The Israelites Actually Had an Appeals Court

 (Courtesy State of Missouri)

Deuteronomy Chapter 17, Part 2: When A Case Is Too Difficult To Decide

Deuteronomy 17:8-13 – Gems and Thoughts from the Passage

This is a fascinating passage, especially in light of the Supreme Court Justice opening and upcoming confirmation hearings in the United States. I should also point out at the onset that a number of commentators believe that there were local priests in each city of the Israelites (see Deut. 16:18), but what is considered as the ‘appeal level’ here in these verses is a higher body. According to Matthew Henry:

These difficult cases, which hitherto had been brought to Moses, according to Jethro's advice, were, after his death, to be brought to the supreme power, wherever it was lodged, whether in a judge (when there was such an extraordinary person raised up and qualified for that great service, as Othniel, Deborah, Gideon, etc.) or in the high-priest (when he was by the eminency of his gifts called of God to preside in public affairs, as Eli), or, if no single person were marked by heaven for this honour, then in the priests and Levites (or in the priests, who were Levites of course), who not only attended the sanctuary, but met in council to receive appeals from the inferior courts, who might reasonably be supposed, not only to be best qualified by their learning and experience, but to have the best assistance of the divine Spirit for the deciding of doubts, v. 9.

Verse 8 implies that there will be cases that are too difficult for the children of God to determine the appropriate resolution thereof. And these cases will need to be referred to a “higher” authority. The verse says they are to “go the place where God chooses”.

And in the case of the Israelites, verse 9 tells us that that place was “the Levitical priest or the judge who is in office at the time”. One judge who will give you the correct verdict or the council of priests. David Guzik says, “God allowed for courts of appeal in Israel. These were higher courts where cases were taken beyond the local judges to the priests, the Levites - who were understood to be wiser judges because of their knowledge of God's Word.” Notice that the required wisdom to judge difficult cases stemmed from a “knowledge of God’s Word.”

Given my age, and my career (counselling, negotiating, mediating), sometimes I have the privilege and responsibility of trying to help people out with life’s problems. I can assure you from personal experience that the value and positive impact of any advice I give is directly proportional to the extent that it comes from God and His word, and not my own thinking. And the more I rely on God and His Word to help me help someone, the more access I have to God’s Wisdom. 

Verse 10 instructs the Israelites to do exactly what the priest or judge directs them to do with regard to the case. Again, David Guzik has something to offer here:

“The authority of the judges had to be respected, therefore contempt of court was a capital crime. God thought it essential that the courts and the judges be respected by the people of Israel.”

And thus, we have the interesting part expressed in verse 11. The text says that those instructions will be accordance “to the terms of the law”. Good judges and good priests rule and determine cases “in accordance with the law”.  [I will let you draw your own conclusions about the current American dispute about whether Supreme Court Justices should simply stick to the law and just interpret it (the conservative approach) or whether they can actually make new law (the progressive approach).]

Verse 11 also tells us that we have a responsibility to roll with the decision of the judge(s). [I can’t help but think of one state governor whose own state Supreme Court recently ruled against her Covid-19 lockdown actions and yet she has decided to defy that decision and continue with here illegalities.] The next verse states what happens to people who don’t accept the decisions of the judge(s).

Verse 12 says, they “shall die”.  And they have to, in order for evil to be purged from the land. When and how that happens is up to God but given the fact that He is a just God, it will happen.

The last verse in the passage, verse 13, suggests that given the teachings above, people would be motivated to act carefully and in accordance with the laws of God and the decisions of the judges.

Wrap-up

Where do you and I stand with respect to the decisions of appeal courts today? What is to be our response to those decisions?  What if the decisions contradict God’s Word? These are just some things we need to consider as we live in a day and age where not all “judges” seek or apply God’s Wisdom in deciding cases.

It would be great if you would share your thoughts or questions on this blog in the comments section below or on social media.

