Maybe it’s classic American self-importance, but even if you’re not an American, I assume you know we have a big election next week?

It’s been divisive and polarizing, to say the least. The rhetoric is heated and scoffing is rampant on both sides. And that’s inside the church (but not mine, necessarily, thankfully)!

The most polarizing issues get attention, urgent issues get ignored (school funding reform anyone??!), and issues that shouldn’t be polarizing have been politicized (coronavirus, masks). We’re quite a mess.

I already voted my conscience and what I thought was best for the nation and the common good, but I am convinced that both parties fall very short of true justice.

“For from the least to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for unjust gain; and from prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely. They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace.” (Jeremiah 6:13-14 ESV)

But I am taking heart.

Whomever wins the presidency and the seats of power in this nation, God’s people are called to PRAY, PREACH, and PARTICIPATE as advocates for God’s justice.

I’m so thankful for the church tradition I grew up for many reasons including a solid grounding in appreciation for Scripture, but a theology of Biblical justice just wasn’t emphasized.

Side note: There’s an interesting history here of a split that took place in the (white) American church in early 1900s in which one tradition focused more on preaching the news of the Gospel and its personal implications and another tradition focused more on the social implications of the Gospel (this is an over-simplification but see Lisa Sharon Harper’s The Very Good Gospel* for more).

Tim Keller, in his excellent article on Biblical justice writes,

“Biblical justice is not first of all a set of bullet points or a set of rules and guidelines. It is rooted in the very character of God and it is the outworking of that character, which is never less than just.

In the last few years, I’ve tried to pay more attention to what the Bible says about God’s justice and the groups of people God asks us to treat with special attention, not because they are more valuable, but because they are the ones society consistently devalues.

From Old Testament laws, to prophetic call-outs, to the way Jesus interacted with the people around him, a pattern emerges.

Below is a selection of verses on Biblical justice grouped into a few categories I thought made sense. I’ll include a link to a printable PDF at the end of this post if you’d like to save and print them.

the GOD of JUSTICE & RIGHTEOUSNESS

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed.” (Luke 4:18 ESV)

“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them. Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” (Amos 5:21-24 ESV)

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8 ESV)

“God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment: “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” (Psalm 82:1-4 ESV)

“When you come to appear before me, who has required of you this trampling of my courts? Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations– I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.” (Isaiah 1:12-17 ESV)

“You shall not pervert the justice due to the sojourner or to the fatherless, or take a widow‘s garment in pledge, but you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you from there; therefore I command you to do this.” (Deuteronomy 24:17-18 ESV)

“But the LORD of hosts is exalted in justice, and the Holy God shows himself holy in righteousness.” (Isaiah 5:16 ESV)

“For our transgressions are multiplied before you, and our sins testify against us; for our transgressions are with us, and we know our iniquities: transgressing, and denying the LORD, and turning back from following our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart lying words. Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands far away; for truth has stumbled in the public squares, and uprightness cannot enter. Truth is lacking, and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. The LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice. He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no one to intercede; then his own arm brought him salvation, and his righteousness upheld him. He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head; he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak.” (Isaiah 59:12C-17 ESV)

care for the MARGINALIZED

“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, … And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'” (Matthew 25:35, 40 ESV)

“The man with power possessed the land, and the favored man lived in it. You have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless were crushed. Therefore snares are all around you, and sudden terror overwhelms you,” (Job 22:8-10 ESV)

“Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free; the LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous. The LORD watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.” (Psalm 146:5-9 ESV)

“Woe to those who decree iniquitous decrees, and the writers who keep writing oppression, to turn aside the needy from justice and to rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey! What will you do on the day of punishment, in the ruin that will come from afar? To whom will you flee for help, and where will you leave your wealth? Nothing remains but to crouch among the prisoners or fall among the slain. For all this his anger has not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still.” (Isaiah 10:1-4 ESV)

“Thus says the LORD of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.” (Zechariah 7:9-10 ESV)

“You shall not pervert the justice due to the sojourner or to the fatherless, or take a widow’s garment in pledge, but you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you from there; therefore I command you to do this. “When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. When you beat your olive trees, you shall not go over them again. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow. When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not strip it afterward. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow. You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I command you to do this.” (Deuteronomy 24:17-22 ESV)

“Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.” (Isaiah 1:17 ESV)

“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” (James 1:27 ESV)

“You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry.” (Exodus 22:22-23 ESV)

the POOR & OPPRESSED

“Did not I weep for him whose day was hard? Was not my soul grieved for the needy?” (Job 30:25 ESV)

“Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the LORD; “I will place him in the safety for which he longs.‘” (Psalm 12:5 ESV)

“May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the children of the needy, and crush the oppressor!” (Psalm 72:4 ESV)

“For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.‘” (Deuteronomy 15:11 ESV)

“Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him.” (Proverbs 14:31 ESV)

“Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed.” (Proverbs 19:17 ESV)

“Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.” (Proverbs 21:13 ESV)

“Do not rob the poor, because he is poor, or crush the afflicted at the gate.” (Proverbs 22:22 ESV)

“A righteous man knows the rights of the poor; a wicked man does not understand such knowledge.” (Proverbs 29:7 ESV)

“And he answered them, ‘Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.‘” (Luke 3:11 ESV)

“But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind.” (Luke 14:13 ESV)

“As it is written, ‘He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.’” (2Co 9:9 ESV)

