What is it that God loves?
Matthew
God
has established a set of guidelines by which his servants live. This is commonly
referred to as the law. The law was established by God to teach a people how to
act in the world. We usually condense the law to the 10 commandments. Jesus went
even further and condensed the Law to two
commandments.
1.
Love the
Lord your God with all you heart, mind, strength and
soul
2.
Love your
neighbor as yourself.
He
says that all the laws and all the prophetic words were designed to teach us how
to do those two things, just two. However in the times of the Pharisees they
took the law to an extreme. They actually made the law their God. Jesus makes
this known to us in the above key verse. He mentions the weightier matters of
the law are justice, mercy and faith.
Jesus
even goes so far as to tell the Pharisees that they need to go back to school
and learn God’s interpretation of old testament law.
Matthew
9:9 As Jesus passed on
from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to
him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him. 10 Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table
in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and
sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why
does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are
well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not
sacrifice.’[b]
For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to
repentance.”
Jesus
doesn’t tell us to “GO” to often. But we can be assured that when He does He we
should pay attention. A few of the times that He says go are:
Go, sell everything and give it to the poor. Told to the
rich young ruler.
Go two miles when compelled to go one
mile
Go in peace and be whole, when
forgiven.
Go and do likewise, when speaking on the parable of the
good Samaritan
Go and sin no more.
Go into all the world and make disciples, upon returning to
heaven
Because each of these “Go” passages are important when He
says “Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice” we need to
listen.
What is
Justice?
Justice comes from the old testament words Mishpat and
Tsedaqah. Both are translated interchangeably in the Old Testament and have
similar meanings. Mishpat is commonly used in conjunction with righteousness or
Tsedaqah and we will find them many times in the same verse.
Mishpat is masculine noun that means justice as in the
meaning of good judgment or correct judgments. From our perspective this would
be similar to a judge in a court case making a correct judgment. He is not
accepting a bribe nor is he taking sides. He is elected to be impartial and to
be Mishpat. This is what
Solomon asked for.
1 Kings
5-10 At
… give to Your
servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between
good and evil.
The speech
pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. 11
Then God said to him: “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked
long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the
life of your enemies, but have asked
for yourself understanding to discern justice (Mishpat), 12 behold, I have done according to your words;
The
fruit of this transaction was noted years later when King Solomon was told by
the Queen of Sheba that he was set in place to do
Mishpat.
1
Kings 10:9 Blessed be the LORD your God, who delighted in you, setting you on
the throne of
The
Lord considers Mishpat to be very important. Note these Old Testament
scriptures:
Psalm 37:28 The Lord loves justice
(Mishpat)
Isaiah 61:8 “For I, the Lord, love justice;
( Mishpat)
Psalm 99:4 The king loves justice
(Mishpat)
Another Hebrew word “Tsedaqah” is translated in the Old Testament as justice (15 times) or as righteousness (128 times)
Tsedaqah is a feminine noun meaning justice or
righteousness. This can be righteousness as in ethically correct, righteousness
in the form of a government of law and even righteousness as an attribute of
God. It comes from the root word Tsadaq which is a verb. Tsadaq means to do
right, to be justified and even to administer law.
Psalm 11:7 The Lord loves
righteousness (Tsedaqah)
Isaiah 146:8 The Lord love the
righteous (the Tsedaq)
Psalm 33:5 5 He (the Lord) loves
righteousness (tsedaqah)
Amos
Psalm 45:7 The lord loves
righteousness. Tsedaq
However all of the powerful scriptures of the Old Testament
combine the usage of both words.
Psalm 33:5 5 He (the Lord) loves
righteousness (tsedaqah) and justice (mishpat);The earth is full
of the goodness of the LORD.
Psalm 33:15 The Lord loves Righteousness
(Tsedaqah) and Judgment
(Mishpat)
Psalm 106:3 Blessed are
those who keep justice (Mishpat), And he who does
righteousness (tsedaqah) at all times!
Ezekiel
18:27 Again, when a
wicked man turns away from the
wickedness which he committed, and does what is lawful (mishpat) and
right (tsedaqah), he preserves himself alive.
Jeremiah
9:23-24 Thus says the
LORD:
“Let not the wise man
glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the
rich man glory in his riches;
24 But let him who
glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the LORD, exercising
lovingkindness (checed), judgment (mishpat), and righteousness (tsedaqah) in the
earth. For in these I delight,” says the LORD.
We find that the Old Testament spoke about the coming Messiah. We know His name to be Jesus but we can see that Mishpat and tsedaqah were his names also.
