I took my wife to see the midnight showing of The Hunger Games last night. Aside from enduring 300 giggling teenage girls, it was a great time. As I walked out of the theatre, this line from the Christmas hymn, “O Holy Night,” was echoing through my mind:
“In His name all oppression shall cease.”
If you’re not familiar with the plot of The Hunger Games, here’s a succinct recap: Ever since the rebellion 74 years ago, the Capitol of Panem (a totalitarian-ruled country that’s risen out of a civil war) has held an annual Reaping. It’s a way to keep the dissidents in line while entertaining the “true” citizens of the Capitol. Each of the 12 districts must choose one boy and one girl “tribute” to represent them in the horrible Hunger Games. 24 teens enter a massive “arena”—only one exits this brutal televised spectacle. They must fight to the death. For the cameras. For the country (they’re told). For celebrity. For a lifetime supply of food and privileges. Katniss Everdeen – from the severely oppressed, poverty-stricken, coal-mining District 12 – volunteers in the Reaping to take the place of her sister, Prim, who the Capitol originally selected. The rest of the plot revolves around Katniss and Peeta Mellark (the boy selected from District 12), as they fight to stay alive in the arena.
Obviously, The Hunger Games portrays structural injustice of the vilest sort. It is difficult to imagine any society actually being entertained by the slaughter of its own children for political purposes…or is it? One has only to recall the gladiator games in the Roman Empire, where brutal slaughter of slaves and recognized opponents of the Empire were the main attraction in an arena full of blood-thirsty citizens. It is well known that Christian men, women, and children were often thrown into the arena to die at the hands of warrior or beast.
I ponder our own United States, where many are content to slaughter millions of unborn babies each year, often because the pregnancy is the result of illegitimate pleasure or interrupts personal plans.
The point is not to identify every case of injustice in the world today. That would consume us for a considerable amount of time. However, The Hunger Games does leave the viewer longing for justice – justice to avenge the savagery, justice to rectify years of oppression. And it mirrors the cry of longing hearts in this sin-cursed world that cry out, “O Lord, how long?”
As worshipers of God, those who have been rescued and pardoned through Jesus’ sinless life, atoning death, and bodily resurrection, we have been granted ‘new’ eyes to view this world through a biblical lens. We are part of God’s masterful redemptive drama, one that echoes from eternity past to eternity future, yet finds its focus in the biblical events Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Consummation.
As we see God’s powerful acts in salvation history, we are amazed to find that He is a King who cares deeply for his oppressed creatures, those suffering at the hands of social injustice.¹
As we move through the biblical drama, God’s rescue of the oppressed finds its focus in the Messiah of His people – the anointed King who would come and exercise his rule over all the nations.²
Yet, in the surprising turn of the story, the Lord’s anointed is also a Servant who becomes a curse for the cursed. He is oppressed for the sake of those oppressed. He gives Himself for all those whom the Father determined to rescue, those who live under the tyranny of sin, Satan, and death. His death sets the captive free. His life ensures their own.³
As Christians, we await the day when Jesus comes again. On that Day, all oppression will indeed cease, for our King will powerfully subdue every enemy, effectively demolish sin’s presence, gloriously transform the cosmos, and consummately save His people. This is the Christian hope. Jesus is the hope of the oppressed. He is the Lord and Savior of the broken and abused. He is food for the hungry.
Let us be about the business of righting wrongs and fighting injustice. Loving our neighbor demands it. But even more, let us be about the business of proclaiming a gospel that declares that Jesus the Lord has died; He has risen; He is coming again to save and to judge.
“In his name all oppression shall cease.” Hallelujah.
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Revelation 20:11-21:5
¹Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD his God,
who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them,
who keeps faith forever;
who executes justice for the oppressed,
who gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets the prisoners free;
the LORD opens the eyes of the blind.
The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down;
the LORD loves the righteous.
The LORD watches over the sojourners;
he upholds the widow and the fatherless,
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin. Psalm 146:5-9
² The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn;
to grant to those who mourn in Zion—
to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified. Isaiah 61:1-3
³ He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people? Isaiah 53:7-8
For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night…but since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. I Thess. 5:2,8-10
This 
As I stand at the eve of my 27th birthday, I can’t help but be filled with a mixture of profound gratitude, noticeable restlessness, and joyful hope.
Bound by Mercy 