Deuteronomy, which makes the bulk of this weeks reading, is basically a recap. It's a recap of the highlights (and lowlights) of Israel's 40 years in the wilderness. It is a summary of God's law--the rules, procedures, and policies if you will, of the world's first monotheistic theocracy. The whole book is essentially Moses's final sermon to His people before they go on to glorious conquest and he goes on to Glory. If there's anything new in it, at 25 chapters in, I haven't seen it.
Moses repeats himself--a lot. As I read through Deuteronomy, Moses kind of reminded me of myself when I get on my soapbox in my classroom. I even joke with the students that I have a "library" of sermons that I draw from. Sermon #361--"If you don't get your behavior on point you will not be able to go on the field trip!" I think the kids get tired of hearing me say the same thing over and over again. But I can't help it. I repeat myself because I desperately want the message to get through their fevered middle-school brains. I don't ever want a student of mine to say, "Hey, wait a minute, I didn't know that's what you meant." I get that same sense of urgency from Moses:
"Come on guys, don't forget how God has led you in the wilderness all these years. Don't forget God's commands. Don't forget! Here, let me lay it out for you again. . ."
Another way in which Moses reminds me of my teacher self, is his constant noting that when a harsh punishment is handed down, "All Israel" or the the surrounding nations, "Will hear and be afraid." Fear is ultimately not the best tool for developing a relationship either with learning or with God. But having students know you don't play is crucial tool for a teacher. My students know that if they misbehave in my classes, there are clear and consistent consequences. Over the years, my reputation precedes me and students arrive in my class knowing I'm serious.
While Deuteronomy isn't exactly new, there are plenty of twists on the same old message, making for an extra long list of Fun Facts this week:
Fun Facts (Though honestly, a lot of them are anything but fun).
- Did you know Sabbath is a memorial of the Exodus? In Deuteronomy 5:6-21 the Ten Commandments are repeated, with one notable twist. In the fourth commandment, the reason for resting on the Sabbath changes. Instead of saying "For in six days God created the world but rested on the seventh day," it says "Remember that you were once slaves in Egypt, but the Lord your God brought you out with His strong hand and powerful arm. That is why the Lord your God has commanded you to rest on the Sabbath day." Sabbath serves not only as a memorial to Creation, but also a reminder to God's people that they are free. They once lived in a place where they had no choice but to work seven days a week. Each Sabbath is a celebration of freedom to stop working.
- Did you know God's plan for dealing with manslaughter? Let's say you're out chopping wood and the ax head flies off the handle and hits your neighbor in the head, killing him (this is an actual example used later in Deuteronomy). This is manslaughter, not murder. You took a life but it was not intentional. You can escape vigilante justice at the hands of your neighbor's family--which was smiled upon in the Israelite theocracy, by the way--by escaping to your nearest city of refuge. Once within the borders of that city, you would be safe from harm.
- Did you know how God's homicide detectives handled cold cases? If someone is found murdered in a field and no one knows who committed the murder, those investigating the murder were to measure the distance from crime scene to nearby towns. The town that is found to be closest is assumed to be where the murderer came from. Then begins the investigation right?. . .Well, not quite. There is no investigation. Instead a heifer that has never been broken for farm work is led down to valley that has not been plowed or planted and has a stream running through it. The animal's neck is broken and the elders of the town must wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken. They must say "Our hands did not shed this person blood, nor did we see it happen." They ask the Lord to forgive them and to not hold the innocent victim's blood against them. And with that, the case is closed.
- Did you know that while the Bible might permit slavery, God is definitely okay with slaves running away? I find it interesting that all a slave has to do is run away and they are in the clear. The people of Israel are not to return runaway slaves to their owners (Deuteronomy 23:15). I get the feeling the assumption is that if a slave is inclined to run away, it's because their master was probably a bad dude. Good masters = slaves who stay.
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| What we need is to get back to the Biblical plan for marriage. . .Are we sure about that? |
- Did you know the Biblical definition of rape is based on the marital status of the woman and not consent? In Deuteronomy 22:23-29 we find a definition of rape that is totally foreign to our modern understanding of the crime. Basically, if a woman is engaged and man has sex with her where others are nearby, it is presumed to be adultery because the woman didn't scream for help. Both man and woman are stoned to death. If the engaged woman is out in country side where no one can hear her scream, it is assumed that she cried for help and that she was raped and she is spared. Presumably the rapist is executed, though the Bible doesn't say. But here's the key--this all has to do with engaged women. If a woman is not engaged and a man has sex with her, he has to pay her father fifty pieces of silver and then he has to marry the woman and he can never divorce her! Rape in the Biblical sense appears to only happen to engaged women. Consent is almost beside the point. After all, a guy who wants a girl that isn't in to him, has only to force himself on her (as long as she's not already promised to someone else and as long as he's got required fifty pieces of silver) and he's got her for life! Horrible!
- Did you know the rules for marrying a woman you've captured in war (like perhaps that Midianite girl you've recently come into the possession of?) First, you have to take her home and have her shave her head, cut her nails and change her clothes. Second, you need to allow her a month to mourn her parents (who you and your fellow soldiers likely had a hand in slaughtering). Third, you get to marry her. Fourth, if you find she doesn't make you happy, you have to just let her go--no selling your wife or turning her into a slave. You've already humiliated her enough (Deuteronomy 21: 10-14).
