“…for the LORD our God is righteous in all the works that He has done.”
(Daniel 9:14)
Holiness is the essence of God’s nature, so much so that all God’s attributes are defined by it. He is said to have a holy anger, a holy justice, a holy love. And it is because of His infinite holiness that He answers evil with His justice and righteousness.
The words justice and righteousness in Scripture refer to being “right” as opposed to “wrong.” In fact, the Old Testament Hebrew meaning behind God’s righteousness is His “rightness.” And when God’s righteousness is referenced in the New Testament Greek, it is often in contrast to its opposite of “missing the mark.” In other words, when someone misses the mark, or sins, they are unrighteous.
God is a righteous Ruler whose Laws are holy, just and good, and He faithfully adheres to those Laws because they are consistent with His nature. As much as God loves to be loving, He also loves to pay men what they are due because He is righteous in all His works. He is not only just and lawful in His government of creation, in all His causes, and in His conduct and character, but He is also just in all His deeds. This includes rewarding every one according to his works.
Numerous biblical references affirm this: “God is a righteous judge,” (Ps. 7:11). “He shall judge the world with righteousness,” (Ps. 96:13). The Psalmist also writes, “Clouds and darkness are round about Him, righteousness and judgment are the habitation of His throne,” (Ps. 97:2). “A false balance is an abomination to the LORD, but a just weight is His delight,” (Prov. 11:1). “I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD,” (Jer. 9:24).
It is a mistake to think that God disregards His vengeance and judgment because the moment something wicked occurs now, He does not instantly mete out justice. But Peter exhorts, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness,” (2 Peter 3:9). What some may fail to understand is that God allows a specific measure to build up before He executes judgment. For example, God measured the wickedness of the Amorites and said, “for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete,” (Gen. 15:16). Paul says the hardened Jews live, “so as always to fill up the measure of their sins;” and what happens after that? “But wrath has come upon them to the uttermost,” (1 Thess. 2:16).
A famous Westminster divine, Francis Woodcock, said, “God’s justice is lined up specifically with His intention to act in honor or dishonor to those who honor or dishonor him.” It is a very weighty matter for men to dishonor God. We should be continually contemplating the holiness of God’s character, the just acts of His courtroom, and the consequences of whether we honor or dishonor God with our hearts, minds and souls day in and day out if we are to escape His righteous judgment through salvation which is only found in His one and only Son.
- Lord, I know that all Your works are exceedingly just and righteous. That includes the way You deal with me, chastising me when I stray because You are a loving Father. Keep me in the path of Your holiness, and do not withdraw the light of Your countenance from me because of my sins. I want to be found continually praising You and to be able to say, as the church did even in times of persecution, that the Lord our God is righteous in all His works.
- Whatever the danger or distress is in my life, I hold steadfastly to You, Lord. My desire is to follow after You. How can I do this daily with great resolve? You are the righteous One, the holy One, and the Savior of my soul. When my heart is faithless, I pray that You will be faithful towards me and turn my feet back onto the right path. When I face all kinds of dangers, deaths, distresses, miseries, etc., I want to still be found serving You with reverence and godly fear.
- Keep me close to You, Lord. Draw near to me. Help me draw near to You. Keep me close to Your covenant, Your ways, Your worship, and Your Deliverer, who is my Savior.
- You, Lord, are righteous in Yourself and in all Your works. Do I think about this enough in relation to my walk before You? You are upright and holy (Ps. 25:8; 11:7; Deut. 32:4; Ex. 9:27; Jer. 12:1; Dan. 9:14). You do not take bribes, and You do not act unjustly because that would go against Your holy nature. What a blessing it is to meditate on Your righteousness!
Further References for Daniel 9:14
Neh. 9:33; Jer. 44:27; Dan. 9:7; Jer. 31:28; Psa. 51:14
