CANDLEGLOW LESSON: SHOF’TIM (Judges) Week 48
(Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9)
Every level of the judicial system set forth by ADONAI for the Nation of Israel would demand a high level of holiness and adherence to the laws set forth in the Ten Commandments, and in the over six hundred laws which came after. By ruling in truth and justice, the Nation would be maintained within the boundaries of priests, judges, and two or more witnesses who would appeal to a court of law based on the righteousness of ADONAI. Torah would be the plumb-line for judicial decisions. The generation to cross over the Jordan, into the Promised Land, would have all authority from heaven to govern.
This is the Lesson of the Law of ADONAI. “When he has come to occupy the throne of his Kingdom, he is to write a copy of this Torah for himself in a scroll, from the one the Cohanim and L’vi’im use. It is to remain with him, and he is to read in it every day as long as he lives; so that he will learn to fear ADONAI his God and keep all the words of this Torah and these laws and obey them; so that he will not think he is better than his kinsmen; and so that he will not turn aside either to the right or to the left from the mitzvah. In this way he will prolong his reign and that of his children in Isra’el.” (Deuteronomy 17:18-20 CJB)
This was the exhortation of ADONAI through Moses, as to the way a future King of Israel was to conduct his rule and reign. The future Kings were to be supernaturally appointed by Adonai, to be King. They were to conduct all proceedings from their throne in alignment with the plumb-line of TORAH.
This is the Lesson of the Law of ADONAI. Our intimacy with Adonai brings forth His truth as it is etched upon our hearts. This is biblical. This is prophetic. The more we immerse in His truth, the deeper the etching. Intimacy with Adonai was a prerequisite for rulers within the Nation of Israel; bringing forth life, light and unity (Yachad) into the Nation.
This is the Lesson of the Law of ADONAI. There will always be those who call this kind of deep, abiding faith in God’s instruction, legalism. There will always be those who desire to dilute the impact of the Spirit of the Law, which brings alignment with God’s blueprint for His creation. What if in these very days of the prophesied great falling away, more of our judges and lawmakers had this kind of holy observance to God’s instructions in the Bible, so that all would go well with us? What if our leaders actually cared if all went well for the people of their land, versus their own personal and political promotion?
What if the rulers of the nations of the world could unite on the holy standards from this Parashah? May we seek His instruction from Torah, thereby being a light to the nations. May we follow humbly, in the footsteps of Rabbi Jesus; the Light of the World!
CANDLEGLOW LESSON FOR SHABBAT:
On this Shabbat evening, after reading the Parashah in Deuteronomy as the backdrop for seeking our Sabbath rest in the Lord, how can we apply the truth about the Law, Judges, Clergy and Witnesses as it might pertain to us today? Amid the present-day lack of integrity among many who sit in seats of power over the people, how can we apply the teachings in the Chapters of Shof’tim to our own understanding and responsiveness in the days in which we live?
ADONAI established a judicial system to be implemented by the Nation of Israel as they entered into the promised land so there would be righteousness in the land, which was to be subdued, made righteous, and set apart from all other nations.
The Lord exhibits not only His holiness, but also His unchanging execution of righteousness and faithfulness as He leads and guides mankind closer and closer to His ‘way to go’. The simple meaning of TORAH is, ‘the way to go’.
The big picture for the Nation of Israel was not only to establish ADONAI’S righteous ways in the land of Israel, but to be a light to the nations, and a conduit for all mankind to find their way into intimacy with the God of the Universe by the sharing of TORAH and its practical application for all people, for all time.
I believe this is where we can take our rest tonight. Our God is the same, yesterday, today and forever. Therefore, He still calls His chosen people and the world to TORAH wisdom and understanding! It is by way of the Torah of Love that people and nations can be changed and brought into right relationship with a holy Creator.
Do we believe God has left us with the map to His heart? Do we trust in His good plans for us collectively and individually? By seeking to know Him intimately, we will find that He is good! “When you seek me, you will find me, provided you seek for me wholeheartedly; and I will let you find me, says ADONAI.” Jeremiah 29:13 CJB
This is where we can take our rest tonight. No matter what is happening on the Geo-Political front in this moment in time, even in the Middle East where war over this sacred parcel of land is still raging, the Church can be confident of God’s promise to bring creation and every nation under the just rule of Jesus the Messiah. We know the ending of HIS~STORY by studying and believing God’s holy Bible. May we rest tonight in the Lord who gave the gift of TORAH to His chosen people to use as the plumb-line for life, and for bringing light, life, and unity to the world through God’s blessed ‘way to go’.
SEEK HIM FIND HIM SHARE HIM
Shabbat Shalom, dear seekers,
Sydney