Tuesday, October 26, 2021

God's law is the king's unfailing guide

 Deuteronomy 17:1-20

On the testimony of two or three witnesses a person is to be put to death, but no one is to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness. The hands of the witnesses must be the first in putting that person to death, and then the hands of all the people. You must purge the evil from among you.

Go to the Levitical priests and to the judge who is in office at that time. Inquire of them and they will give you the verdict. You must act according to the decisions they give you at the place the Lord will choose. Be careful to do everything they instruct you to do.  Act according to whatever they teach you and the decisions they give you. Do not turn aside from what they tell you, to the right or to the left. Anyone who shows contempt for the judge or for the priest who stands ministering there to the Lord your God is to be put to death. You must purge the evil from Israel.

He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold.

When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the Levitical priests. It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees and not consider himself better than his fellow Israelites and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel.

God requires a just, fair, and impartial judiciary. No bribes are to be accepted. 'for fights blind the eyes even of wise and honest men'. Sacrifice is no a way to ger tid of defective animals. A death sentence may be carried out only on the clear testimony of two or more witnesses. Local judges must refer hard cases to higher authority at the nation's place of worship that judgment is final/

God permits the monarchy but does not set it up. The dangers are foreseen here - military aggression sensuality leading to idolatry - became an uncomfortable reality later in Israel's history. God's law is the king's unfailing guide.

Why?

God is righteousness so his people have to be just and do the right things. There is no partiality among people.

The Lord has warned Israelites must not take many wives, his heart will be led to astray.

To be a king read God's word every day and God's word is his guide to be a good king. So as to us, read God's word and obeying God's word is our guidance in our daily life and protection.

The bribe, women may lead our heart astray, so keep away from it.

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審判官必須公正,難斷的案子要擔起來。祭司和審判官都是敬畏神的!

政治領袖: 立君王的原則。做王是要服事神、服事人。不可向弟兄氣高自傲。今天有權柄、資源不是為自己謀利益,乃是要服事人。

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How?
God's word endure forever, even 2000 years ago God's word is working now. Parise to the Lord. 




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