Heralds Digest

“ Therefore it shall be, when the LORD your God has given you rest from your enemies all around, in the land which the LORD your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance, that you will blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. You shall not forget. ” (Deuteronomy 25:19 NKJV) Finding rest from the consistent hassles of life is not just the primary occupation of man, it is evidently the priority of our God. Among all the enemies that confronted the Israelites on their way from Egypt to the Promised Land, the Amalekites turned out the favorites of special interest to God. They fought the Israelites not just for pursuits of competition on personal interest, but for condemnation of the purpose of their God – His rest. Therefore, beside the physical confrontation led by Joshua, there was the spiritual battle of gods with Moses, Aaron, and Hur leading God’s team on the top of the hill in Rephidim, against the host of darkness. We cannot remember God’s rest and forget the i...

" You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain ." (Deuteronomy 25:4 NKJV) A muzzled ox may appear a preferred approach in order to prevent further destruction of vegetation; it is obviously a limited strategy of placing zero confidence on the potential productivity of the poor animal. Unlike a muzzled relationship, the worth of a man with collaborative efforts is more than his wallet. There is always the possibility of turning every opportunity in life into great productivity, if collective hope is kept alive. Even when all hope is personally viewed as lost, a little encouragement in the activities of others may turn out the little light that pull the turn-around surprise.

"And if the man is poor, you shall not keep his pledge overnight. You shall in any case return the pledge to him again when the sun goes down, that he may sleep in his own garment and bless you; and it shall be righteousness to you before the Lord your God." (Deuteronomy 24:12-13 NKJV) In God's economy for a sustainable world, the security of the poor is the liability of the rich. By practice in some of the nations of the world, manageable food and housing securities for the poor are sustained by a comparable social system. However, financial institutions would be cautious with approving credit facilities, by managing risks with reasonable collateral or pledge. But as any credit facility without dependable pledge threatens the economy of the system, our righteousness is threatened without a flash of generosity.

"You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother. You shall not abhor an Egyptian, because you were an alien in his land." (Deuteronomy 23:7 NKJV) Pain is the natural product of any unpleasant relationship with people and places. However, God's purpose for His people in pain is quite different from their enemies' intentions. Even though the purposes of Edom and Egypt to delay and distract Israel from getting to Canaan were successful, these purposes were perfectly aligned with the agenda of the Almighty God. Therefore, the purpose in Israel's pain could never be bitterness against Edom and Egypt. Likewise, if our focus on God is perfect with pain, we can praise God for every agent of pain in our life.

" But if a man finds a betrothed young woman in the countryside, and the man forces her and lies with her, then only the man who lay with her shall die ." (Deuteronomy 22:25 NKJV) The Mosaic law underscores the sacredness of engagement vows by providing different judgments to the same sin of raping an unmarried lady, depending on the status of the victim. If the victim is not engaged, the offender gets an unprepared marriage contract; but a death sentence is offered, if the victim is engaged. Obviously, the forceful breaking of other's open engagement vow is considered the murder of fellow's dream and the termination of the anticipated blessing of his union with the victim. Although this law is irrelevant in many of today's jurisprudence, the disregard of other's sacred engagement is still a significant setback to marital bliss. However, God's grace is sufficient for unlawful victims of secret spiritual engagements.

“ You shall not see your brother’s ox or his sheep going astray, and hide yourself from them; you shall certainly bring them back to your brother .” (Deuteronomy 22:1 NKJV) Although man’s character can be negatively shaped by his circumstances, the Creator’s perception about our inate characteristics remains the same – good. Good does nothing other than goodness, unless a self-imposed influence constraints it in the opposite direction. Anybody can finds frustration when goodness is mostly desired. Unfortunately, nobody finds goodness unless somebody makes other’s needs a priority. The hidden goodness in us may be the solution to most of our frustrations in life.

“ If a man has committed a sin deserving of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God .” (Deuteronomy 21:22-23 NKJV) Under the Jewish law, the father of any rebellious and stubborn son would readily acknowledge the responsibility of being the first accuser and accept the resultant death penalty of his son. The possible logic could be that a rebellious and unrepentant son may later suffer as a public offender, standing accused of man and accursed of God, if convicted. Unfortunately, this same height of shame, which is undesirable to any earthly father, is suffered by our heavenly Father when His only begotten Son was offered on the cross. In God’s redemption plan, a sinner saved from sin is worth the shame of Christ being accused and accursed.