The JUSTICE of GOD -- TIT-for-TAT

REWARDS
..from the free commentary which you can download at
http://sites.google.com/site/freecommentary

The mercy of the Biblical God is legendary, but so also is His justice system. It is easy for
critics to mix the two up, when criticising His high standards, but both His mercy and His
justice are world-shapers, beyond reproach. The trouble comes with inherently unjust
predictions of 'eternal torture for sinners', which do not come from the Bible.

Summary:
The justice of the Biblical God, Yahweh, is always appropriate to the deed. Numerous
examples throughout scriptures show that God's judgments are of a like kind to the action,
whether that action be good or bad. God has advertised His justice as 'an eye for an eye, a
tooth for a tooth', and has thoroughly permeated the record of Biblical history with
examples for us of balanced judgment. The significance of this fact is that in the end-times
judgment, Yahweh is most unlikely to throw a liar into hell for ever and ever -- a judgment
quite inappropriate to the crime. The idea that God would punish inappropriately by
throwing sinners into sadistic pits for everlasting bodily torment in the end-times
judgment comes from sources other than the Bible, such as the book of Enoch and the
Koran. It is not the Bible which teaches us that God is a real 'meanie'. Sometimes however,
the translations have been influenced in the wrong direction by non-Biblical pre-
conceptions of 'Hell'.

Our site lists over 200 examples of Yahweh's proportionate and appropriate judgment.

What the Bible actually teaches is: We shall be judged by our deeds, not for them.
A 'deed' in the Bible, is synonymous with a 'judgment', as in the dictums, 'Do justly' and
'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you'.
This means that as we judge others, we establish the standards by which we ourselves must
also be fairly judged.
Our pronouncements, about what a sinner deserves, will be applied to us with like
vehemence.
Consequently 'Judged by your deeds' is really 'judged by your own judgements', which is
the quintessential tit-for-tat justice.
'Judged for your deeds' is, by contrast, arbitrary rule, by arbitrary laws with arbitrary
punishments.

Rom 2:1-3 Wherefore you are without excuse, O man, whosoever you are that judges:
for wherein you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you that judge do practise
the same things. 2 And we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against
them that practise such things. 3 And do youbreckon this, O man, who judges them
that practise such things, and do the same, that you shall escape the judgment of God?

Other written Law Codes, such as Hammurabi's or the Koran, manage reciprocity or
reprisals or strictness or compensation, but fail to also achieve real equity, fairness,
appropriateness and moral truth. They depart into lenience or license, rather than into
mercy. It is Yahweh who taught Moses the written law, and sent Jesus with mercy, and
who set the legal standards and moral guideposts still adhered to in the West.
This article concentrates on the justice of Yahweh, quite apart from His provisions for
mercy.

Words of caution: Our preconceptions diverge from God's actual ways. It can be
challenging, to pit your conscience against His.

##Justice does not mean what we mean: 'due process; given all legal help; treated equally
before the law'. An adverse and unjust judge in the Bible, is to be tried before an adverse
and unjust judge. In this case the only appropriate 'justice' is injustice!

Psa 109:6 Choose some corrupt judge to try my enemy, and let one of his own enemies
accuse him. [as they have done to me]

##'Proportion' does not mean exact equality. For instance, to have a thief simply return
exactly what he stole is insufficient justice. But if he is forced to give back double, then
equity in justice is satisfied, in that he loses his illicit gain, plus what he took from another
is taken from him, and the victim is satisfactorily compensated for trouble and loss. The
proportion of 'restore two-fold' is not too small, nor too large, but measured and
proportionate and equitable and just.

##'Personal Reciprocity' (a desirable aspect in fair requital) does not mean justice as we
mean. A treasonous coup leader would take the life of another and his dynasty; so his life
and family are forfeit. This seems to punish the innocent, but family interests, unity and
cooperation, were much more important in those contexts.

##Mercy is not an add-on after-thought to Yahweh's justice, but His mercy is His prime
character, with justice as the after-provision, to deal with the merciless.

##Mercy and Justice are not separated topics, but there is a law of mercy (Love your
neighbour, and God will have compassion on you too) and a penalty through justice
(Maliciously testify against the innocent man, and you will be given, mercilessly, the
punishment you mercilessly sought to put on him).

Deu_19:16-21 When a malicious witness arises with an accusation proven false, 'you
shall do to him just as he had intended to do to his brother'

##Mercy is not lenience. Someone has to pay the just penalty, but it may not be the sinner.

##Mercy is not license. It does not neglect justice. Deliberate unconscionable conduct
removes even previous mercy.

