Deuteronomy 24:1-22

Deuteronomy 24 talks about divorce, (1-4), newly wed man, man kidnapper, security of debt, inspection of leprosy by priests, pledges and payment to day job man (5-13), justice and generosity (14-22).

All the laws seem to make sense to us except the divorce section. Jesus said that Moses allowed divorce only as a concession to your hard heart, but it was not what God had originally intended. (Matthew 19:8 NLT). The original intent of course is one man marry one woman and two become one (Genesis 2:24, Mark 8:10, Ephesians 5:31, 1 Corinthians 6:16). Divorce is like a surgical procedure dissecting a person into two. The consequences are both painful and brutal.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible commentary explains the process of divorce accompanied two conditions: 1) the preparation of the divorcement was a legal process which afforded time for reflection and repentance. 2) In the event of the divorced wife being married to another husband, she could not, on the termination of that second marriage, be restored to her first husband, however desirous he might be to receive her.Of the woman that was
dismissed by her husband with a bill of divorcement. These two conditions might prevent the evils incident permitted by the system.

The reason for divorce is indecency or uncleanness which does not signify adultery for this was punished by death. It was something the husband found her hateful, disgraceful or shameful. These made the marriage relationship very uncomfortable. The marriage relationship might deteriorate to an abusive relationship. A divorce was permitted to keep the woman safe and prevent the husband from doing more evils to his wife.

This law applies to a fallen mankind in order to prevent further sinning upon the Land. This Law fell short of the ideal.         —- Alan Yam

申命记 23:1-25

耶和华 神是圣洁的，人非圣洁不能见神。在旧约里，神要求他所拣选的子民以色列人保持圣洁的生活习惯所列的律例真可谓详细尽致。

在当年，一切有残疾的，不洁净的(淫乱而生)子民和外邦人都不可进入圣会，被阉割的、私生子、摩押人、亚扪人、以东人和埃及人都被拒于圣会之外。无论时限长短，在那时，他们都是神所不喜悦和待见的人。但今天，通过耶稣基督，任何人都可以坦然无惧地来到神面前(赛 56:3-7)。他的怜悯和慈爱让凡爱他的、愿意遵守他命令的人，不分贵贱高低，合而为一。(加3:28)

申 23:9-14让我看见了一个活生生的神，他俨然是以色列出兵打仗的军营的头，军营要讲纪律，也要讲卫生，在今天是必须的，何况耶和华 神常在以色列的营中行走，要救护他们，将仇敌交给他们！

这让我联想到，我们若是那营中的一个兵，犯了不洁净的罪，当是自行处理，加以洁净的，岂能污秽了营地，又污秽了自己，让神远离呢？

在申 23:15-25的其他条例里，让我看见和学习到今天仍然实用的道理：

要善待那在捆绑中重获自由的，成为被欺压者的收容所。

以不道德手段获取的银钱或物品，不蒙神悦纳。

不可占弟兄姊妹的便宜或借贷取利。

不随便向神许愿，若已许了愿，务必谨守遵行。

仅取自己所需，勿起贪恋之心。

感谢主耶稣，洗净我一切都的罪，让我这样一个有瑕疵，不洁净的罪人可以坦然无惧地来到神的宝座前，我要伏腹敬拜，高声颂扬主名！请您帮助我谨守遵行您一切的律例，做一个手洁清心的人，做一名无愧的士兵。                     Sandy Xu

 

Deuteronomy 22:1-30

In verses 1-12 God is speaking of being a good neighbor (vs 1-4), the distinction of sexes in the manner in which they dress (vs 5) and caring well for the creatures that God has created – in this instance – a bird (vs 6-7).  God is concerned with the very small matters as well as the large. How comforting to know that we are cared for by Jesus in the same way. Jesus refers to not forgetting the sparrows in Luke 12:6. We know He has great compassion for us – the weaker thing – and He wants us to have the same compassion for the things we have the ability to show mercy to.  Next, God instructed Israelites to build their buildings safely, protecting harm from coming to any person (vs 8).  

He forbids the mixing of certain items in verses 9-11.  I am reminded of Paul words in 2 Corinthians when he speaks of believers being unequally yoked with unbelievers.  2 Corinthians 6:14 [ Warning Against Idolatry ] “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?”  God finished this section with commanding the wearing of tassels on the four corners of the cloak. Maybe this is to encourage the Jews not be ashamed of who they are – just as we should not be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  He is the only salvation the world has and as believers, we MUST share Him with the lost.

In verses 13-30, God gives instructions concerning marriage violations.  Many of these verses protect women. However, promiscuous behavior is severely dealt with no matter male or female.  I, personally, am so thankful that God loves and protects women. Many cultures do not – to this day.  

