scripture

A Biblical Perspective on Justice in Leadership

Tom Ratkovich, , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

“Evil men do not understand justice,
but those who seek the Lord understand it completely.”

Proverbs 28:5 contrasts two fundamentally divergent ways of seeing our world. There is the way of the disobedient to God – those who are morally incapable of recognizing true justice because their evil, self-centered desires distort their judgment. They are not only unable to be just; they are similarly incapable of humility, mercy, compassion and love.

Conversely, those who seek God are uniquely capable of understanding His justice because they see others through a lens forged in God’s character. His word not only defines justice, but teaches how it is to be carried out.

“You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality, and you shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the cause of the righteous. Justice, and only justice, you shall follow…” Deuteronomy 16:19-20a

The takeaway: Justice rejects favoritism. Justice despises corruption.

“You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man to be a malicious witness. You shall not fall in with the many to do evil, nor shall you bear witness in a lawsuit, siding with the many, so as to pervert justice.” Exodus 23:1-2

The takeaway: Truth and justice cannot be severed.

“What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8

The takeaway: Justice is inseparable from gentleness, mercy and humility.

“Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.” Isaiah 1:17

The takeaway: Justice protects the poor, the oppressed and the vulnerable.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness.” Matthew 23:23

The takeaway: Proclamations of faith without justice is hypocrisy.

This proverb has profound implications for political leadership. One might argue, for instance, that the foremost obligation of government is to ensure justice for all. How should we assess the ability of our leaders to dispense justice in an upright and impartial manner?

Do they reject favoritism and corruption? Do they lie? Are they gentle, merciful and humble? Do they help the helpless? Do they profess faith but live in disobedience to God’s word?

Fundamentally, Proverbs 28:5 is a call to humility. Understanding justice begins not with political ideology but with obedience to the Lord—truth instead of falsehood, impartiality instead of favoritism, compassion instead of condemnation. Justice does not bend to power or personal loyalty. That standard applies equally to every political leader, every movement and every believer.

Isaiah 5:13: A Call to Know God

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Two-and-a-half years ago, I authored a post discussing The Imperative to Know God. The message was a simple one: Spiritual ignorance makes one ripe for worldly pursuits and the poor decisions that follow.

We were made by God to know God. He desires that we grow in our knowledge of Him and His purpose for us. In so doing, we not only nurture our love for Him but we come to know the peace and the joy that such knowledge begets.

This post recently came to mind as I was reading through the book of Isaiah, specifically verse 5:13:

“Therefore my people go into exile for lack of knowledge;
their honored men go hungry,
and their multitude is parched with thirst.”

This verse is a vital component of the larger prophetic message of Isaiah 5 in which the prophet delivers God’s judgment against Israel’s southern kingdom, Judah. It conveys a strong warning regarding the consequences of spiritual and moral failure.

Such failure is a consequence of intellectual and spiritual ignorance. As noted in my earlier post, I have been there. This ignorance made me incapable of understanding God’s will for me, His love of me, and the consequences of my disobedience.

Those consequences stem from God’s judgment. As Isaiah makes clear in 5:13, divine judgment is forthcoming for all of us. Judah’s disobedience would precipitate exile and deprivation – a deprivation that is symbolic of both physical need and spiritual emptiness.

Disobedience to God stems from illiteracy of His word and His will. As documented in the Bible’s Old Testament, Judah rejected His wisdom and truth. It abandoned God’s ways and was subjected to His judgment of exile to Babylon, just as the Lord had cautioned through His prophets.

I offer my thoughts below on two critical questions:

  1. What is the application of Isaiah 5:13 today?
  2. How do we cultivate our knowledge of God?

Regarding the first, this verse is a wake-up call to the importance of seeking and valuing God’s truth. It further warns about the consequences of moral and spiritual apathy, especially among leaders of men. Perhaps most importantly, it is an encouragement to cultivate a deep, living relationship with God, not simply a cursory acknowledgement of His existence.

So, how do we make that happen?

A pastor friend of mine wisely advised that one cannot have a relationship with God without an understanding of scripture. This does not simply mean memorizing key Bible verses or studying the big stories that many of us were exposed to in Sunday school. It means comprehending the Bible’s overall narrative, seeing that it is not a tethering of unrelated anecdotes but a single, awesome and loving rendering of God’s “creation-to-salvation” plan for the restoration of man.

Certainly, this undertaking may, at times, seem overwhelming – particularly in the midst of Leviticus. But the rewards of perseverance are considerable (more below).

Two suggestions: first, set aside time each day for worship, prayer and Bible study – ideally upon waking. Second, get help and/or inspiration. Two of my favorite sources for doing so are The Bible Project (the animated overviews of each chapter are very enlightening} and The Bible Recap offering a daily summation and interpretation of each day’s reading. Links to these and selected resources are available HERE.

The benefits to knowing God are profound. I made reference earlier to the peace and joy that such knowledge engenders. In a previous post, I argued that the Bible validates God’s existence. I believe that a diligent, thoughtful study of scripture could lead to no other conclusion. And as God has Himself reminded us through His prophet Isaiah, knowledge and obedience to His will prepares each of us for the divine judgment we will inevitably face.

Discovering Spiritual Truths through Music: Scripture & the Environment

Tom Ratkovich, , , , , , 1 Comment

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Genesis 1:26-28)

From “the Beginning,” God has made man the custodians of the earth and all living things. Such a responsibility tasks humanity with the stewardship of all creation – not its exploitation. This is further underscored a few verses later in 2:15:

Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.

Although the Bible does not directly speak to modern ecological issues, there are foundational principles given throughout scripture that provide a framework for understanding mankind’s role as steward over the earth. In addition to God’s instruction in Genesis, for example, we see evidence of these in His directions to give rest to the land (Leviticus 25) and avoid waste (John 6:12).

Perhaps the strongest direction comes in the Lord’s command to “love your neighbor as yourself” – and to understand that His instruction applies even to those yet to be born.

Here is a beautiful song from my friend Tom Mohr that will offer inspiration to those of us that understand our obligation to future generations.