Mišpāt — Part 2: Mišpāt and the Messiah

This is the second part of a series about one of the most important words (and topics) of the Bible.

While there are a few overlaps between Part 1 and Part 2, most of the content in this article builds on the first article. Part 3 focuses more on understanding the use of the word.

The original promise to Abraham that all nations would be blessed through him.

Genesis 18:18
Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?

• For years, I believed that this pointed to Jesus and that the main way that Jesus would be a blessing to all nations is by dying for our sins so we could be forgiven. That is true, but it is not what the next passage emphasizes.

Genesis 18:19
Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right (ṣᵊḏāqâ) and just (mišpāṭ), so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.” (NIV)

Discussion Point: This is a scripture often shared as an important prophesy that God’s plan to bless all people was talked about in Genesis. This not only refers to blessing all nations by sending a messiah/savior to die for our sins but to blessing all nations by sending a king who will bring about ṣᵊḏāqâ and mišpāṭ. The Messiah will direct his children to do justice.

Solomon as a foreshadowing of the coming messiah who would establish his kingdom forever.

1 Ch 28:6–7
He said to me: ‘Solomon your son is the one who will build my house and my courts, for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father. I will establish his kingdom forever if he is unswerving in carrying out my commands and laws (mišpāṭ), as is being done at this time.’

Discussion Point: Notice how the establishment of the eternal kingdom is linked to carrying out mišpāṭ.

The importance of (mišpāṭ) is clear in many of the main prophesies about Jesus

Isaiah 9:6–7 (Important / Messiah)
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice (mišpāṭ) and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this. (NIV)

Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment (mišpāṭ) and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. (KJV)

Discussion Point: Notice how central establishing the kingdom and upholding it with mišpāṭ is to this core prophesy about Jesus. The prophet could have mentioned sending the messiah to die for our sins and take the punishment that we deserved (which is mentioned in Isaiah 53:4–6), and many people think of that when they see “justice” in English. But this familiar passage takes on a different emphasis as we learn about mišpāṭ.

Isaiah 28:16–17
So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic. I will make justice (mišpāṭ) the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line; hail will sweep away your refuge, the lie, and water will overflow your hiding place.

Discussion Point: Notice how mišpāṭ is to this prophesy about Jesus — the precious cornerstone. Again, this familiar passage takes on a different emphasis as we learn about mišpāṭ.

Isaiah 32:1–3
See, a king will reign in righteousness and rulers will rule with justice (mišpāṭ). Each one will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land. Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed, and the ears of those who hear will listen.

Discussion Point: It seems here that not only will the king (Jesus) reign in righteousness, but that he will influence other rulers to rule with mišpāṭ. We gain deeper insights about the kingdom that Jesus would establish when we learn more about mišpāṭ.

Isaiah 42:1–7
Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice (mišpāṭ) to the nations. He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice (mišpāṭ); he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice (mišpāṭ) on earth. In his teaching the islands will put their hope.”

This is what God the LORD says — the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it:

“I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

Discussion Point: In this important prophesy about the Messiah, the emphasis is not that Jesus will rescue us from the fallen world (which he does), but that he will bring mišpāṭ to the nations. We gain deeper insights about the they type of justice that Jesus intended to bring to the nations when we learn more about mišpāṭ. Establishing mišpāṭ on earth seems quite different than a common mindset that Jesus is focused on accomplishing justice by dying as the punishment for our sins so we can spend eternity with him and leave the fallen world behind. It seems that the word “establish” here is defined as “make, transform, and bring about.”

Isaiah 61:1–8
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion — to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness (ṣeḏeq), a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.

They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations. Strangers will shepherd your flocks; foreigners will work your fields and vineyards. And you will be called priests of the LORD, you will be named ministers of our God. You will feed on the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast. Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours. “For I, the LORD, love justice (mišpāṭ); I hate robbery and wrongdoing. In my faithfulness I will reward my people and make an everlasting covenant with them.

Discussion Point: This is the prophesy that Jesus read to announce his ministry and kingship. This sure seems like he was on a mission to bring mišpāṭ to the nations. Notice the emphasis of the poor, brokenhearted and prisoners becoming the transformers of devastated cities — acting as priests and ministers for God. The splendor of a God who loves mišpāṭ is displayed when those who were mourning becoming a force for bringing healing to cities — not just individuals.

It seems here that God’s hatred for robbery and wrongdoing is not focusing on bringing “justice” (punishment) to the perpetrators but rather to bringing mišpāṭ to the victims. It seems to me that this refers to Jesus rewarding his people (the poor victims of injustice) and transforming them into a team of priests and ministers who renew cities so that they will benefit from their economic activity (“feed on the wealth of nations”) rather than be exploited by wrongdoing and robbery.

Jeremiah 23:5
The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will raise up for David a righteous (ṣadîq) Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just (mišpāṭ) and right (ṣᵊḏāqâ) in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The LORD Our Righteous Savior.”

Discussion Point: This powerful prophesy about Jesus positions him as a King who will do mišpāṭ in the land. As we look at the ministry and kingship of Jesus, it is important that we view it with an understanding of how important the concept of mišpāṭ is to his reign as King and Righteous Savior.

Ezekiel 34:16 (Read the whole chapter)
I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice (mišpāṭ).

Discussion Point: After the powerful rebuke of the prophets of that day, the prophet Ezekiel shares God’s promise about coming to rescue his people. God will come in person to be a good shepherd to help the weak and those who had been exploited or oppressed. This chapter would likely be familiar with people who heard Jesus state that he was the Good Shepherd.