When God Needs You To Do Something, He'll Equip You

The Altar of Incense and Anointing Oil

Exodus 37:25-29:
This is an account of the construction of the Altar of Incense exactly as described by God earlier in Exodus 30:1-10, as well as account of the making of the anointing oil and incense in accordance with God’s command and description in Exodus 30:22-38.

Thoughts on the Passage

First thing that comes to mind here is the Moses was indeed human! I say that because I note that up to this point the descriptions of the work in these later chapters of Exodus have been pretty well as long as the initial descriptions of the various aspects of the Tabernacle for which God gave specific instructions in the earlier chapters of Exodus. And then we come to this passage – where, with respect to the Altar of Incense, ten verses in Exodus 30 have been reduced to 4 here in Exodus 37, and with respect to the anointing oil and incense, 17 verses seem to have been reduced to just one. Was Moses getting tired of being repetitive or was his memory failing and thus he couldn’t remember the details?  I don’t know. You’ll have to ask him when you meet him. However, I would side with his being human and getting tired of repetition.  Remember in real-time, he probably had to give these instructions over and over again to the skilled Bezalel and his crew.

Matthew Henry reminds us that the golden altar was used for the burning of incense daily. He believed it signified both the prayers of saints and the intercession of Christ – events both to have come many years later.

Henry indicates that the beauty of the rings and staves being overlaid with gold remind us that God is indeed “the best, and we must serve Him with the best we have”. This is a question God’s true children, His true followers, ask themselves often – “Am I giving of my very best to God?”

Not only was Bezalel the skilled precious metal worker that he was, but God needed him to learn other skills as well to complete the Tabernacle in accordance with God’s instructions. He had to learn how to make anointing oil and incense. That required the skills of an apothecary, someone who could mix the right ingredients to make the necessary formulas as God had intended. And he did it so aptly. So much so, that Henry writes, “though he was not before acquainted with it yet he made up these things according to the work of the apothecary, as dexterously and exactly as if he had been bred p to the trade.”

And he leaves us with this further thought based on that: “Where God gives wisdom and grace, it will make the man of God perfect, thoroughly furnished to every good work.”

So, let’s ask ourselves – have we sought that wisdom and grace from God?  If we have done so earnestly with no strings attached, and if we have been granted – are we putting to good use that wisdom and grace to accomplish good works?

It would be great if you would share your thoughts or questions on this blog in the comments section below or on social media.

When Being On God's Side Means Breaking Bonds With Loved Ones

3,000 Israelites Killed – by Israelites!

Exodus 32:25-29: Now when Moses saw that the people were out of control – for Aaron had let them get out of control to be a derision among their enemies – then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me!” And all the sons of Levi gathered together to him. And he said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Every man of you put his sword upon his thigh, and go back and forth from gate to gate in the camp, and kill every man his brother, and every man his friend, and every man his neighbor.’” So the sons of Levi did as Moses instructed, and about three thousand men of the people fell that day. Then Moses said, “Dedicate yourselves today to the Lord – for every man has been against his son and against his brother – in order that He may bestow a blessing upon you today.”

There is no way to avoid this passage of Scripture even though I do not recall ever hearing a sermon on it; I am sure there have been many.  Either way you cut it, it’s a difficult passage to deal with. Let’s dissect it carefully.

The human author (Moses) sees the people out of control.  In fact, some versions of this text actually say “naked” rather than “out of control”. There are different opinions as to whether this referred to the fact that the people were indeed reveling in a way that was not controllable or descent, or they were in fact stripped of their clothes mimicking those non-Israelites who used to perform some of their religious rituals naked, or whether it meant they had been made ‘naked’ of their adornments (ear-rings and such) as they had given them to Aaron to make the golden calf. [I remember, humorously, the days of my youth when I always wanted my wife to wear earrings as I felt that a woman was never fully dressed without them – I never knew then that my subconscious thinking on the matter may have come from this verse.]

