In the above text the KJV has "by the judgment which he executeth" for "by his acts of justice." In either case we can say that God is revealed by his decisions (or acts of his will) and by his works. In this way he is no different than his creatures, for they too may be known by their acts and deeds. We know that what he has created tells us something about God, for the apostle says:
"For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse." (Rom. 1: 20 ASV)
All created things, physical or spiritual, tell us something about the Creator in much the same way a person's creation reveals something about him or her. A painting, a sculpture, a book, a building, etc., will tell us something about the author of those things. We can tell that the Creator of all things must be very intelligent and very powerful, yea, even omniscient and omnipotent. But, in itself it does not tell us whether he is good, for it is possible to conceive of an omniscient and omnipotent God who is a tyrant and cruel. That is not to say however that God's creation does not at all bear witness to his goodness and loving kindness. So the same apostle says:
"Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.” (Acts 14: 17 nkjv)
God's good-naturedness is evident in the fact that he made the world in the beginning a paradise for mankind in which there was no want, privation, sorrow, sickness, nor death, but only joy, peace, and happiness. Even after man's apostasy and rebellion against his Creator, his Creator continued to bless him with the things enumerated above. Rain, fruitful seasons, and other such good things given in God's providence bear witness not only to God's power and wisdom but also to his goodness, mercy, pity, forbearance, longsuffering, compassion, etc.
We might could break down this subject in this way, all involving what God chooses and does, in other words, "the works (or actions) of God." In the bible we are advised to contemplate the works of God.
"Come and see the works of God" (Psa. 66: 5)
"wisely consider of his doing" (Psa. 64: 9 kjv)
"Consider the work of God" (Eccl. 7: 3 kjv)
When we consider God's work in creation, providence, and redemption, we see how God always does what is right and just. Yet, we must also keep in mind that God, being God, owes no man an explanation for what he wills and does, although he has often given such an explanation. It was correct for the friend of Job to say of God - "he gives not account of any of his matters" (Job 33: 13). God does not have to justify himself before any person or group of persons. If he does give justification or the reasons for his choices and actions, it is done by his sovereign choice and not from imposed obligation.
When the famous 17th century Christian poet John Milton wrote his classic "Paradise Lost," he began with the goal of "justifying the ways of God to man." In that work and in that expression Milton refers to his attempt to explain and defend God's actions, particularly in allowing evil and suffering in the world, trying to make sense of God's plan even when faced with seemingly unjust situations. So too do we as Christians defend the moral attributes of God, which includes his justice and righteousness.
“That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings” is a quote from Romans 3:4, citing David's words in the Psalms. The full verse reads, “God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, And mightest overcome when thou art judged.” So, how does one justify God? Is it not by agreeing with God? By acknowledging that he is right? So we read of how people "justified God" (Luke 7: 29). Every time we sin we prove God was right in judging and declaring us to be sinners.
Here is a simple syllogism for the Bible believer.
1. All that God wills and does is just.
2. God willed and did A.
3. A is just
If we think that a particular choice or act of God is unjust, we must realize that we are wrong in that supposition and must see how it is not as it seems. This is certainly the sentiment in that old Christian hymn "God Moves In A Mysterious Way." Notice some of the lines in it.
God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense But trust Him for His grace
Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face
Blind unbelief is sure to err And scan His work in vain
For God is His own interpreter And He will make it plain
In His own time In His own way
We should not jump to conclusions when surveying God's works and think that some of them are not right and just. This is what Job's three friends and Elihu did quite often in judging Job's case. Even Job himself could not clearly see the justification for God to bring all his evils upon him, yet he did not charge God with injustice at any time. One of the reasons why so many misinterpret the works of God is because many of them are inscrutable. Wrote the Psalmist: "Your righteousness is like the great mountains; "Your judgments are a great deep" (Psa. 36: 6 nkjv) Many times we are tempted to jump to conclusions because we are leaning upon our own understanding and failing to trust the Lord (to accept the syllogism given above). Oftentimes we make a hasty generalization because we do not have all the facts or enough information to draw a conclusion. God's decisions and judgments are "a great deep."
This inability to always comprehend the justness and rightness of God's will and acts, and to see the good in them, is due to our finite understanding. But a genuine trust in the Lord will nevertheless bring forth the confession which says "Just and true are your ways" (Rev. 15: 3), or to say "He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he." (Deut. 32: 4 kjv) God tells us what is just and right. We must remember that what is just and right for God to do is not necessarily just and right for a creature to do. That is because God is unique and has Creator rights and is sovereign over all things. Still, however, for the most part, we are called upon to imitate God in doing justice and what is right. We are instructed by him on what is for us to act rightly and justly. So wrote the prophet:
"He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6: 8 ESV)
Think of not only the case of Job, but the case of Abraham in Genesis chapter twenty two. In that story God tells Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. What God would tell his servants to do that? Does that not seem seriously wrong? Not only that but the command produced cognitive dissonance in the mind of Abraham. He is the one who had earlier in life asked God "shall not the judge of all the earth do right?" Abraham had already been assured that Isaac, his only sired son, was the one by whom God would fulfill his promise that said that one of his own biological offspring would produce an innumerable people. As he grasped with this difficulty he came to some solutions, and in this he was not leaning upon his own understanding but trusting in God and his goodness and justice. One of the solutions he fixed upon was the idea that when he had killed Isaac upon the altar that God would resurrect him. (See Heb. 11: 19 - "accounting that God was able to raise him from the dead") He also accepted the syllogism stated above. He knew God was just and that what he commanded him to do, though seemingly unjust, was actually just. He simply waited for more information, just as Job did.
We have the same difficulty when trying to justify God in his commanding Israel to slaughter (genocide) a certain people, man, woman, and child. Many falsely reason this way: That command is unjust, therefore God is unjust. But, again, faith calls for trust in God. Just like the song cited above says, "God is his own interpreter and he will make it plain," and that in his own time, as the case of Job shows. To demand that God show up and answer us shows a lack of trust in God and irreverence. There are some acts of God that may seem to us to be unjust or unfair, but we must wait till God is pleased to reveal to us the reason behind his choices, judgments, and actions. That is why Christians sing "we will understand it better by and by." When we are perfected and living in heaven we will understand the reason and the why of all God's works and we will loudly say "God is righteous and just."
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