A Lover Of Justice-"All His Ways Are Justice"

It was a gross injustice. The handsome young man had committed no crime, yet he found himself confined in a dungeon, falsely accused of attempted rape. But this was not his first encounter with injustice. Years earlier at the age of 17, this young man Joseph, had been betrayed by his own brothers, who had nearly murdered him. He had then been sold into slavery in a foreign land. There he had refused the advances of his master's wife. The spurned woman framed the false accusation, and that was how he came to be in custody. Sadly there seemed to be no one to intercede for Joseph.

However, the God who is a "lover of righteousness and justice" was watching. (Psalm 33:5) Jehovah acted to correct the injustices, maneuvering events so that Joseph was finally released. More than that, Joseph-the man who had been cast into a "prison hole" -was eventually placed into a position of great responsibility and extraordinary honor. (Genesis 40:15; 41:41-43; Psalm 105:17, 18) In the end, Joseph was vindicated, and he used his lofty position to further God's purpose. -Genesis 45:5-8.

Such an account speaks to our heart, does it not? Who of us has not seen injustice or been a victim of it? Indeed, we all yearn to be treated in a just, fair manner. This is not surprising, since Jehovah bestowed upon us qualities that reflect his own personality, and injustice is one of his principal attributes. (Genesis 1:27) To know Jehovah well, we need to understand his sense of justice. We can thus come to appreciate his wonderful ways even more and be moved to draw closer to him.

Next time: What Is Justice?

Draw Close To Jehovah, 2002