That's Not Fair! Series

✎ How often have parents heard their children cry, "That’s not fair?" Just this week Mikey complained when he was put in bed before his older brother and sisters who were upstairs watching a movie; "it’s not fair!" None of Mikey’s siblings were crying for fairness; they were not demanding fair treatment for their younger brother, nor were they begging to be put to bed before the end of the movie.

No one appeals to the law of fairness as the recipient of good things. Do we ever complain life isn’t fair:

when we get straight A’s on our report card?

when we receive an unexpected promotion and pay raise at work?

when we are blessed with good health?

when the judge rules in our favor?

when we get the biggest slice of pizza?

when our kids sit in our laps and say, "I

love you"?

when we get to be the first in line?

Those who feel cheated or left out, those who are envious of what others have are the ones who complain life isn’t fair. Is anyone here who has been disappointed and cried, "Life just isn’t fair," or am I the only one?

We have all been there. We have accused our parents of not being fair with us, but they are not the only ones. Your husband or wife, brothers and sister, teachers, bosses, friends, sometimes it seems the whole world has treated you unjustly. EVEN GOD.

The people of Israel felt that way too. This morning we are going to continue to gain "Godly Insight for Today" through the message of the prophet Malachi. God will ultimately establish justice for his people, and no one will be able to say God has been unfair.

+ Malachi 2:17 You have wearied the Lord with your words. "How have we wearied him?" you ask. By saying, "All who do evil are good in the eyes of the Lord, and he is pleased with them" or "Where is the God of justice?" (NIV)

The Jews are saying, "God you aren’t being fair with us! The people of Israel had become so embittered and skeptical; many believed God approved of those who did evil. When the Jews saw the prosperity and strength of foreign nations compared with the little they possessed, they assumed God must delight in blessing these sinful nations.

The people of Malachi’s day were practicing evil as if it were acceptable; they accepted injustice believing God was indifferent and didn’t care. Sounds familiar doesn’t it?

The prevailing attitude of their day is much like ours. Truth is relative; we can all decide for ourselves what is right and wrong because God must see evil as good.

Amidst watered down religion, and evil being accepted as good some asked the question, "Where is the God of justice?" The inference being made by the people was that God was not with His people. If God were here, then surely He would do something. If God won’t establish justice; if He won’t be fair, then God must not really care.

Those asking the question didn’t expect an answer, but God gave them one. "Where is the God of justice?" God answers His people saying, "I’M COMING!"

God says, "You’re wrong about Me. The God of justice is on the way." The next time life isn’t treating you fairly, and you’re tempted to think God does not care remember GOD SAID, "I’M COMING."

+ Malachi 3:1-5 1"See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come," says the Lord Almighty. 2But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. 3He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, 4and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years. 5"So I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me," says the Lord Almighty. (NIV)

The people questioned God’s justice or fairness; it appeared to the people as though God approves of those who sin. They reasoned, "If God cares, if He notices what’s going on around us, then the Lord should do something about it." Why do sinners seem to never have a problem; are they blessed by God. "Where is the God of justice?"