WITHOUT FEAR OR FAVOR
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Often, the argument is made that we should not judge others because judgment belongs to God. But in appointing judges over the people of Israel, Moses used the opposite argument: Do not be afraid to judge because judgment belongs to God.
Of course, Moses was not speaking about harsh, judgmental attitudes toward others—the kind of judging that Jesus warned against in the Sermon on the Mount (see Matthew 7:1–5). Rather, Moses was appointing leaders who would assist with administering justice among the people, settling disputes between them, and doing so in a way that was fair to all. Because God is a God of justice, His people were to be a nation of justice, and good leaders would be those who worked for justice. So, because God is a God of justice, we should judge well and work for justice in those areas in which we have influence. As a later leader would be instructed by his mother, “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy” (Proverbs 31:8, 9). At its best, the system of laws and leadership given to the new nation of Israel would be a system that worked for justice—and, in this way, be a contrast to the oppressive systems of many of the surrounding nations. This is also why promises of God’s judgment throughout the Bible are good news to the poor, the exploited, and the downtrodden. Proclaiming God’s judgment is a promise that wrongs will be made right, and that evil will be undone.
Understanding that will change how we work to address injustice and oppression in our world today. Because God will judge, we will be unafraid to speak up for justice and to stand in solidarity with those who suffer.
