Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes to him.
We have been hearing so much this week about the confirmation hearing for the Supreme Court vacancy left by the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. It has been an interesting process watching the Senators and the Judge talk about their perspective about how to interpret the Constitution. I am a big fan of the law, the courts and even jury duty! I know, most people try to get out of jury duty, I enjoy it! I have been called for jury duty about 5 or 6 times. I have been picked 4 times. One case was dismissed before I sat on the jury, three others, I was a juror.
The level of importance of this process is immediately impressed upon you in the way every official person carries themselves, speaks to you, and even how they speak to each other. One trial I was on lasted six weeks. It was the longest civil case in Lackawanna County, up to that time. They spend a seemingly endless amount of time telling you all the do’s and don’ts of a juror’s job. The entire presentation by the lawyers, judges and witnesses’, is for the jury. The jury must be attentive, fair and ready and willing to make an often difficult decision. I learned so much in that courtroom about the law, I began to wonder, how did they come up with this system?
I did some research. I found out, according to a great historian David Barton, it began with a man named Jethro. Now, for you who are old enough to remember the ‘Beverly Hillbillies’ television program, there was a large, rather simple man on that show that was one of the ‘hillbillies.’ His name was Jethro, I’m not talking about that one! The man named Jethro, I want to bring your attention to, was the father-in-law of noneother than the patriarch, Moses. He was a priest in a different country from Moses and he came to visit Moses at the camp of the Israelite’s. Jethro went to ‘work’ with Moses one day, and watched as the Hebrews came to Moses for a judgement on every disagreement. From morning till night these thousands of people came to Moses to judge their disputes. Jethro had some thoughts! Just imagine the amount of differences these people would have with each other.
Exodus 18:17-18 17Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good. 18You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.
So, Jethro advised Moses;
Exodus 18:19-24 19Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes to him. 20Teach them his decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave. 21But select capable men from all the people-men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain-and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 22Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. 23If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.” 24Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said.
There you have it! The beginning of our very own judicial system. Our government is a ‘Constitutional Republic’, a government in which the power is exercised by representatives elected by the people. It is an amazing way to run a country that has stood the test of time, when other forms of government have fallen. This form of government begins with us! We the people! We hold the future of this nation in our hands every time we vote-or don’t!
In 18 days we will have the opportunity to vote for the highest office in the land, as well as other offices. Please take the time to mail in your vote, or go directly to the poll and cast your vote! It’s the American way!
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