We are walking in today: 5 Smooth Stones, Exodus 23--Yahweh Establishes The Judicial System
Witness joyful throughout the Bible: H 8056 sameach joyful, merry, glad, joyful, showing joy
1 Kings 8:66; Isaiah 49:13, 56:7, 61:10; Ezra 6:22; Psalm 5:11, 35:9, 63:5, 66:1; 81:1, 89:15, 95:1-13, 96:12, 98:4, 98:6, 98:8, 100:1113:9, 149:2, 149:5; Ecclesiastes 7:14; 2 Corinthians 7:4
Yahweh in this chapter addresses a number of things in the judicial system. How court proceedings should go and how to appoint the judges and eventually kings to direct the children of Israel. These directions to the judges is to follow the Torah, to promote justice. Decisions are not to be made because they are convenient nor the opinion of the crowd. When left unchecked the opinion of the crowd is towards the evil inclinations. The justice for the people was not to be dishonored with false reports nor bribes. The weight of false reports is certainly seen in cases of murder, when the testimony of the witness that leads to the life being taken, are the first one to pick up the stone. The responsibility of taking the life of a innocent man would be far more weighty if the false witness was the one hurling the first stone to take that life. Fiveamprayer, don't forget that evil company corrupts good judgement! We must be aware of those that we walk with and watch to see if they are moving us out of alignment with the position that He placed us.
The giving of favor for being poor or rich was also strongly cautioned. How can there be justice if the decision is not based on facts and credible witnesses? If that practice would continue, would not the end result be a corrupt system void of justice at all? In the original justice system, the crimes that resulted in death were carried out, the person was not placed in prison for a lifetime sentence. This follow through of the judgement would also curtail more people committing the same crime. So many in our present society feel that they could handle being in prison for so many years yet if we had the original justice system of Yahweh, they would no longer be living. By such a final judgement in place seems harsh yet it does give pause and sets the community up to be a helpful society due to not wanting to loose life. With just judges who will not take bribes nor side with the crowd, leaves only the behavior and intentions that should be aligned with His intentions for our lives, the Torah. We were to be self-governed and self-correcting by the study and upholding of His principles. As the people are even directed to help even their enemy with a lost animal or an animal struggling under a burden. Reducing the opportunities for offense and wounded pride cuts out many of a current cases that are clogging up the valid cases that require judgement, in our present day system.
The selection of those appointed to be judges were to be men that feared Elohim, a man of truth and hates bribes. Fear, this is the revering of the all-powerful Adonai, that generates wisdom. These men would seek to pursue truth and continued study of the Torah. The levels of the courts were also established from the more simple cases to the cases involving taking the accused life. These places of judgement are called beit din, house of judgement, with the highest one in Jerusalem with 71 judges and presided over by the high priest. Making a total of three levels of the courts. The directions we have from Yahweh were also to the officers of the court, which would be sheriffs to carry out the judgement. To hear more of the awesome teaching click here.
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