Where Is the God of justice?

“Life is not fair. God is not good. God is not just.” That is exactly what the children of Israel said in the Book of Malachi! The people returned from captivity and faced one difficult circumstance after another. They faced intimidation, distraction, accusations and even physical threats. Their enemies hired counselors (professional lobbyists) against them. Lies were told. Letters were sent to the Medo-Persian emperor accusing them. They had to rebuild the walls with one hand on their sword and the other hand on the trowel. Times were hard.

The people doubted God’s justice. They said, “’Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord and He delights in them,’ or, ‘Where is the God of justice?’” (Malachi 2:17) They doubted God’s goodness and they doubted God’s justice. Whenever we complain about our circumstances we are doing the same thing.

In Malachi chapter 3 verses 1 to 6 God defended His justice in three points. First, the Messiah will come. God said, “’Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the Messenger of the Covenant, in Whom you delight, behold He is coming,’ says the Lord of hosts.”

Everything will be made right at the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus. The wheels of God’s justice may be very slow but they grind exceedingly fine. The people in Malachi’s day were waiting for the next big event in God’s calendar- the First Coming of the Lord Jesus. We today are waiting for the next big event- the Second Coming of Jesus.

Verse 2 continues, “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap.” Jesus Christ will return to judge the wicked and to set up His kingdom in perfect righteousness.

Jesus said in Matthew 25:31, “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.” Jesus said, “For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be” (Matthew 24:27). Jesus is coming back with great power and great glory.

Second, the Messiah’s coming will be impartial. In verse 3 Malachi said, “He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they present to the Lord offerings in righteousness.” Malachi basically said, “Root the sin out of your own life. Turn away from sin because the Messiah is coming to purify His people.”

Third, God’s justice is tempered by mercy. Malachi 3:6 says, “For I, the Lord, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.” God made covenants with the nation of Israel. The Abrahamic Covenant was made with Abraham and then confirmed through Isaac and Jacob. God placed His love upon Israel.

God never lies. He always keeps His Word. He does not change (He keeps His promises), therefore there is mercy and grace at the cross of Jesus.

Do you ever feel that life is not fair? Have the events of your life not turned out the way you expected? Do you sometimes doubt God’s goodness and God’s justice? Perhaps you need to take a long term perspective. The apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:17 said, “For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.” Our present difficulties are light and temporary. The future glory God offers through His Son Jesus is eternal.

John Newton was a slave trader. In Africa he fell upon hard times and became a slave himself. On the trip home his ship faced a violent storm. Newton came face to face with the grace of God. He later wrote the famous hymn Amazing Grace. “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me; I once was lost, but now am found, was blind but now I see.” Jesus came to suffer and die and pay for our sins. He is returning again to punish the wicked, reward the saints and set up His kingdom. Isaac Newton said, “When we’ve been there, ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun, we’ve no less days to sing God’s praise then when we first begun.” Take the long term perspective and never doubt God’s justice or God’s goodness!

Ethan Hansen is a pastor at Faith Bible Fellowship in Big Lake.