The inspiration for our lesson today comes from the never-ending source of "current events" we're seemingly deluged with daily. I think that by taking a couple of them from newspapers of the last few days we can derive a spiritual lesson. At least we're going to try.
My first event stems from the almost daily follow-ups regarding the Ft. Hood, Texas shooting massacre and more specifically, the defendant in the case. It was reported that his lawyer has said that his client (the shooter) will plead "Not Guilty by reason of insanity." Surprise, Surprise! Being a retired homicide detective I feel that I'm qualified to speak to this situation more so than the "average bear."
Here is some information you can take to the bank regarding murder (capital) cases. In California an alleged killer (the defendant) is not allowed to plead "guilty" even if caught "red-handed" in the commission of the crime. And, since you know the circumstances of the Texas event as well as I, what better example can you find of one fitting that category than the "defendant" from Ft. Hood? Think about it a moment - in all of the news reports of homicides and the subsequent arrests and court hearings, do you ever hear the defendant plead anything other than "Not Guilty?"
I was always amused at how the attorneys pled out their clients in murder cases because it usually went something like this: "My client pleads Not Guilty AND Not Guilty by reason of insanity." What he is saying is simply: "You've got the wrong guy, my client didn't do it, BUT if the evidence proves that he did, THEN he was crazy when he did it."
Okay, let's switch to the other "current event" although I'm hard-pressed to consider this "current." It's a news report dealing with the latest attempt by Death Row inmate, Kevin Cooper, to have the U.S. Supreme Court hear an appeal of his conviction for the murder (actual slaughter) of an entire family back in 1983. Since his conviction, he has made numerous attempts to have it overturned with the result that, on every occasion, the courts have denied his petition and actually found the case against him to be stronger.
Defendant Cooper has occupied a cell on Death Row for about 26 years now and has still not paid for his heinous crime. And that was just four victims. Who knows how long the trial and subsequent appeals will last in the upcoming case against the Ft. Hood defendant as he killed thirteen people. This portion of our "events" we're using today will enter in to our lesson also. And just so there is no misunderstanding as to my opinion of the "death penalty" or to the executing of these vicious individuals, not only do I believe in the electric chair, I believe in electric bleachers!
Well, having set the stage, so to speak, let's see if we can't apply our "current events" to a lesson here and several little thoughts come to mind. The first thought is this: there will come a time in our future that all will stand before the Great and Final Judge for the pronouncement of sentence. Most of the time you hear this referred to as the "Day of Judgment," but I submit to you that it is more accurate to call it the "Day of Sentencing."
For, you see, the case is being heard and being judged right now, as we live. When we cease to live, the trial is over and only the sentencing awaits. Along with the misunderstanding of the day of the Lord's return is the idea many have in their minds is that it will be a trial setting like we're used to seeing here on earth. That people will get to "plead" their case to The Judge. Maybe even have "lawyers" to plead for them. Not so!
Yes, there will be lawyers standing before The Judge on that occasion, but rest assured, they will only be representing themselves. They will be no different than anyone else at that time. Any preparation for the outcome of the sentence will have to be made on this side of eternity. Like the old Boy Scout's motto "Be Prepared" indicates, this is the only time we have to get ourselves "prepared" because once we're dead, there is no way to change anything. We're simply awaiting our sentence.
It therefore behooves us to do the necessary things during our lifetime to insure that our sentence is the one that we want to hear: "Well done, thou good and faithful servant....enter into the joy of thy Lord." (Matt. 25:23) Our efforts should be like the man who was being interviewed by a "head hunter" for a large corporation and when asked, "What is your purpose in life?" he simply answered, "To go to heaven and take as many people with me as I can." Shouldn't that be our goal, our effort at preparation, too?
Another little thought that came to mind is this: the time society takes to execute its judgment upon its evildoers. I cited to you Kevin Cooper who has been tried, convicted and re-convicted several times and is still sitting in prison. When I think about all of the time that has passed and his sentence still hasn't been carried out, I think about something said by William Gladstone, once the Prime Minister of England, who so aptly stated, "Justice delayed is justice denied." It certainly has been not only for society, but for his four murdered victims.
But we don't have to turn to our temporal society for insight into this aspect of our lesson, let's look at the ultimate source of instruction - God and His Word. God told Israel that they were to execute judgment ("without pity") on evildoers of their society upon the rendering of the verdict so that the rest of society would "hear and fear." (Deut. Chapters 13-19)
For our closing passage to today's thoughts let's look at what I see as the clearest understanding of how God perceives the execution of sentence on those who violate society's laws by reading what He says through His servant, Solomon, in Eccl. 8:11: "Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the sons of men is fully set to do evil."
Ron Covey
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.