A sad commentary in our country is that politics usually wins over justice. How many times have we seen our citizen’s civil rights suspended or even ignored to appease and fulfill a political agenda? The dishonest deals with native Americans to seize their lands, the despicable treatment of African-Americans and racial segregation, and the complete suspension of the rights of Japanese-American citizens during World War II-all of these are sordid examples of politics supplanting justice.
President John Adams succinctly stated, “We are a nation of laws, not of men.” When a nation subverts its own laws for political expediency, democracy and liberty are the casualties and justice is mocked. Do I feel indignant? Absolutely! It happened within the United States. It happened nearly two thousand years ago in Jerusalem.
As Jesus Christ was paraded in front of the Jewish leaders, his rights that were legally granted to Him as a fellow Jew were suspended to expedite the political maneuvering of the Jewish leaders to allow them to deliver him over to the Roman authorities. It was a kangaroo court that led to His conviction, torture, and execution on the Cross. He willingly endured these humiliating and denigrating scenes to fulfill God’s purpose for all of us, to reconcile our lost souls to God.
Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking him as they beat him. They also blindfolded him and kept asking him, “Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?” And they said many other things against him, blaspheming him.
Luke 22:63-65 (ESV)
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him.
Matthew 27:27-31 (ESV)
It was against Jewish law to try Jesus in the evening and early morning hours before sunrise, preventing anyone from testifying on His behalf. A capital offense trial could not begin on the day before a major Sabbath or any Sabbath. The entire trial took nine hours which violated the law which stated that any sentence of death could not be carried out on the same day it was issued since the court was required to allow any additional witnesses to testify on behalf of the accused. Even the judges had bribed Judas to betray Him. It did not matter that Jesus spoke the Truth and He was the Messiah they had been expecting. The Jewish leaders hated and feared Jesus because He threatened their power and authority.
Someday, Jesus Christ will return as King of Kings and Lord of Lords and will rule over this earth during the Millenium. It will be the first time in the history of the world that a ruler will have absolute power and be completely just. This is the way that God intends His Kingdom to be established on this earth. No more political maneuvering or supplanting, only the justice of God.
Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.
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