Mat 18:32-35 Then his lord called him unto him, and saith to him, Thou wicked
servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou besoughtest me: 33 shouldest not
thou also have had mercy on thy fellow-servant, even as I had mercy on thee? 34 And
his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was
due. 35 So shall also my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not every one his
brother from your hearts.

We also fall short of God's published ways, which include

##no prison system;
##the death-penalty for murder;
##the reciprocal penalty for false accusation;
##provisions for limited blood vengeance;
##the debtor's limited enslavement (equivalent to a steady job and loose house-arrest for 6
years);
##guilt for crimes done without knowing;
##unlimited liability for deliberate fire-damage.

Some discrepancy is inevitable, when religious nations try to imitate the single chosen
theocratic nation (e.g. in the matter of death penalties for religious infractions).
So the capital punishment debate needs careful contextualisation.
Much discrepancy is unavoidable when human civil and criminal law tries to model itself
upon divine and spiritual law.
Judicial discretion was tied in with the priesthood consulting God on difficult cases. This is
as real and effective as Jesus' miracles, or Moses' miracles. You can't split and choose.
Moses' law was based upon Moses being a mighty powerful prophet in touch with God and
in the same mould as Jesus. Therefore it is impossible for secular law to imitate the
flexibility of Yahweh's high priesthood administering the prophetic law office.
As a direct result, we deal in 'principle and precedent', in blanket rules and community
expectations, in human wisdom, not in actual contact with a Living God.

Some of these glaring differences may take years of sitting in your mind, before they settle
and the issues clarify.

All this is good reason for a fresh look at Biblical standards of judgment.

JUDGMENT 'according to their ways'

There are many variations on this wording, but they all express the idea that the
punishment will fit the crime...

Eze 7:27 The king shall mourn, and the prince shall be clothed with desolation, and the
hands of the people of the land shall be troubled: I will do unto them after their way,
and according to their deserts will I judge them; and they shall know that I am Jehovah.

Eze 9:10 And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will
bring their way upon their head.

Eze 16:59 For thus saith the Lord Jehovah: I will also deal with thee as thou hast done,
who hast despised the oath in breaking the covenant.

Oba 1:15-16 For the day of Jehovah is near upon all the nations: as thou hast done, it
shall be done unto thee; thy dealing shall return upon thine own head. 16 For as ye
have drunk upon my holy mountain, so shall all the nations drink continually; yea, they
shall drink, and swallow down, and shall be as though they had not been.

REWARDS for GOOD

Pro 11:25 The liberal soul shall be made fat; And he that watereth shall be watered also
himself.

Isa 3:10 Say ye of the righteous, that it shall be well with him; for they shall eat the
fruit of their doings.

Hos 10:12-13 Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap according to kindness; break up

your fallow ground; for it is time to seek Jehovah, till he come and rain righteousness
upon you. 13 Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the
fruit of lies; for thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men.

2Co 9:6 But this I say, He that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he that
soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

Gal 6:7-8 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall
he also reap. 8 For he that soweth unto his own flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption;
but he that soweth unto the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap eternal life.

Col 4:1 Masters, render unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that
ye also have a Master in heaven.

PUNISHMENTS for WRONGS DONE

Jer 23:2 Therefore thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, against the shepherds that
feed my people: Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited
them; behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith Jehovah.

Jer 19:4-6 Because they have forsaken me, and have estranged this place, and have
burned incense in it unto other gods, that they knew not, they and their fathers and the
kings of Judah; and have filled this place with the blood of innocents, 5 and have built
the high places of Baal, to burn their sons in the fire for burnt-offerings unto Baal;
which I commanded not, nor spake it, neither came it into my mind: 6 therefore,
behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that this place shall no more be called Topheth,
nor The valley of the son of Hinnom, but The valley of Slaughter.

Jer 26:3 It may be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way; that I may
repent me of the evil which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their
doings.

Zec 7:13 And it is come to pass that, as he cried, and they would not hear, so they shall
cry, and I will not hear, said Jehovah of hosts;

Mal 2:8-9 But ye are turned aside out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble in
the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith Jehovah of hosts. 9 Therefore
have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have
not kept my ways, but have had respect of persons in the law.

Mat 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall
teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do
and teach them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Mat 7:1-2 Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye
shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured unto you.

Mat 26:52 Then saith Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into its place: for all they
that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

Rom 2:12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without the law:
and as many as have sinned under the law shall be judged by the law;
 1Co 3:17 If any man destroyeth [or defileth] the temple of God, him shall God destroy
[or make unholy]; for the temple of God is holy, and such are ye.

