September 13, 2017
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Reading along with us in Deuteronomy? Here’s today’s reading:
Deuteronomy 21 (ESV)
“If in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess someone is found slain, lying in the open country, and it is not known who killed him, 2 then your elders and your judges shall come out, and they shall measure the distance to the surrounding cities. 3 And the elders of the city that is nearest to the slain man shall take a heifer that has never been worked and that has not pulled in a yoke. 4 And the elders of that city shall bring the heifer down to a valley with running water, which is neither plowed nor sown, and shall break the heifer’s neck there in the valley. 5 Then the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come forward, for the Lord your God has chosen them to minister to him and to bless in the name of the Lord, and by their word every dispute and every assault shall be settled. 6 And all the elders of that city nearest to the slain man shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley, 7 and they shall testify, ‘Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it shed. 8 Accept atonement, O Lord, for your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, and do not set the guilt of innocent blood in the midst of your people Israel, so that their blood guilt be atoned for.’9 So you shall purge the guilt of innocent blood from your midst, when you do what is right in the sight of the Lord… Continue Reading
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I found it very interesting that God is allowing the Israelites to marry captives, hasn’t he said several times that is not allowed? Doesn’t marrying non-Israelites usually end in the Israelites turning from God for the gods of their wives?
Read Deuteronomy 21
I read Deuteronomy 20 and 21. I also read Revelation 16 this morning.
These are hard things for me to read, but I am reminded again of the great blessing it is to have been born a Gentile, first, and then second, to have been born on this side of the cross so my relationship with God is fully established and founded in Jesus Christ, who reveals the spirit and intent behind these laws. “Christ teaches by the Spirit of wisdom in the heart, opening the understanding to the Spirit of revelation in the word.” Matthew Henry
A hanged man is cursed
8Accept atonement, O Lord, for your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, and do not set the guilt of innocent blood in the midst of your people Israel, so that their blood guilt be atoned for.
Some pretty random instruction here on various issues, but what can we find that is edifying? First, God does care about death and even an unsolved murder has to be addressed. There is still a need for atonement and as in other cases, God provides a way for the sin to be paid for.
And although, you are right Sarah, that God instructs the Israelites not to marry foreign wives, here is an example of an exception, though a strange one at that. But notice there is direction for her to separate herself from her former life (cutting hair, trimming nails, changing clothes). There is also recognition of her grief which is neat and respect for her rights if she does not remain in his house after the testing period.
There is also instruction here to do what is right rather than what you would desire in verse 15-17. And strong provision for a rebellious son. God is certainly serious about this honor your father and mother thing….and it is interesting also how the land is affected by someone’s death. And even though it is described as a curse to hang on a tree, aren’t we all glad that Jesus was wiling to be cursed as our atonement so we could be forgiven and be made right with God.