In our county and many others, promiscuous behavior is promoted and celebrated.  How this must grieve our Lord. To fight against this with our children and in our own lives is a daily battle.  Pornography is never more than a click away and Satan does all he can to destroy family and marriage. Our greatest weapons are the Word of God, prayer and honest fellowship/friendship with other believers who can ‘spur one another on’. 

May we use the tools He gives us and experience His protection daily.          —- Mary Mauderer

 

Deut 20-21

Chapter 20-21 covers more laws in various areas. Wars, unsolved murders, marrying female captives, inheritance for the firstborn, rebellious son, and a very specific law on death by hanging on the tree. Will cherry pick some of the points for food for thought for this post.

In laws of warfare, God asked the Israelites to offer a term of peace before physical warfare take place (20:10-11). If that the term cannot be agreed upon, then the Israelites will pursuit in war (20:12). We learn from history classes that this is not a very usual way to conquer any land. What people but God’s people can conquer lands without drawing any weapon?

Another specific command by God on warfare is concerning trees (20:19-20). God told the Israelites to not cut down trees that can be eaten as food. What does that say about God’s care for the needs of His people?

God told the Israelites, that if a man was to be punished by death, to be hung on a tree, his body should be taken down the same day (21:22-23). Such act is cursed and defiling the land God provided (21:23). One might be curious why this law written specifically into the law. I suspect it has to the recurring importance of trees in the Old Testament. A tree often symbolizes life and growth on earth. Ever since Genesis, humans are called to take care of the Earth created by God. But ever since the Fall, sin and death was introduced to humanity. Sin and death were not the will of God for humanity; bearing consequences of sin on trees would be in conflict of God’s perfect creation of Earth and life symbolically. As such, God reminds the Israelites their responsibility as human to take care of His creation through this law. How can this remind your role in taking care of God’s perfect creation?

— Isaac

申命記19:1-21；詩篇47:1-9

神藉摩西所頒的律法，看似嚴峻，卻是情理法兼顧。
本章論到「逃城」、「地界」、「見證」等，就是明證。

神帶領以民進入迦南地，雖是應許之地，卻是要努力奮勇征戰才能得著。
要得神所應許的福分，必須要付出努力的代價──尊崇神、敬畏神、親近神、遵行神的律例典章誡命。

在渡過約旦河之前，兩個半支派獲准得河東之地為產業，神吩咐他們，在各支派地業中要分別出二座城（共六座），稱為「逃城」，歸屬利未人，供作誤殺人的可以逃到那裡，受利未人、大祭司保護，生命得以存活。（進入迦南地後，總共建立48座逃城，書21:41。）因為是誤殺，罪不至死，但須對受害家庭有所交代，可以逃到逃城存活，但不得離開，形似終身軟禁。
但若故意殺人，為了逃罪，躲入逃城，則「本城的長老就要打發人去，從那裏帶出他來，交在報血仇的手中，將他治死。」

關於「作證控告」的律法，明訂「人無論犯甚麼罪，作甚麼惡，不可憑一個人的口作見證，總要憑兩三個人的口作見證纔可定案。」
在申命記17:6, 7對於控告犯罪的人，也是這樣訂定：「要憑兩三個人的口作見證將那當死的人治死；不可憑一個人的口作見證將他治死。見證人要先下手，然後眾民也下手將他治死。這樣，就把那惡從你們中間除掉。」

主耶穌基督也是這樣吩咐（太18:16），使徒在教會的治理上，也是如是吩咐（提前5:19）；這是教會、基督徒的準則，若有控告，必須有聯名見證，斷不可憑一人之口定案。至於「黑函」，那是絕對不可以的。
法利賽人、公會、大祭司為了要定耶穌的罪，找了幾個人作假見證指控，從法律的形式看，符合律法，但那些人卻犯了更嚴重的罪──作假見證。
本章就對此有嚴峻律定：
「審判官要細細地查究，若見證人果然是作假見證的，以假見證陷害弟兄，你們就要待他如同他想要待的弟兄。這樣，就把那惡從你們中間除掉。」

至於地界，不可挪移！雖僅記錄了一節經文──
「在耶和華你神所賜你承受為業之地，不可挪移你鄰舍的地界，那是先人所定的。」挪移鄰舍的地界就是侵占，法所不容。
更進一步的，在舊約律法中，「地不可永賣」，因為神應許給以色列民的的地，是神的恩賜，不可以永賣，改變了神的定旨。

