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Deuteronomy 16 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
Favoritism. Bribes. Bias. Corruption. Does this not describe our current political climate?
God gave specific laws regarding the judges that He Himself would appoint for Israel. First, there would be impartiality. Everyone would be judged the same regardless of how powerful, popular, or wealthy they were. The judges were to decide what was right, not who was right. They were not to accept bribes, as God instructed that gifts blind the eyes of wise and honest men. This is interesting because we typically think of someone who accepts a bribe as foolish. But in this passage, we learn that a bribe had the power to turn an otherwise wise and honest man into a corrupt man.
All of these warnings fell under the bigger picture of perverting justice on a national scale. Is this not also relevant in our nation today? If the judges set the standard for pursuing and upholding justice, then the people and nation would follow.
When you think about it, justice only comes from the Lord. It is only by Him that we know right from wrong and are enabled to have the courage and character to uphold such truth. A failure to uphold justice was embracing human thoughts and wisdom above God. The laws that the Lord had prescribed were not man-made principles but were rooted in divine authority. The only way to follow what God desired was to follow His law and pursue His justice.
Today, standing for God’s ways is not popular or attractive. Much like a puppet, the strings of our justice system are highly influenced by money, power, and what will produce a positive response from the majority. We must remember that when we stand for Biblical truth, we can expect that the world will not understand and prefer to follow human principles instead. God has promised to reward those who stand on His foundation and punish those who stand against Him. This is His final word on justice.