“As for the scoundrel–his devices are evil; he plans wicked schemes to ruin the poor with lying words, even when the plea of the needy is right.” (Isaiah 32:7 ESV)

“Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?” (Isaiah 58:6-7 ESV)

“They have grown fat and sleek. They know no bounds in deeds of evil; they judge not with justice the cause of the fatherless, to make it prosper, and they do not defend the rights of the needy.” (Jeremiah 5:28 ESV)

“Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy.” (Ezekiel 16:49 ESV)

“Thus says the LORD: “For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because they sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals.” (Amos 2:6 ESV)

“Do not rob the poor, because he is poor, or crush the afflicted at the gate.” (Proverbs 22:22 ESV)

“If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you.” (Leviticus 25:35 ESV)

“You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake.” (Deuteronomy 15:10 ESV)

“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” (James 2:14-17 ESV)

“But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called? If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.” (James 2:6-9 ESV)

FOREIGNERS & SOJOURNERS (IMMIGRANTS)

“You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 22:21 ESV)

“The people of the land have practiced extortion and committed robbery. They have oppressed the poor and needy, and have extorted from the sojourner without justice.” (Ezekiel 22:29 ESV)

“The LORD watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.” (Psalm 146:9 ESV)

“You shall not oppress a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brothers or one of the sojourners who are in your land within your towns.” (Deuteronomy 24:14 ESV)

“There shall be one law for the native and for the stranger who sojourns among you.” (Exodus 12:49 ESV)

“Thus says the LORD: Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place.” (Jeremiah 22:3 ESV)

“You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. … If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry.” (Exodus 22:21, 23 ESV)

“Behold, the princes of Israel in you, every one according to his power, have been bent on shedding blood. Father and mother are treated with contempt in you; the sojourner suffers extortion in your midst; the fatherless and the widow are wronged in you.” (Ezekiel 22:6-7 ESV)

“Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; that your ox and your donkey may have rest, and the son of your servant woman, and the alien, may be refreshed. … You shall serve the LORD your God, and he will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from among you.” (Exodus 23:12, 25 ESV)

“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner.” (Lev 19:9-10 ESV)

“Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the LORD of hosts.” (Malachi 3:5 ESV)

“When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.” (Leviticus 19:33-34 ESV)

“Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.’ And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt.” (Matthew 2:13-14 ESV)

“For the assembly, there shall be one statute for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you, a statute forever throughout your generations. You and the sojourner shall be alike before the LORD. One law and one rule shall be for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you.” … But the person who does anything with a high hand, whether he is native or a sojourner, reviles the LORD, and that person shall be cut off from among his people.” (Numbers 15:15-16, 30 ESV)

“Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”” (Luk 10:36-37 ESV)

“He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. Love the sojourner, therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.” (Deu 10:18-19 ESV)

“Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.” (Rom 12:13 ESV)

“When you have finished paying all the tithe of your produce in the third year, which is the year of tithing, giving it to the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, so that they may eat within your towns and be filled.” (Deuteronomy 26:12 ESV)

“Cursed be anyone who perverts the justice due to the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’” (Deuteronomy 27:19 ESV)

“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” (Hebrews 13:2 ESV)

“I was a father to the needy, and I searched out the cause of him whom I did not know.” (Job 29:16 ESV)

“They kill the widow and the sojourner, and murder the fatherless; and they say, “The LORD does not see; the God of Jacob does not perceive.“” (Psalm 94:6-7 ESV)

*Help with verses on immigration came from this site

THE COMMON GOOD

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
May they be secure who love you!
Peace be within your walls and security within your towers!
For my brothers and companions’ sake I will say, ‘Peace be within you!’
For the sake of the house of the LORD our God,
I will seek your good.”
(Psalm 122:6-9 ESV)

“But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” (Jeremiah 29:7 ESV)

“Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity.” (Act 9:36 ESV)

“Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.” (1Peter 2:12 ESV)

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16 ESV)

“And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:47-48 ESV)

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3-4 ESV)

You can download a PDF of these verses HERE.

the hope that we have

There is no justice and restoration apart from the good news of the mercy, grace, and hope in Jesus, and the good news of Jesus is not good news apart from justice and the outworking of the Kingdom of God here on earth. To split them is to be unfaithful to Scripture and to our Savior.

I posed the question on Facebook this past week: regardless of the election results, what or who has God given you eyes to see? Who has God called you to advocate for on behalf of justice in the name of Jesus?

My ultimate reason for hope is in the character of God, who is just and is working all things towards redemption. Today, and over the next years, regardless of the human powers, I can advocate, starting in prayer.

I’d love to hear from you–what or who has God given you eyes to see? Who might you advocate for in prayer and works over the next few years?

You can download the PDF of these verses on Biblical justice below. I think reading through these would be a great exercise for our kids!

COPYRIGHT/USAGE: All writing, artwork and photos are copyright Marydean Draws. Please do not repost or resell on another website. I’m happy for you to use my coloring pages and other printables for home, school, and ministry. If you share content, please link back to the original post. Thank you!

For further reading:

“Justice in the Bible” by Tim Keller. This article (and the whole series) is so wise and helpful.

The Very Good Gospel by Lisa Sharon Harper*

Welcoming the Stranger: Justice, Compassion & Truth in the Immigration Debate by Jenny Yang. The best things I’ve read on immigration and refugees.*

The Evangelical Immigration Table

Compassion and Conviction: The AND Campaign’s Guide to Faithful Civic Engagement by Justin Giboney, Michael Wear, and Chris Butler*

*affiliate link. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.