Deuteronomy 28:15-68 – Chose to obey God every moment

It is difficult to read Deuteronomy 28:15-68 without shuddering. It should petrify us to learn of the curses and consequences of walking in disobedience. The relentless wave of curses that would befall the people of Israel should they choose to disobey God seemed unending. Before one wave could end, another would loom nearby. In total, this passage describes five waves of curses that would befall the people of God who would not walk according to God’s instructions. Verses 20-26 describe the first wave; verses 27-35 the second; verses 36-26 the third; verses 47-57 the fourth wave; and finally verses 58-68 the fifth and final wave.

We saw what would happen to the people who chose to disobey God in the first wave of curses in verses 20-26. The next four waves would be just as terrible and relentless. We will not deal with them in detail. Suffice to say that Moses kept repeating and describing the negative experiences with mounting intensity. No area of their lives was left out of the curses. From the physical to the mental, from the social to the spiritual, every aspect was subjected to the curses. Whether it was their personal life, family life, social or national life, none was exempted from the curse. If it was not a physical illness of all sorts, it would be a mental derangement of all depth. Then they would see their wives snatched, property robbed, and their harvest taken from them by others. They would put in much effort with little or no yield. What they plan for themselves would be enjoyed by others. They would also be deprived of the luxury of even a simple life because they would be trampled upon by their enemies and taken into captivity. Negative upon negative would keep pouring in. It was apparent that the whole objective was to tell them that God was not to be trifled with. While God would love those who obey immeasurably, but the curses that would befall a person who spurns His love would be incalculable.

This long discourse on the curses of disobedience should goad us not to act and walk foolishly. Because Christ had redeemed us from the curse, we should desire to choose a life of obedience. When we can be blessed by living a life of obedience, why choose to inherit the consequences of walking in disobedience? We must be careful with our choices in life. Choose God and live. Choose His ways every day, every time, every moment. It is the wisest choice. There is no other way to receive His blessings!        

 

 

 

 

Deuteronomy 28:20-26 - Disobedience guarantees destruction

In Deuteronomy 28:20 onwards we will see how the curses would happen in the life of the children of Israel should they choose to disobey God. The miseries that they would experience would impact practically every aspect of their lives. From verses 20 to 68, Moses enumerated a whole variety of evil and misfortune that would befall them. In verses 20-26, the first series of evil they would experience when they forsook the Lord and walked in disobedience were described.

Firstly, God guaranteed that they would be utterly frustrated, confused, and vexed mentally until they were destroyed totally. Secondly, they would be plagued with pestilences that would wipe out their health physically. They would be inflicted with consumption, a disease better known as Tuberculosis today. On top of that, their crops would also be greatly affected. Famine, drought, and all sorts of natural calamities would befall them and drastically affect their harvests. 

In verse 23 when God said that heaven would be like bronze, He was telling them that their prayers would go unheeded. The earth would be like iron suggests that the ground would be so hard and unusable for cultivation of crops. Thirdly, in place of the natural rain, they would experience “rain of powder and dust.” This we surmise would be tornadoes that would stir up powder and dust from the earth and hinder the proper cultivation of their crops.

In these verses of 20-24, five times the word “until” was used. God was telling them that all these calamities would continue to happen to them to ensure their utter destruction. The final mishap in this first series is described in verses 25-26. God warned them that they would only experience defeat in their battles with the enemies. They would be terrorized. They would be routed and made to flee from their enemies. Their defeat would become a personification of what terror would be like to the nations. Verse 26 said that  many of them would be left dead and their carcasses would be food for the wild animals and birds of prey with no help in sight.    

The tragedies that would befall them when they disobeyed God cannot but be the best impetus for them to be obedient to God. This first series of judgments should be sufficient to keep anyone on track with God. But alas, their history sadly revealed that they did not keep their obedience and had to suffer many of the relentless dealings of God. What about us? We should learn from them. We don’t have to wait for calamities to happen to us to make us obey God. Instead, we should let our love for God lead us into a life of obedience, and keep us following Him unwaveringly. Live for God!

Deuteronomy 28:15-19 – The warning against disobeying God

As surely as obedience would attract blessings, disobedience would attract curses. Just as the word “shall” is used six times in Deuteronomy 28:2-6 to guarantee the people of God’s blessings when they obey His instructions, the word “shall” is also used six times in Deuteronomy 28:15-19 to indicate the certainly of curses when they chose to disobey Him.

What is a curse? A curse is defined as an invocation of harm. In these verses, the curses described here are more than invocations. They would be the unpleasant, negative, unfortunate, and even evil experiences that they would be subjected to when they chose to disobey God’s instructions. Deuteronomy 28:15 onwards, God guaranteed the people of Israel that curses would come upon them should they choose to disobey Him. Moses is seen here giving an extensive discourse on the curses of disobedience.   

Bear in mind that at this point, the children of Israel would soon be going into the promised land. Moses who had led them thus far had been forfeited from entering the land though he would have desired to lead them in. His forfeiture was a consequence of not obeying the Lord totally in the water of Meribah described in Numbers 20:1-13. He knew personally what would happen when one chose to disobey God. For a person who loved God and had to suffer the consequence of disobeying Him, we can be sure he would not want the same to happen to God’s people. 

So Deuteronomy 28:15 onwards we see a series of negative experiences being described to strongly discourage God’s people from walking in disobedience. The experiences described in Deuteronomy 28:3-6 were the reverse of what was described here. Just as God would bless them in every aspect of their lives when they chose to walk in obedience, conversely, curses would fall upon them in every aspect of their lives when they chose to walk in disobedience. They would experience curses in their national life, their home life, their working life, in their daily living, and even their leisure.

The day Adam chose to disobey God, a curse had fallen upon all mankind. Thankfully, God had also promised to reverse the curse through the seed of the woman, meaning Christ Jesus. Today, a protective hedge has been placed over our lives when we make Jesus the Saviour, Lord, and Master of our lives. And He has called us to walk in obedience to enjoy His continual protection. Disobedience will leave us vulnerable because it will break the protective hedge over us. But when we walk according to His Word, we walk under His protective hedge. That would avert the curse that had fallen on mankind. Don’t break the protective cover by walking in disobedience! Choose meaningful life with Him every day!  

Deuteronomy 28:7-14 – How will we be blessed?

Emphatically, God assured the people of Israel that He would be the one who would bless them. In these eight verses from Deuteronomy 28:7-15, the LORD repeatedly affirmed that He would bless them. The two words, “I will…” were reiterated five times. This is an indication that God would be the source of their blessings. They would receive all these wonderful promises from Him when they made the decision and walked in obedience. How would God bless them?

Firstly, God assured them that they would have complete victory over the enemies who dared to come against them. The enemies might come against them in one direction but would have to flee in seven. This was by way of saying that they would rout the enemies completely. God assured them of absolute victory.

Secondly, God assured them of abundance. They would have no lack in the land that God would give to them. He would bless them and see to it that their barns would be filled. Whatever their hands set out to do, they would experience an increase.