Aaron had let the people get out of control “to be a derision among their enemies”. The word derision can be translated as mockery or ridicule or victim of disrespect. Other versions translate this phrase as “shame, weakness, amusement, laughingstock”. Of course, Aaron did not have this outcome in mind, but the consequence of what he abetted certainly pointed to that kind of possible reaction from the Israelite enemies. We, too, often engage in, or lend our hand to, activities for which we do not in advance consider the consequences. How many times do we say to our children or other adults in our lives, “Did you ever stop to think of the implications of that action before you did it?”  And often the sheepish answer is “No, I did not.” I think that one of the marks of maturity both as simply a human being, but especially as a Christian, is that we take the time to stop and consider the implications of not only our actions, but our words. And admittedly, we cannot do that easily by ourselves and without practice and even correction from the Holy Spirit. Henry Kissinger in his 2015 book, World Order, refers to the fact that, in this age of technology we live in, we seem to be missing the wisdom in all the knowledge that we possess or have ready access to. As people of God, we need to realize and take advantage of the fact, that this true ‘wisdom’ that others lack, is available to us.

So Moses stood at the ‘gate’ of the camp. Some may wonder why the Israelites in the middle of a desert had a ‘gate’ to their camp.  Commentator Robert Jamieson answers that for us by indicating that the camp is supposed to have been protected by a rampart after the attack of the Amalekites who are mentioned in Numbers but relating to events prior to this one recorded here in Exodus 32.

If you are a leader and you have a declaration to make, then you have to go to a place where you will be heard – you have to get to the gateway of the community. Interestingly, the word ‘gate’ occurs 275 times in 220 verses in the New American Stand Bible (NASB). This makes for a most interesting study. Much of Biblical history takes place at the various city or camp gates. And Jesus Himself in the New Testament speaks metaphorically of His people entering His Kingdom and gaining our salvation by going through a “narrow gate”.

So at the gate of the Israelite camp, Moses instructs them to go towards him if they are truly for the Lord and to stay away from him if they are not. Can you picture the scene? Can you sense the feelings of the ringleaders? Perhaps it was anger. Can you imagine the shame of the those that were truly sorry for what they had done? Can you feel the confusion of those that were caught in the middle of the argument, not knowing now which way to move? This is indeed a position that many have found themselves in over the centuries – circumstances in which they have to choose between one leader and others, between one thing and another, between a friend and a brother, between a parent and sibling, and so on.  There are seldom any easy choices. The only thing we have going for us is to stick to the higher principles involved – to our beliefs about God and His characteristics which He etched into our hearts at creation.

And yet somehow, many manage to push those higher moral values aside at times like this, and opt for what is immediately more convenient, easier, safer, more socially acceptable. And so it was with the Israelites.  Of the twelve tribes in the camp, only the Levites gathered towards Moses. All the others kept their distance. It seems to be a common theme in life that only a minority get it right no matter what the issue is. Those who are indeed on the Lord’s side are almost always fewer in number.

[The thought occurred to me that had Moses asked, “Who is on my side?” instead of what he did ask, “Who is for the Lord?”, he may have had more people join him.  It is easier for people to gather around a human leader they can see and hear, than God who is Spirit and must be worshipped in spirit. So it is with political leaders today – people rush to vote for them because of how well they come across in their personality rather than the principles they stand for. This was the case of Dr. Ben Carson in the 2016 American Republican Nomination race – while his ideals for America were perhaps the godliest of the bunch, many people, while liking him as an individual, felt he did not have the personality to be president. Calling men (and women) to follow God is a most difficult task; one in which Christ Himself did not score one hundred percent as many rejected even His message.]

And now we come to where one can be greatly flummoxed by the text. Moses tells the Levites to go throughout the camp with swords at their sides and kill their brothers, friends, and neighbors – assumedly those that did not declare being for the Lord. Wow. It seems when God’s laws have indeed been violated, there is a time to take up the sword figuratively if not literally. One example of this is Franklin Graham’s speaking out boldly against the decision by the Charlotte, North Carolina council to push transgender washrooms in the city and indicating that the fight is not over yet. He called the ordinance ‘wicked and filthy’ – strong words for an evangelist these days, yet exactly what needed to be said.