2Th 1:6 if so be that it is righteous thing with God to recompense affliction to them that
afflict you,

Jas 2:12-13 So speak ye, and so do, as men that are to be judged by a law of liberty. 13
For judgment is without mercy to him that hath showed no mercy: mercy glorieth
against judgment.

JUSTICE with MERCY

When Yahweh does not repay according to our deeds, it is in mercy, not in harshness!
Yahweh does, for instance, show mercy to Israel, and not punish according to her sins:

Eze 20:44 And ye shall know that I am Jehovah, when I have dealt with you for my
name's sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye
house of Israel, saith the Lord Jehovah.

TIT-for-TAT JUSTICE is a FEATURE of the END-TIMES

Rev 3:10 Because thou didst keep the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from
the hour of trial, that hour which is to come upon the whole world, to try them that
dwell upon the earth.

Rev 11:18 And the nations were wroth, and thy wrath came, and the time of the dead to
be judged, and the time to give their reward to thy servants the prophets, and to the
saints, and to them that fear thy name, the small and the great; and to destroy them
that destroy the earth.

Rev 13:10 If any man is for captivity [or 'takes captive'], into captivity he goeth: if any
man shall kill with the sword, with the sword must he be killed. Here is the patience
and the faith of the saints.

Rev 16:5-7 And I heard the angel of the waters saying, Righteous art thou, who art and
who wast, thou Holy One, because thou didst thus judge: 6 for they poured out the
blood of the saints and the prophets, and blood hast thou given them to drink: they are
worthy [deserving of punishment]. 7 And I heard the altar saying, Yea, O Lord God,
the Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.

Rev 18:6-7 Render unto her even as she rendered, and double unto her the double
according to her works: in the cup which she mingled, mingle unto her double. 7 How
much soever she glorified herself, and waxed wanton, so much give her of torment and
mourning: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall in no
wise see mourning.

Rev 22:18-19 I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this
book, if any man shall add unto them, God shall add unto him the plagues which are
written in this book: 19 and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of
this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city,
 which are written in this book.

The consistency of tit-for-tat judgment means that we can interpret the final judgment as
Death itself being appropriately rewarded with the second Death, and Hades being
rewarded with the Lake of Fire. As for the people, they are 'judged every man according to
their works':

Rev 20:12-15 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne;
and books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and
the dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to
their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead that were in it; and death and Hades gave
up the dead that were in them: and they were judged every man according to their
works. 14 And death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second
death, even the lake of fire. 15 And if any was not found written in the book of life, he
was cast into the lake of fire.

The 'any who was not found written in the lake of fire' proves to be followers of the Beast,
who have been given a chance to repent, and who do not take it.

Rev 17:8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and is about to come up out of the
abyss, and to go into perdition. And they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, they
whose name hath not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world,
when they behold the beast, how that he was, and is not, and shall come.

Footnote: How other sources DISTORT BIBLICAL JUSTICE

The law code of Hammurabi is interesting reading, but it stands out as unjust. It has a
quest for reciprocity, which gives it an appearance of fairness, but can you call it 'just'
to burn a person in 'the very same fire' which he started? Moses Law is not the first
law-code, nor does it address new crimes, but beyond the similar wording, it is vital to
have an eye for superior justice on all fronts.
Or take the attempt at 'appropriateness', in cutting off the hand that stole something.
The Koran would cut off the hands (plural). Does it serve rehabilitation to prevent
someone earning a living? Is it 'just' to reward a petty crime with a very severe loss,
and a high risk of death?
We lose sight of the history, that the definition of justice was never so clear as when
Yahweh's prophets spoke for God.
When other writings, claiming similar inspiration, depart from Yahweh, we again lose
sight of the original, its simplicity, clarity and irreproachability.

What follows is part of the commentary on the Koran's law of equity, pointing out that
the Old Testament Law has been perverted by the Koranic version.

First see how Muhammad uses all the right words (atonement, mercy, charity, God),
but that he is preaching blood-retaliation, and inequity and lenience in cases of
murder:

K5:45 We ordained therein for them: "Life for life, eye for eye, nose or nose, ear for
ear, tooth for tooth, and wounds equal for equal." But if any one remits the
retaliation by way of charity, it is an act of atonement for himself. And if any fail to
judge by the light of what Allah hath revealed, they are No better than wrong–doers.
K2:178 O ye who believe! the law of equality is prescribed to you in cases of
murder: the free for the free, the slave for the slave, the woman for the woman. But if
any remission is made by the brother of the slain, then grant any reasonable demand,
and compensate him with handsome gratitude, this is a concession and a Mercy from
your Lord. After this whoever exceeds the limits shall be in grave penalty.
K2:179 In the Law of Equality there is saving of Life to you, o ye men of
understanding; that ye may restrain yourselves [better rendered 'restrain (the evil
ones)'].

