Can someone who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the just and mighty One? – Job 34:17

Today’s Scripture Reading (June 23, 2018): Job 34

It appears that the United States of America has restored the Monarchy that it ran from a little more than two hundred years ago. In a land that had maintained for decades that Lady Justice was blind, we are now waking up to a new truth. The Lady has undergone radical eye surgery and has regained her sight. The result is that Black Lives don’t matter, only white ones do. And the King is above all of this petty justice argument. The Mueller Probe is a witch hunt and grand waste of time and public money. Because in the end, the verdict doesn’t matter. Lady Justice has regained her eyesight, and the king has decided that all he has to do is to pardon himself if it happens that he is found guilty. Of course, the king is pretty sure that won’t happen now that Lady Justice has regained her eyesight. After all, he is white, male, and rich. If Lady Justice sees him, she will not dare to stand against him.

So it doesn’t matter which side of the political spectrum on which you might live. Because the question of whether you see the world from the right, center, or left doesn’t matter anymore. Neither does the name that you attach to that political belief, Republican or Democrat. Now the real question is whether or not you are a monarchist. A king, who is above justice, now sits on the throne. And as with the kings who have gone before him, all that matters is what he believes is right. Justice is a matter of concern only to those who are not kings or queens. They are the ones who have to work hard to curry the favor of the King.

Elihu asks an important question. Can someone who hates justice govern?  If age rules, then can those like, and the accusation seems to be directed against Job himself, the one who has been up until this point declaring his innocence, be placed in a position of governance. There is a slight difference between the idea of governing and that of ruling. One who governs is concerned with questions of ultimate justice. Admittedly they govern from a clear set of rules set out by the society. But whether it is landowners, or people of a certain racial background, or believers in a particular God, they believe in the idea of justice within that group. Much of contemporary Western Society is built around the idea of the equality of people, regardless of race, sex, religion, sexual orientation or a myriad of other characteristics that may separate us. To govern, the governor has to assume a place within the society and declare that justice is uninfluenced by these things.

To rule, all one needs is a blanket authority. Whatever the ruler says or believes is law. And they, the ruler, are above the law. And that is the question to which Elihu is trying to ask. Is Job a governor or a ruler? Does he govern against the backdrop of absolute authority of God, or does he rule in place of God? It is an important distinction. And one that the American king has answered. He will rule over the people as one to whom justice does not matter. He will never be a governor charged with maintaining justice in the society.   

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Job 35