shall be to you as a refuge from the avenger, so that the manslayer will not die until he stands before the congregation for trial... But if he struck him down with an iron object, so that he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. But if he pushed him suddenly without enmity, or threw something at him without lying in wait, or with any deadly object of stone, and without seeing it dropped on him so that he died, while he was not his enemy nor seeking his injury, then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the blood avenger according to these ordinances. The congregation shall deliver the manslayer from the hand of the blood avenger, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge to which he fled; and he shall live in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil." -Numbers 35.8, 12, 16, 22-25

Chapter 35 repeats things for this new generation that the old generation had been told. They are instructed to give land and cities for the Levites, as well as to provide cities of refuge for manslaughter. The larger tribes are to give more and the smaller tribes are to give less. We see God's justice in the fact that those with more are required to give more. God's system did not involve the rich getting richer while the poor got poorer.

Here we also see God's justice when it comes to human life. If a man was guilty of murder, God called it that and issued a penalty of death. But if the killing was accidental, manslaughter, then there was a provision set up so that justice could be carried out and life protected. God is all about justice. He punishes the guilty and spares the innocent. He looks out for the poor, and calls the rich to give.

Men, can the same be said of us? Do we seek justice both for the guilty as well as the innocent? Do we seek to protect life? Do we give what we are able to give or just what we feel like because it's all someone else gave? Are we just, or at the very least seeking to be?

If we would be men of God, we must seek justice. Let us stand up for what is right. Let us carry out punishments when they must be enforced. Let give fairly.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor