Deuteronomy 24-27

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Deuteronomy 24 begins with divorce.  These scriptures are not “for” or “against” it. However, it discusses that divorce for the couple is permanent.  It is not “on/off/on” situation so the decision should not be taken lightly.

Verse 7-18 is about being fair.  We live in such a warped world of suing and being sued.  It’s honestly quite scary.  We have all been there, you get into a small bumper accident and the first thing you think of is “are they going to fake a neck/back injury”.  Be fair.

Chapter 24 ends with God’s love towards the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow.  We leave provisions for them in our fields (not leftovers…provisions).  We will see this applied when we read the book of Ruth.

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Chapter 25. Forty lashes.  At this time, lashing or flogging was a punishment where it fit the crime.  The Law stated no more than 40 lashes (over 40 might kill someone).  However, when we get to the Gospel, flogging techniques had evolved.  What started as a single whip per lash later becomes a Roman weapon known as a cat-o-nine tail.  In the New Testament, Paul says in 2 Cor. 11:24 “Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one.” The Jews made laws about the laws to be careful not to break the laws, so they made it “less one” just in case they miss counted.  BUT the 40 lashes written in Deuteronomy were not the same 40 lashes Jesus took for us.  The Jews didn’t flog Jesus.  The ROMANS did!  The Romans used the cat-o-nine tail:

If the Romans used a cat-o-nine tail, then Jesus’ sentence was 40-1= 39 x 9= 351 lashes. (Not sure if the Romans would have -1, so possibly 360 lashes)

I know this is hard to watch but with Good Friday coming up I thought we might need a reminder of all that Jesus did for us.

CLICK HERE

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25:5 The Levirate Vow!  One of my favorite topics to teach!  If you missed the original post on this…it’s a hot mess!  Click here.  Not often do I get to talk about contraception!

If you remember this (Judah and Tamar). Kudos to you for good memory!

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25:17: Remember what the Amalekites did to you along the way when you came out of Egypt. ¹⁸ When you were weary and worn out, they met you on your journey and attacked all who were lagging behind; they had no fear of God. ¹⁹ When the Lord your God gives you rest from all the enemies around you in the land he is giving you to possess as an inheritance, you shall blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!

If you cannot recall who the Amalekites were,  click here for the story.  They attacked the Israelites when they were at their weakest.

We haven’t looked at a genealogy in a long time,  so find them and see the significance.  Amalek is the grandson of Esau through a concubine relationship.

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Chapter 26: Continued instruction of when they enter the Promised Land.

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Chapter 27  is a major scene-setter for tomorrow’s reading!  The Israelites are commanded to put 6 tribes on Mt. Gerizim, who will stand and say the blessing for obedience to everyone.  The other 6 tribes are to stand on and say the curses for disobedience from Mt. Ebal.

In the meantime, the Levites recite 12 curses.  Notice these examples are all sins that one could hide or do in secret.  Read them and make a checklist of the ones you think you can follow (if you don’t have at least 1 or 2 checked, we cannot be friends). The curses pronounced on Mount Ebal were the following:

1. Cursed is anyone who makes an idol
2. Cursed is anyone who dishonors their mother or father
3. Cursed is anyone who moves their neighbor’s boundary stone
4. Cursed is anyone who leads the blind astray on the road
5. Cursed is anyone who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow
6. Cursed is anyone who sleeps with his father’s wife
7. Cursed is anyone who has sexual relations with any animal
8. Cursed is anyone who sleeps with his sister
9. Cursed is anyone who sleeps with his mother-in-law
10. Cursed is anyone who kills their neighbor secretly
11. Cursed is anyone who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person
12. Cursed is anyone who does not uphold the words of this law

Look at #12.

“Cursed is anyone who does not uphold the words of this law by carrying them out.”

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

The last verse covers the violation of any other command in the law.  Paul used this verse to emphasize the fact that no one can obey God perfectly (Gal. 3:10-14).

¹⁰ For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” ¹¹ Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.”