- Did you know God frowns on you punishing your kid because you don't like his mom? Let's say you find yourself in a Jacob type situation. You've got two wives--one you love, the other not so much. And let's say that the wife you're not so hyped about has your firstborn son. You're not allowed to pass on his birthright to the son of the wife you're fond of. It's not your kids fault you don't like his mom. The first born inheritance is his due. (Unless of course the other son can figure a way to hoodwink you into giving it to him. See Jacob).
- Did you know what happens if you believe you "weren't the first" with your new bride? Your wife's parents will bring out her bed sheet to offer as proof. . .you know what, I'm so out of my depth with this one. There is so much I'm sure I'm not understanding. I have so many questions here. I don't know. Read it for yourself (Deuteronomy 22:13-21). Maybe you'll have some insights I missed. All I see is, either way the woman loses. If it turns out that the husband's accusations were false, he must remain married to her and can never divorce her. And who wants to be stuck for life with a guy like that? Of course, if it can be proved that he's telling the truth. Well, then the woman gets stoned. Ugh
- Did you know how to poop the Biblical way? It's pretty straightforward. Have designated place outside the camp. Have a shovel. Dig a hole, do your business, cover it up. (Deuteronomy 23: 12) Finally, something that makes sense!
Honestly, I think I'm going to have a hard time hearing anyone wax eloquent about the "Biblical model of marriage." If Deuteronomy tells us anything, it's that marriage was a very different proposition during Biblical times than it is today.
What Stood Out to Me
God's Economic System Isn't Exactly Capitalist
God seemed to be intent on creating an economic system that made it virtually impossible for anyone to become a billionaire. Many of the tools of the super wealthy for gaining that wealth weren't available to the Israelites. They couldn't loan money at interest--at least to their fellow Israelites. Debts had to be forgiven every seven years, so you might actually lose money on your investment. And the Bible warns against being stingy about loaning money because you know you're close to the seventh year (It's not seven years from the day of the loan, but the Sabbath year). Loan probably isn't the right word for it. You were basically gifting money to your neighbor in need.
When it came to harvests, farmers were expected to leave some grapes on the vine, olives on the tree, and wheat in the field for the poor to glean. Efficiency was not the goal--taking what you need, of your own property, and leaving something behind was the rule. And of course we've already talked about the returning of property you've bought in the year of jubilee. So much for going into real estate. It just doesn't seem like the Lord is very pro-business, you know.
God's Concern over Idolatry
If there's one thing, God seemed to be concerned about perhaps above all else, it was His people worshiping other gods. It's a topic that's returned to over and over in Deuteronomy. It was the cardinal sin, and if anything some of the other sins, were sins because they were connected to idol worship. If it makes God seem jealous and possessive. . .well, I don't think He'd argue with that. In our modern, pluralistic culture, demanding such absolute loyalty seems harsh. There doesn't seem to be a value of "freedom of religion" in the books of Moses. But then, we're assuming that all religions are benign. That religion, in and of itself, is a social good. It doesn't really matter which one; as long as you believe in something, right? To make believing something different than I do a crime just seems wrong.
But even a casual review of the way religion--including even the faith of Abraham, Jacob , and Moses--was practiced in Old Testament times reveals a very different way of thinking about religion. Religion was a whole lot less about "beliefs" and a lot more about practice. Religion was what you did, not what you thought. And the way many of the surrounding religions practiced their faith--including the practice of burning your children to death to appease the gods--was completely incompatible with this brand new faith God was introducing to the world. The fiery God of Moses might still seem barbaric to our western sensibilities, but He was by no means the same as all the other gods.
Here's another way to think about it. You've got a table filled with delicious looking food. But all the dishes are poisoned except one. If you're told you can only eat the one safe dish, you wouldn't say that such an instruction is overly harsh. It only makes sense. I think that's what God was trying to say with His strong prohibitions against worshiping other gods. Idolatry is not merely a difference of belief; it is consuming poison.
Missing Context
Some of the commands in the Books of Moses can seem so random and arbitrary. It makes me suspect that we are missing context. Here's an example from Deuteronomy 22--three commands, that don't seem to connect to each other or anything else: "A woman must not wear a man's clothes" and vice versa. "Don't plant two different kinds of seeds in your vineyard." And here's one more: "Don't wear clothes made of wool and linen together." There are other commands too. Some kind of seem to make sense; others it's not so clear. It's all too easy to play a game of "One of these obviously applies to our lives today while the two others obviously do not. Hmmm, I wonder which one that is?" I think we have to be careful when it's too "easy" to draw the "obvious" conclusion.
Everything I Needed
I close with my one of my favorite Bible verses. One that came to have special meaning for me the year I turned forty:
"The Lord your God has blessed everything you have done. He has protected you traveled through this large desert. The Lord has been with you for those 40 years. You have had everything you needed."
-Deuteronomy 2:7
That's pretty much the story of my life. And it's why, despite the many questions, I still believe. God has been real to me. He has not let me down..
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