Roam through the streets of Jerusalem. Look and take note; search in her squares. If you find one person, any who acts justly, who seeks to be faithful, then I will forgive her.
Jeremiah 5: 1 (HCSB)
Scripture: Jeremiah 5: 1-9
Israel found itself outside of God’s favor many times. Yet, God is a forgiving God. Several times, the fate of the nation rested on a handful of just people. This devotion discusses what a just person is and how we should apply it to our lives.
Oh heavens. How forgiving is our God?
Jeremiah was prophesying the capture of Jerusalem by Babylon. Israel was to be defeated for several reasons. The history under the monarchy was not a good one. They had few good kings and fewer who believed in God. They needed a change at the top.
Another reason a change was needed was because of the belief in false prophets and the practice of idolatry. Before this time, you read a lot about the false prophets and idolatry that Israel was tempted to follow. After the exile, you didn’t read about it as much.
Reread verse 1. If one person would have repented, Jerusalem would have been saved. Not three-fourths. Not one over half. Not even a quarter. Just one person.
But what is a just person (JP)? If we were JP, how would that be applied to our lives?
We think of JP as someone who is honorable and fair in action and deed. You can also learn much about who JP is by the descriptors surrounding depictions.
“You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality, nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous. You shall follow what is altogether just, that you may live and inherit the land which the Lord your God is giving you” (Deut. 16: 19-20 NKJV). JP isn’t swayed by popular opinion (especially if money is attached). God and His ways is who JP follows.
“… Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning” (Prov. 9:9 NKJV). Okay, JP isn’t a know-it-all. It is evident that JP has a lot to learn – and JP goes about learning it. This is especially true since God’s ways are not our ways (Is. 55: 8-9). He wants to learn God’s ways.
“The way of the just is uprightness; O Most Upright, You weigh the path of the just” (Is. 26:7 NKJV). This is kind of confusing, isn’t it? Let’s see what it says in the English Standard Version: “The path of the righteous is level, you make level the way of the righteous.” Uprightness is righteousness. Righteousness means JP has a strong, positive relationship with God. Because JP’s trust is in God, JP’s life is level.
This doesn’t mean that nothing bad happens to JP. This means in the good and the bad, JP’s faith is in God, so JP can tap into God’s joy every day.
“For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith’” (Rom. 1:17 NKJV). JP trusts God to be in control of everything.
“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you” (Phil. 4:8-9 NKJV)
Honorable, fair, honest, teachable, respectable, faithful, true, noble, pure, lovely. Those are all characteristics of a just person. We’ve had some good examples of men who were called just: Joseph (Mt. 1:19), John the Baptist (Mk. 6:20), Joseph of Arimathea (Lk. 23:50), and Cornelius the centurion (Acts 10:21-22). JP could have been any one of these.
The best example of a just man is Jesus Himself.
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zech. 9:9 NKJV).
“While he [Pilate] was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, ‘Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him’” (Mt. 27:19 NKJV).
Isn’t that Who we are supposed to pattern ourselves after anyway? But that is easier said than done.
Satan throws many temptations at us to help derail us from the righteous paths we traverse. He wants nothing more than to make our paths rocky. It is his goal to make up trip up so that our witness is damaged.
How do we combat Satan? We need to pray to God for wisdom, discernment, and strength. We need to tell Satan frequently, “We will not renounce our Father. We will do our best to follow His will, and we will ask His forgiveness when we do not follow it.”
Think about it this way: why would God save Jerusalem if only one person was found to be just? That tells me that God knows how difficult it is for us here on earth to follow His ways. That tells me that God is a very forgiving God.
Gracious Father. You are so forgiving toward us. You have provided a way in which we can be Your children again. You have provided us guidelines and examples to follow. You will bless Your people if only one person is found to be just. You are wonderful. Help us to be that one person who is following Your paths. Amen.
What do you think? Think about a just person you know. Describe that person. What do you see as their biggest struggle living as a just person in today’s world? Leave me a comment below or head over to my Facebook group for some interactive discussion.
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