Robert Jamieson suggests that in actual fact the non-Levites were separated into two divisions, and those who were the boldest and most obstinate in vindicating their idolatry were put to death, while the rest, who withdrew in shame or sorrow, were spared. The great number of Israelites that were in the wilderness gives some credence to this possibility. In support of this, commentator David Guzik adds, “It seems that the sin of Israel at the golden calf involved more than these 3,000 people. Yet these were undoubtedly those most flagrant in their idolatry and immorality, or these were the leaders of the sinful conduct.”

Nevertheless, as Jamieson points out the “zeal and courage of Moses was astonishing, considering he opposed an intoxicated mob”. Guzik says, “In this case, siding with the LORD meant siding against some people. Those who were more interested in siding with all people could never do what these Levites did.”

Moses chose to deal with the sin of his people publicly as a testimony against such sin. And as Matthew Henry believes, whenever the issue came up again with respect to the Israelite sin of worshipping a golden calf, at least they could say justice was executed on the evildoers. Henry also goes on to say that this difficult task of killing their neighbors and brothers was given to the Levites as a punishment to them as well for not stepping in earlier to prevent the sin. Guilty by association is sometimes indeed the case.

The question may arise as to the number that were actually killed that day – why only 3,000 when many more were likely involved in the ‘golden calf reveling’? Matthew Henry suggests that the key to that question is that Moses directed them to go “through the camp” implying up and down the streets of the camp, and not in the actual tents the Israelites were living in.  He posits that “it might be hoped that those who had retired into their tents were ashamed of what they had done, and were upon their knees, repenting.” The implication being that those who are marked for ruin and punishment are only those who persist in their sin and not ashamed. An interesting thought, but the fact is that we do not know for sure if that was the case or not.

The other thing we do not know and some may wonder is how did the Levites manage to pull this off against a crowd that may have been so enraged at the idea of their ‘golden calf idol’ being burned as it was by Moses? That is indeed a valid concern.  Why did they not fight back and why was there no record of Levites being killed in opposition? Again Henry theorizes that “a sense of guilt disheartened the delinquents, and a divine commission animated the executioners.” The Levites may have been charged up by Moses’ direction to “Consecrate yourselves to day to the Lord, that he may bestow a blessing upon you.” This Henry contends, intimates to them “they now stood fair for preferment and that, if they would but signalize themselves upon this occasion, it would be construed into such a consecration of themselves to God, and to his service, as would put upon their tribe a perpetual honor.” All they had to do was rise to the opportunity given them to claim it. And we remember too that the Levites were the ones who were to assist in the offering of sacrifice to God and now this included services of divine justice. Henry concludes, “Those that are to minister about holy things must be not only sincere and serious, but warm and zealous, bold and courageous, for God and godliness. Thus all Christians, but especially ministers, must forsake father and mother, and prefer the service of Christ and his interest far before their nearest and dearest relations; for if we love our relations better than Christ we are not worthy of him.”

There is no doubt that being a true servant and worshiper of the Almighty sometimes requires us to break bonds with those that are otherwise very close to us. We need to remember that God did not intend it that way nor does He rejoice in the need for this to happen. He would much prefer all mankind – including those brothers, friends, neighbors of yours and mine – to love and serve Him. But with our free will, mankind is free to choose to do so or not. And when others make the choice to be ‘contrary’ or ‘anti-God’, we as believers are required to be on the Lord’s side. All of us, at various points in our lives, and with varying degrees of intensity, will be required to set aside relationships and even perhaps take action against those that, in the absence of our godly responsibility, we would prefer not to oppose.

How does one prepare for that? The concluding part of the passage, provides the answer. We are to dedicate ourselves to the Lord. We are to be aware of our responsibility and service and loyalty to Him. We are to see such occurrence not so much as what it means for those who oppose God, but what it means for us and our own relationship to God. We are to see this is an opportunity to serve God; perhaps a test about our own faith and preparedness for greater service and in preparation of a greater blessing to be bestowed upon us. And at the same time, because we now live after the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, we are to take any such action with love towards those who do oppose Him. That’s a tall order, but it is doable.

