A World of Opportunity for All

GOLDEN TEXT: “Let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.” —Amos 5:24

DEUTERONOMY 24:14,15,19; AMOS 5:10-15; II THESSALONIANS 3:7-10

JESUS said that Satan is the “prince of this world.” (John 14:30) In a world over which Satan rules there can never be an equal opportunity for all. That is why such a world must come to an end. Injustice and unrighteousness are even now contributing to the downfall of Satan’s world, and those who have faith in the promises of God look forward to the near establishment of a new world, which will be the kingdom of Christ.

In that new world of tomorrow there will be a full and equal opportunity for all, not only along economic lines, but also to secure health and everlasting life. These kingdom opportunities will be offered impartially to the people of all nations and races, upon condition of obedience to the righteous requirements of kingdom laws, and the acceptance of the provision of life through the redeeming blood of Christ.

The details of God’s Law which governed ancient Israel were designed to foreshadow the righteous requirements of the kingdom of Christ. Circumstances during the Millennium will be vastly different, of course, but the principles of divine law will be the same. Those principles may be summed up briefly as justice and love.

We see both of these exemplified in the Deuteronomy portion of our lesson. The Israelites were under obligation to pay the agreed upon wages to their hired servants. These wages were not to be held back, not even for a day. Seemingly it was the custom in that ancient time to give workmen their wages at the close of each day. This is seen in Jesus’ Parable of the Penny.

Probably hired servants of that time lived, as we would say, “from hand to mouth.” What they earned today might be needed to purchase the evening meal, so the wages must not be held back, lest it cause unnecessary suffering. This was a provision of simple justice. The workman earns his wages; the employer is under obligation to pay him. Not to do so would be unjust.

Verse 19, on the other hand, describes a provision of love. When a farmer harvested his crop of wheat or other grain, should he “forget” or overlook a “sheaf in the field,” he was to leave it there to be picked up later by a “stranger,” or one who was “fatherless,” or a “widow.” In other words, consideration was to be given to those in need, whether or not they earned what they received. This was a provision which went beyond justice. It was love.

The Prophet Amos was used by God to warn Israel of the calamities that would come upon the nation if the people continued in their course of unrighteousness. If they failed to repent, they would not be permitted to dwell in the stone houses they had built for themselves, nor to drink wine from the vineyards they had planted.

The Lord said, “I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right.” They were not even living up to the just requirement of the Law.

They were admonished to “hate the evil, and love the good”; to “let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.” The promise was that if they did thus change their attitude and reform their practices, the Lord would perhaps “be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.” History reveals that these warnings were not heeded, hence the ultimate dispersion of the people as captives among all nations throughout the long period of the nations’ “double” of punishment.

Paul’s admonition to the Thessalonian brethren reveals the principles of both love and justice. He cites his own practice of not being in any way a burden upon the brethren whom he served in spiritual things. He could justly expect that when he was spending his time and strength thus to assist the brethren, they would provide for his temporal needs. But he did not do this. Instead, in addition to his spiritual ministry, he worked with his own hands as a tentmaker to provide for his physical needs.

Paul’s reason for reminding the brethren of this was not to show them what a good Christian he was—rather, it was the background of a needed admonition; needed, that is, by some in the Thessalonian church. He had heard that some of the brethren were walking “disorderly,” in that they were working “not at all,” and expecting the others to take care of them. Even when Paul visited this church he noted this tendency on the part of some, so he then commanded that anyone who did not work should not eat. Probably those guilty of living on the bounties of the brethren were not even servants in the church, and had no basis for expecting the brethren to care for them. This was injustice, and Paul contrasted it with his own course of love.

QUESTIONS

Can we hope that in Satan’s world there will ever be equal opportunity for all?

What opportunities will be given to the people in God’s world?

Explain the manner in which both justice and love are shown in Deuteronomy 24:14,15,19.

What great punishment came upon Israel because of failure to practice justice?

How was love manifested in Paul’s manner of serving the brethren?

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