Equal Justice For All
July 20, 2019
Commentary
After explaining how to live with compassion and integrity, God taught Israel how to practice justice in everyday life. These verses show that fairness before God must guide all relationships. Israel was called to be truthful, impartial, and merciful, even when it is difficult.
The people were told not to agree with or spread false reports (v. 1). Justice could not be built on gossip or lies. They were warned not to follow the crowd in doing wrong (v. 2). Popular opinion could never replace God’s truth. In court, they were not to favor the rich or the poor (vv. 2–3). True justice is blind to wealth, class, or reputation.
God also called His people to kindness—even toward their enemies. If someone found an enemy’s animal wandering or trapped, they were to help return it safely (vv. 4–5). In this way, God taught His people that love and mercy were stronger than bitterness or revenge.
Next, the Lord warned judges and leaders not to deny justice to the poor or accept bribes that could twist the truth (vv. 6–8). Money must never silence fairness or hide the truth. Every decision was to reflect God’s character, because He is perfectly righteous. Finally, God reminded Israel not to mistreat or take advantage of foreigners (v. 9). They had once been strangers in Egypt and should remember what it felt like to be powerless and mistreated.
Through these commands, God showed that real justice comes from a heart shaped by truth, compassion, and humility. The goal was not just a fair court system—but a fair and caring community where everyone, rich or poor, native or foreigner, was treated with equal dignity and respect before God.
Application
When I see how seriously God values truth and fairness, do I show the same honesty in my words and choices? Do I selfishly take advantage of others when I have power over them? God calls me to speak truth even when it’s unpopular, to treat people equally, and show kindness even to those who don’t treat me kindly.
Exodus 23:1–9 (NET)
1 “You must not give a false report. Do not make common cause with the wicked to be a malicious witness.
2 “You must not follow a crowd in doing evil things; in a lawsuit you must not offer testimony that agrees with a crowd so as to pervert justice, 3 and you must not show partiality to a poor man in his lawsuit.
4 “If you encounter your enemy’s ox or donkey wandering off, you must by all means return it to him. 5 If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen under its load, you must not ignore him, but be sure to help him with it.
6 “You must not turn away justice for your poor people in their lawsuits. 7 Keep your distance from a false charge —do not kill the innocent and the righteous, for I will not justify the wicked.
8 “You must not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and subverts the words of the righteous.
9 “You must not oppress a resident foreigner, since you know the life of a foreigner, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.
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