Journaling: Deuteronomy 24-27

Condescension (i.e. allowing divorce for “indecency” – things other than sexual immorality – Deu 22:1-24; e.g. Gen 21:10-12) – versus Holy Spirit possession, was God’s way of helping His people obey Him under the OC. Hence the reason divorce under the NC [the covenant providing the HS as helper] is only permissible where there has been a breach of the covenant – i.e. sexual immorality/adultery (24:1 w/Mat 19:1-9, Mat 5:31-32; Definition of condescension = concession/accommodation due to an inferior state; e.g. sippy cups for kids; Other examples of condescension: polygamy, OC clean laws for justification, Gen 29:30-31; Heb 10:1-4). The marriage covenant cannot be recovered for those divorced who have (again) joined sexually/spiritually to another (24:1-4; This includes our marriage covenant w/Christ – Isa 50:1 w/Jer 3:1 = Notice God sees spiritual/sexual union to another the same as marriage to another; According to the Bible, sexual union equates to spiritual union – 1Co 6:15-17). A person’s prosperity is never to be at the expense of another’s livelihood (24:5-22; Definition of livelihood = means of securing the necessities of life; 24:5 = expense of children, 24:6 = expense of food, 24:7 = expense of freedom, 24:8-9 = expense of health, 24:10-13 = expense of shelter/rest, 24:14-15 = expense of money, 24:16-18 = expense of justice, 24:19-22 = expense of charity). Kidnapping is a capital crime (24:7). God’s Law never allows a person to be punished for the crimes of another (24:16 w/Lev 27:29 w/Num 35:31). Justice is about: 1) protecting the innocent and punishing the guilty (25:1), 2) equity (25:2-3, 4 w/1Co 9:9 = Paul’s use of Deu 25:4 reveals the W[h]GO?/WT[t]P? interpretation of Scripture to be the correct hermeneutic; see also Rom 15:4), 3) the preservation of future generations (25:5-10, 11-12; Levirate marriage was for the purpose of preserving the tribes of Israel unto Messiah – verse 6 w/Mal 2:15; sandal and spitting – see Rut 4:8-10), 4) honesty in practice/fair trade (25:13-16), 5) vengeance (25:17-19; see Rom 12:19-13:4). Those who prey on God’s people will face strict judgment by God (25:17-19; Psa 105:12-15). Tithing is: 1) to consist of “the first of all the fruit…that the Lord is giving (us)” – i.e. a tenth (or “tithe”) of all personal revenue accumulated by us in a given year (26:1-2a [“first of all the fruit” – Exo 23:19 – “firstfruit”]w/12 [“tithe”] w/Lev 19:23 = Literally, “at the end of the third year” which represented the first year of producing personal revenue in the land), 2) to be given in “the place that the Lord your God will choose, to make His Name dwell there.” – i.e. His house (or church) (26:2b), 3) a part of how we “rejoice” for what God has done in our lives (26:3-11), 4) our required “sacred” payment to God for His provision (26:12-13a), 5) how we provide for the needy in the covenant community (26:13b), 6) not to be altered or diminished bc of former sinful decisions/practice (26:14; e.g. spent my tithe on something so give less than total tithe that month), 7) tied to our marriage to Christ and our covenant commitments (26:15-19; “you are a people for His treasured possession” = I will be their God and they wb my people). An important part of “keep(ing) the whole commandment” – or all of God’s commands is making sure that they are memorialized in a place that is easily accessible/visible (27:1-8; Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim wb a popular east-west trade route. Ebal also represented the place of Abe’s and Jacob’s altars to God – Gen 12:6-7, 33:18-20). What we give to God in worship is not to be influenced by/dependent upon the power/abilities/desires/ways of the world (27:5-6; At this time in Israel’s history, she was dependent upon other nations for iron – 1Sa 13:19-23; e.g. using certain worship songs bc they are popular in the world; looking to market research from the world to determine what we do in church, etc). God’s grace in making us His people (thru covenant) always establishes our obligation to obey His Law (27:9-10 w/26:18; Exo 19:5-6, 24:1-8; 1Pe 1:1-2). When we commit (“Amen”) to keeping/obeying all of God’s Laws we equally commit to receiving His curses if we disobey (27:11-26). The only way to remove the curse brought by the Law is thru the forgiveness brought by repentance/justice and the faith/forgiveness in Christ (Deu 27:11-26 w/Gal 3:10-13). God and His pastors (or “levites”) separate/shepherd their people based on their tendency toward curse and blessing (27:12-13, 14 w/Gen 49:1-27 w/Exo 32:26-29 and Num 25:11-13); e.g. Rom 16:17-18).