Read Deuteronomy 25
25 When people have a dispute, they are to take it to court and the judgeswill decide the case, acquitting the innocent and condemning the guilty. 2 If the guilty person deserves to be beaten, the judge shall make them lie down and have them flogged in his presence with the number of lashes the crime deserves, 3 but the judge must not impose more than forty lashes. If the guilty party is flogged more than that, your fellow Israelite will be degraded in your eyes.
4 Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.
5 If brothers are living together and one of them dies without a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother shall take her and marry her and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her. 6 The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel.
7 However, if a man does not want to marry his brother’s wife, she shall go to the elders at the town gate and say, “My husband’s brother refuses to carry on his brother’s name in Israel. He will not fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to me.” 8 Then the elders of his town shall summon him and talk to him. If he persists in saying, “I do not want to marry her,” 9 his brother’s widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, take off one of his sandals, spit in his face and say, “This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother’s family line.” 10 That man’s line shall be known in Israel as The Family of the Unsandaled.
11 If two men are fighting and the wife of one of them comes to rescue her husband from his assailant, and she reaches out and seizes him by his private parts, 12 you shall cut off her hand. Show her no pity.
13 Do not have two differing weights in your bag—one heavy, one light. 14 Do not have two differing measures in your house—one large, one small. 15 You must have accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. 16 For the Lord your God detests anyone who does these things, anyone who deals dishonestly.
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!
Go Deeper
As a society, we are familiar with the legal principles of innocence until proven guilty, acquittal of the innocent, and punishment for the guilty. God’s punishment for the guilty described in verse 2 may seem harsh compared to punishments handed down in today’s judicial system, but scripture tells us our God is just and demands action for wrongdoing. This is not the first time we learn of a just God imposing consequences. From the beginning, when God created Adam and Eve in His image and gave them free will, God has imposed consequences and justice for wrongdoing. When the serpent in Genesis 3 deceived Adam and Eve, and they broke the one rule God gave them, God imposed punishment. God does not act out of vindictiveness. Without His justice, evil would prevail and sin would run rampant.
In his justice, God prescribed appropriate punishment that fit the level of the crime, as verses 2 and 3 illustrate. An individual found guilty was sentenced to a beating, an obsolete punishment absent from our modern correctional justice system.. The number of lashes ordered for the punishment could not exceed 40, and they had to be administered in the presence of the judge. God made this command to prevent excessive punishment, proof of His justice and fairness.
We learn in verses 13-16 that God called the Israelites to use the same weights and measures for buying and selling. God calls His people to be fair and honest in business dealings. We, too, are called to be honest and committed to the truth, not only in our business dealings but in our everyday life. We are a sinful people who may at times find ourselves tempted to be dishonest, but with dishonesty comes consequences.
Justice for all people was established through the cross. As theologian John Koessler of Moody Bible Institute observes, “This is the peculiar justice of the cross. It is God meeting His own righteous demands through the person and work of God the Son, Jesus Christ.”
In other words, God pronounced everyone “not guilty” when He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to live a perfect life on earth for 33 years and then be beaten and nailed to a cross to die for our sins in our place. Jesus was buried and raised from the dead so that we may know God, invite Him to dwell in us through the Holy Spirit, and live with Him for eternity. Until the day comes when we join our Father in eternity, though, we continue to live in a broken world where justice is essential.
As we go throughout our day, let’s thank God for His Son’s ultimate payment for our sins and let our actions today reflect those of Christ.
Questions
- God forgives our sins. There is nothing He doesn’t know about us, nor any action He won’t forgive. In spite of His omniscience, we are to humble ourselves and confess our sin. What sin do you need to tell God about?
- Do you agree that God is just and fair? Why or why not?
- God’s people are called to be honest. What actions can you take to make honesty a character trait in every aspect of your life?
By the Way
Another topic that is mentioned in Deuteronomy 25 pertains to Levirate marriage. You can delve into the Messiah’s diverse ancestry by reading Tamar’s story in Genesis 38 and this commentary from GotQuestions.org.
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5 thoughts on “Deuteronomy 25”
I find it interesting that the Old Testament has the perception of being harsh. Yet, when you dig deep you see the love God has for his people (and even an ox).
At the heart of each of these decrees is that we should love our fellow man. The consequences listed are for when that doesn’t happen.
God loves love. So should we!
Scripture is a lamp onto our feet and a light on to our paths (Psalm 119:105). I am so grateful to God for His many blessings, including this Harris Creek Bible study through which I am blessed daily. A big thank you also to the faithful contributors … God bless you.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so whoever believes in Him will not die but have eternal life. (Jn 3:16 ) The qualifier means God pronounced all who believes in Jesus “not guilty”, Just clarifying that it is not the universal “everyone “.
God bless you all.
Restoration and changed character are always the goal.
Lots of laws. God has placed them there for our learning. He wants us to be vigulant so that we are not devoured by the evil one. For us today this reminds of Jesus’ warning in Mt 26:41 to “Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” We also need to be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.” (1Pe 5:8-9) God lets us see our weaknesses sot that we can change and grow with Him. I always pray for a hedge of protection but I read somewhere that we could pray for a “firewall” like in what keep intruders out of our computers.Point being we must keep learning so tha we can grow closer to God. We see ourselves through ‘rose colored glass” in that we (and I am really saying I) do not see my own faults. God helps with that. We have trials and get to see those weaknesses. He just wants to be the center of our world.
God thank you for showing up in my life. Thank You for helping me see You more than me. I am thankful for a “firewall” or hedge of protection around my life and family. God thank You for me saying to my children and grandchildren how I remember what You have done in my/our lives. God thank You for trials to grow closer to You. Take the rose colored glasses away and give me love goggles to see who and how You see others. God thank You for these minutes of this day that I am in following Your lead today in Jesus name amen
WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
God takes seriously how we live in relationship with one another. His desire was to protect the dignity of his people in vulnerable circumstances. His ways are higher than our own, always full of compassion and justice.
vs 3 but the judge must not impose more than forty lashes. If the guilty party is flogged more than that, your fellow Israelite will be degraded in your eyes.
Here, God reveals deep concern for the dignity and worth of every individual, even those who are guilty of wrongdoing. God’s love is seen in the limits He places on punishment, showing that He values restoration over degradation.