You can see that a freeman murdering a slave or woman, does not pay with his own
life. In this there is 'a saving of life', at the expense of justice. Reciprocity is lost.

The Original from Moses, was Considered 'Pitiless', for purposes of justice against
the pitiless, e.g. when 'a malicious witness arises with an accusation proven false' . The law
is not for the sake of retaliation or getting even, nor is it pitiless as a matter of course.

'Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, life for life, hand for hand, foot for foot, fracture for
fracture; injury for injury, burn for burn, wound for wound, welt for welt' Deu_19:19;
Lev_24:20; Exo_21:23. 'You shall do to him just as he had intended to do to his
brother' Deu_19:16-21. It allows no lenience, unlike Muhammad's application.
It was 'Pitiless, in order to purge the evil from among you'. 'The rest will hear and be
afraid, and will never do such an evil thing among you'.
Think clearly: The Law of Yahweh is Mercy i.e. 'Love Your Neighbour' Lev_19:18 is
the command. But the Punishment for not following the law of mercy is 'merciless'.
I.e. to be treated as you treated others. This is in the law, too, but only for law-
breakers.
So when James, the leader of the Jewish Christian Church, said: 'So speak and so act,
as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty, for judgment will be merciless to
one who has shown no mercy; Mercy triumphs over judgment', he was not 'being
Judaistic' nor being 'Christian only' nor 'overturning Moses', but was being Judaeo-
Christian, repeating the spirit of the Law of Moses, and the teaching of Christ.

Jesus taught, in Mat_5:38-42, that merciless justice/punishment was not to be the

norm. Rather 'be merciful' Luk_6:36 'even to your enemies'.

But Muhammad's distortion applies merciless retaliation as a matter of course;

between peoples (verse 194), instead of against Muslim criminals; for less malicious
evil (e.g. Meccans resisting Islam's pugnacious demands); and only as a loose
imitation; without any prophetic undertones (of the betrayal of Christ)!
[The Old Testament theme was of brother betraying brother e.g. the Jewish kinsmen of
Jesus arose as false-accusers against him, and they were proven false themselves
(Mar_14:57-59; Mat_26:60) as predicted in Psa_27:12, and see Exo_21:16; Exo_23:1.
Judas was a foretype of the Betrayer—a Friend turned Foe.]
In addition, Muhammad assumes authority himself, in God's place, taking it away
from properly recognised law courts, and he delegates it to his followers!
Pro_24:29 said: Do not say 'Thus I shall do to him, as he has done to me; I
will render to the man according to his work'. [If you want to argue context,
then the proverb fits Islam even more closely, because the previous verse said: “Do not
be a witness against your neighbour without [sufficient or just] cause, and do not
deceive with your lips”. Islam’s cause fails the test of sufficiency and justice, at every
turn.]
The result is that humans, not God, are being merciless, not merciful, to enemies; and
being lenient, not strict, to their brother Muslims who transgress—quite opposite to
Yahweh's intentions—and the Muslims become a law unto themselves. Muslims do
not wait for God to apply His judgment at the day of Rising i.e. after this life.

K2:194 and so for all things prohibited,– there is the law of equality.
{'Retaliation'/'Reprisals'} Once again, the translation is shielding us from bloodstained
steel, by invoking 'justice and equity' instead of 'blood-vengeance'.
'Vengeance' is not 'Justice', unless it is first shown to be Just.
'Equality' is reciprocity—eye for eye; tit for tat.
'Equity' is fairness—two criminals dividing the spoil equally.
'Justice' is rightness—taking the spoil back from both criminals.

Don't Be Fooled by Similar Wording...

The differences discussed are hard to pin, since both versions sound similar. The naive
say: 'All religions are basically on about the same things (love, justice, law, tolerance)'.
But you could say:
'The government and the opposition talk about similar issues' or 'Those two boxers
have the same goal'; or 'This fake artefact looks like it is original'. But the superficial
similarity misses the opposite viewpoints; the goal of knocking out the opponent's
brains; the fraud!
The Differences Are Usually the Crucial Factors...
especially in religion, scripture & truth. The differences amount to life & death for
millions. You need to struggle to come to grips with the lies, which, of necessity, will
appear 'similar' to the truth.