“And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us. Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye. And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go. So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood. But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed. And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim. Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it. Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp. And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a ...

Seeking Justice Like Our Father

In Isaiah 1:17, God calls His people to “learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.” These are not just suggestions—they are commands rooted in God’s own heart for justice.

Isaiah highlights three of the most vulnerable groups in his time: the oppressed, the fatherless, and the widow. Their suffering was not to be ignored—it was to be confronted. And the same is true today.

Who are the oppressed? They are those weighed down by injustice, those suffering under the burden of wrongdoing. Defending them is more than offering comfort—it means stepping up, challenging oppression at its source, and refusing to be passive in the face of evil.

Who are the fatherless? In God’s design, parents are protectors and champions for their children. But in a broken world, many children are left without defenders, vulnerable to harm. Taking up their cause means more than acknowledging their ...