弟兄姊妹平安， 我們今天的讀經進度是申命記的16章18節到17章的13節這一段的經文，跨了兩個章節。但其實在強調的是同樣的一件事。今天主要所講的是關於法律以及審判的部分。我們一同來看看當時上帝的啟示是什麼。
從18節開始提到的審判官的設立，因為很多支派在每個地方居住，不一定都在耶路撒冷，所以要每個案件都拿來聖殿這邊是不太容易的。上帝的指示是說在每一個城裡面都要設立審判官。因為這些審判官不是利未人，所以他們的薪水是拿城裡面的供俸，所以他們的薪水其實是來自於整個城裡面的人。因此，這些審判官有一些不可避免的利益衝突的部分。所以上帝在警告這些審判官要守住重要的原則，從19節開始：不可屈枉正直，不可看人的外貌，不可受賄絡，要追求至公至義，好教你存活，承受耶和華你神所賜你的地。
所以這邊提到如果我們的法律系統，我們的公義失去了，整個社會的公平和秩序就會失去，那麼國家也會失去他的土地，人民和主權。在歷史中，我們不斷地看到一個帝國的毀滅與崩潰，通常都不是滅亡於外國的入侵，而首先是開始與內部的腐敗開始屈枉正直，開始不追求公義。這是一個國家內部敗壞的開始，也是敗亡的開始。
在16章最後一節，提到了不可在祭壇旁栽種樹木，也不可為自己設立柱像。這裡所提到的這兩種東西，它們屬於迦南地的邪神。柱是當地的男神，而竿是給女神雅舍拉。上帝特別要以色列人不可以把這兩個宗教混合到正確的信仰中，所以特別再一次的警告不可以走偏。
此外，上帝再次強調，若有人在任何地方行事被耶和華視為惡，例如敬拜別神、拜日頭、拜月亮等天象，上帝要求人要細細地探聽，仔細地察看是否有誤會，謹慎地查看。但如果確定是真的犯罪，就要憑兩三個人的口作見證把這人治死。在審判時應當警慎，不可以只聽一面之詞，而是要有兩個三個甚至更多的人來作證，以確保審判的正確和公正。
還有兩件事情需要小心，一是殘缺的獻祭。當有人將有殘疾的動物獻給上帝，這是一種假冒為善的行為，表面上看似虔誠，但實際上挑選了有缺陷的動物獻祭，沒有真正尊重上帝。這提醒我們要誠實對待我們對上帝的獻上，不應該給予上帝次等的東西。對於今天的教會來說，當我們為教會購買設備的時候，也當思考，難道上帝只配得二手的東西嗎？
最後一種，就是一種叫做「掛羊頭賣狗肉」的行為，用宗教之名行邪惡之事。明明有基督徒的名號，也曾經參加過教會成為基督徒，卻忽略教會裡的教義，或者是故意傳遞一些奇怪的言論，一些偏頗的言語，一些不符合聖經的壞教義。這些都需要小心警惕，因為這樣的行為會將一些異端邪說引入我們的信仰中，而正統的信仰可能會受到傷害。今天的基督教界也需要警惕，以確保教義的純正性。
接下來提到審理案件，如果出現諍訟的情況，包括毆打甚至致死的問題，就應該去神選擇的地方，找祭司和審判官來審理案件。這是上帝建立祂在地上的公義，就是我們今天的司法系統。在一個國家，建立正確的司法體系非常重要，並且訓練司法人員的過程也應該嚴謹，以選出正直、有智慧和有原則的人來執行法律審判。司法系統是守護社會穩定、正義公平的重要防線，應該獨立於其他權力，以確保公正審判，不受行政或權勢干擾。上帝賜予我們這樣的制度，應該依循法律的原則來判斷，並且一旦判決下來，就必須執行。
在新約的羅馬書13章裡面，保羅也說，所有的權柄都來自於上帝。因此，在一個國家有司法體系和平穩定的情況下，我們只能依賴現有的司法體系來實現上帝的話語和上帝的公義。當然，司法體系並不完美，它也有一些漏洞和不完美之處，需要更多人來理解上帝的話語，並共同努力去改進和修正我們的司法體系。
感謝各位的聆聽，我們明天繼續研讀17章的下半段，關於君王的教訓。
Dear brothers and sisters, Peace be with you. Today, our reading takes us from Deuteronomy 16:18 to Deuteronomy 17:13, spanning across two chapters. However, the emphasis here revolves around the same theme. We are primarily delving into matters of law and justice. Let us explore what God's revelation was during that time.
