Torah For Today

Shoftim

Deuteronomy 16:18 - 21:9

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<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> This week our Torah portion is call= ed Shoftim which means “judges”.= The main theme of this portion of Torah is about the setting up of government i= n Israel.= There are laws about kings, priests, prophets, judges, courts, military matters a= nd cities of refuge. Cities of refuge were places for people to go to if they = may have killed someone unintentionally. It allowed for their case to be heard without the fear of being killed in revenge by an angry family member of the deceased. The text informs us= that government and due process are important features of the ideal governmental structure of a State. If we v= iew the portion in the larger context of the Torah – that of preparing the children of Israel ultimately to dwell in the land with God as their King, = we see that the government that the Israelites were to set up should function = in the way that it will function in the day when God will dwell in their midst. By application, it tea= ches us that all governments should function in a way that models government in = the Messianic Kingdom. A good arg= ument could be made that the forms of congregational government described in the = New Covenant are derived from the governmental structures found in these passag= es – at least the principles. There is concern for leadership that is godly and dedicated to godly principles and laws.

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<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> In our world, th= ese values are often used by political candidates in order to win votes, but it= is truly rare to find someone who recognizes that governments are ministers of= God for justice and benevolent rule in this world until the Messiah rules himself. The prophets reveal = more about the roles of kings, judges and others. While the prophets were concerned = with government and social reform they also looked forward to a day when there w= ould be true justice, fairness, and honesty in the days of Messiah. (See Isaiah 2,4,11 as well as the book of Amos).

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<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> In our por= tion, Deut. 19:8-9 commands that three additional cities of refuge be built to accommodate the enlargement of their territory..= Many of the Sa= ges teach that these last three cities of refuge would be build by the Messiah when he comes to rule. Their purpose would be to teach people pure truth because in that day, pure truth will abound. Rashi says that it will be the Messiah who will enlarge the territory and therefore build the cities.

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<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> It is interestin= g that the prophets speak of the Messiah as a King (ps= . 2, Zech. 2), who will rule; as a Priest who will mediate (Zech. 6), as a judge= who will act in righteousness (Isaiah 2). Given the world events these days, we truly look forward to that day when the Messiah will rule between nations and all nations will recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and will come to Jerusalem to worship the King. That day is coming. Tha= t is the hope that we have – that god’s word will come to pass.

<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> But what d= o we do in the meantime? May I suggest that we encourage godly principles = of justice, mercy and righteousness in government. Also our own lives should b= e guided by godly principles. We should also be praying for the peace of Jerusalem, thus interceding for this world.

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<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> We c= an rejoice that the Messiah has already come to end the tyranny of sin for all= who will believe and that we can have peace, rest, and salvation when we make Yeshua the Lord and King of our lives. We dwell, as it were. In the City of Refuge<= /st1:place>”, safe from the enemy. Some might say that when Yeshua came the first time, he was not a ki= ng. He did not sit on a throne in Jerusalem an= d destroy the enemies of Israe= l. It is true that Yeshua did not man= ifest Himslef as a king in this world. He will do that when= He returns. However, he did manifest himself as the servant-king. The prophet Isaiah foretold that the Messiah would be a king but that He would also be a servant (the public servant!!) – a suffering serv= ant. He suffered and died for our sins and was raised from the dead – which broke the curse of sin. When = we receive Him, the curse is broken in our lives. While we may still sin, our = destiny is no longer abandonment but life forever in the Lord. When we believe that Yeshua is the Messiah, we enter the ultimate City of = Refuge. The world will experience this = kind of life when the Messiah returns. May we rejoice in the salvation we have i= n messiah and may the day soon come, when the tyranny of this world will cease and the Messiah will be the true king, priest, prophet and judge of this world. Come Messiah Yeshua!! Shabbat Shalom.