Shoftim/Judges
Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9
Isaiah 51:12-52:12
I’m sure I have mentioned this before, but sometimes it’s so difficult to write my weekly Torah portion; not only because I have to ‘figure out’ what to write; but because there is so much to write! If we sit before the Lord and His word, we can be overwhelmed with the things on His heart. This week I got ‘grabbed’ by the very first verses I read, the ones the reading is named for: shoftim, or judges. I don’t mean to become political here, but we are seemingly living in a time (maybe it has always actually been this way) that we not only live with the corruption of the ruling class; but it seems to reach down into the more judicial areas of our nations, with compromises in law enforcement and courts. It’s a scary thought, that if you have grown up believing if you were wrongly accused of a crime, the judicial system would protect us from harm or unfair loss, only to find out it may no longer be the case (also two tiered justice for some).
Deuteronomy 16:18 “You shall appoint judges and officers in all your gates, which the Lord your God gives you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with just judgment. 19 You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality, nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.
I was surprised how these verses affected me; I suddenly felt this great sense of calm and peace. What a gift righteousness is at any level; but when it’s coupled with those that can pronounce earthly judgement over you, it becomes very immediate and personal. Though we live with an eye upon eternity, our daily existence is measured by our liberties and freedoms upon the earth in many ways. “Oh Heavenly Father I am so grateful that you know my frame, and care about my daily existence.” Part of learning to live with a ‘biblical/Hebraic mindset’ is to live with the ‘bookends’ of heaven and earth; to appreciate how God rules over the affairs of men, without forgetting about His wedding plans for His beloved bride (us; Jew and Gentile). So anyway, no matter what nation you live in or under what kind of governmental circumstances or rule you find yourself in; cry out for just judges; they can intervene on your behalf. Again, I’m just aware today of how the Holy One of Israel, sees how important judges are to our earthly existence.
20 You shall follow what is altogether just, that you may live and inherit the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
I felt this verse is alluding to our part in affecting the kind of judges and justice we have. In this life, there are temptations for power and corruption on the part of each citizen of a nation, and not just the rulers. When we ignore righteous justice for political or personal expediency; we open the door for the enemy to establish his kind of justice, which leads to death and lack of true freedom. God wants not only Israel to inherit it’s land, but as His redeemed people, He has plans (land to inherit) for us also. So this week, let’s examine our hearts for those kinds of ‘compromises’ that we chose to benefit ourselves at the expense of others.
21 “You shall not plant for yourself any tree, as a wooden image, near the altar which you build for yourself to the Lord your God. 22 You shall not set up a sacred pillar, which the Lord your God hates.
This speaks to me of those self-made gods or judgments for our own benefits, in the form of man-made religion, in the name of the Living God. These at times have initial personal benefits, but in the end, only bring death and corruption, and pollute the ‘land’ the Lord has given us. May The Lord of All Glory bless you this week but touching your heart with His care and concern for your daily life and interactions with those around you; may His justice upon the earth prevail! Take the land! by john eisner
Bonus thought: I see an earthly example of this in the preamble to the Constitution of the United States: “We find these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal and endowed by their creator for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Sounds like a ‘God, breathed idea’! If only men were capable of being faithful to actually living this out… Maybe with the gift of the fear of the Lord and righteous leaders we could take a shot at it. Walk the Land! john e
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