Passage Read: Deuteronomy 16-19
Meditation Verses: 17:11-12
Thought
When a judge or priest makes a ruling, the one whose case is being judged must obey. If he does not, he is to be put to death, even if his original judgment didn't require death. He has committed a new crime, worthy of death, by refusing the judge's judgment. The judge is supposed to explain the law that was broken and the reason for the verdict given, then the one judged must obey. This is why it's so important that righteous, God-fearing, impartial judges are to be appointed, as the previous chapter directs. If ungodly judges rule, the land will be polluted as she as if the people were led by those who outside witchcraft and sorcery. Then those who desire righteousness and fairness would have to put up with unfair judgments or else risk death or abandon everything and flee. Even Jesus commanded His followers to submit to the hypocritical Pharisees because they sat in Moses' seat. If we mess up our nation by installing unrighteous judges, our only recourse is to remove them or flee or accept the penalty for disobeying ungodly judgments.
Application
God values obedience over everything else. He would rather we submit to unrighteous judges than disobey them, as long as it doesn't require disobeying Him. The penalty for disobeying a judgment is death. If we install unrighteous judges, that's our own fault, but it's not a cause for rebellion. This is why so many people flee their own lands, because of injustice, but no one really knows what justice is and what it requires, because every nation keeps setting up unrighteous judges and rulers! So the world is running out of places to flee to. That means will be left to face death for disobeying truly unrighteous laws and judgments. Unless we bring people to know the truth and repent of their wickedness. That's the only real solution, to bring back true righteousness, to preach the Gospel and a return to God and His ways, to know God in truth and put forward godly leaders and judges.