Shoftim (Judges)
Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9
Isaiah 51:12 – 52:12
Yochanan (John) 1:19-27; 1 Cor 5:9-13
The people of the Kingdom appointed only one of four authorities. Not one office was self-appointed, but all came by a protocol prescribed by the ultimate Mighty Authority, our Elohim (God). What are the four highest authorities in the Kingdom of Elohim? Who was appointed, and how were they appointed?
- The King: YHWH Elohim raises up and appoints kings to their positions. Although the people may demand a specific leader, such as Israel wanting Saul to be king, YHWH makes the decision. He will often give the people what they want to teach them a lesson, not violating man’s free will. In Israel, YHWH used prophets to appoint kings by anointing oil and by speaking the words of Elohim coronating the king.
- The Prophet: YHWH Elohim calls a man or a woman to be His prophet, His spokesman to the people. Prophets were not born prophets but sometimes called at a young age, such as Samuel and Jeremiah; others were called later as adults, such as Moses and Daniel.
- The Priest: YHWH Elohim created sons of Levi to be born priests by their tribal occupation. The Tribe of Levi and their descendants were appointed by YHWH on Mount Sinai (Exo 32:26-29). Priests are born into their office. Only genetic sons of Aaron could be the high priests of YHWH Elohim.
- The Judge: The people of Israel appointed judges and officers for themselves in all their gates (Deut 16:18). This command begins our Torah portion Shoftim (Judges). Paul based his instruction to the Corinthians on this command. In the context of appointing judges. Paul asked if there wasn’t a wise man among them to decide between his brethren (1 Cor 6:4-5). May I suggest we ask the same question?
Appointments of offices had to be made according to Yah’s protocol, not man’s. Of all four offices, only the office of judge was appointed by the people. Paul chastised the Corinthians of his day for not doing that. Could we, the people of YHWH, our Elohim, be making the same mistake today?
Recognizing an Illegally Appointed Authority or not
Understanding that Paul understood Torah by the Spirit of Truth and its principles, Paul made a curious statement about a ‘high priest.’ Let’s read what happened with this intriguing encounter.
And Sha’ul, looking intently at the council, said, “Men, brothers, I have lived in all good conscience before Elohim until this day.” And the high priest Ḥananyah (Ananias) commanded those who stood by him (Paul) to strike him on the mouth.
Then Sha’ul said to him, “Elohim is going to strike you, whitewashed wall! And do you sit judging me according to the Torah, and do you command me to be struck contrary to the Torah?” And those who stood by said, “Do you revile the high priest of Elohim?”
And Sha’ul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it has been written, ‘You shall not speak evil of the ruler of your people.’ Act 23:1-5
What did he mean, Paul didn’t know he was a high priest? Was he out of the loop on who the high priest was in Jerusalem? I don’t think so. According to Torah, Paul was a ‘Hebrew of Hebrews, a Pharisee.’
Breaking Yah’s protocol, King Herod appointed Ananias as the high priest in Jerusalem. Breaking with the character of a priest of Yah, history reveals that Ananias was cruel and violent in his treatment of those who opposed him.
Paul didn’t care about the lavish high priestly garments Ananias wore on the outside. Paul didn’t recognize an illegally appointed ‘high priest,’ at least as I read the commentaries. However, Paul did uphold the Torah by quoting the commandment to the people not to speak evil of their ruler (Exo 22:28).
Self Appointed? Judging an Elder?
The story of Paul’s encounter with the illegal high priest begs the question – If an individual self-appoints themself as a judge over others, especially over anyone with any authority, will they be recognized as a righteous judge to submit to? Will even one as spiritual as Paul recognize such a judge not appointed according to the Scriptures?
On the other hand, how is someone to approach an elder believed to be in error?
Do not rebuke an older man, but appeal to him as a father, younger ones as brothers. 1 Timothy 5:1
That doesn’t sound like acting like a judge presiding over an elder to me. Elders should be approached with a level of respect, but of course, not with the same honor due to YHWH. Yet we understand that YHWH Himself sets rulers in positions of authority for the good of the people.
Another instruction by Paul that leaves no room for an individual, the self-appointed judge is the command in Deuteronomy for two or three witnesses:
Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses. (Deut 17:6; 19:15) (1 Tim 5:19)
So if someone comes to an elder alone to bring an accusation against them, should we recognize the individual to hold some kind of authority against the elder? If the elders had nothing to do with an approved process to appoint a judge in their faith community, should they recognize the one who attempts to preside over them and submit to the verdict? Let’s look to Yeshua for the answers.
Yeshua Came to Save, not to Condemn
No office or authority was to be self-appointed, not even by the One Who holds all four high authority offices. Of all people who could have appointed himself, not even Yeshua said He came to the people to judge them. I love this about my Master!
“If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save it. He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.” John 12:47-48
This Word makes me tremble in working out my salvation. If Yeshua said, “I do not judge him, “ how much more should mere individuals judge others?
The Greek word, kreeno, literally means ‘to decide mentally or judicially’ and, by implication – ‘to try, condemn, or punish.’ Individuals have no business setting themselves up doing this. Not even Yeshua would do that. According to the Scriptures, true judges must be appointed by the people with the elders involved.
What Does it Mean to Judge Righteously?
