Justice is a big deal. Social justice. Biblical justice. Righteous justice. Justice with mercy. God cares about justice. Here is an exceptional 6-minute video reflection on Biblical Justice from the always refreshing Bible Project.
Listen to what God said through David—the King of Israel and man after God’s own heart—about the beauty of justice flowing throughout the land.
The Ruach ADONAI [Spirit of the LORD] has spoken through me
and His word is on my tongue.
The God of Israel has said,
the Rock of Israel has spoken to me,
”He who rules over men righteously,
he who rules in the fear of God—
he is like the light of the morning when the sun rises,
a cloudless morning of glistening
as grass springs from the earth.” (2 Samuel 23:2-4)
Does your heart long to see justice flowing like this? Justice in your home. Justice in your neighborhood. Justice in your community and in our world. This is not fantasy. It is prophetic reality. It is coming.
To help get us there, God designated four types of authority to help establish justice on the earth. First, however, there has to be justice within God’s covenant community.
This week’s parashah (Shof’tim, Hebrew for “Judges”) outlines these four leadership roles within God’s covenant community: Judge, King, Priest, and Prophet.
Four Leadership Roles
JUDGES (Deut. 6:18–17:13): Interpreting and applying God’s standards of justice to foster and further His leadership (see the last verse in Ecclesiastes).
KINGS (Deut. 17:14–20): Administrating God’s leadership to make decisions on behalf of people's wellbeing (see 1 Samuel 8:7, 19-20).
For ADONAI is our Judge,
ADONAI is our Lawgiver,
ADONAI is our King,
He will save us! (Isaiah 33:22)
PRIESTS (Deut. 18:1–13): Stewarding God's Presence to maintain access and intimacy in relationship with Him—individually and especially corporately (see Hebrews 4:14-16).
PROPHETS (Deut. 18:14–22): Representing God’s Lead through fore-telling and forth-telling during proxy kings’ rule (see 5-min video How To Read the Prophets).
These four roles were designed to put humans in positions of leadership intended to function as proxy for God’s leadership. His purpose in leading His covenant community is repeated multiple times in Parashah Shof’tim:
“So you are to purge the evil from your midst.” (Deut. 17:7)
“So you are to purge the evil from Israel.” (Deut. 17:12)
“…you must purge the innocent blood from Israel, so that it may go well with you.” (Deut. 19:13)
“So you will purge the evil from your midst.” (Deut. 19:19)
“So you will purge the guilt of innocent blood from your midst, when you do what is right in ADONAI’s sight.” (Deut. 21:9)
But what is the relational dimension of these instructions? Simply put, God wants to dwell with His people and therefore His people must be holy as He is holy.
You are to be holy to Me, for I, ADONAI, am holy, and have set you apart from the peoples, so that you would be Mine. (Leviticus 20:26, cf. 1 Peter 1:15-16)
Because God is holy—pure, without blemish, sin, or corruption of any kind—God cannot co-exist with people or places that are defiled unless there is the prescribed atoning sacrifice. In this way, the sacrificial system was not a burdensome set of idiosyncratic rules but a merciful path of restored intimacy.
Furthermore, God makes clear in this parashah the purpose behind the seemingly harsh death sentence for “showing contempt for the judge or for the priest.”
All the people will hear and be AFRAID, and will not be contemptuous again. (Deuteronomy 17:13)
The Hebrew word for fear is yareh (יָרֵא). We discussed the redemptive result of fear last week in Parashah Ekev.
As you read this week’s portion, remember that the coming Kingdom of God gives us a future hope of “restoration of all things” that will establish God’s justice on the earth. Until then, let us heed the words of Micah 6:8.
He has told you, O man, what is good;
and what does the LORD require of you
but to do JUSTICE, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
Readings for the Week:
Torah: DEUTERONOMY 16:18–21:9
Prophets: ISAIAH 51:12–52:12
Apostolic Writings: ACTS 3:13–26
Click HERE for the online Parashah commentary. (If you prefer a printed copy, please email me at thomas@faithforall.org)
Shalom,
Thomas