Thirdly, God assured them that when they walked in obedience to His commandments they would be recognized as His people. They would be identified as people belonging to God and would be greatly feared. Their character and conduct would clearly demonstrate that they were a people belonging to God.

Fourthly, God assured them of fruitfulness and prosperity. They would not only experience fruitfulness and increase in their posterity but their animals and even their crops would also be fruitful. God would supply the ample rain in the harvest season so that they could reap abundantly. They would have so much that there would be no moment that they would need to borrow. They would only be lenders and not borrowers.

Fifthly, God assured them that they would always be taking the lead. They would be the head and not the tail and they would be on top and not underneath. They would always be on top of their game.  

These verses ended by reiterating the need for them to be obedient. This was important because the blessings God promised were contingent on obedience. To be blessed God’s people must not deviate from the instructions and commandments of God. If we are to experience victory, abundance, fruitfulness, recognition as God’s people, and be living above the circumstances of life, we need to hear His word, then diligently and strictly live them out. Don’t be stressed. Just be obedient and be blessed! God’s promises never fail!

Deuteronomy 28:3-6 – Overtaken by God’s blessings

We have established that the key that would unlock God’s blessings on His people would be their obedience. Deuteronomy 28:1-2 indisputably asserted that. God had set His people up to be blessed. But the choice to unlock the blessings would rest with them. Unless they obeyed Him, they would not experience God’s blessings stipulated in those verses. Obedience, as we have discovered, was a decision that one would make to trust in the unlimited wisdom and resources of the faithful God rather than in one’s own limited capacity.

Now in Deuteronomy 28:3-6, we see the clear affirmation that when the people of God had made the decision to obey Him and diligently carried it through, blessings would pursue them. They would experience blessings in practically every aspect of their living. Simply put, verses 3-6 meant that God’s blessings could be found in their national life, their home life, their working life, as well as in their daily living. Yes, and even in their leisure. There would be no area of their lives that the blessings and favor of God would be left out and not found.

We wonder if the promises delineated in Deuteronomy 28:3-6 will also be ours, seeing that their contexts and ours are quite different? The answer is an unambiguous yes. Why? It is because of the immutability of God. He is unchanging in His character, will, and covenant promises. In Christ, the wonderful declaration of Ephesians 1:3-4 becomes true of us. It states, ^“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.” If God had taken care of our eternal life, will He not take care of our earthly life as well now? Of course, He will. In Romans 8:32,  Paul’s rhetorical question asked, “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” This rhetorical question presupposes yes for an answer. That is, in Christ Jesus, God will bless us, His followers, with all things. God has set us up to receive His abundant blessings in Christ Jesus. Note, however, that obeying Him remains the condition that will ensure the release of those blessings. With God, every day is a blessing! Hallelujah! Praise His Name!

Deuteronomy 28:1-2 – Obedience and God’s overwhelming blessings

One key subject that keeps coming up in the book of Deuteronomy is obedience. In the beginning verses of chapter 27, the children of Israel were told to set up stone monuments with the Commandments of God inscribed on them. The purpose of those monuments erected on Mount Ebal was to be reminders of God’s call to a life of obedience. Then the same chapter ended by reminding them of the curses that would follow should they choose to walk in disobedience. God’s primary intention was for His people to live in ways that would attract blessings rather than curses. In that sense, Deuteronomy 28:1-14, then showed them what they could expect from their covenant God when they faithfully walked in obedience. God’s unsurpassed blessings would literally pursue them when they chose to do so.

Deuteronomy 28:1 emphatically showed in what ways obedience was to be demonstrated. His instructions must be faithfully followed and acted upon diligently. Notice the emphasis in verse 1. They were expected to “faithfully obey and be careful to do His commandments.” Obedience towards God must be the spontaneous outflow of one’s relationship with Him. Undeniably, at the very heart of one’s obedience is one’s love for God. When we truly love God, obedience would be a natural outcome. Anyway, we can only love God because He first loved us.   

While the spontaneous outcome of one’s love for God is obedience, the spontaneous outcome of one’s obedience to Him would be His blessings. To be blessed by God is to receive His favor. Blessing is literally God’s grace and favor that He bestows upon those who diligently walk in obedience to Him. His promise to the Israelites was that when they walk in obedience, they would be highly favored and priced above all the nations of the earth. Similarly, when we walk in obedience, He will favor us. This favor does not just come in trickles every now and then. It will come continuously, consistently, and in immeasurable volume. Ephesians 3:20 tells us that God can do far more abundantly beyond all that we can ask or think. When we obey God’s word, we are building our life on a firm foundation that will enable us to weather the storms of life and stand strong. That’s the promise of Jesus in Matthew 7:24-25. Be obedient and lay a solid foundation to receive God’s blessing!

Deuteronomy 27:11-26 - Living a curse-proved life

At the beginning of Deuteronomy 27, Moses instructed the children of Israel on a few things they had to do once they had entered the promised land. They had to build lime plastered stone monuments and have the Ten Commandments inscribed distinctly on them to remind them of God’s instructions. Then they were told to build an altar of uncut stones to sacrifice a burnt offering and a peace offering. Both the stone monuments and altar would be set on Mount Ebal, where they would worship, celebrate, and rejoice in the presence of the  Lord. Opposite Mount Ebal and separated by the valley of Shechem was another mountain known as Mount Gerizim.    

After the first few things were done, the twelve tribes of Israel were divided into two groups of six tribes each. One group comprising the tribes of Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin, would be stationed at Mount Gerizim. The other group comprising the tribes of Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali would station at  Mount Ebal. Since Moses was forfeited from entering the promised land, it seems apparent that the Levitical priests were assigned to read or to pronounce the blessings and the curses. When the blessings were pronounced, the group on Mount Gerizim would corporately respond with an “Amen.” Likewise, the group on Mount Ebal would respond with an “Amen” when the curses were pronounced.  

In Joshua 8:30-34 when this ceremony was carried out, we were told that both the blessings and the curses were pronounced. But here in Deuteronomy 27:15-26, only the reading of the curses was mentioned. Perhaps, because of the fall, it was more likely for the fallen nature of men to attract curses. Hence curses would be more appropriate as warnings. The list of curses pronounced in verses 15-26 had to do with sin that man would readily commit. Yet no sin would ever be hidden from the watchful eye of the all-seeing God. Here we see a wide array of sins that corrupt morality. We see from these warnings to be watchful over all areas of life - spiritual, mental, social, and physical. We need to guard our relationship with God by not indulging in idolatry. We need to guard our minds and attitude concerning our relationship with fellowmen. We need to respect them and observe social justice. We need also to guard the areas of sexual purity by not indulging in sexual misconduct and aberrant sexual practices.  

Whether we are conscious of it or not, in the regime of the law it would not be possible for men to be truly blessed. The blessings that mankind so desired could only be found in the grace that Christ Jesus eventually came to freely offer. This could be the reason why the Lord Jesus began in His sermon on the mount by pronouncing the blessings that His grace would usher into our lives. If we want to have a life of blessings it can only be found in a vital and vibrant relationship with God through Christ. Only in Him can we find life. He came that we may be able to live life abundantly. Let’s go for that kind of life!

