Judgment and Justice

Mosiah 29

Moses and the children of IsraelGenesis 18: 13-24

13 ¶ … Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening.

14 And when Moses' father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, … why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even?

15 And Moses said … Because the people come unto me to enquire of God:16 When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.

17 And Moses' father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good.18 Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: …

20 And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk…

21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men,such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; …to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:

22 And let them judge the people at all seasons…

24 So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said.

Judge?In the Old Testament, the word JUDGE is

used interchangeably with the word JUSTICE (Isaiah 1)

In other words, to JUDGE means to provide JUSTICE

For example, what would it mean to judge “righteous judgements”?

In order to bring justice, what did a Judge in Israel decide between?

BehaviorCommandments

Bruce R. McConkie

"This theocratic system, patterned after the order and system that prevailed in heaven, was the government of God. . . . He gave direction in all things both civil and ecclesiastical; there was no separation of church and state" ( New Witness for the Articles of Faith, 35).

MORE Bruce R. McConkie!

“Now the confessed offender is not left without hope, for he

can obtain forgiveness by following the course outlined, and by forsaking sins comparable to that committed, as well as all other sin, and

living before the Church and the Lord in such manner as to win approbation of both. … The judges of Israel will determine this matter. (Conf. Rep., Apr., 1954, pp. 10-13.)"

What happened to Israel’s government by Judges?

JUDGES

KINGS

Why?

Why would Israel abandon the Lord’s Government, “patterned after the order and system that prevailed in heaven”

They wanted to be more like the world!

Under a King, how is “justice” determined?

Behavior

King’s Decides

Nephite Form of Government?For almost 500 years they had Kings

(Nephi, Benjamin, Zeniff, Noah, Limhi)

Mosiah 29

5 (King Mosiah ll) Behold, O ye my people, or my brethren, for I esteem you as such, I desire that ye should consider the cause which ye are called to consider—for ye are desirous to have a king.

6 Now I declare unto you that he to whom the kingdom doth rightly belong has declined, and will not take upon him the kingdom.

7 … behold I fear there would rise contentions among you. …

10 And now let us be wise and look forward to these things, and do that which will make for the peace of this people.

11 Therefore I will be your king the remainder of my days; nevertheless, let us appoint judges, to judge this people according to our law… for we will appoint wise men to be judges, that will judge this people according to the commandments of God.

Judges vs US Constitution

Served for Life

Only “elected” once

Appear to have been able to appoint successors

Could make laws

No record of a legislative body

No record of “checks and balances”

No separation of Church and State

The United States Constitution

BehaviorVoice of the People

“Justice” under the US Constitution

Voice of the PeopleMosiah 29

25 Therefore, choose you by the voice of this people, judges, that ye may be judged according to the laws which have been given you by our fathers, which are correct, and which were given them by the hand of the Lord.

26 Now it is not common that the voice of the people desireth anything contrary to that which is right; but it is common for the lesser part of the people to desire that which is not right; therefore this shall ye observe and make it your law—to do your business by the voice of the people.

27 And if the time comes that the voice of the people doth choose iniquity, then is the time that the judgments of God will come upon you; yea, then is the time he will visit you with great destruction even as he has hitherto visited this land.

Joseph Smith

Hence we say, that the Constitution of the United States is a glorious standard; it is

founded in the wisdom of God. It is a heavenly banner; it is to all those who are privileged with the sweets of its

liberty, like the cooling shades and refreshing waters of a great rock in a thirsty and weary land..

We must remember, though

The Constitution of the United States is not the “theocratic system, patterned after the order and system that prevailed in heaven,”

That system is the Law of Judges, using the commandments as a standard

Saints and Government

We are to be “in the world, but not of the world”. If that is true, what is our real responsibility in elections and government?

John TaylorWe have got establish a government upon the principle of righteousness,

justice, truth and equality and not according to the many false notions that exist among men. And then the day is not far distant when this nation will be shaken from centre to circumference. And now, you may write it down, any of you, and I will prophesy it in the name of God. And then will be fulfilled that prediction to be found in one of the revelations given through the Prophet Joseph Smith.

Those who will not take up their sword to fight against their neighbor must needs flee to Zion for safety. And they will come, saying, we do not known anything of the principles of your religion, but we perceive that you are an honest community; you administer justice and righteousness, and we want to live with you and receive the protection of your laws, but as for your religion we will talk about that some other time.

Will we protect such people? Yes, all honorable men. When the people shall have torn to shreds the Constitution of United States the Elders of Israel will be found holding it up to the nations of earth, and proclaiming liberty and equal rights to all men, and extending the hand of fellowship to the oppressed of all nations. This is part the programme, and as long as we do what is right and fear God, he will help us and stand by us under all circumstances (1879)

Harold B. Lee

When (people) would ask me who to vote for in the coming election, I would tell them to read Mosiah 29 and D&C 134 of the Doctrine and Covenants , pray about that, and any Latter-day Saint could know who to vote for in any given election. It is just as simple as that.

The Prophet Joseph Smith

“It is vain for persons to fancy to themselves that they are heirs with those… who have offered their all in sacrifice, and by this means obtained faith in God and favor with him so as to obtain eternal life,

Unless they in like manner offer unto him the same sacrifice, and through that offering obtain the knowledge that they are accepted of him”