Law and Order

Read Deuteronomy 17
 
Deuteronomy 17:6-7, 12 On the testimony of two or three witnesses a man shall be put to death, but no one shall be put to death on the testimony of only one witness. 7 The hands of the witnesses must be the first in putting him to death, and then the hands of all the people. You must purge the evil from among you…12 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.
 
THE LORD has established his laws over Israel. Now he gives an directive to judging lawbreakers in order to purge the evil from Israel.
     See the process. If one sees a crime, he is to report it. There must then be an investigation. Evidence that points to guilt leads to a trial. The judge’s decision is final. One must accept the judgment. Evil is in the crime, and evil is ignoring the crime, foregoing its prosecution or rejecting the judgment. Obedience to all God’s laws “delivers us from the evil one.” (Matthew 6:13)
     Witnesses are essential to the process, too. This reduces the possibility that a false witness will cause an unjust verdict. Note, too, the accusers must be the first ones to throw the stones of execution. A witness cannot simply point a finger, then walk away. The LORD established safeguards against vengeful, hateful hearts.
     Mankind’s sinful nature finds many ways to reject God’s law and order system. Judges are corrupt. Authorities charged with keeping the law can be the ones breaking it. We also turn a blind eye to immoral behavior.
     Our best response to these commands is to do right. We can look at corrupt systems and ask, “What’s the use?” But we are commanded to a just process.
Our next lesson will look at one man who disobeyed one of God’s primary leadership commands. The one man’s crimes became a legacy of suffering in Israel.
     Be just before the Lord. He has commanded it.