The festivals rejoined (Chapter 16)
Moses restated all the
festivals, but made a notable change: it would not be celebrated in their own
gates anymore, but in Jerusalem.
He also insisted that the
feasts were for all, including the whole family and all their servants.
The chapter ends with
an injunction to show no partiality in judgment. It was a vital principle in
all Jewish jurisprudence. The judgment of Jesus breached that and was a legal
sham, in every possible way, because that was not the way of the Jews.
No wickedness (Chapter 17)
The legal principle of
independent witness for any prosecution under Jewish law, was applied to anyone
whose conduct was in violation of the cultural norms of Israel.
Worshiping of idols
and following errant practices was dealt with severely. It was treated as
harshly as treason is in contemporary cultures, lest it corrupt the culture.
In verses 8-9, an
appeal principle was introduced, that allowed more challenging legal cases to be
escalated to the Sanhedrin: the highest court in Jewry.
The first tier of justice was within the home,
over which fathers presided. The second was between neighbors: resolved between fathers, but appealed to the elders at
the gates.
The 4th tier of legal recourse was in the court of the priests, who were stewards
of the theological values of Israel.
God then introduced a
legal extension on the separation of powers, relating to a king (executive power). He thus preempted the reign of Saul.
The king (or judge)
had to be appointed by God, to ensure his independence, just as the US
president is elected separately by the people, not by congress. The king had to
uphold the oaths of office, by defending the laws of Israel and the books of the
law.
My own country is
presently facing a constitutional crisis in which the president has usurped the
constitution, so I salute the principles that God imposed on the executive
way back then.
The king (or judge as was so for a while) was
barred from amassing personal power or multiple wives, to ensure that he did
not go astray or lead others astray. The bottom line of his office was
that he could never lead Israel back to their past.
Further separations of power (chapter 18)
God further insisted
on an enclave for the priesthood, to ensure the objective separation of
their roles from other roles. The precincts of the temple thus became sacred, partly to uphold the glory of God but also to give the nature a safe center and refuge for the soul.
In Roman days, any
gentile crossing the red line of the temple court was sentenced to death. That indirectly led to the death of the Apostle Paul.
Inside the temple
compound, the priests ruled supremely, so when Saul crossed that line, he violated the covenant. It was so serious that David
wiped out all of Saul's descendants.
Yet, as we have seen
with Korah, the priests had no civil jurisdiction. Power vested in the office,
not a man, and whilst priests came and went, the office was perpetual, the way
a company exists in law as a separate legal persona that outlives its
management.
In that context, God
introduced the third pillar of state: the prophet, an independent
voice and a ministry, not an office. It was distinct from the executive and the priests.
He was the mouthpiece
of God and God raised such men to that role to speak for Him. God help any
culture that chooses to ignore the prophets, for Deuteronomy 18 made the prophetic
a vital cornerstone of Jewish life.
Prophets are foundational to New Testament life, although all 5 gift ministries constitute the New Testament equivalent of the independent prophetic voice of ancient Israel.
I refer to
the gift ministries in Ephesians 4, not the word of prophecy: a Rhema
instance of God available to all believer-priests. Sadly, the latter has been trivialized
by an over-emphasis on personal prophecy, instead of the
edification of the church.
The prophet was
similar to the 4th estate of France: the press. It was a fearless,
independent voice, sent by God to exhort, challenge, provoke and foretell
judgment.
That set the state of
Israel on 3 pillars: Prophet, Priest and King. It reflects the three tiers of
modern constitutional states, namely: the legislature, the judiciary and the executive.
The church also stands on three pillars: Ministry, Governance and the believer-priesthood, which should be independent of each other, yet complementary. There should be no intrusion into the respective roles or any conflicts of interest, as happened to Korah.
The church also stands on three pillars: Ministry, Governance and the believer-priesthood, which should be independent of each other, yet complementary. There should be no intrusion into the respective roles or any conflicts of interest, as happened to Korah.
Justice must be sure (Chapter 19)
God extended the just
context of Israel to two vital principles:
·
Cities of
refuge, or “the principle of legal refuge” ensured that innocent blood was never shed in Israel. If a man offended another without
breaking the law, he was afforded a place of refuge, but not if he done something worthy of death.
· Justice
could not be based on a single witness. Corroborating witnesses had to be
independent and the judges had the task of ensuring due diligence in their legal
inquiry, to afford the plaintiff a fair trial.
Conclusion
This is a very
important section of Deuteronomy and it confirms the just nature of
God. It was way ahead of its time. It ensured a balanced, free society that was the envy of all.
Unfortunately, it took a breakdown, as happened in the US civil war, before they matured into a sustainable state. They had to be humbled to become great.
(c) Peter Missing @ bethelstone.com
