Whose Justice Is Higher: God, International Criminal Court, or United States?

I was watching the news this morning and saw Nicolas Maduro, the Venezuelan President that U.S. President Trump “extracted”. In Trump’s own posts, it was a one-day war. A war with no U.S. deaths. Let’s remember, this is the same U.S. President who claimed to have done more for Christianity than anyone, ever. Well, maybe except for Jesus. It immediately hit me – whose justice does the president think is higher? My title flowed from that. But now, after typing it, I wonder – is it U.S. Justice? Or is it Trump Justice? Time will tell whether or not this is permanent, or if we’ll actually return to a time when justice was more blind and less ignored.

Just think about what happened – and may yet happen – with the scales of justice mentioned above.

One President captures another

The first one is Trump and Maduro. It’s actually the second time the U.S. has removed a head of state without any declaration of war.

Yes, Trump now calls it a war, but it wasn’t declared, and as far as I can tell, it was only recently even called a war.

The thing is – we’ve done it twice – Maduro and Noriega. No other country has removed a head of state without a declared war status before the act.

That, in my mind, makes it very unusual.

There’s certainly nothing that legally allows those events to take place. The only “authority” is “might makes right”. The gloved hand pressing down on the scales of justice to make it right. And it holds, because no one’s willing to take the chance of going against it.

But remember – this is the President who puts “Christianity” front and center – when it’s convenient. And we have the head of the “Department of War”, renamed from defense, who put out his flavor of Christianity – Christian Nationalism.

Is there a disconnect here?

When leaders are “raised up by God”

We read and hear things about our current leader being raised up by God for this time – or something along that line.

I submit that the claim is true.

However – and this is a big one – being raised up by God is almost always a situation where someone is “raised up” in order to teach God’s people a lesson. And when the lesson is learned, God’s people are freed from that leader – and that leader and those he leads, are targets of God’s wrath.

How can that be? Because “raised up”, from the original Hebrew words and context, is actually “allowed to rise up” to accomplish God’s purpose – and His purpose is to get His people to return to Him. Uh oh. That’s not good.

For a deeper look at this, I encourage you to check out God raised you up for this purpose. What does that mean?

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The International Criminal Court

Let’s move on to the organization that does, sometimes, have the authority to put out a warrant for a sitting leader: The International Criminal Court.

How the U.S. uses the ICC Justice System

When we want to cause problems for foreign leaders who’ve done things we don’t like, and who we don’t get along with, we have no problem bringing up the circumstances to the ICC. We demand justice.

How the U.S. refuses to abide by the ICC Justice System

We aren’t a member of the ICC. Notice, we don’t mind reporting others to them. But – when the tables are turned, and someone reports us – we just say they have no jurisdiction. When someone comes into the US, with an arrest warrant out for them, we just refuse to act on it, since we aren’t members.

What if they put out a warrant for a U.S. official – and what if someone acts on that warrant – and the person is taken in for justice? It is, if you note, similar to the scenarios with Maduro and Noreiga. Except that – another big thing – those kinds of arrests are done by other countries, for instance when someone with a warrant enters the country and is detained. And so, while it’s somewhat similar to what we do – it’s also very dissimilar, in that another country’s sovereignty is violated, so there’s no military action on foreign soil.

But I haven’t answered the question yet. What if a U.S. official is taken to the ICC for trial?

The Hague Invasion Act

Interesting name, isn’t it? That’s a nickname for “American Servicemembers’ Protection Act (ASPA), 2002”.

Yes, its stated purpose, at least in the title, is to protect soldiers from potential war crimes. And yet – this is in the act:

The key clause is Section 2008, which states that the President is authorized to use “all means necessary and appropriate” to secure the release of:

• • U.S. military personnel

  • U.S. officials

  • U.S. allies

  • anyone detained by, or on behalf of, the ICC

if they are held in ICC custody.

Well, that’s a bit beyond the title, don’t you think?

That covers anyone we want it to. All under the guise of protecting American soldiers. Sounds like typical government doublespeak. Let me ask again, isn’t this government, by its own words, supposed to be very “Christian”? And yet, we find a huge disconnect. Please check out: Let Your “Yes” Be “Yes”: Deconstructing the Doublespeak of Modern “Christian” Politics for more on that.

Essentially, and for all practical purposes, this act apparently says the U.S. has the right to invade a NATO country if we decide that any of the people are detained at the ICC. Meaning – any time someone we don’t want held – we can invade.

