This chapter brings us to the laws regarding justice and offences. They were not to sacrifice to The LORD their God a bull or sheep which had any blemish or defect. They were instructed that they must stone to death any man or woman who had gone and served and worshiped other gods. Before stoning them, however, they must inquire diligently if the reports were true. God’s justice required careful, diligent investigation. It was a serious matter, both the false worship and also deciding whether the report of it was true (v1-5).
It is very easy to jump to conclusions and accuse others and ‘find them guilty’ without proper consideration. The Bible makes it clear that we must make ’diligent inquiry’ before making an adjudication. We are often guilty of condemning others without firm evidence, often on the basis of mere gossip. We must seek God’s help in our assessment of others. He is The God of Justice so we can be sure that He will not let us down. If we don’t know for certain, it is better to keep quiet. Sadly, many have had their reputation ‘assassinated’ without proper inquiry from reputable, reliable witnesses (see v6,7).
It is important that we give the best. We are often tempted to give Him second best. It was clear that the people often resorted to giving God anything but the best (see Malachi 1:8 where God tells the people to beware – ‘try giving second/third best etc to your governor’. You wouldn’t dare but you fail to give Him the best and think you can get away with it.
The LORD gave them, and us, the standard of evidence required (v6,7). There must be evidence of two/three witnesses before putting people to death, one is not sufficient.
In this country just over fifty years ago Capital Punishment was abolished. It is an emotive subject, and many may disagree, I believe that the death penalty for murder is scriptural. However, it must be handled very carefully. There must be two/three witnesses. The standard of evidence is very high and if there is any ‘reasonable’ doubt, it must be given to the defendant.
In my work in the justice system and latterly visiting prisons to lead Bible Studies, spanning in total for well over fifty years, I have met many people accused of murder and many of them have come to faith in Jesus Christ. Some would say that in that case, the end justifies the means, but I’m not so sure about that. It is never right to take a life and even if the perpetrator ‘gets away with it’ in this life, they will certainly not before the justice of Almighty God. Perhaps our prisons would not be so full, as we are led to believe, if we still had the death penalty, and many of our long-term prisoners would not be occupying prison places. Having said that, it does not excuse us from presenting the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ at any time and telling them that Jesus Christ died to cleanse them from their sin and showing the power of God to change their lives. I know several murderers who have been born again in prison and are now serving The Lord. It is a dilemma, but we must leave the last decision to Almighty God.
The witnesses should be so certain of what they say that they would be the first to carry out the execution. This would mean that they speak the truth and then be supported by the hands of the people. This would be a public event and, therefore, one which must ensure that what they were doing was totally in accordance with justice. This was not mob rule where many would not even know what it was all about, like many who join in demonstrations today, but, only after diligent inquiry by the judges from the statutory witnesses.
The next verses expand on that by making provision for the diligent inquiry. In Exodus 18:13-26 Moses was burning himself out in judging the people. He simply couldn’t cope with it all and Jethro his father-in-law advised him to appoint other judges to deal with the simpler matters so that he could deal with the more serious matters. I suggest that that this is the forerunner of our two-tier court system.
Here in v8-13 Moses tells them the Word of The LORD to set up provisions to deal with difficult cases, those which required a greater penalty for the ‘greater degrees of guilt for bloodshed’ etc. The ‘higher court’ was before the priests and the Levites and the judge, all of whom would assemble in the place of God’s choosing. Thus, indicating that their service of God was vital in their judgments. Their decision was to be final, unlike the various courts of appeal which we have today. Anyone who did not respect their authority was to be put to death.
Sadly, our courts are often held up to ridicule in these days. Maybe this is because those who sit in judgment have turned away from Almighty God, who put them in that onerous position of responsibility and parliament, who pass laws which are often so complicated, and in many cases totally opposed to God. Let us remember that in our land, judges do not make law, parliament does and judges are required to follow it and interpret it.
Often, judges/magistrates may not agree with the law, but they must go along with it and administer it. Sometimes, and this only applies to the higher court judges, they may create or follow ‘Case Law’ which is an interpretation of the law. In many cases this may lead to parliament changing the law or restating it with amendments or even repealing it. Thank God, as we saw in 5:22, God did not have to rethink the law which He gave. If we might reverently say, ‘He got it right first time’.
The rest of this chapter seems to be looking forward to when Israel would ask for a king so that they could be like other nations. It is not absolutely clear that God wanted them to have a king but if He did, it must be one of His choosing.
God knew that they were going to ask for a king (v14,15) and he must be one of God’s choosing, one of their Israelite brethren and not a foreigner. It was around four hundred years later before that happened and the time of the judges was not always a good time for them, there were good judges and poor ones, and many times, ‘everyone did that which was right in their own eyes’. Saul was appointed their first king, by public demand, and was largely a failure. Next was David, appointed by God and was a good king.
God laid down rules for such a king (v16,17) – He was not to depend on military might, indicated by the demand for many horses. Nor was he to have many wives, nor desire silver and gold. These things would ‘turn his heart away from God’. He needed to be fully committed to God to carry out the role of a king and these things would have been a distraction. God was not saying that he shouldn’t have a wife, or material wealth and power, but those things must not turn his heart away from God.
Solomon, the third king, despite God giving him great wisdom because he didn’t ask for all the other things, sadly, did not follow God’s commands in these respects. He had many horses, many wives and concubines and great wealth, and, sure enough, all these turned his heart from God. (See 1 Kings 4,10,11).
All these are damaging to a leader’s success even today, and particularly Christian Leaders in their lust for power, wealth and pleasure.
When Queen Elizabeth 2 was crowned she was given a copy of the Bible. I trust our new king will also when he is crowned in 2023. God did exactly the same thing in v18-20. The king was to be given a copy of the law in a book, and he must read it every day of his life, so that he may learn to fear The LORD his God and be careful to obey it. In fact, it went to so far as to say that he must copy it out himself. Undoubtedly the best way to learn it. The Bible will help us to live right and keep us in a right relationship with God and our fellowman. It will give us the right perspective for life.
