Deuteronomy Chapter 16, Part 2: Law of the Administration of the Judges
Deuteronomy 16:18-22 – Gems and Thoughts from the Passage
It is not clear whether the judges are separate from the officers. I would think that the officers were the administrative or military assistants to the judges. The job of the judges was to “judge the people with righteous judgment.” That’s a tall order.
You have to love the instructions Moses was given for the work of these judges, and also for himself – which in turn means these principles on justice apply to us.
God said a) don’t distort justice, b) don’t be partial, and c) don’t take any bribes. These judges were not to be thought of us Supreme Court type of judges – they were more than that. The Jewish word for judge is “shaphat” and it means much more. It includes ruler, defender, deliverer, and liberator. I can’t help but laugh when I think about the closest thing that we may have to the Old Testament Judges. Today I would call them Politicians. Now stop and think about whether or not they a) distort justice, b) are partial, or c) take bribes. Enough said.
Bribes, the text says, blind the wise and pervert the words of the righteous. We know the first is true for sure. And as far as the second goes, how many times have we heard politicians make great appeals or speeches on a particular topic only to find out that privately they have done the opposite – including taking bribes from the opponents of the very thing they were orating about?
And God was saying, “hey, if you want to live in and possess the land – you can only do it by being just.”
Wrap-up
With our small group we have just begun a study on the book of Judges. I wish I could say that all of Israel’s judges followed the rules for judges that God gave to Moses and that he passed down through the generations. They did not. While God used them mightily, the majority of them failed big time during their lives. It’s not easy being just.
As I write this short devotional, I cannot ignore that America is in the midst of appointing a new judge for their Supreme Court. There was a battle royale for the last Supreme Court Justice that was appointed. The battle will be fiercer this time around for two reasons. First, we are very close to the Presidential election and while there is good precedent for having the judge appointed even before an election by the President and the Senate if they are of the same party, the opposition is saying ‘no – wait until the election to see who wins and let them appoint’. Secondly, it will be fiercer because depending on who is appointed – a conservative constitutionalist or a more liberal progressive justice that believes in actually writing law (normally a responsibility of Congress), the famous Roe vs. Wade case with respect to abortion rights is due for review, and the outcome could change America.
Much is at stake. Much was at stake for the Israelites. The rules haven’t changed as to what is a good judge. And God hasn’t changed with respect to being totally in control no matter who Moses appointed and no matter who American politicians nominate and ultimately approve. God’s ‘will’ is guaranteed.
Finally, being just is not just for justices. It is for you and me. This is our opportunity to examine our lives and ask: are we distorting justice in any way in our own lives, or in how we view the lives of our loved ones, or others beyond? Are we partial in any way when asked to adjudicate a matter that may seem insignificant to us, but it is the difference between life or death for others, or so they feel? And finally, are we sure we don’t take any bribes, keeping in mind that bribes may come in many forms, some more subtle than others?
It would be great if you would share your thoughts or questions on this blog in the comments section below or on social media.
