We often come to our God and scripture in search of peace and encouragement. However, if it was our intention today, it will not be fulfilled because our text this morning speaks of warnings and punishments.
The text issues a warning to the ones who do injustice. Those who abuse power by oppressing and subjugating fellow human beings. Those who wrong the poor, rob the widows and orphans, harass the helpless will not be able to escape in the day of judgement. The wealth they have ill-acquired, the gods they have replaced with the one true God will not be able to purchase the immunity for the day of judgement and they will have to face the ultimate judge, who judges righteously, completely opposite of the judges mentioned in the text. This pericope is a lament in which the prophet decrees the Southern Kingdom will meet the same fate as the North if it does not cease acting unjustly. The Lord's voice is always for righteousness, Isaiah says, "Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed". - Scribes or registrars preserve all the forms of the court, and keep their pens busy upon the court register, writing down every case, and appearing to do the business correctly and thoughtfully; and yet, all the while, these very registrars were themselves plotting "to take away the right from the poor, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless." The court of law was turned into a means of robbery, as it is in nearly every country under the sun. Zach. 7:8 also deals with the same topic of injustice to the poor and the helpless. God calls for the justice to the poor, orphans, sojourner and widows. Amos in 8:4-6 warns the people who indulge in the same kind of wrongdoings. God says, "Surely I will never forget any of their deeds" and God's anger on these people will cause the earth to tremble.
What can we learn from the text for present day application, for a time such as this? There are two questions we can ask. Who are these oppressed ones, widows and orphans, the helpless? Those who are denied their rights by the unjust system, those who are oppressed by the dominant in the society are the oppressed ones and the scripture tells us that God is on the side of the oppressed. Those who are oppressed in the name of caste, creed, race, ethnicity, citizenship, religion, materialism, profit of the multi nationals are cared for by God. We are warned in the scripture, of God's displeasure and wrath if we become part of this cycle and system of oppressing our brothers and sisters.
Then secondly, how can we define injustice or doing justice in today's context. We do not work in a court of law, neither are we lawyers and judge. We are a theological community. How do we render justice to those who are denied of it. We have to go against the system which profits some and destroys many; we have to stand against the violence in the name of gender, caste and religion. We have to raise voice against ethnic violence in our country and outside our country as well. In the case of places like Palestine, where people are killed because of their ethnic origin, on issues of a small piece of land, we have to raise our voice against these kinds of injustice and oppression. Standing in solidarity with our brothers and sisters oppressed by dominant structures, by being a part of their struggle for justice we can be a part of a justice process.
What is our take on happenings like these? Are we maintaining our neutrality, are we just sitting, doing nothing? Do we face a moral crisis of supporting or not supporting the cause of the oppressed? By doing nothing, just witnessing the injustices around us we can be accused of being part of the biggest injustice in today's world as we silently approve the wrongdoings of the oppressor. Dante says in his masterpiece Inferno that the darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis.
The challenge, therefore, dear friends, is very clear today. The choice is ours. Do we choose neutrality and be ready for God's displeasure or do we raise our voice, stand against injustices in solidarity with our brothers and sisters and, maybe, suffer a bit in this world but please God by doing God's will? Are we ready to take this challenge? May God bless us all. Amen
Ashish Archer
MTh I
The text issues a warning to the ones who do injustice. Those who abuse power by oppressing and subjugating fellow human beings. Those who wrong the poor, rob the widows and orphans, harass the helpless will not be able to escape in the day of judgement. The wealth they have ill-acquired, the gods they have replaced with the one true God will not be able to purchase the immunity for the day of judgement and they will have to face the ultimate judge, who judges righteously, completely opposite of the judges mentioned in the text. This pericope is a lament in which the prophet decrees the Southern Kingdom will meet the same fate as the North if it does not cease acting unjustly. The Lord's voice is always for righteousness, Isaiah says, "Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed". - Scribes or registrars preserve all the forms of the court, and keep their pens busy upon the court register, writing down every case, and appearing to do the business correctly and thoughtfully; and yet, all the while, these very registrars were themselves plotting "to take away the right from the poor, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless." The court of law was turned into a means of robbery, as it is in nearly every country under the sun. Zach. 7:8 also deals with the same topic of injustice to the poor and the helpless. God calls for the justice to the poor, orphans, sojourner and widows. Amos in 8:4-6 warns the people who indulge in the same kind of wrongdoings. God says, "Surely I will never forget any of their deeds" and God's anger on these people will cause the earth to tremble.
What can we learn from the text for present day application, for a time such as this? There are two questions we can ask. Who are these oppressed ones, widows and orphans, the helpless? Those who are denied their rights by the unjust system, those who are oppressed by the dominant in the society are the oppressed ones and the scripture tells us that God is on the side of the oppressed. Those who are oppressed in the name of caste, creed, race, ethnicity, citizenship, religion, materialism, profit of the multi nationals are cared for by God. We are warned in the scripture, of God's displeasure and wrath if we become part of this cycle and system of oppressing our brothers and sisters.
Then secondly, how can we define injustice or doing justice in today's context. We do not work in a court of law, neither are we lawyers and judge. We are a theological community. How do we render justice to those who are denied of it. We have to go against the system which profits some and destroys many; we have to stand against the violence in the name of gender, caste and religion. We have to raise voice against ethnic violence in our country and outside our country as well. In the case of places like Palestine, where people are killed because of their ethnic origin, on issues of a small piece of land, we have to raise our voice against these kinds of injustice and oppression. Standing in solidarity with our brothers and sisters oppressed by dominant structures, by being a part of their struggle for justice we can be a part of a justice process.
What is our take on happenings like these? Are we maintaining our neutrality, are we just sitting, doing nothing? Do we face a moral crisis of supporting or not supporting the cause of the oppressed? By doing nothing, just witnessing the injustices around us we can be accused of being part of the biggest injustice in today's world as we silently approve the wrongdoings of the oppressor. Dante says in his masterpiece Inferno that the darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis.
The challenge, therefore, dear friends, is very clear today. The choice is ours. Do we choose neutrality and be ready for God's displeasure or do we raise our voice, stand against injustices in solidarity with our brothers and sisters and, maybe, suffer a bit in this world but please God by doing God's will? Are we ready to take this challenge? May God bless us all. Amen
Ashish Archer
MTh I
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