“GOD’S MODEL FOR TRUE JUSTICE”
The United States Supreme Court is Modeled the Exodus story in the Bible with Moses and his father and law Jethro. It’s important to understanding exactly how God defined what has come to be known as law and lawlessness in American and Europe culture. Today, I will show you how God gave us our modern day legal system through Moses with the help of Jethro. Through all of this, I want to stress one singular truth, which is that biblical character over all other things, including an Ivy League education, is the singular most important factor and a biblical standard that qualifies a person for the position of “judge”.
HOW OUR MODERN DAY LEGAL SYSTEM WORKS:
The United States and the West in general use a multi-tiered legal system based on a number of factors, including factors such as a severity of the crime in a criminal court proceeding, to the level or severity of material lost or damage in a civil case. In all cases, the court hears the evidence of the case and levels it verdict. If the person or group of people are found guilty and feel that they have been judged unjustly or handed down a punishment or payment that is unfair, not correct, unconstitutional, or unjust, they have the right to appeal their case to the next higher level court.
Now, let’s look at exactly how God had Moses create the multi-tiered legal system we have come to know today with the wise counsel of his father and law Jethro. When you watch the cable TV legal shows or news, especially the U.S. Supreme Court justices, you can judge for yourself which of the SCOTUS judges are acting rightly according to the U.S. Constitution based on prerequisites set into place by Moses, and which are not.
I want to reiterate the singular characteristic of judge is their “biblical character”. It’s not having an Ivy League education that best qualifies one for the position of “judge”, it’s one’s godly character and wisdom. There are four components that qualifies a judge according to the Bible and we will look at those next.
FIRST: A judge must be an “able man” chosen from the masses. While all people are equal in the eyes of God, not all men have been given the gift of discernment, have the level of wisdom, or the ability to serve as “judge”. Judges hold a great deal of power and responsibility and power. They can restrict and even take away one’s freedom, liberty, money, and even one’s family. As such, they must be an “able man”; meaning they must have strength, efficiency, and wealth (Gen. 47:6; Ruth 3:11; PROV. 12:4; 31:10). There are good reasons for a man of wealth in that in the times of Moses, a wealthy man was an able man in the sense of being able to achieve high outcomes. Furthermore, a wealthy man maybe less susceptible have less of a desire or need to take a bribe. He must be an “able man”.
SECOND: A judge must be a man who fears God; “fearing God”, showing piety, reverence, godly humility, and ready obedience (Gen. 22:12). This was once a perquisite for being a judge in the United States court system. The reason for this as the most important element or characteristic for a qualified judge is due to the fact that a godly man will not easily fall into the temptations of corruption as is described next, because that man fears God and understands that there is a Higher Authority (God) who is above him. Judges in our modern age, due to their level of power and discretion, in many cases get caught up in the mirage of their own position and level of authority. More simply put, they see themselves as a mini god in light of their power and authority. This leads us to number three, which is trustworthiness.
THIRD: A judge must be trustworthy. Moses made clear that judges were to be “men of truth”, conforming to God’s character Ex. 34:6. Trustworthiness involves four important qualities which are:
- Integrity
- Honesty
- Promise-Keeping
- And Loyalty. Each of these qualities yields principles that tell us how a trustworthy person will behave under pressure and yield the gavel as a judge as having a great deal of power. I looked up “trustworthy” in the Mariam Webster dictionary, and simply says, “Worthy of confidence: DEPENDABLE”. I submit that this definition is shallow and falls short of the word “trustworthy”. To be trustworthy includes keeping one’s word and commitment; even when it hurts or costs you. The word “trustworthy” is derived from the word “TRUST” c. 1200, "reliance on the veracity, integrity, or other virtues of someone or something; religious faith," from Old Norse traust "help, confidence, protection, support," from Proto-Germanic abstract noun *traustam(source also of Old Frisian trast, Dutch troost "comfort, consolation," Old High German trost "trust, fidelity," German Trost "comfort, consolation," Gothic trausti "agreement, alliance"), from Proto-Germanic *treuwaz, source of Old English treowian "to believe, trust," and treowe "faithful, trusty," from PIE root *deru- "be firm, solid, steadfast."https://www.etymonline.com/word/trustworthy#:~:text=trustworthy%20(adj.),%2B%20worthy.In other words, Moses was not simply say that a judge must not only be “dependable” but have reliance on the veracity, integrity or other virtues of someone , namely the Christian faith. Why has our modern day legal system glossed over this in great part? I would submit that political correctness has become relative as opposed to absolute in their search for the truth. As a result this led Mariam Webster to assert that truth is “relative” and not “absolute”; “subjective” as opposed to “objective”. Lastly, a judge needs to be a “godly man” because a godly man is much less likely to be persuaded by evil and fleshly temptation. this leads us to number four.
