Amos 5:24 Justice Rolls on Like a River
“But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream (ESV).
We spent two weeks in Idaho this summer, and water seemed to be at the center of much of the beauty of God’s creation that we saw. We saw snow in the mountains, water in smooth flowing rivers, water in rushing streams, water gushing over waterfalls, water in deep beautiful blue lakes, and even water in steam from geysers. I’ve said this before, and I will say it again: God’s creation is amazingly beautiful. Water always seems to be in motion, even in lakes and oceans. Of course, tides continually roll in the oceans, and lakes are often in motion because of the breezes that flow over them. Even water in geysers continually boils or even spouts high in the air. Needless to say, we were quite blessed by God’s use of water in creation.
I’ve often thought of the necessity of having a source of the water that flows in rivers. It never just appears. Sure it does; God makes it rain and snow. Those two things, rain and snow, are the source of all water that flows. And when the water flows, it has to be replaced or the rivers and streams will run dry. If lakes have no incoming source of water, they eventually dry up. There is one ultimate source of water. God created the seas during creation, and that water has been recirculating ever since through the processes of evaporation and precipitation.
This Scripture, Amos 5:24, tells that God wants justice to continually roll like rivers and righteousness to flow forever. Well, if justice and righteousness are to continually roll and flow, they have to be replenished. God took care of that. He is filled with justice and righteousness, and it flows from Him continually. Psalm 89:14 proclaims that: “Righteousness and justice are the foundations of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you” (NIV). He gives us a great opportunity, or should I say opportunities, to be the riverbeds through which justice and righteousness flow. What a joy it is to be a conduit by which God blesses His people. As children of God, we are expected to add to justice and righteousness, love, and faithfulness. We are given opportunities to do that every day, so let’s go forth and represent our Savior, Jesus, well as we live each day. The world yearns for justice, righteousness love, and faithfulness. Let these four things flow through us.