1. Lord our
Tsedaqah
Jeremiah 15:16 15 ‘ In those days and at that time I will
cause to grow up to David A Branch of righteousness; He shall execute judgment (mishpat) and
righteousness (tsedaqah) in the earth. 16 In those days
2. His kingdom will be established on
mishpat and tsedaqah
Isaiah 9:6-7 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a
Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be
called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of
His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne
of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment (mishpat)
and justice (tsedaqah) From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the
Lord of hosts will perform this.
Isaiah
28:16-17 Therefore thus
says the Lord GOD: “ Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried
stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; Whoever believes will not act
hastily. 17 Also I will make justice (mishpat) the
measuring line, And righteousness (tsedaqah) the plummet; The hail will
sweep away the refuge of lies, And the waters will overflow the hiding
place.
3.
Peace will be the way to implement tsedaqah and the effect of will be quietness
and safety.
Isaiah 32:15-17 15 Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on
high, And the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, And the fruitful field is
counted as a forest. 16
Then justice (mishpat) will dwell in the wilderness, And righteousness
(tsedaqah) remain in the fruitful field. 17 The work of righteousness (tsedaqah) will
be peace, (blessed are the peacemakers!) And the effect labor of righteousness, (tsedaqah)
quietness (tranquility) and assurance (safety) forever.
4. Tsedaqah is our heritage. We are
established by it.
Isaiah
54:11-17 “O you afflicted one, Tossed with tempest, and not comforted, Behold, I will lay
your stones with colorful gems, And lay your foundations with sapphires. 12 I will make your pinnacles of rubies, Your gates of crystal,
And all your walls of precious stones. 13 All your
children shall be taught by the
LORD, And great shall be the
peace of your children. 14 In righteousness (tsedaqah) you shall
be established; You shall be far from oppression, for you shall not
fear; And from terror, for it shall not come near you. 15
Indeed they shall surely assemble, but not because of
5. We are blessed if we keep mishpat and
tsedaqah
Isaiah 56:1-2 Thus says the LORD: “Keep justice (mishpat), and do
righteousness (tsedaqah), For My salvation is about to come, And My
righteousness to be revealed. 2 Blessed is the man who does this, And the son of
man who lays hold on it; Who
keeps from defiling the Sabbath, And keeps his hand from doing any
evil.”
6. Wisdom should be pursued as hidden treasure but the
place to look for Wisdom is on the paths of tsedaqah and
mishpat!
Proverbs 8:18-22
Riches and honor are with me,
Enduring riches and righteousness (tsedaqah). My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine
gold, And my revenue than choice silver. I traverse the way of righteousness
(tsedaqah), In the midst of the paths of justice (mishpat), That I may cause
those who love me to inherit wealth, That I may fill their treasuries.
“The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of
old.
7. To
practice tsedaqah and mishpat is very important.
Proverbs 21:3
3 To do righteousness (tsedaqah) and justice (mishpat)
Is more acceptable to the LORD
than sacrifice.
Finally, when
we sow in righteousness will actually reap in
mercy.
Hosea 10:12 Sow for yourselves righteousness;
(Tsedaqah)
Reap in mercy; (Checed)
Break up your fallow ground,
For it is time to seek the
LORD,
Till He comes and rains righteousness on you.
(Tsedeq)
What is
mercy?
Checed is translated many ways and means
goodness, kindness, faithfulness, favor and of course mercy.
Matthew 5:7
Blessed are the
merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.
Hosea 6:6 I desire mercy
(checed)
As stated earlier we should “Go and
Learn”.
Matthew 12
Jesus Is Lord of the
Sabbath
1 At that time Jesus went through the
grainfields on the Sabbath. And His disciples were hungry, and began to pluck
heads of grain and to eat. 2 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, “Look, Your
disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!”
3 But He said to them, “Have
you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him:
4 how he entered the
house of God and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for
those who were with him, but only for the priests? 5 Or have you not read in the law that on the
Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? 6 Yet I say to you that in
this place there is One greater
than the temple. 7
But if you had known what this
means, ‘I desire mercy and not
sacrifice,’[a]
you would not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord even[b]
of the Sabbath.”
Jesus is quote Hosea the
prophet.
Hosea 6:6 For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, And
the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
This issue above was not just a healing on the
Sabbath. It was a condemnation of a heart problem that the Pharisees had. They
were self-righteous. They were proud. They thought they understood what pleased
God. From their perspective keeping the Law made God happy with them.
In English we have a saying, “Rules are meant to
be broken.” Jesus was in effect saying that rules are meant to be broken if they
conflict with the weightier matters of the law; justice, mercy and faith. This
can be seen in the following passage.
