Deuteronomy 24
-This next section starts out with laws of divorce within
the nation of Israel. If a man finds indecency removing his favor, he is
allowed to write her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand sending
her out of his house. She is then free to leave and become another man’s wife.
If that latter husband also turns against her and writes another certificate of
divorce putting it in her hand and sending her out of his house, the former
husband is not allowed to take her back again to be his wife. In other words,
there will be no wife swapping in God’s country. She is considered defiled, and
the Bible says very clearly that it is an abomination before the LORD bringing
sin upon the land (Deuteronomy 24:1-4). When Jesus was asked about this issue,
He was very clear about the intent of all these things written in the perfect
Law of the LORD. He told His audience very matter of factly that it was man’s “hardness
of heart” that permitted for divorce, not God’s intended plan (Matthew 19:3-9,
Mark 10:2-9). A further marriage provision is now given in the Law of the
Promised Land that seems like an awesome idea. “When a man takes a new wife, he
shall not go out with the army nor be charged with any duty; he shall be free
at home one year and shall give happiness to his wife whom he has taken
(Deuteronomy 24:5).” I wish that law applied to America J. God was concerned
about establishing a happy, joyful, and prosperous home life between man and
wife.
-The text then moves back into more diverse-sundry laws for
the society of God. Verse six has to do with not taking the handmill or upper
millstone in pledge. Taking these things would be to take a poor man’s sustenance
from him because this is what was used in the home to make bread for their
society. Kidnapping is then outlawed. If a person who was kidnapped and treated
violently or sold into slavery, that perpetrating thief would be dealt capital punishment;
again this was for the purpose of purging the evil from among the populace
(Deuteronomy 24:7). The Levitical Law was to be carefully observed by the
ordinary people of the land in regards to leprosy infections with a call to
remember what happened to Miriam in the wilderness journey (Leviticus 13-14,
Numbers 12, Deuteronomy 24:8-9). Certain laws for taking a pledge in regards to
loans were commanded with special care given for those who may have been poor. Also,
how wages should be distributed were covered to prevent injustice, which
amounts to sin. The sum of this is stated as such, “You shall not oppress a
hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your countrymen or
one of your aliens who is in your land in your towns (Deuteronomy 24:10-15). A
further area that was dealt with pertained to individual responsibility for
crimes committed in the land. Fathers were not allowed to be put to death for
their sons mistakes, and sons were never to be put to death for their fathers
faults (Deuteronomy 24:16). No perversion of justice was to be allowed in
Israel and those laws extended to aliens, orphans, and widows. The Israelites
were again reminded that they had been redeemed from slavery in Egypt, and that
they were to deal kindly with all involved in their culture. Reaping laws were
put into effect to benefit the needy such as not going back to pick up
forgotten sheaves of wheat in the field, not beating the boughs of the olive
tree a second time in harvesting, and not regathering grapes a second time from
the vineyard (Deuteronomy 24:17-22).
-*Application* All of these laws are put into place with
regards to having the right kind of heart. It will be easy for us to follow all
the laws of God if our heart is right with Him. The problem is, our natural
hearts are deceitful and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). Apart from the saving
life of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit that indwells us upon our acceptance
of Him, we are in desperate trouble. Once we have His righteousness, things
clear up and we can do the mighty acts of God joyfully and generously as we
continually grow in His grace (Matthew 6:33, Romans 3:19-31, Ephesians 2:1-10).
Verses to Memorize:
Deuteronomy 24:14, 17
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