Once the people appoint judges by a just process, the issue of judging righteously is difficult and can involve significant matters of life and death. Our adversary knows this and tries hard to shut righteous judgment down at every turn.
Surveys find the most quoted and most twisted of all the Scriptures is to “judge not lest you be judged.” (Mat 7:1-2)” But is not ever judging what Yeshua talked about in Matthew 7?
Lack of discernment and loss of ability to judge between right and wrong can lead to all kinds of harm, destruction, and division. Today we see this in almost every court in the land.
May I propose that just because the tribe of Dan, whose name means “to judge,” doesn’t show up as one of the tribes of the 144,000 does not mean that we cannot judge righteously in these last days?
In paleo Hebrew, Dan, spelled dalet nun, means “Doorway to Life.” We believe Yeshua to be Whom He said He is, the Door for the sheep to enter into eternal Life (John 10:1-7). So righteous judgment gives access to the life of Yah to the ones in Messiah making the right judgment. Restoring access to life lost in some manner, such as the life of broken relationships, should be a pursuit of the leadership of any congregation.
How Does a Judge Make Righteous Decisions?
The paleo-Hebrew meaning of the word for judge, shofet, gives us an understanding of what a true judge does. Shofet, spelled sheen, pey, tet, means letter by letter – teeth that chew, an open mouth, and a surrounded, sealed mark.
The letter sheen counsels us to chew and consume the manna – in other words, to mull over, ponder, meditate and internalize the Word. Any matter that needs judgment requires us to deeply ponder what the Word says about it.
The righteous judge also hears the mouth of at least two or three witnesses. A righteous judge carefully chews on, digests, and mulls over all pertinent and verified evidence, facts, and words provided by the witnesses.
The judge carefully considers deep inside what Yeshua says by His Spirit concerning the right thing to do and speak about the matter before opening his mouth with a verdict.
Only then is the mouth opened (letter pey) to pronounce the decision needed on what the righteous thing to do or to say is. Yeshua taught His disciples that:
“Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Luke 6:45
A meditative heart in tune with the Messiah declares the right thing to do. Before taking a course of action, we speak with our mouths about what is right to do or say.
The spoken word marks the course or direction, tet, that is now set in motion. The judgment on the matter is pronounced, and a righteous course of action leads all within the sphere of influence (a tet concept) into the course of a restored, renewed course in life.
The letter tet has a cross, tav, surrounded by a circular seal. The tav pictures the sign of the renewed covenant. The circle around the tav depicts the affected sphere of influence. A righteous path chosen to take in life is part of walking deeper in the renewed covenant relationship we have with our Adonai, Master, which then extends to one another.
The end result of a righteous judgment is that a blocked doorway is opened. Life is imparted and restored to the violated.
Preparing for Judgment Day
Making a righteous judgment is part of the process of teshuvah, repentance, in these last days before the coming of the King and Judge, Yeshua, the Lion of Judah. Wouldn’t it be better to judge ourselves and make it right with the Judge of Heaven and Earth before that highest of all holy days are fulfilled on that great and fearful Day of Judgment?
Thank Yah that we serve a merciful and compassionate Elohim and have an Advocate with Abba in the Court of Heaven! May we always be merciful and compassionate towards others when we make righteous judgments. Because of the work of the Messiah on the cross, not even our Elohim has punished us to the full extent of His Law. Because of the work of the Messiah on the cross, we should show the same kind of mercy towards others who sin against us.
The Four Offices of Messiah and His Second Coming
And the first living creature was like a lion; and the second living creature like a calf; and the third living creature having a face like a man; and the fourth living creature like an eagle flying.
And the four living creatures each one had six wings around, and within being full of eyes. And they had no rest day and night, saying, “Holy, holy, holy, Master YHWH Almighty, Who was, and is, and is to come!” Isaiah 6:3
And whenever the living creatures shall give glory and honor and thanks to the One sitting on the throne, to the One living forever… Revelations 4:7-9
So which face goes with which office, which role of authority, of our Messiah? Read my previous year’s commentary to see an exposition on these four offices and how they branch out to His people throughout the Scriptures.
Now regarding only the eagle, this face represents Yeshua, Who will be returning in His second return as the Judge. This office branches out to His people represented by the tribe of Dan, whose name means ‘to judge.’ Dan, Naphtali, and Asher were camped on the north side of the tabernacle under the banner of an eagle, representing the Judge of Israel. Of all predators created by Elohim, the one that takes out the snake is the eagle. The eagle can take out the largest, most poisonous of all snakes – the king cobra
Yeshua is coming soon to take out the serpent, his archenemy, ha’satan, once and for all! He’s not coming back the next time as the suffering servant but as the conquering King to judge the devil, his minions, and the quick and the dead.
With that in mind, let’s not seek to judge others un-appointed or un-righteously. Nor are we to take vengeance as instructed by the Word of Elohim:
For we know Him Who has said, “Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay,” says YHWH. And again, “YHWH will judge His people.” Deuteronomy 32:35, 36, Hebrews 10:30
Save us, Yeshua, King, and Judge! Save us from the deadly poison out of the mouths of our adversaries!
Leaning on His mercies every day, trusting His Word for His judgments.
Meditating on Yeshua Shofet v’Kohen v’Melek v’Naviy Yisra’el, the Judge, and Priest, and King and Prophet of Israel,
David Klug