末後，神說：「要以命償命，以眼還眼，以牙還牙，以手還手，以腳還腳。」
看似「報復」，實是「禁止擴大報復」。
人性險惡，你罵我一句，我回你一拳；你傷我一眼，我殺你人命；你殺我家一人，我滅你全家人命。
但神的旨意是，要公平，要禁止擴大報復。
而主耶穌基督的教訓，卻是更高一層，要我們愛仇敵。（太5:37~）

感謝主，讓我們認識到神的律法是情理法兼顧。

 

詩篇47:1-9

何等奇妙，在詩篇裡說：
「祂為我們選擇產業……v4，因為神是全地的王……v7；神作王治理萬國……v8；」
我們應當「要用誇勝的聲音向神呼喊！
我們要向神歌頌，歌頌！向我們王歌頌，歌頌！」
哈利路亞！願頌讚榮耀權能都歸主聖名！         —- Solomon Liu

申命记18:1-22

申命记十八章围绕着祭司、利未人、先知展开。

第十八章的第一部分（1-18）解决祭司和利未人的生活来源问题。
祭司和利未人在以色列中不可有产业，那么他们的生活如何维持呢？
根据民数记第十八章，祭司从以色列人的献祭中得份，利未人靠以色列人的十一奉献养生。
神真的是智慧，他的安排让祭司和利未人解决了养生问题，但又不至于丰富到被钱财捆绑。
而解决了利未人和祭司的生活问题，他们就可以坚守岗位，圣民的信仰就不至于废弃。
在新约时代，这个圣职人员的养生原则也没有变，主耶稣说工人得饮食是应当的（太10:10），保罗也说传福音的靠着福音养生（林前9:14）。

第二部分（9-14），神严令禁止以色列人占卜观兆。
迦南人采用人祭、占卜、交鬼等邪恶的方式妄图获得“启示”，但是神不允许以色列人这么干。
神会将他的话语放在他的先知的口中，由先知传讲给以色列人。但以色列人进入迦南后并没有听神的话，扫罗交鬼，亚哈斯和玛拿西将儿子经火献给摩洛，百姓也陷在罪里。
那么对于基督徒来说，我想我们是不可以占卜、算命、看风水的。
其实再深入的追问一句，占卜的目的是什么？不就是在世上趋利避害么？
但主耶稣已经告诉我们了，我们在世上有苦难，但是他已经胜过了世界（约16:33）。

第三部分（15-19），神应许兴起一位先知，我们都知道这位先知是预表主耶稣的。
先知是传讲神的话语的人，那么对于神在摩西之后兴起的众位先知，百姓有没有听他们的话呢？
基本上没有，所以主说以色列人是杀害先知者的子孙（太23:31）。
我想不仅是以色列人，我们在认识主之前都是与神为敌的，如保罗所说，若非圣灵感动，没有人认耶稣是主（林前12:3）。

最后一部分（20-22），神教导百姓如何识别和对待假先知，结合第十三章第1、2节的信息，可以总结假先知的几个特点：
一，传的不是神的话；二，不应验；三，虽有神迹奇事但让人离弃神，随从别神。
主耶稣也教导我们，盗贼来无非要偷窃、杀害、毁坏（约10:10）。
现在资讯非常发达，我们基督徒需要警醒，注意识别假先知、假教师。
如使徒约翰所说，一切的灵，不可都信，总要试验那灵是不是出于神（约一4:1）。
譬如近现代多次有人预测耶稣再来的时间，一一都被时间证明了是假预言。         —- Mary Mei

Deuteronomy 17: 1-18

Purge evil without God brings dire consequences.
Purge can be defined as
1. To clear of guilt.
2. To cause evacuation from, e.g. purge the bowel.

If you had a colonoscopy before, you would remember how a powerful laxatives purge your digestive system until your colon are clear.  Then, your gastroenterologist scope your colon to identify and remove potential cancer cells.  Just like Jesus Christ, He is our great doctor.  His Law reveals our hidden sins.  We cannot remove our sins by our own efforts.  We have to rely on His cleansing blood on the cross to purge our sins.  Unlike colonoscopy, we need to redo it every 5-10 years.  Jesus Christ purges our sins once and for all.

After the purging of sins, we need to carefully read His word in order to fight with our spiritual enemies.  In Matthew 12:43-45, an unclean spirit left a man and passes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it.  It decided to return to the house he left.  The unclean spirit find the house vacant, clean and put it in order.  It brought seven more wicked spirits to occupy that house and the final plight of the man is worse than the first.
A preacher once told me that if we empty our minds through meditation, we run the risk of letting evil spirits enter our minds.

Therefore, brother and sister, do not practice emptying our minds without meditating on the words of God.

