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Daily Devotionals
Our Daily Homily - Volume 3
Jeremiah 22:13—Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness.
This denunciation was probably against the king himself. But it has a much fuller reference. He was the godless son of a godly father, whose character is sketched in three particulars. He judged the cause of the poor and needy; it was well with him; it was to know God. But the son had reversed all this. He built his palace of unrighteousness, his chambers of covetousness; but its width of space could not obliterate the memory of the forced and unpaid labor by which it had been reared. And God would plead and avenge the cause of those oppressed laborers.
When we see the splendid piles of business buildings reared by monopolists who thrive by making existence impossible to smaller but industrious tradesmen; when we hear of the vast fortunes made out of strong drink; or the manipulation of the market by millionaires, that make honest business impossible—we recur to these terrible words. God still arises to avenge the cause of the poor and needy. There is a God who judges in the earth.
In our vast cities it is not easy to trace the incidence of the Divine displeasure on a family of wrong-doers. Those who reside in our villages and country towns, and have long memories, could tell of many corroborations in their own knowledge. But there is another side to this. God’s children can afford to be generous and openhanded to their employees, because their Father is rich. "He is able to make all grace abound towards us... that we may abound." Let us maintain his honor, and his family name, by fair dealing. They who know God, judge the cause of the poor and needy; and for those who do this it is well (Jeremiah 22:16).
