Justice & Peace Will Kiss (Divine Simplicity)

Exodus 34:5 ESV

The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord.

Exodus 34:6–7 ESV

The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

Is God the loving, forgiving God we want to meet or the just, indignant God we want to hide from?

Psalm 85:1–2 ESV

Lord, you were favorable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob. You forgave the iniquity of your people; you covered all their sin. Selah

Israel had seen the kindness of God.

Psalm 85:3 ESV

You withdrew all your wrath; you turned from your hot anger.

Israel had seen the wrath of God.

Psalm 85:4–7 ESV

Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us! Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger to all generations? Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? Show us your steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation.

Israel longed to see more of the love of God, and less of the anger of God.

Psalm 85:8–9 ESV

Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints; but let them not turn back to folly. Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land.

Peace is neither justice nor forgiveness. Peace is both.

Psalm 85:10 ESV

Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other.

The attributes of God are not at war with each other. They are one.

Psalm 85:11–13 ESV

Faithfulness springs up from the ground, and righteousness looks down from the sky. Yes, the Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase. Righteousness will go before him and make his footsteps a way.

The sum total of all God’s ways is one simple characteristic: He is good.