Thanks for dropping by. Sign up to receive free updates. We bring you relevant information from all sorts of sources. Subscribe for free to this blog or follow us by clicking on the appropriate link in the right side bar. And please share this blog with your friends. Also, I’ve read some good books and make some great recommendations for you at http://astore.amazon.com/accorconsu-20  which you can purchase right from there.  Finally, check us out at Accord Consulting.  And while you’re here, why not check out some more of our recent blogs shown in the right hand column.  Ken.

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Whose Creativity Is It Anyway? Maybe President Obama wasn't all wrong when he said, "You didn't build that!"

Imagine Your Natural Inclinations and Skills Being Augmented by the Holy Spirit's Wisdom

Exodus 31:1-11: Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “See, I have called by name Bezalel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. And I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of craftsmanship, to make artistic designs for work in gold, in silver, and in bronze, and in the cutting of stones for settings, and in the carving of wood, that he may work in all kinds of craftsmanship. And behold, I Myself have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and in the hearts of all who are skillful I have put skill, that they may make all that I have commanded you: . . .” [And then God lists all the things that He had given instructions for in the previous chapters.]

In this chapter God shows us that He knows more about us than one would imagine. First of all, He knows my name (“See, I have called by name Bezalel”). This is the first time we hear this name for this man wasn’t a leader like Moses or Aaron or the patriarchs before them – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But he was very important to God. The Hebrew word for his name is translated as “in the shadow (i.e. protection) of God”. God had a special role for him to play in His plans. And that is the case for all of us who are willing to serve Him – we all have significance in God’s plan of the ages if we’re willing to seek it and acknowledge it when we find it. And as we prepare to play that role and actually perform it, God will keep us in His shadow; He will protect us, enabling us to fulfill that role He has for us.

Secondly, God knows our history. He knows who our parents were and who our grandparents were (“the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah”). Our unique history and experiences as children and young adults play a considerable role in what it is that God is preparing us to do. He watches us develop and He brings into our lives experiences that will be used by Him for His purposes later on. In my case it was crossing the ocean as a five year old to a new life in a new continent which enabled me to speak two languages and better understand the circumstances of immigrants in a new country; an understanding of what it means for a family to convert from a national religious faith to a one with a personal relationship with Christ – understandings that God has used time and time again through my life, for His purposes.

Bezalel was chosen and called by God for a specific purpose. And when God does that for someone, He then sees to it that He equips the individual for the job he/she was selected for, as indicated in the main part of this small passage (or pericope: /pəˈrɪkəpiː/; Greek περικοπή, "a cutting-out" in rhetoric is a set of verses that forms one coherent unit or thought, suitable for public reading from a text, now usually of sacred scripture). God said of Bezalel, “I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of craftsmanship, to make artistic designs. . .”.

It is God that gives us the very essence of who we are that makes us distinct. He shares with us a measure of His own Spirit with respect to wisdom. He gives us a measure of understanding that allows us to operate in the world and relate with both nature and mankind. He imparts to us the very knowledge that we will need in our unique lives. All the thought processes I am using today to write what you are reading are accessible to me because God has put them there. Your specific reaction to what you are reading is possible because God has wired you to respond mentally in a specific way to ideas and other stimuli that you come across.

And then God fills us with abilities that allow us to accomplish work during our lives. These are not always apparent at birth but God sees to it that we develop the physical capabilities of doing things that not everyone can do. And He arranges for us to have experiences that further that development until we become skilled at our craft. God does that for us “that we may work”. We were created to work in this life, to be useful to ourselves, to others, and to God – preferably in the reverse order. A person who is physically and/or mentally capable of work and does not is missing out on the fulfillment of his/her purpose as God intended it. As such, life will not be as rewarding for them.

