DEUT 21:10-25:19
In this study, we see a lot of common-sense mitzvoth that are for today, and we can also see some mitzvoth that we need to take a good look at to see how we can apply them, perhaps not so much literally, but spiritually and morally. In some cases, both. According to some rabbis, there are about 74 commandments within these 5 chapters, many are still for today. (we need to look at the “big picture”)
But I would like to take a look at the first verse that says; “When you go out to war against your enemies…” the word “enemies” in the original Hebrew is “o’y’Veykha” in the English, we see two “y” s y the Hebrew, those are two “yods” In ancient Hebrew, the “yod” was a “hand”. A hand holds a weapon to fight in a war, such as a knife, sword, spear, bow and arrow, sling, etc.
The rabbis of old comment that the reason for two “yods” is that we fight against two kinds of enemies, the enemy from without, meaning another person who wishes to do us harm, or harm to our families, or fight against our country, and the enemy from within, meaning the “Yetzer Hara” the sin nature, perhaps even bodily diseases. Since we all have that sin nature, it is a constant fight against the enemy inside, and only through the Holy Spirit can we put it underfoot. Like the meaning of the word; “Tzadik” (one who hunts or controls his monkey) the “monkey” being the sinful nature.
Verse 10 talks about taking a captive woman from the enemy and making her your wife. Well, I wouldn’t recommend that very much, you might end up with your throat cut when you are sleeping. In Biblical times an Israelite soldier has the right to take a woman who was from an enemy city, once captive, and makes her his wife if he chose to do so. We might ask ourselves why? Well, the soldier just might like the way she looks, but what is the “bigger picture?” The Israelite soldier shows the captive woman “compassion”. She has lost her family, her city is in ruins, her “gods” have abandoned her. All she has now is this “soldier” who is from the nation of Israel who has brought her to his camp, his tent, and to his “One God”. Soon she will see the difference between the false gods she left behind and the one and only God; Adonai-Elohim.
Perhaps she was ill-treated in her city and perhaps even by her husband if she was married. But here she is shown compassion. She is allowed to mourn her loss, and in time, she will learn about Adonai and perhaps even to love her Israelite husband. At first, it seems to be a bad thing, but in time, it turns into a good thing.
Many US soldiers have returned home with foreign wives, perhaps some who worshipped idols. Once with the soldier and in the USA, she would give up her idol worship and embrace Yeshua. We would certainly like to hope so.
Looking at this from another standpoint, we were at once a time in the enemy’s camp. We were in the camp of HaSatan, and our “bridegroom” (Yeshua) paid the price of ransom and bought our freedom with his own blood. Now he takes us “his bride” to his encampment. All believers are part of the “bride of Messiah” Baruch HaShem! And we will be HIS OWN for all eternity.
Vs 18 talks about the “wayward son” in that, if he is rebellious and defiant, refusing correction, his parents have the right to take him to the “shoftim” (judges) and they would order him to be stoned. Rebellion had a death sentence connected to it. We never read in scripture that this actually happened, but it was still written down as a commandment “in case” family rebellion occurred.
Try to stone a rebellious child today and you will definitely be standing before the man! (and off to prison you will go). If, as parents, we train up a child in God’s Word, read him or her Bible stories instead of fairy tales about ghosts and Boogiemen, then, when the child grows into a youth, he or she will have a solid foundation before him/her. It is not about being stoned with rocks, it is all about following the ROCK of ages!
In this study, we see a lot of common-sense mitzvoth that are for today, and we can also see some mitzvoth that we need to take a good look at to see how we can apply them, perhaps not so much literally, but spiritually and morally. In some cases, both. According to some rabbis, there are about 74 commandments within these 5 chapters, many are still for today. (we need to look at the “big picture”)
But I would like to take a look at the first verse that says; “When you go out to war against your enemies…” the word “enemies” in the original Hebrew is “o’y’Veykha” in the English, we see two “y” s y the Hebrew, those are two “yods” In ancient Hebrew, the “yod” was a “hand”. A hand holds a weapon to fight in a war, such as a knife, sword, spear, bow and arrow, sling, etc.
The rabbis of old comment that the reason for two “yods” is that we fight against two kinds of enemies, the enemy from without, meaning another person who wishes to do us harm, or harm to our families, or fight against our country, and the enemy from within, meaning the “Yetzer Hara” the sin nature, perhaps even bodily diseases. Since we all have that sin nature, it is a constant fight against the enemy inside, and only through the Holy Spirit can we put it underfoot. Like the meaning of the word; “Tzadik” (one who hunts or controls his monkey) the “monkey” being the sinful nature.
Verse 10 talks about taking a captive woman from the enemy and making her your wife. Well, I wouldn’t recommend that very much, you might end up with your throat cut when you are sleeping. In Biblical times an Israelite soldier has the right to take a woman who was from an enemy city, once captive, and makes her his wife if he chose to do so. We might ask ourselves why? Well, the soldier just might like the way she looks, but what is the “bigger picture?” The Israelite soldier shows the captive woman “compassion”. She has lost her family, her city is in ruins, her “gods” have abandoned her. All she has now is this “soldier” who is from the nation of Israel who has brought her to his camp, his tent, and to his “One God”. Soon she will see the difference between the false gods she left behind and the one and only God; Adonai-Elohim.
Perhaps she was ill-treated in her city and perhaps even by her husband if she was married. But here she is shown compassion. She is allowed to mourn her loss, and in time, she will learn about Adonai and perhaps even to love her Israelite husband. At first, it seems to be a bad thing, but in time, it turns into a good thing.
Many US soldiers have returned home with foreign wives, perhaps some who worshipped idols. Once with the soldier and in the USA, she would give up her idol worship and embrace Yeshua. We would certainly like to hope so.
Looking at this from another standpoint, we were at once a time in the enemy’s camp. We were in the camp of HaSatan, and our “bridegroom” (Yeshua) paid the price of ransom and bought our freedom with his own blood. Now he takes us “his bride” to his encampment. All believers are part of the “bride of Messiah” Baruch HaShem! And we will be HIS OWN for all eternity.
Vs 18 talks about the “wayward son” in that, if he is rebellious and defiant, refusing correction, his parents have the right to take him to the “shoftim” (judges) and they would order him to be stoned. Rebellion had a death sentence connected to it. We never read in scripture that this actually happened, but it was still written down as a commandment “in case” family rebellion occurred.
Try to stone a rebellious child today and you will definitely be standing before the man! (and off to prison you will go). If, as parents, we train up a child in God’s Word, read him or her Bible stories instead of fairy tales about ghosts and Boogiemen, then, when the child grows into a youth, he or she will have a solid foundation before him/her. It is not about being stoned with rocks, it is all about following the ROCK of ages!
