My great-grandfather was a municipal judge. Both my father and brother were politicians. Today’s passages remind me of their careers and politics in general.
“You shall appoint judges and officials throughout your tribes, in all your towns that the Lord your God is giving you, and they shall render just decisions for the people.
You must not distort justice; you must not show partiality; and you must not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the cause of those who are in the right.
Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue, so that you may live and occupy the land that the Lord your God is giving you” (Deuteronomy 16:18-20).
God outlined qualifications for those who administer justice in society. Let’s break them down and summarize them in bullet points:
- Honest and fair
- Must not distort justice
- Unbiased and impartial
- Refuse to accept bribes
- Committed to truth and justice
I recently listened to two experienced and respected lawyers discuss the judicial system. They believe that America’s judicial system generally aligns with the main points of our lesson today.
They mentioned that high-profile cases often capture public attention, and in these cases, money and power sometimes seem to overshadow the rule of law. However, they emphasized that these instances are exceptions, not the norm.
Requirements for Kings
When Moses gave these commands, Israel was a theocracy. God spoke to a prophet, who then passed the message to leaders to carry out God’s wishes. This is how a theocratic rule works in practical terms.
God also knew that one day they would want a monarchy with a king. So, he established rules for how kings should behave.
“When you have come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, ‘I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me,’
You may indeed set over you a king whom the Lord your God will choose” (Deuteronomy 17:14-15).
As we continue to explore the Bible, we’ll reach a point where the people asked for a king. God gave them Saul, and after him came David.
God set specific rules for the king. If the king followed these rules, both he and his nation would prosper.
One of your own community you may set as king over you; you are not permitted to put a foreigner over you, who is not of your own community.
Even so, he must not acquire many horses for himself or return the people to Egypt in order to acquire more horses, since the Lord has said to you, ‘You must never return that way again.’
And he must not acquire many wives for himself or else his heart will turn away; also silver and gold he must not acquire in great quantity for himself.
When he has taken the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself a copy of this law on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests.
It shall remain with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, diligently observing all the words of this law and these statutes” (Deuteronomy 17:15b-19).
These are God’s requirements for the king:
- The king had to come from the Israelite community.
- He wasn’t supposed to seek personal wealth, which showed in the number of horses he owned or the accumulation of silver and gold.
- God commanded the king not to have many wives, as they could lead him astray. When we read about Solomon, we’ll see how his wives did exactly that—they turned him away.
- The king was also required to write a copy of the law on a scroll for himself.
Most kings didn’t know the law, but there was one exception, King Josiah. He knew God’s word and followed it, and the nation greatly benefited from his dedication.
Reflections
In my daily devotions, I’ve been studying the book of Revelation. I’ve reached the part where Babylon, the great city, is being judged. Robert Mounce, in his commentary, describes Babylon in Revelation 17 and 18.
He says the picture of Babylon is about sacrificing what is right and noble for power and luxury. It represents a dominant world system that seduces for personal gain over the righteous demands of a persecuted minority.
Babylon shows the self-destructive power of evil. The city has gone too far and is to blame for its own terrible fate.
I compare what I read in Deuteronomy with what I read in Revelation. This leads me to a time of prayer, asking God to have mercy on the innocent people in our world today who suffer because of the actions of Babylon-like individuals.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 