Whose justice system is highest so far? The U.S. clearly puts itself above the ICC.

What about the U.S. internal justice system?

Let’s focus in on ourselves. There can be no question at all anymore – someone with enough money can get out of anything. Whether it’s delay, delay, delay – lie, lie, lie, – getting grants of immunity from the courts – getting a quid pro quo pardon from an official who has the authority to grant pardons – or all sorts of other ways, the U.S. justice system appears to be as corrupt as any. In that way, a certain President got what he always claimed we had before him – a third world, banana republic, country where might makes right.

I guess that’s enough about our justice system. A small group of people are remaking it at every opportunity. And half of the country watches, and cheers, not realizing what’s really going on. For more on that thought, aimed directly at people who think they’re Christian but follow someone/something else, I encourage you to check out What Jesus Told Us to Watch For – What We’re Watching Instead.

How does God’s justice fit in here?

Finally, let’s take a look at where this administration thinks it fits in with God. U.S. Moral High Ground In Iran? – An AI Conversation looks at that topic.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, they believe they’re very high. I dare say, even higher than God. And that, as you may remember, isn’t a good place to be. If you don’t remember, or don’t know what I’m talking about – check out Genesis 3 – The Fall of Man.

This isn’t really about governments, per se – it’s about the god people trust without realizing it.

Ultimately, God tells us what will happen:

Every knee will bow

And yes, this includes everyone who believes in a false version of God. It’s quite simple, really, because every false version of God is an idol.

This may be an especially difficult reminder for Christian Nationalists, Prosperity Gospel proponents, and others who look wholly or in part to the Old Testament. There’s a list of commands there:

The highlighted verses certainly apply. And then, depending on the belief systems put forth in false versions of God , other verses may also apply.

What did Jesus say about leading someone astray?

Interesting – but what does it mean? Is it really “woe” so bad that it’s better to drown for causing a believer to sin — or should the person be forgiven?

Given that both thoughts come together in a passage about sin, faith, and duty – how are we supposed to know which one applies?

Well, to keep it short – and not get too deep into the theology here – it depends on a word that appears related to forgiveness, but not with the woe. That word is “repent”.

For someone who is pretty much habitual, ongoing, continuous in causing vulnerable believers to sin, then the woe is for them.
On the other hand, if the person really is repentant, then we should forgive.

The thing is – while God knows a person’s heart – we don’t. We just can’t be sure. It can take discernment and prayer to know if someone who frequently asks forgiveness is honestly trying to do better or not.

The other thing here is that since God does know, and He’s the one who ultimately judges, He’s also the one we should pay attention to, as believers. If someone gives a false version of the Gospel message, we need to look at God. The truth is, we always need to look to God to know the truth. You will know the truth and the truth will set you free looks at the issue of The Truth.

Does it matter whether one leads someone else astray – or – is led astray?

In the end, anyone who follows a false version of God – doesn’t know the true God – has a destined location for eternity.

There’s no avoiding this, outside of belief, faith, and real attempts at following Jesus. I know, many think a few choice words is all that’s needed, but that’s simply not what the Bible says. The reality of this is covered in Are we supposed to Believe God, Believe in God or Follow God?

That said, the destination is unavoidable, because of the choices made in this life that led to that judgment from God. No one, no matter how rich, how powerful, how charismatic, how anything, is more powerful than God. There’s no way out of His judgment. No skewing of the scales of justice. No escape from Hell.

But then, another big shock. These people aren’t more powerful than Satan either. All those things they’ve used against people – but that didn’t work against God – they won’t work against Satan either.

But maybe the biggest shock will be the followers of the ones who led them astray. They maybe thought they were doing the right thing. But they never checked, were continually fooled, wanted to be tricked – whatever. But now they’re in Hell with the people who they followed, but while those leaders may have protected them here on earth with our justice system – now they’re all nothing compared to Satan. Protection – gone.

It’s a high price indeed – and maybe it comes for a lack of checking out what they followed.

That’s sad.

That’s why I write things like these. If you’re really trying to find the true God – please heed the warnings.

But if you’re trying to find any god who’ll let you feel good about what you want in life – well, I guess you probably didn’t even get this far.

So, if you are still reading – and you are looking for the God who doesn’t hate and does believe in real justice – He’s waiting for you. Just call out and look for Him.