And this passage also contains, for me at least, an indication God has created us in such a way that we can take what He has filled us with and apply it broadly in His service within our specialty. The text says, “that he may work in all kinds of craftsmanship.” There is inherent in those words a meaning of flexibility and transference. God says, “I’ve given you these skills, now go and use them there.” And ‘there’ may be at a different organization, or it may involve a move across the country, or a commitment to serve on the mission field, or a willingness to keep on using that skill you have after you retire, for the Kingdom of God.

The next key component of God’s knowledge about Bezalel is that God knew and understood that given the size of task He wanted accomplished, Bezalel would need help. So God Himself appointed individuals who would help Bezalel, namely Oholiab among others, people who had a passion for this craft, and the text says God put “skill” in them to satisfy that desire. And the one God names is actually from a totally different tribe than Bezalel. God very clearly wants His people working together for His Kingdom and glory.

We cannot move too quickly past the point of the text that appears to say God filled people with something (skills) that they were already predisposed to in their hearts. While the NASB says God put skill in their hearts, it admits in the margin that literally that word should be “wisdom”. Most other versions rely on that translation of the word NASB translates as “skill” here. So, basically, those that were created with the potential of a skill, and then have that potential developed in practice as part of one’s career or work, God may choose to give them wisdom through the Holy Spirit to augment it. In particular, with this wisdom of God’s, we can both further develop and more importantly, better employ that skill in the service of the Lord. And God Himself says, we are blessed in this way in order “to make all that (God) commanded”.

What I like about NASB’s approach is that it seems to reflect the “blessing” and furthering of the skill that is what God puts in us, with His foreknowledge that we would use it for His purposes and commands.

The current president of the United States who seemed to become well known for his phrase “You didn’t build that!” may have been right after all, but he was wrong in attributing one’s success to the government’s help.  It’s clear from this text that for the believer involved in his Lord’s work, the blessing of skill is a direct gift of God’s to His servants by an actual decision of His. When we move away from that thinking, we lose the Holy Spirit’s involvement in our work, we lose our wisdom from above, and we often also lose our skill.

Thanks for dropping by. Sign up to receive free updates. We bring you relevant information from all sorts of sources. Subscribe for free to this blog or follow us by clicking on the appropriate link in the right side bar. And please share this blog with your friends. Also, I’ve read some good books and make some great recommendations for you at http://astore.amazon.com/accorconsu-20  which you can purchase right from there.  Finally, check us out at Accord Consulting.  And while you’re here, why not check out some more of our recent blogs shown in the right hand column.  Ken.

 

It would be great if you would share your thoughts or questions on this blog in the comments section below or on social media.

Wisdom Is Better Than Strength These Days

As we watch what is happening in Egypt this very moment -- an anticipated resignation that did not materialize and now the possibility of escalated violence among the people in Egypt -- this note from Charles F. Stanley may be exactly what we need.  He writes on this verse: "Wisdom is better than strength" (Ecclesiastes 9:16).

Here's his comments in the paragraph below:

"The person who is seeking to walk in wisdom is going to reflect often about his own relationship with the Lord and how the Lord desires to work in his life.  He is going to want to please the Lord, to grow in his relationship with the Lord. . . . As we walk in wisdom, we see God's hand at every turn.  We know He is with us.  We become more and more familiar with His voice. . . .We don't merely know more about God -- rather, we truly come to know God in a deeper and more intimate way."

As the protesters are this very minute making their way towards the presidential palace in Cairo and we have no knowledge of what will happen next, let me ask you some questions:

1.  Do you reflect often about your relationship with God and how He wants to work in your own life?
2.  Do you want to please God and grow in your relationship with Him?
3.  Do you see God's hand at every turn of your life?
4.  Are you becoming more familiar with His voice every day?
5.  Do you know Him more deeply and intimately each day?

I think these days, that is the only "wise" way to live.  Pursue wisdom.  In it, you will find peace.  Strength is no longer all it's thought to be.

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