Deuteronomy 27:9-10 – Faith requires Obedience

Notice the inclusion of the Levitical priests in Deuteronomy 27:9-10. As Moses spoke to all of Israel, he did it with the Levitical priests. Why? This was because the teaching ministry would soon be entrusted to the Levitical priests. Moses was barred from entering the promised land because of what happened at the water of Meribah. He was instructed to speak to the rock to bring forth water, but he did not do as instructed. Being provoked by the people, he struck the rock twice in disgust instead of speaking to it. In his anger, he had shown contempt and disrespect for God. For not obeying the Lord as he should, he forfeited his opportunity to enter the promised land. Moses' experience here demonstrates how important obedience is to God. 

In Deuteronomy 29:9-10, we see the affirmation of God’s requirement of them to be obedient to His commandments and instructions. They were God’s covenant people, called to represent God and to fulfill His purpose. Hence obeying God was imperative. God expected them to obey His commandments and to be diligent to act on them. Just as God expected obedience from Israel, His people, He also expects us to be obedient.

Ever wonder why God requires that we obey Him? Here are a few reasons why God requires that we obey Him. Firstly, obedience is a posture of trust. When we obey God, we are indicating that we trust in what He says and would willingly do it. Secondly, obedience is an indication of our love for Him. Love always shows itself in obedience. Obedience is love in action. Thirdly, obedience releases the blessings of God. When we obey God, we will be doing His will and that set the stage for Him to release His blessings on us. Fourthly, God desires obedience more than sacrifice. He knows that when we are obedient we will be ready to make the sacrifice. Fifthly, obedience is a demonstration of faith. Abraham obeyed God and was reckoned to him as righteousness. Sixthly, by being obedient to His word, we will be demonstrating that we are truly living for Him. Finally, obedience is a choice. It is a decision to walk in the unlimited resources and wisdom of God, rather than flounder around in our limited capacity. Choose to be obedient every day and enjoy the truly good things of life! 

Deuteronomy 27:1-8 – Staying true to God

Deuteronomy chapter 5 all the way to chapter 26, were instructions given to the children of Israel on how the Ten Commandments ought to be applied. Undoubtedly, to God, obedience to the instructions was paramount. Obeying what they were instructed would mark them out as God’s distinct people. This was especially important when they had crossed into the promised land with all the pagan inhabitants. When we come to Deuteronomy 27, we see that the people were all poised to cross into the promised land. As an added measure to remind them of the importance of obeying God’s instructions, the people of Israel were further instructed to build a stone monument to help them recall the instructions.

In verse 2, Moses, together with the elders of Israel, gave the people the first assignment they need to do when they crossed the Jordan into the promised land, the land flowing with milk and honey. They were explicitly ordered to build large stone monuments well plastered with lime. Then on them, they were told to inscribe the law, most likely the Ten Commandments. These were to be constant reminders to them on the need to be obedient to God. These stone monuments were to be set up on Mount Ebal. We surmise that God knew that in the abundance of His provision, the people might tend to take things for granted and live life flippantly.

In verse 5, they were also instructed to build an altar to the LORD their covenant God. It was to be an altar made with uncut or chiseled stones. He did not want an altar made with stones that they had hewn. He desired to have an altar of natural and unhewn stones and not a fancifully designed one. This instruction implies that what God desires is pure and unprofane worship. On this altar, the people were told to offer a burnt offering to atone for their sin. Then they were also to offer a fellowship sacrifice or peace offering. This was to be a meal where they would partake, celebrate, and rejoice in the presence of God.

There is a need for us to view the laws and commandments that God has given in the right light. The Ten Commandments are God’s moral standards. Living and adhering to them would help us to nurture a life that will delight the heart of God. They are guides to help us know and thus live a God-pleasing life. The intention is not to curtail our liberty. They are certainly not given to enable us to earn God’s favor and approval. For there is nothing that we can do to make God loves us more. They are a set of standards to guide us to stay connected with God. And to keep them requires a response of faith. It must be an expression of the outflow of our love to a faithful God. With the help of the Holy Spirit, let us demonstrate our gratitude to God for the grace He has freely bestowed on us by living out His righteous standards. They are guideposts to a blessed and fulfilled life!   

Deuteronomy 26:16-19 – Living as God’s Consecrated people

Deuteronomy 26:16-19 brought God’s instructions that Moses started in chapter 5 to a conclusion. As we have said, the foundation of these instructions was the Ten Commandments that God had given to the children of Israel at Mount Sinai. These chapters showed the new generation of children of Israel how they were to apply the Ten Commandments in the everyday situations of their lives in the promised land.

God expected the children of Israel to be obedient to these instructions given to them through Moses. Verse 16 explicitly demanded that they must be careful to carry out the instructions with all their hearts and their souls. Perfunctory or cursory attention to them was unacceptable. They must give their wholehearted attention to them and be careful to do them. Their response with a heart of love for God and a willingness to walk in God’s way was required. And as they practiced these instructions, they would then be shaped in their attitude and desires to conduct a God-pleasing life.  

In verse 17, they were expected to make a public affirmation of acceptance and willingness to walk obediently in the instructions given to them. It was to be their promise to commit themselves to the Lord to walk in His ways. In response to their affirmation, God declared them to be His people. They were His treasured possession and that He would love, value, and set them above all the nations to be highly honored. God had consecrated them to be His people.

The children of Israel, whom God led out of Egypt through Moses, became God’s treasured possession and consecrated people. Like them, we whom God through Christ Jesus had called out of the world are His treasured possession and consecrated people. First Peter 2:9-10 tell us that like them, “we are God’s people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that we may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called us  out of darkness into His marvelous light; for we once were not a people, but now we are the people of God; we had not received mercy, but now we have received mercy.” Just as He expected the people of Israel to respond to His instructions wholeheartedly, He also expects us to obey Him wholeheartedly. God through Christ is shaping our attitude to make us an obedient people who would live a God-fearing, God-pleasing life. Be transformed and become His treasured possession!     

Deuteronomy 26:12-15 – The call to care for the needy

The first fruits offering described in the first eleven verses of Deuteronomy 26 was a grateful acknowledgment of God’s goodness in fulfilling His promise to bring them into the land. Their gratitude to God was also demonstrated in setting aside their tithes every third year to be distributed to the poor, the orphans, the widows, the foreigners, and to the Levite. They were expected to bring this tithe every third year to a specified store in the town to be distributed to these needy groups of people who had no land, and to the Levites, whom God did not allot any land. This instruction was to ensure that the needs of these groups of people would not be bypassed or neglected.

This tithe to be set aside every third year was mentioned earlier in Deuteronomy 14:28-29, but here in Deuteronomy 26:12-15, this subject was revisited. Apart from meeting the needs, the purpose of sharing their harvest with the less fortunate would bring the people of the community together and bind them to each other. These groups of needy people could then be able to have a sense of belonging and acceptance in the community.  

