The last part of Deuteronomy, Chapter 16, speaks of how God would like for the People of Israel to administer justice once they reach the land of promise.
MANNING THE GATES WITH JUSTICE
Here is the specific scripture we are considering for today’s COME AS A CHILD BIBLE STUDY. It is found in Deuteronomy 16:18-22:
“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. 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. You shall follow what is altogether just, that you may live and inherit the land which the Lord your God is giving you. “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. You shall not set up a sacred pillar, which the Lord your God hates.”
We spoke about appointing judges and officers in a previous lesson; so today, we will begin to dwell on the last four verses of these scriptures.
It may take us a few more lessons around these verses to cover every aspect of God’s definition for carrying out true justice. This isn’t a subject to be taken lightly.
YOU SHALL NOT PERVERT JUSTICE
Today, different people have different definitions for justice; so how is it possible for us to even know God’s definition of justice?
We can check the scriptures. God’s word says a lot about how He defines justice. One of the most quoted verses is found in James 1:27, where James speaks of how we should look after orphans and widows in their times of distress and this one also states that we should keep ourselves from being polluted by the world.
WHAT DOES JESUS SAY?
Matthew 23:23 is a quote from Jesus as he speaks to the Pharisees about justice:
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the later, without neglecting the former. (Matthew 23:23)
Jesus says we are to abide with justice, mercy and faithfulness. However; these three things sometimes seem to stand in contrast with one another.
JUSTICE, MERCY AND FAITHFULNESS
How do you have justice if you are merciful; and how can you be merciful if you apply true justice properly?
How does the work of our faith play into both of these areas?
Again; you need the proper formation that teaches God’s definitions and ways.
Human systems are never fail-proof.
HUMAN SYSTEMS DO NOT WORK
As a matter of fact; they hardly ever work well and often lead into even more conflict instead of workable resolutions.
Why do you think this happens?
It is because true justice (God’s way) isn’t a mathematical system with rules for this and that to balance the scales; it isn’t a system at all; but it is about relationship.
True justice is all about relationships.
NOT A ROTE MATHAMATICAL SYSTEM
Funny thing about relationships too; they require voluntary, heart-felt human contact.
This is achieved best through one individual communicating with another individual and it is done continuously with time-after-time consistency.
Laws and regular governing simply do not work here. The only way to bring true justice is by walking in God’s ways when the walking is done by truly loving and caring people.
JUSTICE IN TODAY’S SOCIETY
Looking for a moment at today’s world; it doesn’t take long to figure out that the younger generations seem to care more about justice issues than other people groups. This is true in a very global sense. The youth of today are very passionate about social justice issues.
Is this true justice, or is it just another fad of society?
Because of advanced technology these younger generations have been more exposed to the realities of a suffering world that is full of injustices.
Unfortunately, and more common is the fact that their concerns are usually driven purely by their emotions instead of true facts.
If true concern for justice is to last for the long-haul, these inexperienced but more passionate youth need guidance from mature Christian leadership in order to achieve and do the spiritual formation required to achieve real justice God’s way.
LETTING GOD’S WORD LEAD US
This passionate younger generation must learn how to look at real justice through the lens of scripture and the Word of God instead of listening to the human philosophies presently circulating through forms of education and culture.
God’s justice isn’t packaged as one-size-fits-all as our culture likes to consider things.
Through the development of spiritual discipline and practical application this eager generation can apply their passions in a more constructive way that will benefit society and uplift those in poverty, oppression, slavery and human trafficking.
GOOD, PROPERLY EDUCATED, WELL-DIRECTED PASSION STOPS INJUSTICE
Did you know that over 27 million people are actually living in slavery right this moment?
Isn’t it more critical that we set about finding and rescuing these people with critical, pressing needs; than catering to the needs and hurts of those who had abused and hurt ancestors?
It seems that each generation has to repair something from the past; why can’t we all start to focus on right now and repair it all and move on?
The injustices of the past certainly should not have happened; but what about what is going on all around us as we are all so busy looking back instead of looking forward and working on healing today’s problems?
GOD’S JUSTICE IS ALWAYS RELAVANT TO THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE NATION
God was teaching Israel how to move into the promised land and that was going to require some new ways of thinking about handling justice. The old leaders (Aaron and Moses and others) are all going to be in eternity. There are some new leaders being put into place here with the leaders at the gates of each tribe. These leaders will be the most familiar with the most pressing present-day problems the nation is facing.
If you aren’t aware, or do not know of those around you who are suffering injustice, perhaps it is time to open your eyes wider.
Great leaders must have open eyes.
They must see the true needs of those in front of them.
SHOW THE WORLD WHAT HEAVEN LOOKS LIKE
True justice involves loving your neighbors in very practical ways.
What are the needs in your part of the world; is there poverty, racism, hunger, lack of educational facilities and teaching, lack of employment, insufficient housing or a need to stop violence?
Lisa Harper defines justice as “a way of showing the world what heaven looks like.” Do your neighborhood streets reflect this concept?
If we truly stop to consider and think about it we can all agree that human and government regulated systems designed to assure justice which seek to change unworkable established “old systems” usually only lead to conflict instead of new workable resolutions for the people and relationships that exist.
HEARTS OVER PROGRAMS
It is going to take people getting involved with other people to make these improvements;, not more new programs or laws.
We need hearts that have been changed by God.
God; who is existing outside of time, could look a long way down the road and see what the new nation of Israel needed to pattern for the other nations.
He knew it was going to take one dedicated individual after another in relationships to insure that justice thrived in Israel.
That is what it will take all over the globe today.
BE THE DIFFERENCE
You can be one of those individuals who makes a difference.
Paul Louis Metzer suggests that it is going to take biblical justice, which involves making individuals, communities and the cosmos whole again.
Isn’t this the whole reason that God gave the life of His only begotten son; so that people could once again be made whole and reconciled unto Him?
Wasn’t God designing a way that we all could once again understand what heaven looks like?
That is the concept we ask for every time we pray “Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
JESUS IS THE WAY
Without God this world will never be made whole.
But Jesus said “I make all things new.”
With the Holy Spirit of God living inside us; each person that walks the earth can make their own individual contribution to moving closer toward perfect justice every day.
With men, nothing is possible; but with God all things are possible; including true justice.
HOLDING A MIRROR TO HEAVEN
In the last few moments of his life on earth; Moses continues to remind Israel of this fact. In their minds they begin to put together a new plan for everything that they can do to become the model nation that God desires for them to be.
My prayer is for America to gain the faith of ancient Israel as they were waiting to cross over and that we too can seek God’s help in solving every issue before us today.
Let’s learn to live in the blessing of God and have faith that He will carry us through all of the coming changes. We all could start by individually showing the world what heaven looks like.