In 14-18, God foretold the Israelites that they would reject God as their King and replaced Him with earthly king.  The King must be an Israelite.  The king must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them.  He must not take many wives and accumulate large amounts of silver and gold.
God told the King to write for himself on a scroll a copy of the law and to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees and not consider himself better than his brothers and turn for the law to the right or to the left.
God promise to keep the king and his descendants reign for a long time if they follow His laws.

We learn it from the Bible, the Israelite kings did not obey His commands.
Earthly kings are not perfect; but our perfect king, LORD Jesus Christ will one day return to this earth and reign with us forever.            —- Alan Yam

申命记 16:1-22

本章重申以色列人每年要遵守的三个节期。

逾越节与无酵节有密切的关系，这两个节期的目的是叫神的子民记念神为他们成就的救赎工作。我们每个月所守的主餐，是为记念主基督就是那逾越节的羔羊，为成就人类的救赎工作在逾越节的牺牲。无酵意味着除去私念罪恶，在神面前过圣洁的生活。蒙救赎之人当没有怨恨和邪恶，用诚实无亏的心来敬拜赞美神。

七七节也就是五旬节(利 23:15-22)，是恩赐圣灵的象征。按犹太历，就是以色列人出埃及后的第五十天，也就是满了三个月的那一天，(他们)就来到了西奈的旷野。(出 19:1)那日的第三天，耶和华在众民面前降临在西奈山，颁给摩西《十诫》。这不仅是以色列人感谢耶和华赐律法的纪念日，同时也用来感谢耶和华赐予的收获，所以又叫收割节。(出 23:14-16)

当耶稣的门徒在五旬节那天聚集在一处，圣灵如火降临(徒 2:1-4)。这样的日子，凡属神的儿女，都当照耶和华所赐的福，在他面前献甘心的祭。

住棚节是在收割季节结束的时候举行，这是欢乐的盛会，也是应许得蒙实现的日子的展望，所有在基督统治下的百姓都要欢乐！

逾越节、五旬节和住棚节，这三个节期预表了基督圆满的救赎，是借着：

1. 耶稣在十字架上受难：受苦。
2. 圣灵的降临：恩典。
3. 将要来临之君王最后的得胜：荣耀。

                             — 慕迪

思考：到那日，我可以拿什么礼物奉献给耶和华我们的 神呢？

                           Sandy Xu

 

        

 

Deuteronomy 15:1-23

In this chapter, Moses starts by giving directions concerning the release of debts every 7th year, while cautioning this should not be an excuse to stop or limit charitable lending (v. 1-11).  Next he addresses the release of servants after 7 years of service (v. 12-18) and he ends with the setting apart of the firstborn cattle to God (v. 19-23)

In reading a commentary by Matthew Henry on this chapter, I learned that if a borrower could not pay back the money that he borrowed to sustain himself and his family without reducing himself and family to poverty, he should be released from the debt, though, if able afterwards, good conscience should prompt the repayment.  This honored the sabbatical year of the Lord’s release.

We are reminded that we have been released from our sin debt – which is eternal separation from God – by the pardoning of our sin by the death and resurrection of Lord Jesus when we received Him as our Savior. 

In verses 12-18, Moses talks of the Israelite’s slavery in Egypt and the ‘LORD your God redeemed you’ (v. 15).  Again, the parallel of Jesus’ redemption of us – buying us back from the death consequence of sin – with His life is unmistakable.  In Jesus we find true freedom.

I find such beauty in this chapter as I read and reflect on the LORD we learn of in the Old Testament and remember the SAVIOR we are given in the New.  My heart is unspeakably grateful for the love given to such an intentionally sinful and broken creation by the Creator and His Son.          —- Mary Mauderer

 

Deut 14

More laws for the Israelites in chapter 14! There are two major parts in this chapter. The first part (v.1-21) deals with the eating of clean and unclean food, while the second part (v. 22-29) deals with tithing.

The Israelites are commanded to not to eat certain types of animals with some specificity. Ritually, we as New Testament Christians are not bound by them. However, most of the listed banned animals have been known to be less sanitary compared to the clean animals even with modern technology. Some scholars suggest God may have written this law for sanitary reasons.

Under the tithe laws, Israelites are commanded to bring the grains and flocks they grew to the Lord in set times, at a place decided by the Lord. Upon giving their sacrificial grains/animals to the Lord, people are share a meal with each other and the local Levites wherever they may be. The Levites were the tribe of Israelites who holds priestly duties.

Critical Thinking Questions

While we are not bounded by the cleanness laws here, our bodies are considered to be God’s temple (1 Cor. 16-17). Do we care for our body through eating healthy?

Israelites are asked to give a portion of what they have to God and His servants (priests). How have you treated your God and His servants (pastors, ministers) He planted in your lives?

— Isaac