Deferment & Levirate Marriage (Deut 24:5-10)

6/14/2009 7:56 AM

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY

 

My Worship Time                              Focus:  Deferment & Levirate marriage

 

Bible Reading & Meditation               Reference:  Deut. 24:5-10

 

            Message of the verses:  “5 ¶  "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. 6  "No one shall take a handmill or an upper millstone in pledge, for he would be taking a life in pledge. 7  "If a man is caught kidnapping any of his countrymen of the sons of Israel, and he deals with him violently or sells him, then that thief shall die; so you shall purge the evil from among you. 8  "Be careful against an infection of leprosy, that you diligently observe and do according to all that the Levitical priests teach you; as I have commanded them, so you shall be careful to do. 9  "Remember what the LORD your God did to Miriam on the way as you came out of Egypt. 10  "When you make your neighbor a loan of any sort, you shall not enter his house to take his pledge.”

            In his commentary on these verses Warren Wiersbe writes about something that is not really in these verses, for he writes about the law of the Levirate marriage, which is a law that tells the brother of a man who has been killed to marry his brother’s wife in order to have children for his brother.  I am confused because that is not what these verses are about.

            Verse five speaks of a man who has just gotten married is to stay home with his new wife a year before going into the army so that he can make his wife happy and get to know her.  Home life was more important that military life.

            Verse six speaks about making pledges.

            Verse seven speaks of kidnapping and the punishment for that crime.

            Verse eight speaks of infection of leprosy and how the Levitical priests were to handle that.

            Verse nine goes on to speak of Miriam’s leprosy, and verse ten speaks of lending money to ones neighbor.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  This series of verses speak of health and happiness, which are two important things that the Lord wants for His children.  I am not saying that happiness is so important that it is more important than spiritual growth, but it is important.

 

My Steps of Faith for Today:

 

1. Give myself to the Lord for worship and service.
2. Put on the spiritual armor.
3. Trust the Lord to guide my path today.
4. Keep a short list with the Lord.
5. Continue to learn contentment.

Memory verses for the week           :                                                           Ephesians 3:14-17

 

14.  For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,

15.  from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name,

16.  that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,

17.  so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you being rooted and grounded in love,

 

6/14/2009 8:20 AM