FOURTH: A judge, in the words of Scripture, must “HATE A BRIBE”. Judges were to be “haters” of (turners from) “covetousness” so they could not be bribed. An ungodly judge will at some point be asked to compromise or break the truth in light of a legal decision for political or monetary gain. If a judge is an “able man” who “fears God”, who is “trustworthy” and “hates a bribe”, you have a great judge that is much less susceptible to corruption and bribery. What I find interesting is that nowhere does Jethro or Moses or God’s Word period say anything about having an Ivy League school education. As a matter of fact, I would submit that in today’s age, in most (not all), an Ivy League education is a hinderance because it puffs up one’s pride instead of helping them become a more godly, truth seeking honest judge. Today’s system mandates a highly educated Ivy League school graduate who more closely resembles the biblical Pharisees and Scribes-but who lack the wisdom or desire to do the right thing based on God’s ways and wisdom. As a result, they are very susceptible to compromise the truth based on their own humanistic, carnal desires, personal gain, political agenda and gain. More simply put, godly judges make decisions based on selflessness (not themselves) while non-godly judges who reject God’s ways, by default judge “SELFISHLY” according to their own agenda and personal gain.
FIFTH AND LASTLY: Judges were to be “ranked”, with “rulers” over them. This creates accountability and over site from other godly leaders. In other words, each judge is to be accountable to someone else above them. The idea of accountability in today’s age is almost considered a crime or violation against one’s sovereignty. Individualism rules the hearts and minds of many if not most of the West; youth and adults alike.
As we begin to wrap up today’s lesson, let’s look at the exact words of God through Moses’ father and law Jethro who said this: “Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.”
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU AND I?
While believers may only take suggestions from other people of faith, it’s important to have a “teachable spirit” as Moses did with his father and law Jethro. Man people who do not have faith and godly character have experience and understanding regarding important issues and the law. The wise believer has both in that he or she is able to discern truth. Jethro’s “counsel” is couched in the context of his new faith in God, but it was also rooted in his experience and wisdom he had gained throughout his life outside of religious circles. That’s important to note in light our understanding that wisdom and better techniques can be learned from the non-believer in some cases.
As a result, Moses was the beneficiary of Jethro’s wisdom, and as a result, appoint wise, godly truth seeking men who hated bribes to judge and keep accountable those in lower the courts below them. In a sense, Moses was like our modern day Supreme Court for Israel. The buck stopped with Moses as the last stop in any legal hearing. His word was the final word based on God’s Word. While Moses appointed lower level judges to handle the mundane cases, Moses would still handle the major matters brought to him. In total, Jethro listed only five qualifications which we discussed for the men who would aid Moses. Interestingly, his list had some similarities to the qualifications for church offices. In the New Testament (1 Timothy 3:1-13).
Today, we learned exactly where in the Bible the United States and much of the West got their their modern legal/court system from. God’s wisdom flowed through Jethro down to Moses and then to the Israelites. In application, it flowed out to you and I in the West and the church.
The bottom line is that God will bless us if we simply appoint godly judges who are “able men of character”, trustworthy and truthful in all they do. If they are men who fear the God of Scripture, not of Quran, the 330,000,000 Hindu gods, or the god of “self” (as our culture becomes more multi-cultural and pluralistic), they will judge rightly and justly. If they are men who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, they will avoid distorting justice for personal and political gain. And lastly, if they accept authority and accountability in placing such men over the other judges and people, as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens, justice will be served to the masses. Justice must be “blind” as to human sinfulness and distortion if it is true justice. Justice must rest on God’s unchangeable, all perfect, all good and truthful standards. In the end, true justice is to be dispensed to all. In the end, all will be help accountable as to how they uphold the law. The weighting’s of accountability for the position of “judge” will answer quite heavily to God as to their handling of the law, truth, and any corruption of the law for personal gain or political power.
When God’s model for the qualifications of a judge is ignored, distorted or corrupted, we find rogue attorney generals, failing to prosecute criminals; burning of cities, and maiming and murdering of innocent lives in the name of evil. Evil is a deprivation of God’s all good ways and the model He personally gave us through Jethro, Moses-down to our modern day court system to dispense truth and “blind justice”. Let’s pray that we get back to the model God gave us and clean out the corrupt, distorted evilness that has and is distorting our justice system. If we do so, peace and true justice will return to our nation and the West, God will be honored, and all citizens will be justly heard and treated through a system of true-blind justice. In closing, I want to leave you with the actual passage in Exodus to read for yourself. God bless you, God bless America, Europe, and all Western nations and people wo proclaim the name of Jesus Christ.
EXODUS 18:13-27 (ESV) The next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning till evening. When Moses' father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning till evening?” And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God; when they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between one person and another, and I make them know the statutes of God and his laws.” Moses' father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone. Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall represent the people before God and bring their cases to God, and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do. Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace.”
So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said. Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. And they judged the people at all times. Any hard case they brought to Moses, but any small matter they decided themselves. Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went away to his own country.”
