Quotations from the writings of Ellen G. White with the phrase . . .
J U S T I C E w a s p e r v e r t e d ( 3 RELATED PHRASES ) |
The phrase 'justice was perverted' appears 13 times in the published writings of EGW See page on Original site Related Phrase: perverted justice ( 4 ) - - pervert justice ( below )
| The kingdom of Judah, prosperous throughout the times of Hezekiah, was once more brought low during the long years of Manasseh’s wicked reign, when paganism was revived, and many of the people were led into idolatry. “Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen.” 2 Chronicles 33:9. The glorious light of former generations was followed by the darkness of superstition and error. Gross evils sprang up and flourished—tyranny, oppression, hatred of all that is good. Justice was perverted; violence prevailed. Prophets and Kings, page 381.1 Read entire chapter 32
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| The outlook was particularly discouraging as regards the social conditions of the people. In their desire for gain, men were adding house to house and field to field. See Isaiah 5:8. Justice was perverted, and no pity was shown the poor. Of these evils God declared, “The spoil of the poor is in your houses.” “Ye beat My people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor.” Isaiah 3:14, 15. Even the magistrates, whose duty it was to protect the helpless, turned a deaf ear to the cries of the poor and needy, the widows and the fatherless. See Isaiah 10:1, 2. Prophets and Kings, page 306.1 Read entire chapter 25
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| The nation had lost the founder and president of its sacred schools, but that was not all. It had lost him to whom the people had been accustomed to go with their great troubles -- lost one who had constantly interceded with God in behalf of the best interests of its people. The intercession of Samuel had given a feeling of security; for "the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." James 5:16. The people felt now that God was forsaking them. The king seemed little less than a madman. Justice was perverted, and order was turned to confusion. Patriarchs and Prophets, page 663.3
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| The nation had lost the founder and president of their college, but that was not all. They had lost him to whom they had been accustomed to go with their great troubles. They had lost one who had constantly interceded with God in their behalf. Israel had felt more secure while the prayers of this good man ascended to Heaven for them; for “the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” They felt now that they were being forsaken of God. The king seemed little less than a madman. He was abandoned of God; but he was not filled with godly sorrow for the evil course he had pursued. He was remorseful, passionate, and unable to exercise reason. The Lord had declared by the lips of Samuel the condition of the disobedient: “Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.” These words found their verification in the life of Saul. The uncontrolled passions of his wicked heart made him unfit to receive counsel or advice. He refused all instruction, and acted as if possessed of a demon. Justice was perverted to cruelty, and order was turned into confusion. Oh, that Saul had humbled his proud heart before God! But anger rests in the bosom of fools, transforming those who have been made in the image of God, into the image of the evil one. { ST October 19, 1888, par. 8 }
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| But the dangers from without were not so serious as the dangers from within. By their apostasy and rebellion the people who should have been light bearers among the nations were inviting the judgments of God. Many of the evils of the northern kingdom, which had been denounced by Hosea and Amos, were fast corrupting Judah. In their desire for gain, men were adding house to house and field to field. See Isaiah 5:8. Justice was perverted, and no pity was shown the poor. God declared, “The spoil of the poor is in your houses.” Isaiah 3:14. Even magistrates turned a deaf ear to the cries of the poor, the widows, and the fatherless. See Isaiah 10:1, 2. { SS 162.3 }
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| The outlook was particularly discouraging as regards the social conditions of the people. In their desire for gain, men were adding house to house and field to field. See Isaiah 5:8. Justice was perverted, and no pity was shown the poor. Of these evils God declared: “The spoil of the poor is in your houses.... Ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor.” Chap. 3:14, 15. Even the magistrates, whose duty it was to protect the helpless, had turned a deaf ear to the cries of the poor and needy, the widows and the fatherless. Chap. 10:1, 2. { RH March 4, 1915, par. 9 }
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| The kingdom of Judah, prosperous throughout the times of Hezekiah, was once more brought low during the long years of Manasseh’s wicked reign, when paganism was revived, and many of the people were led into idolatry. “Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen.” 2 Chronicles 33:9. The glorious light of former generations was followed by the darkness of superstition and error. Gross evils sprang up and flourished,—tyranny, oppression, hatred of all that is good. Justice was perverted; violence prevailed. { RH July 8, 1915, par. 1 }
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| The kingdom of Judah was brought low once more during Manasseh’s wicked reign. Paganism had revived, and many were led into idolatry. “Manasseh seduced Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to do more evil than the nations whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel.” 2 Chronicles 33:9. Gross evils sprang up and flourished—tyranny, oppression, hatred of all that is good. Justice was perverted, and violence prevailed. { RR 137.1 }