Luke 6:8-10 But He knew their
thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, “Arise and stand here.”
And he arose and stood. 9 Then Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful
on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy?”
10 And when He had looked around at them all, He said to
the man,“Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored as
whole as the other.
Or again
Matthew
12:9 Now when He had
departed from there, He went into their synagogue. 10 And behold, there was a man who had a
withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the
Sabbath?”—that they might accuse Him. 11 Then He said to them, “What man is there
among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not
lay hold of it and lift it out?
12 Of how much more
value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the
Sabbath.” 13
Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole
as the other. 14 Then
the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy
Him.
Those who walk and practice righteousness (tsedeqah) will have:
1. He will dwell on high
2. his place of defense will be the rocks
3. Bread will be given to him
4. His water will be sure
5. You will see God (just like the peacemakers)
6.
They will see the land that is very far off. (Abraham saw the city
whose foundations were God)
Isaiah 33:14- 17 “ Who among us shall
dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting
burnings?” 15 He who walks righteously (tsedaqah) and
speaks uprightly, He who despises the gain of oppressions, Who gestures
with his hands, refusing bribes, Who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed,
And shuts his eyes from seeing evil: 16 He will dwell on high; His place of
defense will be the fortress of
rocks; Bread will be given him, His water will be sure. 17 Your eyes will see the King in His beauty;
They will see the land that is very far off.
Proverbs 11:4 Riches profit not in
the day of wrath: but righteousness
delivereth from death.
So what are
the final comments of justice and mercy?
Psalm 85:10 Mercy (checed) and truth have met
together; Righteousness
(tsedaqah) and peace have
kissed.
Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O man, what
is good; And what does the LORD
require of you But to do justly,
(Mishpat) To love mercy, Checed) And to walk humbly with your
God?
***********
Below will be added to the
teaching next time I work on this teaching.
The Parable of the Good
Samaritan
25
And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what
shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 He said to him, “What is written in the
law? What is your reading of
it?”
27 So
he answered and said, “ ‘You shall
love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your
strength, and with all your mind,’[h]
and ‘your neighbor as
yourself.’”[i]
28 And He said to him, “You
have answered rightly; do this and you will live.”
29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said
to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain
man went down from Jerusalem to
Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a certain priest came down
that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 Likewise a Levite, when he
arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. 33 But a certain Samaritan,
as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.
34 So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring
on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and
took care of him. 35 On
the next day, when he departed,[j]
he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to
him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will
repay you.’ 36 So which
of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?”
37 And he said, “He
who showed mercy on him.”
Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” This is a teaching
moment
Isaiah 61
The
Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon
Me,
Because the LORD has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To
proclaim liberty to the
captives,
And the opening of the prison
to those who are bound;
2 To proclaim the
acceptable year of the LORD,
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To
comfort all who mourn,
3 To console those who mourn in Zion,
To
give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of
praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of
righteousness,
The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.”
4 And they shall
rebuild the old ruins,
They shall raise up the former desolations,
And
they shall repair the ruined cities,
The desolations of many generations.
5 Strangers shall
stand and feed your flocks,
And the sons of the foreigner
Shall be your plowmen and your
vinedressers.
6 But
you shall be named the priests of the LORD,
They shall call you the servants
of our God.
You shall eat the riches of the Gentiles,
And in their glory
you shall boast.
7
Instead of your shame you shall
have double honor,
And instead of confusion they shall
rejoice in their portion.
Therefore in their land they shall possess double;
Everlasting joy shall be theirs.
8 “ For I, the LORD, love justice;
Mishpat
I hate robbery for burnt offering;
I will direct their
work in truth,
And will make with them an everlasting covenant.
9 Their descendants shall be
known among the Gentiles,
And their offspring among the people.
All who
see them shall acknowledge them,
That they are the posterity whom the LORD has blessed.”
10 I will greatly rejoice in
the LORD,
My soul shall be joyful in my God;
For He has clothed me with
the garments of salvation,
He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments,
And as a
bride adorns herself with her
jewels.
11 For as
the earth brings forth its bud,
As the garden causes the things that are
sown in it to spring forth,
So the Lord GOD will cause righteousness
(Tsedaqah) and praise to spring forth before all the nations.
Psalm 102:18-21 This will be written for the
generation to come, That a people yet to be created may praise the LORD. For He
looked down from the height of His sanctuary; From heaven the LORD viewed the
earth, To hear the groaning of the
prisoner, To release those appointed to
death, To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, And His praise in
Jerusalem,
Psalm 87:2 The lord loves the gates of
Ezekiel 18 A whole chapter about turning
from wickedness to righteousness.