Verses 13-14 instructed them to make a public declaration before the Lord when they had fulfilled this duty. They were also to confess that they had not broken or forgotten God’s commandment regarding this. This instruction would prevent them from failing to fully obey the Lord’s instruction. The declaration was not to be a boastful arrogance of their kindness or generosity. It was needed because God anticipated that there could be times when they would succumb to the temptation of not fulfilling this instruction. They could be tempted to use this tithe when they were mourning or when they had contaminated themselves or when they wanted to offer something to the dead. The need to confess would help them stay true to this call to set aside this third-year tithe. From this instruction, we see the need for us to make time for regular personal reflection and contemplation. It would help us to identify unwholesome motives and align our actions with God’s will, plan, and purpose.   

In verse 15, we see the instruction to pray for the continual blessing of God to fulfill the promise He had made to them. Notice that this prayer was not based on personal merit. It was not as if they had kept the instruction and God was now obliged to bless them and answer them. We must remember that all answers to our prayers are granted not because of our goodness or obedience but because of God’s grace and generosity. There is nothing that we can do to earn God’s favor or blessing. What we receive from God, we receive it because of His grace. Nothing we can do to make Him love us more and nothing we have done can make Him close the door. We obey God not because we want Him to bless us, we obey Him because we love Him. Loving God should always be the primary motive in our actions!

Deuteronomy 26:1-11 – Cultivating a life of gratitude

God had sovereignly chosen Israel to be His covenant people. He started off the process by calling Abraham out of the Ur of Chaldee, promising to bless him with a people. Israel became a people and eventually a nation through the 12 children of  Jacob. It was in Egypt that they were organized into bonds and greatly suffered at the hand of Pharaoh. God raised Moses as a deliverer to lead them out of Egypt. However, because of their stubbornness and rebelliousness, a longer time was necessitated to prepare them for God’s promised land. Throughout all those times, God's faithfulness toward them did not diminish. He could be angry and deal with them, but He would still show mercy and compassion. In the light of His immense patience with them, Israel as a nation should be greatly indebted to Him. It was only right that they acknowledge God's faithful hand over the nation and be a people of gratitude. In Deuteronomy 26 Moses brought an end to the address which he began in chapter 5, where he called for the people to show their gratitude to God.

Deuteronomy 26 began with the anticipation that they would soon enter the promised land, before specifying what they must do when they had finally possessed the land. The first eleven verses stipulate the thing they must do when they had settled down, planted their crops, and reaped their first harvest. They must take a portion of the first harvest, put them in a basket and go to the place where the Lord their God had chosen to establish His name. There before the presiding priest, they would publicly acknowledge that they have entered the promised land which God had promised their fathers to give to them. When the priest had placed the basket they had brought on the altar, they would publicly declare God’s gracious dealings with them. They would recount how from a humble beginning, their wandering fathers were brought to Egypt and had to suffer under the heavy hand of Pharoah. It was also God who had delivered them with His mighty hand and brought them into their inheritance, a land flowing with milk and honey. In essence, they were recounting how God had kept His word and granted them the privilege to see the fulfillment of that promise. As they acknowledged God’s goodness, they together with the Levites, and the foreigner who came with them, would worship, celebrate, and rejoice in the wonderful provision of God.

The recollection of their humble beginning, their slavery in Egypt, God’s mighty hand of deliverance, and the possession of the promised land were all meant to arouse their sense of gratitude. The need for God to stipulate what they must do when they had harvested their first fruits, leaves the unflattering inference that they were a forgetful people. As we learn this about them, we are also reminded that we are no different from them in this regard. We too can be a forgetful people. And like them, we need to constantly reflect on all the experiences of how God had brought us through our difficult moments in life and gratefully thank Him for them. Recollecting His goodness is a great way to remember His goodness in our lives. Don’t become a forgetful person. Instead, seek to be grateful for all that God had done for us. Gratitude is that vital ingredient to a God-pleasing life. Don’t live life without it!

 

 

Deuteronomy 25:17-19 – Removing obstacles that hinder our journey

To show kindness and to love one another was how Israel as God’s people was expected to relate with each other. But with the Canaanites, they must not show compassion, they must annihilate them instead. It was obvious that God wanted to have the source of evil influence removed from among His people. Like cancerous cells that must be removed so that they could not cause mutation to the good cells in the body, so also must the Canaanites be removed. 

But in Deuteronomy 25:17-19, God included the Amalekites, a non-Canaanite nation in the list of foreign people to be removed and uprooted. God explicitly instructed them in verse 19 saying, “…it shall come about when the Lord your God has given you rest from all your surrounding enemies, in the land which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance to possess, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven; you must not forget.” Why?

In verses 17-18, God provided the reason for the removal of the Amalekites. It was because of what they did to the people of Israel when they came out of Egypt. Instead of lending a hand to assist them, they heartlessly attacked them. They targeted the stragglers, the weak, faint, and weary at the rear end of the departing Israelites. In doing that they had shown no respect for God. For in touching the covenant people of God they were touching the pupil of God’s eye. Taking advantage of their exhaustion, the Amalekites badgered the people of Israel. Exodus 17:8-16 recorded Israel’s battle with the Amalekites led by Joshua in which the Lord had granted them the victory. To God, winning that battle alone was not enough, He wanted the Amalekites to be rooted out as soon as His people had settled in the promised land. For God knew best what they must do to ensure total victory.

The lesson to take away is this: in our journey to lay hold of God’s goal for our lives completely, we will have to continuously deal with negative habits that would sabotage our achievement. We must uproot those habits totally. For if we don’t uproot them completely, they have the capability to come back and trouble us all over again. The question we must ask ourselves is: what are some besetting habits in our lives that we thought we have dealt with but can spring up to trouble us again? We need to take time to identify them and determinedly deal with them to have them uprooted once and for all. Don’t let them interfere with the goal God has for our lives!     

Deuteronomy 25:13-16 – Honest dealings

God requires that His people be honest and truthful in their dealings. They must be people of integrity. This is the gist of Deuteronomy 25:13-16. No one was allowed to be deceitful in buying and selling. The weight they used to measure goods in selling or in buying must be of equal weight, fair and just. They must not use a heavier one in buying and a lighter one in selling. The reward of a life of honesty would be a prolonged life span on earth.

Cheating as we know would undermine trust, arouse suspicion and lead to needless contention. In verse 16, God reckoned deceitfulness as an abomination. It had been put among the detestable practices such as sexual immorality and idolatry which the Lord greatly abhorred. The principle we get from these verses is that honesty is the best policy.

These three verses tell us that God wants us to cultivate a lifestyle of honesty. Each of us must seek to become a fair and reliable person. In life, we must learn not only to respect ourselves but must also to respect the lives of others. Furthermore, living with integrity helps us to be a person of congruency. When we live such a life, we will become real and genuine, and unpretentious people. This will help us to build trust, enabling others to put their confidence in us. God expects each one of us to live such a life so that we can promote good relationships in our community. Furthermore, we reflect God in all our ways of life.           

