Justice. That’s what so many of the crowds recently marching in the streets have been demanding. People are tired of feeling like second-class citizens, tired of being considered guilty until proven innocent. The recent demonstrations have caused us Americans to think seriously about how we can improve the quality of our police forces, and about how we can ensure that all citizens will be truly equal in the eyes of the law. And regardless of the merits of any of the reforms that have been proposed – and many are simply unworkable – these are good discussions for us to have.

But today’s passage reminds us that justice has often been elusive throughout human history. The people of Isaiah’s day had problems that put our modern American troubles to shame. After all, they were worried about being invaded by the Assyrians and then the Babylonians, foreign empires that were as ruthless in their violence as they were godless in their arrogance and pride. When would God bring justice on them, the bullies of the ancient world?

Well, just as the Babylonians succeeded the Assyian empire, so God predicted that the Medes and Persians would replace the Babylonians (Isaiah 13:17). In fact, God said the Babylonians would eventually get exactly what was coming to them – their own young men and children would be destroyed, and their own capital city would be devastated, never again to be inhabited (Isaiah 13:18-22). And all that happened. Even to this day, the site of ancient Babylon remains a ruin.

But our passage, like our daily newsfeed, reminds us that we’ll never achieve perfect justice in this world. Just as the wicked Babylonians rose up to succeed the wicked Assyrians, no matter how often we squash tyrants like Hitler and Tojo, others will rise up like Khameni in modern Iran, and the series of Kims in North Korea. No, perfect justice will only be achieved on the “Day of the Lord,” the day when the Lord Jesus returns. For on that day, God Himself will punish all the wicked, putting a final end to all arrogance and pride, to all haughtiness and ruthlessness (Isaiah 13:9-13).

And Jesus Himself confirmed all this, quoting from this very passage: “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth, to the farthest end of heaven” (Mark 13:24-27).

So, of course we should try to pursue the cause of justice here at home as well as abroad, for we serve a God of perfect justice and holiness. But let’s make sure that our ideas of justice agree with His. And let’s keep our eyes on the skies, for only King Jesus will be able to finish the job, bringing true justice to everyone forever.

Isaiah 13:9-13 (NASB)

9 Behold, the day of the LORD is coming, Cruel, with fury and burning anger, To make the land a desolation; And He will exterminate its sinners from it.
10 For the stars of heaven and their constellations Will not flash forth their light; The sun will be dark when it rises, And the moon will not shed its light.
11 Thus I will punish the world for its evil, And the wicked for their iniquity; I will also put an end to the arrogance of the proud, And abase the haughtiness of the ruthless.
12 I will make mortal man scarcer than pure gold, And mankind than the gold of Ophir.
13 Therefore I shall make the heavens tremble, And the earth will be shaken from its place At the fury of the LORD of hosts In the day of His burning anger.