Do you know what you’re asking when you demand justice?
I mean real justice. God's justice.

Do you know what you're asking when you demand justice? I mean really know. Do any of us understand the implications of justice? Real justice? The only justice that truly is justice.

Everyone wants justice, right?

Well, truth be told, that's not right at all. Not even close.

Usually, we want justice for the things done to us.

Did those things really happen? It doesn't matter. We want justice anyway.

But then, we don't want to pay the price when things we did cause someone else to want justice.

No, justice is very much a one-way street where many of us are concerned. Correction. Justice is a one-way street where most, if not all of us are concerned.

What does God tell us about justice?

Today's topic comes from a verse in Amos. Amos, if you don't know, is one of those "minor" prophets from the Old Testament. You know, a small book. Easy to read, since it's only nine chapters. But then, also easy to ignore, because he really doesn't get talked about very much in Sunday sermons. And so, we think he's no big deal.

But, we think that at our own peril. He may be a minor prophet, but he has a major message.

Check out just this one line, which was the catalyst for the title: Do you know what you're asking when you demand justice?

Am 5:24 But let justice roll on like a river,
righteousness like a never-failing stream!

Just think about that verse. Even for just a moment.

Is that something you want? Probably not. Not unless you're the source for the river or stream. And, if there's any doubt, unlike the person holding the Justice! sign in the image at the top, you aren't the source.

Of course, that guy isn't either. He just doesn't realize it.

What's the problem? The problem is that not one of us - no one - has lived a life that won't get us caught up in the rolling river and the never-failing stream.

And how is that true? Simple. It's because God is the source of justice that rolls on like a river. And He alone is the righteous one that's like a never-failing stream.

Justice is God's. And it's from God. Applied to all of us.

I know, some of you will say that Jesus paid the price for believers. Yes, He did. And yet, this life isn't without consequences. Our sins are forgiven if we truly believe in and follow Jesus, but that doesn't mean we won't suffer some consequences from what we did in this life.

So, which one are we talking about here? Eternal justice? Or the more immediate consequences of our actions/inactions?

Let's find out.

What was the book of Amos about?

I have to put in a quick note here. Out of all the books I have in my library, only 13 show up when I search for Amos. That's not counting Bible translations - it's just general books. Although, it does include commentaries, which makes the number incredibly small. As I said - a minor prophet. Not often talked about. Or apparently, written about. Easy to skip over.

Compare the world in Amos' time with ours

Let's begin with an overview from a book titled Opening up Amos. I'm not sure it'll completely answer the question of what Amos is about. But it will set the tone quite nicely. And the relevance of the book to us today.

When Amos delivered his prophecy the nation of Israel was experiencing a time of great plenty; trade routes passing through the region had brought wealth into the land and, as a consequence, many of the people benefited from the increase in money entering the country—some had grown very rich indeed. These favoured few had become so affluent that they owned two houses—a winter house as well as a summer one (3:15)—and they had very expensive furniture to put in them both (6:4). They possessed beds and couches to lie on (3:12); and they could drink wine by the bowlful and apply the finest lotions to themselves (6:6).