How to live with delays in justice? (Jer 11:18-12:17)

During my gap year working in a Christian youth hostel in Israel, the manager went with his family on a six-months furlough to the States. His deputy, installed for the interim, turned out to be a difficult leader. He sounded pious, but his actions belied his words and revealed a double standard. He quickly lost respect, but tolerated no dissension, which made for a difficult time. The desire to do the right thing and co-operate with him despite his unfairness to us and his hypocrisy alternated with conflict, tensions, anger and hurt. We were willing the days to pass more quickly and longed for the return of the manager to put things right, to restore a godly order, even to vindicate us.

Wanting justice

This is the kind of situation that Jeremiah was facing as he engaged God in conversation. Unsuspecting of any evil, he was warned by the Lord that the people of his town (Anathoth), even his own family, were plotting to kill him (Jer 11:18-19, 21; 12:6). Family loyalty was strong in the ancient world, so such betrayal was particularly bitter, especially when Jeremiah was faithful to God. His prayer may sound vengeful to our ears (I shall return to this question in another post), but his appeal was for the impartial and fair God to give him justice (Jer 11:20). The Lord affirmed it and revealed that His measure would be proportionate to the people’s crime: they wanted Jeremiah to die at their hands, so they would die by the sword (Jer 11:21-22).

How long?

While knowing that God will eventually put things right is reassuring, living with injustice in the meantime can be hard. Jeremiah, like us, wanted to know how long this might continue and why God allowed the wicked to get away with it for so long (Jer 12:1-2). The prophet knew the pain of such delay since his own message of coming disaster was mocked by those who did not see any sign of it. However, Jeremiah was also concerned about the consequences of evil in the meantime, specifically, its detrimental effects on the land (Jer 12:4). At the receiving end of wickedness are always those who suffer because of sin, but the concern for the land here also has a particular poignancy for modern readers given the ecological impact of human exploitation of the earth. What then is God’s answer?

God’s answer to delays in justice

Disappointingly for our impatience, God does not give us a timetable or explain His reasons for the delay. For the prophet, things will get worse first, requiring endurance and resistance to opposition, which harks back to his call (Jer 12:5-6; 1:12, 17-19). God then reveals His experience as if to say, ‘Jeremiah, I know how you feel. Your experience mirrors mine. I, too, was betrayed by my people whom I loved, they turned on me like a roaring lion wanting to tear Me to pieces (Jer 12:7-8).’ The punishment, as in the case of Jeremiah’s attackers, will fit the crime. Israel, a bird of prey towards God will be devoured by birds of prey (i.e. the Babylonian invaders; Jer 12:9). Justice will come in terrible destruction to the land and the people (Jer 12:10-13). It is certain, it will happen. Although human language such as anger and hate are applied to God to express the pain in the relationship (vv.8, 13), this is not blind rage leading to revenge and unjust treatment. Rather, chastisement and uprooting will be followed by compassion and restoration both for Israel and for other nations – if they repent (Jer 12:14-17).

How to live waiting?

God’s ways may be inscrutable at our level, but we are challenged to trust His wisdom about timings and measures of judgment. If we suffer doing right, we are encouraged to keep going. Not only that, but God knows our experience, the pain of betrayal, the unfair attack that hurts so much. He encountered those attitudes both as God in heaven, but also as a human being in Jesus Christ. Yet, His suffering did not make Him unjust, nor destroyed His compassion and grace and, in this too, we are called to reflect His attitude.  

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