Contemplative Bible Reading

Deuteronomy 1:16-17 (New Living Translation)

16 “At that time I instructed the judges, ‘You must hear the cases of your fellow Israelites and the foreigners living among you. Be perfectly fair in your decisions 17 and impartial in your judgments. Hear the cases of those who are poor as well as those who are rich. Don’t be afraid of anyone’s anger, for the decision you make is God’s decision. Bring me any cases that are too difficult for you, and I will handle them.’

These are instructions to those who would be judging disputes among God’s people. First, we note that there will be and have always been disputes among God’s people. We just can’t seem to live without disputing with one another.

The judges are told to be impartial regardless of the person’s standing in the community. Everyone deserves a just judgement. The judges should not fear reprisal from those who “lose” in the judgement. The decision is God’s decision.

1. The decision of the just judge is God’s. There is to be no blaming the judge. If you are not happy, blame God.
2. The judge is supposed to be just. The judge is to declare the same thing that God would.

Whoa. This second one is tough on the judge, huh? The old “What would Jesus do?” hits the judge with “How would God judge?” That is what the judge would have to ask and that is how the judge would have to judge.

Again, this is easy and this is almost impossible at the same time. The choice was up to the judge. Do God’s will. Did the judge see God’s will as a promise or a curse?

Now we come to me and to today. Do I see God’s will as a promise or a curse? Do I give the choice to God? Do I keep the choice to me and try juggling several thousand years worth of “progress” and trends and fashions and philosophies and precedents and …

Why would I choose to disregard God and take on all those other things? What is wrong with me? Please God, help me in my unbelief.