“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” Micah 6:8

II Samuel 23:3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. (See also Deut. 16:18-20; Titus 1:8).

Leviticus 19:15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbor.

Proverbs 10:31a The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom.

Psalms 82:3 Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.

Romans 13:7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

Proverbs 3:27 Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.

28 Say not unto thy neighbor, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.

Colossians 4:1 Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.

Jeremiah 22:13 Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbor’s service without wages, and giveth him not for his work.

Luke 16:10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.

Proverbs 20:7 The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.

MEMORY VERSE: The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just. —Isaiah 26:7

CENTRAL THOUGHT: To do justly is to render “to all their dues.” To all of mankind is due courteous, honest and fair treatment without bribery or partiality. To those who are in authority, honor is due. To the poor is due kindness and liberality. Those who do work are due just wages. Whether in small or great matters, God’s blessing is upon the one who deals justly.

WORD DEFINITIONS

Leviticus 19:15 “Do no unrighteousness in judgment”: do no injustice. Do not pervert justice (NIV). “Thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty”: Do not show partiality to the poor nor favoritism to the rich.

Psalm 82:3 “Defend the poor”: vindicate; judge or govern; provide justice. “Do justice to the afflicted and destitute”: uphold or maintain the rights of the oppressed and destitute. Do righteously toward them.

Romans 13:7 “Tribute”: tax. “Custom”: a purpose; toll. “Fear”: reverence or respect for authority, rank and dignity. “Honour”: perceived value; what has worth.

Colossians 4:1 “Equal”: fair.

Proverbs 20:7 “Integrity”: completeness; moral innocence.

Isaiah 26:7 “Uprightness”: straight; level; smooth.

LESSON BACKGROUND

God’s law to the children of Israel contained many commands regarding fairness: fairness in business dealings, fairness to the poor, fairness in judicial matters, and fair treatment of servants and employees. In Solomon’s proverbs and all through the messages of the prophets, we also find a recurring theme: God was displeased because of the unfair and unmerciful treatment of servants and the poor, and greed and corruption in business and judicial matters. To return to His favor required not only turning away from idols and worshiping the true God but also amending these unrighteous and unfair ways of dealing with their fellow humans.

Jesus’ commandments followed this same pattern: love and worship God; be honest and merciful to people. His stern rebukes to the Pharisees pertained to these issues as well. The apostle Paul’s writings outlined justice in the home, church and community.
God’s requirements have never changed. No matter where you live, how religious you are, nor to what social or economic standing you belong, “Do justly—righteously” is the non-negotiable bottom line.

—Sis. Angela Gellenbeck

DISCUSSION:

1. He that ruleth: What are specific positions people hold which might be included in this description? In the home? In business? In the church? In the community?

2. At home: What does just and righteous behavior look like when dealing with family members?

3. The poor and afflicted: Who of our acquaintance might be in this condition? What do we owe them?

4. Integrity in business: How does this (or the lack of it) affect the influence of the gospel in the community?

COMMENTS AND APPLICATION

It is appalling today to find dishonesty and corruption on every level in the business world. From the corporate level down to temporary help, the concept of integrity and giving what is due and fair is almost unheard of, even ridiculed. Saints of God ought to have such a high standard for business dealings that no evil thing can be said about them. The truly poor or the extremely wealthy person should feel justly treated by the Christian who does business with him. Am I a landlord, a business owner, a contractor? My contracts should be honest; motivated not by a drive to come out ahead, but by the inward conviction to always give my fellow human the justice and personal honor that is due him. Am I an employee or sub-contractor? Do I give a fair day’s work for a day’s wage, or do I “milk” the job and waste time using my phone or doing other unnecessary things?

What is due my parents, my spouse, my children? Do I live life always with a personal agenda to see that my needs are attended to first, or is my life given—poured out—in honor and service to those in my household?

It’s the little things. That is where we show our true selves. That is where we will be judged in the end.

—Sis. Angela Gellenbeck

REFLECTIONS

Doing justly is being Godlike. It is acting like God would act. It is doing what is honest and treating people like you would want to be treated. In verse 13 of the 7th chapter, Micah says the “land shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings.” When a nation leaves God’s ways, the fabric holding things together rapidly falls apart.

In Proverbs 14:34 it says, “Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” This Scripture teaches us that righteousness lifts a nation up. Value is placed on human life. Standards of decency and right and wrong are in place and are maintaining a healthy balance. Lines separating good and evil are clearly marked. Limits on human behavior are kept in check by God’s principles. A nation that is keeping God’s ways will be exalted in the earth. People will flourish when under His control.

This presents a clear understanding of how important it is to have Godly leaders in our nation. Again, the Scripture says in Proverbs 29:2, “When the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.” it doesn’t take but a few apostate years for a generation of people to lose their way. The influence that Kings Omri and Ahab and Ahab’s household (Jezebel) had on the nation of Israel was devastating. They were plunged into darkness and were facing an indictment from God. God’s simple solution for them was to “Return unto Me and do justly.” What a blessing it is when we follow His ways.

—Bro. James Bell