Sometimes, sometimes scripture makes me laugh, out loud. I have to say Deuteronomy 25 does that me. It opens with a quick lesson on appropriate punishment for a wrong doing that is brought to a judge and then really gets into the drama.
In the Gospels we hear of the Pharisees who challenge Jesus on the issue of Levirate marriage, who will the woman be married to if she marries six brothers and then all end up in heaven, you know that one? Well that stems from this reading chapter 25. However, that is not the juicy part, her encounter with the brother who will not marry her is the visual that brings some laughter. However, while I make light of the encounter, progeny and security are at the heart of this issue. A man's family's security, and widow in this instance, is dependent upon his ability to provide an heir. The reason why adultery is such a no no is because a husband needs to know that his son is his son. So I guess maybe this is not a laughing matter.
Then again, the next few verses has to bring a little smile to your face, for while the punishment of cutting off the wife's hand who went to her husband's defense seems a bit excessive, I can guarantee that no man would mess with that woman again, one handed or not, if he knew what she might do to him. Ok, seriously though, the reason why the punishment was so severe was that the power of procreation was not to be messed with and such an action was quite offensive to God, and the guy who suffers, I am sure.
There follows a few verses on being fair economically and not cheating others with weights that might not be true to their value. And then the closing verses reminds Israel that their will come a day when they will be allowed to avenge the wrongs done to them by the Amalekites.
Deuteronomy 26 offers the ritual of offering the first fruits and tithes to the priest. Israel is commanded to do well with the land and as a sign that they realize that these fruits represent a blessing from God, are asked to bring them forward and to remember the journey that has brought them to this place.
The section from verse 5-10 might reflect one of the earliest profession of faiths in Israel's history.
The chapter ends with the reaffirmation of the covenant between God and Israel.
Romans 6
Paul beings to outline what it means to live in Christ in chapter six. Since our sin is covered by grace and actually grace seems abound to defeat sin, should we actually continue to sin? Heck no, Paul would respond. Not only have we been joined to Christ's death and his death to sin, but so too we have been joined to his life, a life free from sin. So why would we want to continue in sin, then we are not enjoying the fruits of God's grace.
While we might be free from the Law, we are not free from God. For Paul points out that we are still slaves, but this time slaves to God. We are all under some power, Paul would say, we are going to be enslaved to something. It is better, much better, to be a slave to God, then a slave to this world and its powers.
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