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| The nation had lost him to whom the people had been accustomed to go with their great troubles—lost one who had constantly interceded with God in behalf of the best interests of its people. “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” James 5:16. The king seemed little less than a madman. Justice was perverted, and order was turned to confusion. { EP 482.5 }
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| The kingdom of Judah was once more brought low during Manasseh’s wicked reign. Paganism was revived, and many were led into idolatry. “Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen.” 2 Chronicles 33:9. Gross evils sprang up and flourished—tyranny, oppression, hatred of all that is good. Justice was perverted; violence prevailed. { SS 200.1 }
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p e r v e r t j u s t i c e |
| Related phrase: perverted justice ( 2 ) [below] |
| “‘You shall not pervert justice due the stranger or the fatherless, nor take a widow’s garment as a pledge.’” Deuteronomy 24:17, “‘When you lend your brother anything, you shall not go into his house to get his pledge. You shall stand outside, and the man to whom you lend shall bring the pledge out to you. And if the man is poor, you shall not keep his pledge overnight.’” “‘If you ever take your neighbor’s garment as a pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down. For that is his only covering. ... What will he sleep in? And it will be that when he cries to Me, I will hear, for I am gracious.’” “‘If you sell anything to your neighbor or buy from your neighbor’s hand, you shall not oppress one another.’” Deuteronomy 24:10-12} “‘You shall do no injustice in judgment, in measurement of length, weight, or volume.’” “‘You shall not have in your bag differing weights, a heavy and a light. You shall not have in your house differing measures, a large and a small.’” “‘You shall have honest balances, honest weights, an honest ephah, and an honest hin.’” Leviticus 19:35; Deuteronomy 25:13, 14; Leviticus 19:36. { MHH 99.5 }
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| A similar condition of things exists now. That which is lawful in itself is carried to excess. Appetite is indulged without restraint. Professed followers of Christ are today eating and drinking with the drunken, while their names stand in honored church records. Intemperance benumbs the moral and spiritual powers and prepares the way for indulgence of the lower passions. Multitudes feel under no moral obligation to curb their sensual desires, and they become the slaves of lust. Men are living for the pleasures of sense; for this world and this life alone. Extravagance pervades all circles of society. Integrity is sacrificed for luxury and display. They that make haste to be rich pervert justice and oppress the poor, and “slaves and souls of men” are still bought and sold. Fraud and bribery and theft stalk unrebuked in high places and in low. The issues of the press teem with records of murder—crimes so cold-blooded and causeless that it seems as though every instinct of humanity were blotted out. And these atrocities have become of so common occurrence that they hardly elicit a comment or awaken surprise. The spirit of anarchy is permeating all nations, and the outbreaks that from time to time excite the horror of the world are but indications of the pent-up fires of passion and lawlessness that, having once escaped control, will fill the earth with woe and desolation. The picture which Inspiration has given of the antediluvian world represents too truly the condition to which modern society is fast hastening. Even now, in the present century, and in professedly Christian lands, there are crimes daily perpetrated as black and terrible as those for which the old-world sinners were destroyed. Patriarchs and Prophets, page 101.3 Read entire chapter 7
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| In this generation, when God’s servants speak the word of the Lord to reprove wrong-doers, to rebuke those who bring in wrong principles, have they not had an experience similar to that which Jeremiah had? When a course of action to pervert justice and judgment is introduced, the word of the Lord must be spoken in reproof. In this our day we find the very same difficulties that the Lord’s servants found in the days of ancient Israel when they were sent to expose existing evils that were corrupting in their influence (Manuscript 56, 1902). { 4BC 1156.8 } Note: Read PK 381.1 to 382.2
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| You shall not pervert justice due the stranger or the fatherless, nor take a widow’s garment as a pledge. Deuteronomy 24:17, NKJV. { BLJ 168.1} God’s word sanctions no policy that will enrich one class by the oppression and suffering of another. In all our business transactions it teaches us to put ourselves in the place of those with whom we are dealing, to look not only on our own things, but also on the things of others. Those who would take advantage of another’s misfortunes in order to benefit themselves, or who seek to profit themselves through another’s weakness or incompetence, are transgressors both of the principles and of the precepts of the Word of God. { BLJ 168.2}
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| perverted justice |
| But the dangers from outside were not as serious as the dangers from within. By their apostasy and rebellion the people who should have been light bearers among the nations were inviting the judgments of God. Many of the evils of the northern kingdom, which Hosea and Amos had denounced, were fast corrupting Judah. In their desire for wealth, many people were adding house to house and field to field. See Isaiah 5:8. They perverted justice and showed no pity to the poor. God declared, “The plunder of the poor is in your houses.” Isaiah 3:14. Even magistrates turned a deaf ear to the cries of the poor, the widows, and the fatherless. See Isaiah 10:1, 2. { RR 113.1 }
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| They did not turn out to be worthy but “turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.” They had not copied the pure, unselfish life of their father. To some extent he had been too permissive with his sons, and the result was plain to see in their character. { BOE 304.5 }
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