Deuteronomy is Moses given the people of Israel his last
instructions before they enter the Promised Land. He goes over the law that
were put forth in Leviticus and Numbers. There are many people who don’t read
Deuteronomy because it is a boring old book that reiterates the Laws of Moses.
It is true that many of the verses in Deuteronomy are reflected elsewhere in
the law. There are three verses which stood out to me as significant given our
societal climate. Verses about devotion to God, our relationships with others,
and our roles in our lives and in our society.
First, in Deuteronomy 6:5 “Love the Lord your God will all
your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” This verse is
the same one that Jesus told the Sadducees and the Pharisees when they tried to
test him in the law. They had asked him what was the greatest commandment in
the Law. (Matthew 22:36). In Matthew 22:37-38, Jesus replied, “’Love the Lord
your God will all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
This is the first and greatest commandment.” First, I noticed that in
Deuteronomy, it is commanded to love God with all one’s heart, soul and
strength and in Matthew, Jesus says with all one’s heart, soul and mind. The
changing of the word could be a mistranslation but I feel the message is still
there. We are to love God with everything we have. Every ounce of who we are
should be used to love God. Many believers’ devotions are split between God,
family, friends and their personal desires. It is hard to devote everything you
are to God and it is a constant struggle for me. It is one of the main reasons
I’m reading and blogging about the books of the Bible as I am. We live in a society
in which we are being pulled in so many different directions that we often lose
our way.
Second, Deuteronomy 13:6-8 caught my eye for a particular
reason. Last month, Kirk Cameron came out and said that “Wives are to honor and
respect and follow their husband's lead, not to tell their husband how he ought
to be a better husband. When each person gets their part right, regardless of
how their spouse is treating them, there is hope for real change in their
marriage." Of course this statement caused an uproar. While I’m not going
to argue his statement, Deuteronomy 13:6-8 stuck out as I read with Mr.
Cameron’s statement in my mind. The verse says “If your very own brother, or
your son or your daughter, or the wife [or husband] you love, or your closet friend
secretly entices you, saying ‘Let us go and worship other gods,’ do not yield
to him or listen to him. Show him no pity. Do not spare him or shield him.” Mr.
Cameron’s statement makes it seems that wives are to follow their husbands
blindly because “he said so” mentality. I don’t know if this statement as been
taken out of context and I don’t agree with many of his statements. Deuteronomy
13:6-8 clearly states that anyone who tries to lure you away from your
relationship with God, you are not to follow. Do not let the love of your
family and friends tear you away from your devotion to God.
Third, Deuteronomy 22:5 stuck out at me during my reading as
it reflects recent events in our society. The verse states “A woman must not
wear men’s clothing, nor a man wear women’s clothing, for the Lord your God
detests anyone who does this.” Does this mean that women can’t wear pants or
men wear skirts? As some churches do interpret the verse this way, it may not
be necessarily the case. It is not a statement on the actually clothing. It is
a statement about women wanting to be men and vice versa. It has been
interpreting as women should not be in battle or be in a position of authority
which is ridiculous as anyone who has read Judges knows that Deborah, one of
the greatest judges, lead the Israelites into battle. I will discuss Deborah at
length later. I think this verse is more as a guide to make sure everyone has a
role to fulfill or a job to do. I have seen this verse being used as a reason
to hate transgender individuals. As I have my own opinions and thoughts about
transgender individuals, I think using this verse as a reason to hate an
individual is extremely wrong. I’m still reminding of Matthew 22:39 after Jesus
has said what the greatest commandment was. He said the second greatest
commandment is “love your neighbor as yourself.” I am commanded to love
everyone as I love myself. I am not commended to hate or condemn. I am
commanded to treat others as I want to be treated, everything else is between
the individual and God.
In conclusion, Deuteronomy is a book of looking back while
the Israelites were moving forward to the Promise Land. It is Moses’ last
message to the people as he neared the end of his life and someone was ready to
become their new leader. It is a book of remembrance and reminders of God’s
law. The three verses I discussed stood out to me as devotion to God should
always be a main priority for any believer. And beware if anyone, regardless of
who they are, tries to stir you away from your devotion. Lastly, using a single
verse as a reason to hate is wrong. We seem to forget that Christ came to
fulfill the law and when he did so, these verses are more a lesson rather a
rule. Whenever someone tries to apply a verse as a reason for anything, think
long and hard about the verse and what it is trying to tell us. Take in the cultural
significance of the time. Always ask God for guidance.
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