Deuteronomy 25:11-12 – The call to act sensibly

The Levirate marriage described in Deuteronomy 25:6-10 tells us that God was concerned for a man who died without having an heir to his inheritance. So a law was put in place to ensure that in such a situation his unmarried brother was obliged to do his duty by marrying his wife and helping him to produce an heir. In verses 11-12, we again see God’s concern for a man who could no longer have any children because his genitals were injured. The person who injured his genitals in this case was the wife of another man whom he had engaged in a fight. It was understandable that a wife would want to help her husband when he was having a conflict with another man. But it was unthinkable for her to be so vicious as to deliberately injure the genitals of her husband’s opponent.

The punishment for such an action was severe. The hand that she used to injure her husband's opponent’s genitals was to be cut off. The logical reasons we can think of why God would prescribe such a punishment were, firstly to act as a deterrent for such an act. He did not want any woman to even contemplate such an action. Secondly, it was because of God’s impartiality. In the Levirate marriage, He had allowed the brother of the dead man to be insulted and shamed just because he refused to carry out his duty. In this case for a woman who had committed such a gross act was also to be shown no pity.  

One lesson to take away from these verses will again be God’s call for us to act with impartiality. However, we also see the call to think before we act. It is one thing to assist another person in a dispute, but quite another to help him severely injure another person. While God allows us to come to the rescue of another, He will not allow us to act viciously. We must always be judicious and sensible in our actions. The intent must not be to cause severe injury.

Deuteronomy 25:5-10 – Lesson from a Levirate marriage

Deuteronomy 25:5-10 describe the Levirate marriage, a law that God required of the people of Israel. What is a Levirate marriage? It had nothing to do with the tribe of Levi. The word Levirate comes from a Latin word that means “a husband brother.” In this custom, when a man died without a son, his unmarried brother was obliged to take his brother’s widow as his own wife and help him to bear a son. The firstborn son whom she gave birth with the husband's brother would have to bear the name of the deceased. God would not allow the dead brother’s name to be blotted out from Israel.

The widow had recourse if the husband's brother refused to do his Levirate duty. She could go to the elders of the city and publicly declare, “My husband’s brother refuses to establish a name for his brother in Israel; he is not willing to perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me.” The elders of the city would then have the task of summoning the brother and ascertained that he would not do his duty as required. If he stubbornly refused to marry the brother’s widow and clearly stated it, she would come forward, pull the sandal off his foot, and spat at his face. He would have to bear the insult of a man whose sandal was loosened.  

The reasons for this custom were two. Firstly, it was to enable the man to have a successor to inherit and perpetuate his family name. Secondly, it was to ensure that a man would not lose his inheritance. God would not allow his allotted land to become the property of another. While this practice is extinct, the principle behind this practice is worthy of consideration. God wants one’s family line to continue. This is especially so for us as Christians. None of us would want any of our family members to lose out on his inheritance in Christ Jesus. We must make it our ambition to perpetuate the name of Christ in our family so that none would lose their divine inheritance in Christ Jesus. Hence, we must make every effort to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with every one of our family members. It is our God-given assignment!   

Deuteronomy 25:1-4 – Be fair and impartial

In Deuteronomy 25:1-3, God gave instructions on how to settle a dispute between two persons. The objective was to see to a fair and just settlement of a case. When a dispute had occurred, the accused and the offended party must both be presented before the court. After hearing out the argument, the presiding judge was expected to determine who was right and who was wrong. The innocent one would be acquitted, and the guilty offender would be condemned and punished. In the world then, beating an offender was a common practice. So when the offender was deemed to be guilty of the wrong and beating was ordered, the judge himself must supervise the implementation of the punishment. However, no punishment must be overdone. An offender should not be beaten with more than 40 stripes. This limit was intended to preserve human dignity.

Verse 4 seems unrelated to the focus of Deuteronomy 25. The thought however has to do with fairness. We get the picture that an animal an owner used for work must be treated fairly. In an agricultural society, oxen were used to pull the sledge to thresh the corn, to separate the grain from the chaff. The owner must not muzzle his ox as it threshed the corn. It must be allowed to eat as much of the corm as it wanted. It provides an illustration for us today that if God expected an animal to be treated fairly, how much more He would expect humans to be fair to his workers. As He expected an owner to be fair to his animal, God also expected him to be fair to his fellow human. Later in his letter to the Corinthians, Paul used this verse to argue that the people who served in the kingdom of God were worthy of the financial support of the people whom he served.   

Although these instructions were given to the people of Israel whom Moses had led out of Egypt, the principle derived from them is nonetheless applicable to us too. God expects His people to be fair and just. He expects us to act respectfully and impartially and to be sure to observe human dignity. There should be no brutality in dealing with an offending brother. Fair judgment must be accorded. A person must not be assumed guilty until his offense has been proven. God expects any punishment meted out to the offender to be proportionate to the wrong committed. Any punishment to be meted out must not be overdone. The lesson we learn from verse 4 is that as an employer one must not deprive his worker of his due. Just as an ox should not be muzzled as it treads the corn of the master, a worker of the Gospel must be given his or her due reward for the work done. The gist is that we must be fair to those who work for us. Let us be just and fair in our dealings. Let’s emulate God in this!   

Deuteronomy 24:17-22 – Generosity is love in action

In Deuteronomy 24:17-18, God expected the children of Israel to adopt a spirit of generosity. This call meant that they must be magnanimous towards the poor and needy. They must not only show kindness to their widows and orphans but also treat the foreigners with the same kindness. They were told never to take a widow’s garment as a pledge. One way for them to deal kindly with them was to constantly recall their past. They were told to remember that they were once slaves and were ill-treated and it was God who had redeemed them. So He was demanding that they accord these needy and unfortunate people the same generosity as they were shown by Him while they were in Egypt. Justice, God demanded, must be accorded to the weakest of their society. Having suffered so harsh a treatment under the hand of the Egyptians, the people of Israel should be able to show tenderness towards the needy.  

In verses 19-22, God was making provision for the poor and needy. His instruction to His people was to leave something in their harvest fields so that the poor and needy could find sustenance. When they harvest their fields and had forgotten to bring back a bag of what they had reaped, they must not go and retrieve it. They were told to leave it for the people in need. When they do so God would bless them. When they harvest olives or grapes they were told not to clean up the branches or the vine but to leave some behind so that the needy could just pick what they had left behind.    

The lessons God had for them are also the lessons He has for us. Firstly, God is the source of all our needs. Just as He had provided for us, we must also remember the needy and be the source of supply for their needs. Secondly, just as God was generous toward us, we must seek to be generous toward the needy as well. We are blessed so that we can be a blessing to others. Remember 1 John 3:17. It says, “Whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?” If we cannot show love to a brother whom our eyes can see, how can we ever effectively show our love to God whom our eyes cannot see? Generosity is love in action. Let’s do it!

