Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
If cases come before your courts that are too difficult for you to judge—whether bloodshed, lawsuits or assaults—take them to the place the Lord your God will choose. Go to the priests, who are Levites, and to the judge who is in office at that time. Inquire of them and they will give you the verdict. You must act according to the decisions they give you at the place the Lord will choose. Be careful to do everything they direct you to do. Act according to the law they teach you and the decisions they give you. Do not turn aside from what they tell you, to the right or to the left. The man who shows contempt for the judge or for the priest who stands ministering there to the Lord your God must be put to death. You must purge the evil from Israel. All the people will hear and be afraid, and will not be contemptuous again.
Deuteronomy 17:8-13
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
In Chapter 16, we saw guidance provided for those who would be judges over Israel once they enter Canaan. You’ll recall that they were expected to “judge the people fairly…not pervert justice or show partiality…(and) not accept a bribe”. They were to “follow justice and justice alone” in all they would do.
But what would happen if they had a case where they just didn’t know how to rule? They were under clear direction from the Lord to follow justice and failing to do so would bring God’s judgment upon them.
Well, the Lord provides guidance for those instances when the appointed judges would get stuck regarding what decision to make. First of all (and most importantly), the judge was to take the case “to the place the Lord your God will choose”. Once there, they were to “go to the priests, who are Levites, and to the judge who is in office at that time” where they would “inquire of them” and get a verdict.
Once again, keep in mind that they were going to the place the Lord chose. In other words, the place where He would abide and preside over the proceedings. So given this, we know that the Spirit of the Lord was advising the officiating judge and the priests. Their decision was in essence His decision…their verdict His verdict.
This is why there was so much emphasis placed on how the verdict was to be received by the accused. They were to “act according to the decisions” made “at the place the Lord” chose and “be careful to do everything they direct you to do”. They were to “act according to the law they teach you and the decisions they give you” and “not turn aside from what they tell you, to the right or to the left”. In other words, nothing but full obedience and compliance was acceptable. We know by now in the scriptures that God doesn’t tolerate disobedience.
So what would happen if the accused rebelled against the verdict? Nothing good. For if any man showed “contempt for the judge or for the priest who (stood) ministering….to the Lord your God”, they were to be “put to death”. This is how much God despised disobedience. He saw it as disrespectful evil…evil that Israel was to purge. And in the end, the people would learn obedience and reverence for the Lord…they would “hear and be afraid…and…not be contemptuous again”.
Now, imagine if we were executed by this standard for every time we received righteous judgment on our actions? Would any of us stand? I don’t think so…and neither did God. This is why He sent someone to pay the price for us…His Son…our Savior and Blessed Redeemer Jesus.
When man chose to defy God’s commands, guidance and decisions, He gave His Son over to be executed…not man. Jesus paid the price friends. Jesus bore the cost of our disobedience and sin. Jesus was nailed to the cross at Calvary so we wouldn’t be. God hoped that this unjust sacrifice of His perfect, blameless Son would lead His people to live righteous and holy lives, modeling that Son…all as a sign of gratitude, appreciation and respect for this gift of grace and mercy…and the subsequent resurrection that would carry with it the opportunity for all God’s children to follow Christ into the Kingdom of Heaven. All that was required was to believe and trust Him as Lord and Savior.
The case was the sin of man. The verdict was death for man. But God said, “No. Man will not die. My Son will die in their place.” And this was the verdict that was carried out.
Friends, do we hear this? Does it bring us to fear…fear that we have played a role in the death of God’s only Son, all as a result of sin? Have we stopped being contemptuous or are we just as stiff-necked and stubborn as the people of Israel were?
It’s high time we show God with all sincerity that He didn’t allow His Son to be sacrificed in vain. It’s high time that we show the Risen Lord Jesus that His suffering did not go for not. It’s high time that we surrender to the High Priest and allow Him to rule over our lives. Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
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