Let Justice Flow Like Rivers

 Where the river flows, life abounds. Ezekiel 47:9  The Message

Satellite images illustrate the vital importance of water in the Egyptian desert. From ancient times the civilizations of Egypt have depended on the Nile River for its agriculture and commerce.

So vital was the water that ancient Egyptians deified the river. They called the Nile-god 'Hapi'. Every year in late summer, Hapi’s breasts over-flowed with the surplus of the rains in the highlands to south. Hapi made Egypt wealthy and the affluent enjoyed security and sophistication. The gods seemed to smile on Egypt.

Israel saw the world differently.
Yahweh was supreme above the gods and the Nile's fertility was a gift from Yahweh. Like rainfall and sunlight, the river delivered Yahweh's life-giving gifts to the Earth and all her people, demonstrating God as a merciful, faithful, generous provider for all.

The obvious response to such lavish goodness is gratitude. "Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; his mercy endures forever”, Israel sang. God’s bounty gave Israel an ethical motivation to treat the world generously. God’s abundant care inspires God’s people to be generous to others. As Jesus said, “freely you have received, freely give.”

But privilege can make people and nations proud and selfish. Egypt was a cradle of human civilization, but for Israel, it became a hostile cradle, a most un-civil civilization. Israel emerged from Egypt’s tyranny with deep scars from injustice.

Rivers connect people – over 160 million people in the Nile River Basin. But rivers can also divide people – right bank from left bank; upstream from downstream, the haves from the can’t-haves. The Nile Basin Initiative has tremendous difficulty getting agreement on the rights of the various stake-holders among the ten nations that touch the Nile. Often the poor are the ones left out of the prosperity the river potentially provides for all.

Rivers can make us very good or very bad neighbors, people who cooperate or who take advantage of our neighbors; people who deal fairly or who exploit others. No wonder the prophet Amos saw parallels between social justice and the flow of a reliable river – "Let justice flow like rivers and righteousness like a never-failing stream. (Amos 5:24)

Click here for more information on the Millenium Development Goals, especially 7C - access to safe water and sanitation.