Word of Encouragement (01/02/2025)

"If a man sins against his neighbor and is made to take an oath and comes and swears his oath before your altar in this house, 23 then hear from heaven and act and judge your servants, repaying the guilty by bringing his conduct on his own head, and vindicating the righteous by rewarding him according to his righteousness. (2 Chron. 6:22-23)

In the previous verse, Solomon prayed that the LORD would hear his and his people’s prayers when they prayed toward the temple (v. 21). Now, he goes on to give examples of what they may be praying to God. In today’s passage, we see the very first one, which is about justice. We can understand why: As Israel’s king, Solomon has to function as Israel’s highest judge. He thinks of a situation, in which a sin is committed but there is no witness. There is a suspect, but no charge can be brought against him because there is no witness. Maybe something like this has already happened. What is to be done in such cases?

Solomon’s petition includes a partial solution. The suspect is to take an oath of self-malediction (“If I am lying, let me be cursed by the LORD!”) before the altar at the temple. But what use is of this procedure if the LORD does not take notice of such an oath and keep the oath-takers accountable? He doesn’t want the honor of God to be slighted by lying, impudent blasphemers. God is the foundation of justice. If that foundation is shaken, what will happen to justice? People will lose the reason to obey God’s law and uphold justice and righteousness. Solomon prays that the LORD would not allow liars and oath-breakers to go unpunished. Solomon recognizes his limitations: he is not able to see through people and know what goes on in their minds and hearts. He is asking the LORD to be Israel’s ultimate Judge.

Notice what Solomon asks the LORD to do: “...judge your servants, condemning the guilty by bringing his conduct on his own head, and vindicating the righteous by rewarding him according to his righteousness.” This is what a just judge is to do. We can see why. If the judge condemns the righteous and vindicates the guilty, what would happen to society? That destroys the fabric of society. How unsettling and hopeless we would feel if those who are entrusted with maintaining justice practice injustice! Where can you turn to when you are grossly wronged if the police are corrupt and you can’t trust the judicial system?

To “vindicate” the righteous is to “justify” the righteous. That is the job of a judge. But what do we read in Rom. 4:5? “And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness....” God is doing the very opposite of what Solomon asked! But is He? No. He can extend this grace to “the ungodly” without compromising His justice because Jesus satisfied God’s justice through His atoning sacrifice for sinners. If God did only what Solomon asked, there could be no salvation for sinners. But God answered Solomon’s prayer and more. How encouraging! What a blessing it is to pray to the God of the Bible! May the Lord convict and woo your heart to pray more diligently and fervently!