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How Does Mishpâṭ Connect The Kennedy Center & Yom Kippur?

How Does Mishpâṭ Connect The Kennedy Center & Yom Kippur?

Last updated on: September 24, 2026 at 11:59 am by Martin Thomas Johnson

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How Does Mishpâṭ Connect The Kennedy Center & Yom Kippur? 2026-09-24T11:59:08-04:00 Martin Thomas Johnson

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This weekend, the news has focused on the Kennedy Center. Courts ruled against the president, and he threatened to demolish the center if he could not have his name on the building.

Image by Wikimedia Commons

Protesters formed a human chain around the living Monument to Pres. Kennedy in an attempt to keep the landmark from being demolished after another court ruled against the closure and destruction of the center. Once again, the president wants to tear down another public building if he doesn’t get his name on it.

He doesn’t care that the center was built as a tribute to the legacy of the late President Kennedy. Nor does the president care that Congress has a say in what happens to the center in conjunction with the Board of Trustees, which he replaced with his own hand-picked choices.

Again, the president of ”Law and order” isn’t disobeying our laws and abusing his position (Matthew 20:25-28, Romans 13:1-7):

Deceiving
Prideful
Selfish

The president is so proud of himself that he doesn’t want anyone else to receive recognition (Proverbs 6:16-19, Philippians 2:3). He has even weaponized the Department of Justice (DOJ) to help him accomplish his unconstitutional and selfish agenda. Then this weekend, the president announced he was banning three television networks from the White House because he doesn’t like their reporting, despite the United States Constitution protecting freedom of the press and speech.

If America really is a Christian nation, we must prioritize justice for all and respect our laws. It is an injustice to harm, patronize, or deport anyone for not obeying our laws, while protecting and championing a president who disobeys them for his own personal justice (Psalm 89:14).

What Is Justice

We often associate justice with law and order, but its premise is more of a spiritual one, because we serve a just and merciful God. Justice is defined as, “The process or result of using laws to fairly judge cases, redress wrongs, and punish crimes: judge.”

Image by Pixabay

The need for justice is a result of the age-old fight between good and evil, because a just God must judge evil (Ecclesiastes 12:14). Since the fall in the garden, evil has spread and oppressed the weak. God put His people in the world to fight for the truth and justice (Micah 6:8, 1 Peter 2:9).

That is why the Bible has a lot to say about justice (Proverbs 21:15, Romans 13:4, Hebrews 10:30). We serve a just and holy God (Isaiah 5:16, Hebrews 6:10, 1 Peter 1:15-16, Revelation 15:3-4). Once we come to God, we must obey and follow His ways (John 14:15, Romans 6:11-14).

God’s people are called to pursue justice, especially for the oppressed (Romans 12: 14-21, Galatians 5:1-26, Ephesians 5:5, Colossians 3:11, 1 Timothy 5:8, James 2:1-9, 2 Peter 3:9). The apostles remembered their Jewish education about justice.

Mishpâṭ

The prophet Moses tells us that after the fall, evil and corruption spread across the globe (Genesis 6: 4-6, 11-12). It was so bad that God regretted even making mankind (Genesis 6:6). True to God’s divine just nature, He had a plan to bring justice and order back to this fallen kingdom (Genesis 3:15).

The Hebrew word in the Old Testament for justice is mishpâṭ, and it can also mean “Judgment, ordinance, cause, sentence, or decision,” depending upon the context it is used in. A just God cannot let evil go unpunished.

So, God set His people apart from this corrupt and dark kingdom to be a light and pursue justice (Leviticus 20:26, Deuteronomy 7:6, Amos 5:14-15). Judaism emphasizes practicing justice (Leviticus 19:15, Exodus 23:1-9, Deuteronomy 16:18-20, Zachariah 7:9-10):

Applying the rule of law
Establishing courts and judges
Interpreting civil jurisprudence
Defending the marginalized
Restoration and healing
Tzedakah

During His earthly ministry, Jesus practiced and taught His followers to practice Mishpat (Matthew 18:23-25, Luke 4:18-19). Jesus emphasized meekness and the least of these over earthly greatness and prominence (Matthew 5:5; 25:31-46).

Image by Pixabay

Our Lord warned His followers about pursuing and abusing earthly power (Mark 10:42-45). He humbled Himself and didn’t use His power or authority for earthly gain (Matthew 4:1-11; 8:20, Philippians 2:5-8).

Jesus warned the religious leaders about looking godly on the outside, but being corrupt on the inside (Matthew 23:25-28). He showed them they needed mercy and cleansing because they were unjust sinners.

Yom Kippur

As I write this, many Jews are beginning to celebrate Yom Kippur. It is their Day of Atonement. The holiday marks a time when they are closest to God, and it reminds them of God’s mercy when Israel worshiped the golden calf.

Image by Wikimedia Commons

The sacrifices of the goats by the priests atoned for and justified Israel’s sins temporarily. Today, many Jewish people celebrate Yom Kippur as a reminder of God’s mercy and justice:

Pursue social justice
Rehabilitation over vengeance
Forgiveness
Charity

Interestingly, salt is used by many to prepare for the time of fasting and prayer. Prayer is an essential part of Yom Kippur: seeking forgiveness, confessing sins, and asking for mercy. Even God’s people need mercy and atonement for their sins. God’s people are required to show love and mercy, because we serve a God of mishpâṭ!

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