Deuteronomy 15:20 Justice and Justice Alone

Deuteronomy 15:20 Follow justice and justice alone, so that you may live and possess the land the LORD your God is giving you.

If there is one thing that most people hate it is a system of justice that isn’t just. And there are cries on all sides of this issue in the public square. Whether it is the people at the top who seem to get away with crimes or people at the bottom who seemingly bare a greater burden of the judicial system, no one says that our judicial system is perfectly fair. In justice happens.

Now the solutions proposed for solving these injustices are varied, depending on how the cause of the injustice is perceived. Some say that the whole system must be thrown away, that none of it works. Others say that the protected class of people must be held accountable. What is the solution? I don’t pretend to know.

This problem of a justice system that could be swayed has been around since the beginning of civilization. It is part and parcel of the human social system for justice to be used as a weapon against our opponents. But as we can see from our current public debate, there is no easy answer.

Our text lays out the guidance for Israel as they set up their justice system when they finally arrive in the Promised Land. For Israel, justice and justice alone is the standard. Justice is one of the highest moral values for this new community.

Now this is a foreign idea to many peoples and societies. There is an almost universal partiality that exists around the world and across times. Some people seem to evade justice. They can afford better lawyers!

But for this new community, justice was connected to the character and person of the LORD. The LORD is just, so His people are to be just as well.

But much of the root of injustice is the false assumption that the LORD isn’t able to provide for everyone, so I must tip the scales in my favor. I must help Him out. Trust is at the root. Do the people of God truly trust their Lord?

As the Israelites set up their judicial system, they must appoint judges in every town to administer justice in His Name. They are local people, presumably known by those who come before them. They are neighbors and BBQ attenders. They shop, laugh and worship with you. They are known.

And in that knowing, there is an accountability. Bad decisions carry a weight with the judge. He has to live in the community, living with the results of his own decisions. If he is perceived of as being unjust, it would greatly affect his reputation in his own community. Lots of pressure to get it right!

So what body of laws did these judges apply? Well, it was the very laws that Moses was outlining here in the first five books of the Scriptures. They were not to make up new laws, but apply the laws already given. There was a simplicity to their laws.

Now there are so many laws, so many special exemptions, so many tailored laws that protect certain entities and people, that it can be very hard to apply the laws in our country with justice. And the ability to hire the best lawyers to plead your case unlevels the field. Justice is the ideal, but it has become exceedingly difficult to carry out.

So, if you are judge, or part of the legal system, there is a great burden placed on you to get it right. Don’t show partiality or accept a bribe. Do justice and justice alone!