Deuteronomy 24:10-16 – Living justly and responsibly

In Deuteronomy 24:6, God called on His people to show compassion should a brother come seeking a loan. No one should take away a person's means of livelihood such as his mill or millstone as collateral for the loan. Now in verses 10-13, God went even further on the issue of the loan. He added a few more conditions regarding taking away something from the borrower as a surety for the loan. God further emphasized the need to show compassion. The lender in this case must trust the borrower. He was not to enter the house of the latter and choose the surety as he so desired. He must trust the borrower to act in good faith. And if the surety given was something that the borrower needed for the night e.g. his cloak, it must be returned to him. He must not be made to suffer the cold in the night. Of course, this presupposes that the surety would be given to the lender again in the morning. God called this action a righteous one. Treating a brother with compassion was the right thing to do in the eye of the Lord.

In verses 14-15, God expected His people not to oppress their hired servants. Whether a servant was a countryman or a foreigner, he must be given his due pay at the end of his work. The employer must not withhold the wage of the servant and made him starve because he had no means to buy food. To deprive what was rightly due to the hired hand, would be a sin in the eye of the Lord. In His reckoning, to act with compassion would be seen as righteousness in action, and not to act with compassion would be a sin before Him. God Himself promised to intervene on behalf of an oppressed servant when he cried for justice.  

In verse 16, the emphasis was on personal responsibility and culpability. The debt was the responsibility of the borrower. Neither the father nor the son of the borrower should be made culpable for his debt. Similarly, everyone was responsible for the offense he had committed and had to pay for it himself. If the offense would lead to the death penalty, neither his father nor his son must be made to pay for his sin. He himself had to pay for his sin. This instruction was needed to ensure personal accountability leading to responsible living.

God expects us to treat others fairly. We must be compassionate and not oppressive people. An employer must be fair to give his employee the due for the work he had done. Not to do so tantamount to an unjust act in the eye of the Lord. The implication of these verses is this: How we treat others is an indicator of how mature we are spiritually. Remember what the Lord said, the measure we use to mete to others will be the same measure meted to us. We are not to do to others what we will not like to be done to us. So be sure to live responsibly. Live for the glory of God! And then we will live righteously!  

Deuteronomy 24:6-9 – Let’s be considerate

Clearly, the instructions given in the book of Deuteronomy were based on the Ten Commandments. In it, God was showing His people how each of the laws given should be applied in His redeemed community. Everyone in God’s community must not only live for himself or herself, but everyone must also learn to live for others. It means therefore that everyone should live considerately and not exploit those less fortunate and in need. Each must live in such a way that will not be injurious to the others in the community. We can say that Deuteronomy 24:6-9 is a call to considerate living.

Verse 6 called for God’s people to be compassionate. The scenario presupposed that there would be times when someone from among them might approach another to borrow something to sustain his life. The lender would usually take something from the borrower as collateral for the loan. The former in this case was forbidden to take the mill or the millstone as a pledge. To take away his mill or millstone would imply taking away the means of living of the borrower. He would not be able to grind grain to make his bread. That would leave him in a worse condition than before. This was something only a heartless person would do, but God’s people should be known for their compassion, especially towards those in the same household of God.

Verse 7 called for God’s people to respect the lives of others. They were forbidden to kidnap their fellowmen for any reason. Kidnapping in this context was either to enslave a person or to sell him off as a slave. In doing so a kidnapper would be dehumanizing someone by treating him as a commodity and not a person made in God’s image. So serious was such an offense that God demanded the kidnapper to be sentenced to death. This was to be an example to others not to commit such a serious crime.  

Verses 8-9 called for God’s people to be thoughtful, especially in health. In those days leprosy was thought to be a contagious disease and when one had contracted it, he was expected to stay outside the camp. To return to the community, he would need the affirmation of the priest to prove that he had recovered from the condition and was healed. Mariam, the sister of Moses, was used as an illustration of what they ought to do.

Compassion, respect, and thoughtfulness are three vital ingredients to build a gracious community. These were the qualities that Jesus our Lord had promoted in the sermon of the Mount. If the church is to be an effective witness in the community, each of us must seek to be a compassionate, respectful, and thoughtful person. To be such a person is a choice we can make. So each one of us must choose to be a considerate person and become a better witness of the Lord. 

 

Deuteronomy 24:1-5 – Making marriage good

Marriage is a God-ordained institution, and He would not allow His people to treat it casually. One cannot read the first five verses of Deuteronomy 24 without sensing how God feels about the seriousness of the marital commitment. We need to know at the onset of our discussion that divorce was never God’s intention. Our Lord Jesus clearly states in Matthew 19:6 that “those whom God had put together let no man put asunder.” God never wanted any divorce from the start. But when pressed by the Pharisees on why then did Moses allow it, Jesus responded by saying that it was because of the hardness of man’s heart. So we see that divorce was never what God wanted for any marriage. The provision was made only because God knew that with fallen men it was something unavoidable. They could be so hard of heart that they would be unyieldingly inflexible and stubbornly refused to submit to the will of God. So this instruction in Deuteronomy was essentially given to ensure that a man would not casually divorce his wife.

Therefore, in a divorce, the man had to send his wife off with a certificate of divorce. It was to be an official thing. He just could not send her off without the official document. This was needful to prove that she was not an immoral woman, and thus free to marry another man. However, should the second man also divorce her or die, the first man could not take her back as his wife again. For God considered this latter act a defilement, an evil to get rid of in His covenant community. This stipulation was also to get the man to be more responsible and to consider carefully before he divorced his wife and gave her the walking certificate. Clearly, God did not want the unfortunate woman to be treated cavalierly like a ball being passed around between two imprudent men. The intention of verse 5 also points to the fact that God views a marriage seriously. A newly married man would be exempted from military duty for a year to grant him time to satisfy his wife. Notice that in a marriage the man must make satisfying his wife a priority. A satisfied wife, believe it or not, is a key to a blissful marriage.

What can we take away from these verses? Firstly, divorce should not be the casual option for a Christian marriage. It must be weighed carefully. A Christian marriage is not just a commitment between two people. It is a commitment of three people, the husband, the wife, and the Lord. The first question to ask in any impending divorce should be, “How would my divorce affect the name of God?” Secondly, we learn that marriage must not be taken lightly. Every man must enter marriage with the intention to make it good. No matter what problem one may encounter, there is none too big that it cannot be resolved with love and understanding. Remember in Ephesians 5, every man is called to love his wife sacrificially like the way Christ loves the church. And every wife is called to submit to her husband as unto the Lord. Thirdly, a husband must take time to make his wife happy, not only for one year but for the rest of their marriage journey. Her happiness is the key to a blissful marriage. Verse 5 suggests that to do that time is the essence. We need to take time to know and to do what is right to make each other happy. Be sure to make our marriage good!      

Deuteronomy 23:15-25 – Neighborliness is godliness in display

The uniqueness of God’s people must be seen in how they treat each other. God would not allow the children of Israel to forget that they belonged to each other. They were brothers and sisters, and they must not forget that. Hence, they must never exploit each other. When any of them had a need and requested help from another, it must be willingly given without charging interest. God, however, allowed them to levy an interest should they lend to a foreigner, who borrowed from any of them.  