Starting from verse 18, the establishment of judges is mentioned. Since the various tribes resided in different places and not everyone lived in Jerusalem, it was not practical to bring every case to the temple. God's directive was to appoint judges in every city. These judges, not being Levites, received their income from the city's offerings, which essentially came from the people residing there. This led to some inherent conflicts of interest. Therefore, God warns these judges to uphold essential principles, as stated in verse 19: "You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality, and you shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the cause of the righteous."
So, it is emphasized here that if our legal system and justice are compromised, the entire fabric of fairness and order in society is at risk. Consequently, a nation may lose its land, people, and sovereignty. Throughout history, we have witnessed the downfall of empires and civilizations, often not due to external invasions but because they began to deviate internally, straying from the path of justice. This marks the onset of decay within a nation, leading to its eventual demise.
In the final verse of chapter 16, it is mentioned that one should not plant trees near the altar or set up pillars, as these things were associated with the false gods of Canaan. The pillars represented the local male deity, while the pillars were dedicated to the goddess Asherah. God specifically warned the Israelites against mixing these two religious practices with their true faith. This is a repeated caution against going astray.
Furthermore, God reiterates that if anyone does evil in His sight, such as worshipping other gods, the sun, the moon, or celestial bodies, one should investigate carefully, scrutinize thoroughly, and be cautious. However, if it is confirmed as a genuine transgression, it should be established through the testimony of two or three witnesses, and the offender should be put to death. Judgment should be approached with care, not based on a single testimony but with multiple witnesses, ensuring correctness and fairness.
Two other things to be cautious of are mentioned. Firstly, offering blemished sacrifices. When someone offers a disabled animal to God, it is an act of hypocrisy. It may seem pious on the surface, but in reality, it involves selecting a flawed offering, showing a lack of true reverence for God. This reminds us to be honest in our offerings to God and not give Him second-rate offerings. In today's church, when we purchase equipment for the church, we should also contemplate whether God deserves only second-hand items.
The last warning pertains to a practice called "selling a sheep's head but passing off dog meat." It involves engaging in evil deeds under the guise of religion. Some may bear the name of Christians, having attended church and professed faith, yet they neglect the teachings of the church or intentionally spread strange doctrines, biased language, or false teachings that do not align with the Bible. These should be approached with caution, as such actions can introduce heretical beliefs into our faith and harm the integrity of true belief. The contemporary Christian community should also remain vigilant to ensure the purity of doctrine.
Moving on to the matter of settling disputes and lawsuits, including cases of assault or even homicide, they should be taken to the place chosen by God, where priests and judges can handle the cases. This is the foundation of God's establishment of justice on earth, which corresponds to our modern-day judicial system. It is essential for a nation to establish a proper judicial system, rigorously train judicial personnel, and select individuals who are upright, wise, and principled to administer legal judgments. The judicial system serves as a crucial bulwark for safeguarding social stability and ensuring justice and fairness. It should operate independently of other powers to ensure impartial judgments, unaffected by administrative or political influences. God has given us such a system, and it should be guided by the principles of the law. Once a judgment is rendered, it must be carried out.
In Romans 13 of the New Testament, the Apostle Paul also emphasizes that all authority comes from God. Therefore, in a nation with a functioning judicial system and stability, we must rely on the existing judicial system to fulfill God's word and God's justice. Of course, the judicial system is not perfect, and it has its flaws and imperfections. It requires more people to understand God's word and collectively work towards improving and amending our judicial system.
Thank you all for listening. Tomorrow, we will continue to study the second half of chapter 17, focusing on the teachings regarding kingship.
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