The Age of Kings #10: The Lord's a Witness

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Have you ever needed a witness?

Picture the worst kind of rush-hour traffic that you can imagine. Cars on the freeway. Stop and go. Maddening slowdowns and sudden stops. The daily negotiation of gridlock like this requires a huge dose of patience and skill. Even then things sometimes happen. And when it does, you might need a witness.

My friend Martina was driving in this kind of big-city traffic. Cars would stop for a while and then slowly inch forward. At one point when traffic stopped, the car in front of Martina suddenly threw it into reverse and smashed backwards into Martina's car. He jumped out, grabbed his neck and was going to claim that Martina had rear-ended him. Can you imagine how Martina was going to defend herself? Who would believe that this driver had backed into her when read-end collisions are so common in stop-and-go traffic?

Martina needed a witness! As soon as she realized what was happening, she bravely jumped out into traffic and flagged down drivers in the neighboring lanes. They had seen what really happened, and Martina was able to get their names, phone numbers and a promise that they would willingly testify against the jerk who was trying to frame her for an accident. Thank goodness for witnesses!

In Micah 1:2-7, the prophet describes the Lord's judgment on Samaria and North Israel. The setting is like a courtroom. The nations and the whole earth are the audience. God is the primary witness against Israel who has prostituted herself for money. Israel has put profit, fame and glory over a relationship with God, and the testimony against her is damning.

Even worse for Israel is the fact that God’s also the judge and executioner. God has firsthand experience of Israel’s treachery, and God takes personal responsibility for punishing Israel. God will make Samaria into a heap of stones and return it to farmland. God is witness, judge and executioner.

My friend Martina needed a witness, and she found more than one. Israel, however, was not like my friend Martina. Israel was like the guy who slammed his car into reverse and tried to feign an injury to collect money from Martina. Israel was the shyster who was ripping off others in order to gain wealth, fame and glory. And God stepped in as the witness condemning his own people for their rotten behavior.

This story of Samaria's destruction is good news for people of faith and for anyone who is oppressed. To understand this, you might listen to the words of Peter in Acts 10:34-35, "I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him."

Peter is essentially channeling Deuteronomic theology, a thought-stream that pervades the books of 1 & 2 Kings. We see this summed up in Deut 10:17-18, "For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who is not partial and takes no bribe, who executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and who loves the strangers, providing them food and clothing."

Why is this good news for us? God cares for those who need a witness. Unlike most powerful people, God does not show favoritism. God isn't going to protect one group of people at the expense of another group of people.

For folks who only know the worldly way of protecting one's cronies and family, God's method of operation is downright shocking. But God's way is more just and compassionate than any other. God truly cares for those who need a witness. When needed, God is ready to be a witness FOR those who have been wrongly treated. And at the same time, God is ready to be a witness AGAINST those who treat others wrongly, even if that means the destruction of a country that was ostensibly God's own people.

Do you need a witness? God is either FOR or AGAINST you. If you need a witness, I hope you'll recognize the help you have in God. If by contrast you stand in the shoes of Israel and Samaria—as those who oppress others for personal gain—then you should quickly rethink your standing in life lest you wind up on the wrong side of God’s testimony.

Comments

Unknown said…
Amen thank you sooo very much Dr. J because I need a reminder and a witness!
June 2, 2016 at 5:23 PM
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