Another area that they must thrive and excel in was personal integrity. They must be people of their words. Their words must be their bond. When they had made a vow, they must not delay in fulfilling it. Any failure to honor one’s words was a sin as far as God was concerned. The best thing then was for them not to make a vow. Then they would not be snared by their own words. God wanted them to be people of integrity, people of their words.

The next area God wanted them to do was to exercise neighborliness. And as neighbors, they must exercise generosity and not selfishness. What underscored this instruction was the fact that whatever they had, first came from God. So when any of them came to another person’s vineyard, he should be allowed to partake of the grapes or the grain, as much as he needed. That person, however, must not take advantage and reap from his neighbor’s vineyard to take away. The principle in this instruction was for God’s people to be generous, and when kindness was shown, it must not be taken advantage of.

Three lessons to take away. Firstly. just as the Israelites were members of each other in God’s family, every Christian is a member of the body of Christ. And in Him, we are members of one another. We must take care of rather than exploit each other. We should owe each other nothing except love. Secondly, every one of us must be a person of our words. Personal integrity is something we must cultivate. When we have made a promise be sure to keep it. Don’t say one thing and then do another. As Jesus had said, we must just let our yes be yes and our no, no. Anything else would cause us to stumble. Thirdly be generous toward each other but never take another person’s generosity for his or her weakness. No one should take advantage of any kindness shown. As God’s people let us show honesty, integrity, and generosity. In what we do, do all to please God. Let this be the guiding principle in our life! 

 

Deuteronomy 23:15-18 – Helping others and honoring God

God had stipulated in the first four commandments that His people should make Him their first love. This was the right thing to do since He was the one who would help them to make a difference in life. In the next six commandments, God gave them instructions to honor others. Therefore, the first responsibility of the people of God was to love Him. Then, they were also expected to show concern for their fellow men and show respect for others. In Deuteronomy 23:15-18, the people of God were first told to receive runaway slaves who were ill-treated by their masters. And secondly, they were told never to allow their children, sons or daughters, to prostitute themselves and to offer whatever earned from those activities to God.

First to the treatment of runaway slaves is described in verses 15-16. They were told to protect runaway slaves. There was a possibility for slaves who were ill-treated by their masters to run away. Should anyone of the Israelites encounter a slave who had run away from his master, he should be shown compassion and not be sent back to be further abused. Because the Israelites had first-hand experience of what it was like to be ill-treated when they were slaves in Egypt, they ought to be able to feel for the runaway slave. God wanted Israel to be a haven for those who were seeking refuge from their cruel master.

It was earlier established that God wanted pure and right worship. He expected single-hearted devotion and pure worship from His people. In the first six verses of Deuteronomy 23, we saw how He would not allow people who had the slightest hint of moral corruption into the assembly. Verses 17-18 underscore that same expectation of pure worship. The Israelites should never allow their sons or daughters to prostitute themselves like the pagan in their worship. This suggests that some might take the immoral means to make money to offer to God. So here He clearly stated He would never accept any money that was earned from prostituting themselves. Any offering to God must be earned through honorable means.

God wants us to be a caring people. Caring for people calls for us to be willing to help those in their plight. In our society, we have laws to prevent helpers from being ill-treated by their employers. But we do have people who are poor, powerless, helpless, and needy, many of whom are drifting towards a Christless eternity. We who have tasted the love of Christ have the capacity to help them. We can lead them to their eternal refuge in Christ. Above the act of helping others, every one of us must ensure that we offer to God what’s pure and right. Offer to Him only what we have gained through honest means. None should engage in illegal activities with the pretext to earn something to offer to God. He will never accept anything that we have not honorably obtained. Can anything unrighteous be offered to a pure and holy God?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deuteronomy 23:9-14 – Don’t take God’s holy presence for granted

In the previous eight verses, we learned that God forbade several groups of people from coming near when they gathered to worship Him. Because of their past unsuitable practices, they were rendered unholy and thus should be excluded from God’s presence. The groups include those who mutilated their sex organs and those born out of a sexual relationship with temple prostitutes. These were practices that were common in heathen worship. Then the Ammonites and the Moabites were excluded because of their hardness of hearts and refusal to lend a helping hand to God’s people in their hour of desperation.

So God’s desire was for holiness in the worship assembly. Now in Deuteronomy 23:9-14, He also expected holiness in the camp of the people of Israel, especially when they go out for war. Verse 14 states clearly why holiness in the camp was expected. It says, “Since the Lord your God walks in the midst of your camp to deliver you and to defeat your enemies before you, therefore your camp must be holy; and He must not see anything indecent among you or He will turn away from you.” It was because of the presence of the Lord among them. Hence, they must ensure that their camp was not contaminated by unholiness.  

Verse 11 sees nocturnal emission as a defilement that could contaminate the camp. So cleansing was prescribed before a person could join the camp again. What is nocturnal emission? It is the leakage of semen from a man’s sex organ during his sleep in the night. Today, this is known as a wet dream. God considered a man who had nocturnal emission unclean, just as He had considered a woman who had menstruation to be unclean. Therefore, verse 11 prescribed what the man must do before he would be allowed to re-join the camp the next day.   

Verses 12-13 deal with the excrement in the camp. Defecation is a natural process but because of the presence of the Lord among them in the camp, they were expected to defecate outside the camp. Tools to ensure that the excrement was covered must be provided. The issue here is not about the unholiness of the excrement but the holiness of the camp because of the presence of the Lord. It would be indecent and improper to have a camp soiled with excrement where the Lord’s presence was with them.  

The crux of the matter is this. The Christian life is a spiritual battle. The goal is to lay hold of our life for the glory of God. And He is present with us in this battle. We must consider this truth and do whatever is appropriate to advance with Him. Every activity we engage in can either cause us to advance with Him or bring setbacks and retard our progress. We cannot afford to treat His presence in our life with casual disregard by conducting inappropriate activities. Remember that our warfare is not carnal but spiritual, tearing down stronghold and destroying every wicked imagination that opposes God. Consecrated living is essential to advance with the Lord. Be sure to live a consecrated life!   

Deuteronomy 23:1-8 – On pure worship and right attitude

As the covenant people of God, the children of Israel were a consecrated people. Holiness and purity must be the hallmarks of their lives. Hence, how they conducted their lives was important. In their conduct, they could either enhance their position as God’s unique people or they could lose their uniqueness and demonstrate characters like one of those heathen people. In the book of Deuteronomy, we saw how God wanted their lives to be well regulated. From worship and religious practices to how they should relate as family and neighbors, God gave instructions on how they should go about it.

Deuteronomy 23:1-8 deals with religious assembly. In these verses, God identified for the people of Israel the different groups of people whom they should exclude from their assembly. The first group was those with mutilated sex organs. Apparently, mutilating one’s body was a ritual the heathen would practice in their worship. God would want nothing to do with this. The second group of people forbade to enter the assembly were illegitimate children. These were probably children born out of sexual relationships with temple prostitutes. Having sexual relations with temple prostitutes was another ritual the heathen practice in their worship. Hence God would not allow these illegitimate children among His people in worship. The phrase “even to the tenth generation” in verse 3 suggests that these groups were permanently barred from the assembly.

