Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 1:1-18. Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+1&version=NASB
I quote only the following verses.
“Choose wise and discerning and experienced men from your tribes, and I will appoint them as your heads.’ You answered me and said, ‘The thing which you have said to do is good.’ So I took the heads of your tribes, wise and experienced men, and appointed them heads over you, leaders of thousands and of hundreds, of fifties and of tens, and officers for your tribes.
“Then I charged your judges at that time, saying, ‘Hear the cases between your fellow countrymen, and judge righteously between a man and his fellow countryman, or the alien who is with him. You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not fear man, for the judgment is God’s. The case that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it.’ I commanded you at that time all the things that you should do.” Deuteronomy 1:13-18.
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The Book of Deuteronomy starts off with emphasizing the importance of justice.
“Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue, that you may live and possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you.” Deuteronomy 16:20.
“He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8.
And, today’s Scripture shows some elements of justice.
“Choose wise and discerning and experienced men from your tribes, and I will appoint them as your heads.’ First of all, it is important that we select judges and other political leaders who are wise and discerning and experienced.
“judge righteously”. Much could be said about that command. I will point out a few things. There is a temptation for us to be susceptible to the loudest and most passionate voices.
As first example, we naturally feel sympathetic to the cries of the victim and the victim’s family. But, that does not mean that we should to cave in to all the blood thirst vengeance of what they want. We remember the distinction between intentional murder and negligent manslaughter and the provisions of cities of refuge in Numbers Chapter 35.
As second example, the crowd may be a inflamed lynching mob, but we must again not cave in to their cries to lynch or to otherwise punish “on the spot” without trial.
As third example, there may be powerful conservative political groups who think of themselves as the quiet dignified majority, but they still have their own political agenda and reasons for being tough on all crimes without just distinctions. They want discretion to be taken away from judges so they can control justice for their own political desires.
“You shall not show partiality in judgment”. The statue of the blindfolded lady of justice reminds us that we should not base our judgment on whom we see be the recipient of justice. We should not be partial to the wealthy. We should not be partial to the celebrity or the popular. We should not be partial to the great. We should not even be partial to the fellow countryman over the immigrant (alien) as today’s Scripture hints.
“You shall not fear man”. When we fear God rather than man, we will be more inclined to “judge righteously”, to be impartial, and to pursue justice with the zeal that we should have.
“The fear of man brings a snare,
But he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.” Proverbs 29:25.
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