It is important that in the midst of political upheaval and the dirtiest presidential election campaign in American history that we pause to remember the importance of some contrasts. Politics is ostensibly about justice and improving the lot of the humble citizen through sound policies and fair governance. It is the measure of the times that those often calling for the most justice advocate well-tried and failed systems that not only don't deliver on the Justice Ticket but end up delivering tyranny.

Famous British journalist, Peter Hitchens, says that the main reason he converted to Christianity was because it was the only system that offered justice in the long term:

"It was staring at the picture of one such artist – Rogier van der Weyden’s Last Judgment – that Hitchens felt sudden and true conviction. Seeing the naked figures as they fled the fires of hell, all of his intentional rebellion and misdeeds came back to his mind, and with them, the realization that his life was a testament to the truth found in the painting before him: that misdeeds required justice, and that if anyone required saving from this justice, it was he" [1].

You don't have to go very far to realise that injustuce lurks at every street corner in this world. There isn't an individual who cannot point out some injustice in his or her life, both the real and the imagined. We seethe over injustice on a daily basis. And were we to sit down and tot up all the injustices comitted in a lifetime on a representative human being, and then experience all that injustice in one go, we would likely be screaming at the top of our voices. Injustice is both ubiquitous as well as suffocating. And to date, no politician has found a solution to it, and never will, so long as corruption dwells in the human soul.

It is not easy to reconcile that we are never going to get perfect justice in this world. Though in atheism there is technically no such thing as 'justice' (how could there be in a universe that purposelessly and accidentally formed itself?), and though those who embrace dark religion (like communists and satanists) couldn't care less...except when it comes to something bad happening to themselves individually), there isn't a soul alive, I suggest, who does not have an instinctual sense of justice. Even animals do. If you have ever tried giving one dog a treat and not the other sitting next to it, the one denied will soon demonstrate a sense of indignance and, were it able to talk, cry 'injustice' loudly! Yesterday evening was a mousing night (they always pour into the house at first snow) and when I presented one I had caught in a trap to the highly excited cat and then withdrew it at the last moment so she wouldn't eat it, she swished her tail in disgust and let off a complaining howl. (No, I wasn't torturing her, I was telling her to get on the job by giving her a whiff for the hunt).

Now pause and consider the greatest injustice and crime in history and your own experiences will pale into insignifiance. What was that injustice? Without any doubt, the rigged and illegal court hearings, impalement, torture and murder of Elohim (God) Incarnate on the Cross of Calvary. What else could be more unjust? The Creator of the Universe, the Elohim (God) of Perfect Ahavah (Love) and Justice, who as a human being never sinned once in His life, was executed for 'Torah-violation', 'blasphemy' and 'treason'! Now that's injustice for you! And the corollary to that understanding is that we, to a man and woman, are guilty of violation of Eternal Law on a daily basis, and on multiple counts, the effect of which (especially if you are a believer) comes close to recrucifying Him again and again, especially if you have no remorse or intent of ever repenting.

The two facts of the matter are that:

• 1. This Divine Execution, and the Atonement that accompanied it, was not only ordained but is the solution to all injustice - atonement is the voluntarily 'taking on aboard' of sin and injustice; and
• 2. We, in our turn, in gratitude for forgiveness of our sins, are expected to bear injustice (where justice cannot be obtained) in the same way that Yah'sua (Jesus) did.

Philip Yancey calls the cross "scandalous injustice" because it was so outrageous. You and I can think of plenty of outrageous injustice in this world (in the way the bankster and corporate élites and their political stooges rob, exploit, abuse and sometimes murder us, for example) but really, by comparison, it is nothing compared to what was done to Yah'shua (Jesus). Even from a purely legal point of view, Yah'shua (Jesus) was served platefulls of injustice [2].

My own experience with wrongful arrest, the horrendous injustice and imprisonment meeted out to British historian David Irving, an honest and meticulous scholar who dared let the evidence speak even when it contradicted the élitist 'party line', the injustice of the peace treaties following the First World War (Versailles, St.Germain, Trianon, etc.), and injustice served to a whole host of others whom I have known (like the victims of Social Services child-kidnapping, sexual abuse, etc.), has made me a passionate defender of justice but - and it's an enormous problem BUT - we also have to know when to let go and hand it over to Yah'shua (Jesus) to serve justice in His own time and way, even if will never be served in this life:

"For He who avenges blood remembers; He does not ignore the cry of the afflicted" (Ps.9:12, NIV).

"Will not Elohim (God) bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off? I tell you, He will see that they get justice, and quickly" (Luke 18:7-8, NIV).

"Quickly" may not be as fast as we might want but we have the promise of speedy justice at the time when justice is served. And though this is not the Final Day or "Day of Yahweh" (Is.13:6; Zeph.1:14; 1 Thes.5:2; 2 Pet.3:10; etc.), it is a "Day of Yahweh" as judgment is meeted out, so I can promise you that a lot of decent people are going to rejoice in the immediate days as they see some long overdue justice meeted out to the wicked in high places. We are already getting a taste of that as one exposure after another is presented to us. Is it wrong to delight in this? Absolutely not. A love of justice is part and parcel of the true heart of a regenerated believer provided we don't act with a vengeful heart or attempt to take Yahweh's justice into our own hands.

Our willingness to not take revenge but to hand over control to Yahweh is part and parcel of walking in grace and ahavah (love). A true believer cannot circumvent this. Indeed, we should always be turning to the cross [3] for our relief and strength:

"The cross enacts for us deep truths that would make no sense apart from it. The cross gives hope when there is no hope" [4].

It is by means of the cross that we are able to live at peace with justice postponed to a later date in the sure knowledge it will be executed. Indeed, it is a great and wonderful mystery which no one who has not been spiritually regenerated by Messiah can ever understand:

"The apostle Paul heard from Elohim (God), 'My [Elohim's/God's] power is made perfect in weakness' and then concluded about himself, 'When I am weak, then I am strong.' 'That is why,' he added, 'I deliught in weakness, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.' He was pointing to a mystery which goes several steps beyond the Buddhist way of coming to terms with suffering and hardship. Paul spoke not of resignation but of transformation. The very things that make us feel inadequate, the very things that plunder hope, these are vwhat Elohim (God) uses to accomplish His work. For proof, look at the cross." [5]

Whatever Satan's victory may have been in your life in dishing our defeat and injustice, remember, this will be short-lived in terms of judgment at the end of the age. Just as the injustice of the crucifixion and the apparent defeat of Yahweh was turned into the sweet victory of the cross, and what Satan meant for evil, Yahweh turned for good - so whatever injustices you have experienced as an believer, which Satan meant for your destruction, will be turned right around for your blessing! You have that as a promise from Yahweh. You have a living hope. As Yancey put it:

"...Elohim (God) defeated sin, routed death, triumphed over Satan, and got His family back. In that act of transformation, Elohim (God) took the worst deed of history and turned it into His greatest victory." [6]

You are going to see some amazingly good things happen in terms of justice during this coming period of Judgment. That doesn't mean there won't still be injustices, because there will be - but equally you are going to see some really wicked people brought to account. There simply will be no hiding place for them any longer - even they well-planned escapes will not avail them for the Council will pursue them relentlessly. This doesn't mean there isn't going to be a great deal of trouble - because there is - nor does it mean bad things will stop happening, because they will continue, but if you have been obedient and done all you have been told, the balance of your experience will be good even if you must witness much that is bad. You're going to get a lot of surprises.

So don't lose hope, trust in the cross of Messiah, make peace with the one who suffered scandalous injustice in order that Justice might one day triumph.

Endnotes