The third group of people comprised the Ammonites and the Moabites. They were those who would not lift a finger to help His people when they came out of Egypt and made their journey into their promised land. The Moabites went even further to engage the service of Balaam to invoke a curse on them. Each of these groups had a history that meant ill for God’s people. Hence God would not allow them as part of their assembly. Verse 6 reveals that God would not even allow them to have a peace treaty with the Ammonites and Moabites. In verses 7-8, God however told them not to detest the Edomites and the Egyptians. For the Edomites were the children of Esau, the twin brother of Jacob. As for the Egyptians, though they had placed them in bondage, they nonetheless had played host to them in Egypt. Furthermore, many Egyptians gave them jewelry the night they left Egypt.   

What can we learn from these verses? The first lesson we learn is from the exclusion from their assembly of those with mutilated sex organs and those born out of illegitimate relationships. God expects pure worship. He will not allow any hint of syncretism when we gather to worship and honor Him. The second lesson is from the exclusion of the Ammonites and Moabites. These two groups had treated God’s people abhorrently. They would not lend them a helping hand when they needed it. The Moabites even went further to solicit Balaam’s service to curse them. Here we learn that vengeance belongs to the Lord, and He does take note of those who gloat over our misfortune and plot our failure. As His people, we are ever under His protection. The third lesson we learn is from how God wanted them not to detest the Edomites and the Egyptians. In how God wanted these two groups to be accepted by His people, we learn that God values gratitude. Between the ill-treatment and good things people have done to us, remember the latter. Recall the good things they have done rather than their ill-treatment. Remember that God is holy and righteous. Therefore we must live worthily for Him in worship and in attitude!

Deuteronomy 22:22-30 – Be faithful to our marriage

Marriage, as we have established, is a picture of God’s relationship with Israel as a nation. And God expected them to be faithful like Him. Hence the Old Testament frequently uses adultery as an illustration of Israel’s unfaithfulness to God. From this, we conclude that marital fidelity is the best way to portray the faithfulness of God and He would not allow it to be violated. Besides, faithfulness is one sure key to a good marriage just as infidelity is the surest way to destroy it. This perhaps was the reason why in the seventh commandment God states, “You shall not commit adultery.” (Exodus 20:14)

What is adultery and why is it devastating to a marriage? Adultery technically is committing a sexual relationship a person has with another person who is not one’s spouse. Adultery is devastating because it tears away the bond between a husband and wife who had pledged to be faithful to each other. It is a violation of the trust that spouses have for each other in marriage. God’s prescription of the death sentence for one caught in adultery indicates how important faithfulness in marriage is to Him.

Deuteronomy 22:22-30 describe some ways adultery could be committed among His people as they entered the promised land. In the context of Deuteronomy, it is needful to note that a betrothal was as good as a marriage. Verse 22 shows that adultery had taken place when a man had sexual intimacy with another man’s wife. Mutual consent seems to be implied. In such a situation both the man and the woman were to be stoned to death. In verses 23-24, a betrothed woman who willingly had sexual relations with a man who was not her fiancé was deemed to have committed adultery. Her willingness is implied by her not screaming for help. If it was a rape she would have screamed for help. Since it was a consensual relationship, both would be put to death. Verses 28-29 said that if an unengaged virgin was raped and was caught, the one who had violated her must pay the girl’s father fifty shekels of silver. On top of the payment, he would have to marry her and would not be allowed to divorce her all the days of her life. Verse 30 in the Hebrew Bible is placed in the next chapter. It forbade a man from marrying his stepmother to have sexual relations with her. He was not allowed to have sexual relations with the woman who was once his father’s wife. Deuteronomy 27:20 tells us that to do so would be to invite a curse on himself.

The prescription of these scriptures shows us that what God wants is to discourage sexual immorality and encourage marital fidelity. When God’s people adhere to His instructions, marriages will be protected, and good marriages will be ensured. Solid marriages mean solid homes, and solid homes mean solid community. What a testimony it will be for God when His community is strong. Widespread immorality in our modern society has been the cause of many broken marriages and homes. God’s people must not contribute to such an appalling state. Faithfulness to our spouse must be our aim in life so that we can build a great marriage and a stable home to glorify God. It is also a reflection of our commitment to Him and His commands. 

Deuteronomy 22:13-21 – Regulating marital fidelity

Marriage is a God-ordained institution. And the sexual relationship is God’s gift for a married couple to develop intimacy. Without a doubt, fidelity in a sexual relationship is the best safeguard of a marriage. Faithfulness and loyalty are two important factors to ensure marital fidelity. They are the basic fabric of a good marriage. And a good marriage is the best testimony to a faithful God. In a world where marital faithfulness has been greatly compromised, it is important that we build our marriage on the foundation of God’s Word solidly. Hence, it is needful to explore what Deuteronomy 22:13-30 have to say about issues of fidelity in marriage. Though they were instructions given to the children of Israel many hundreds of years ago, they are nonetheless helpful for today’s Christians who want to ensure a good marriage. Our exploration here takes us to Deuteronomy 22:13-21 concerning a man who accused his bride of not being virtuous.

An unmarried woman must guard her virginity. For it was her God-given gift to be given to the man whom she would marry and spend her whole life with. In the context of the passage, a girl’s father was entrusted with the responsibility to ensure that his daughter did not lead a careless life and compromise her virginity before her marriage. The man who wanted to marry her had to pay the father a bride price. Therefore, he had every right to expect his bride to be a virgin when he finally took her as his wife. What happened if he accused her of not being a virgin after consuming the marriage? It was a serious charge and had to be dealt with. God would not allow a scandal to be perpetrated in His redeemed community.

What could the father do with such an accusation? Verses 16-19 describe what he could do when his son-in-law accused his daughter of infidelity before the marriage. Her father was expected to prove why the charge was false. All parties concerned would come before the elders of the city. The father would declare the charges brought against his daughter and then proceed to prove her innocence. How would the father prove his daughter’s innocence and that she was a virgin? Apparently, the newlywed would spread a cloth on the bed where they had their first sexual intimacy. It was supposed that the cloth would have some bloodstain because of the broken hymen. The father would bring the blood-stained cloth as evidence of his daughter’s virginity before the elders. If her innocence was proven, the man would have to compensate the bride’s father with a hundred shekels of silver. He was not allowed to divorce the girl as long as she lived. However, if he was proven right and his bride was no longer a virgin, the unvirtuous girl would be stoned to death to purge the land of the evil act.

Marriage in the eye of God would reflect His relationship with His people, Israel. Hence, He wants His people to build a just and fair community and a better testimony for Him. No innocent person should have to be a victim of a wrong charge and be made to bear the guilt. No guilty person should be allowed to get away scorch-free for causing undue harassment to the innocent. Hence every accusation had to be proven. Furthermore, these verses also underscore the need for fathers to take their responsibility seriously to raise up godly and obedient children, especially the girls. God values fidelity and He will not tolerate slander and malice, especially in marriage. So let us honor God and stay virtuous as taught by His Word.