Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy Chapter 22

• Deuteronomy 22:1 Thou shalt not see thy brother's ox or his sheep go astray, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt in any case bring them again unto thy brother. 
• 2 And if thy brother be not nigh unto thee, or if thou know him not, then thou shalt bring it unto thine own house, and it shall be with thee until thy brother seek after it, and thou shalt restore it to him again. 
• 3 In like manner shalt thou do with his ass; and so shalt thou do with his raiment; and with all lost thing of thy brother's, which he hath lost, and thou hast found, shalt thou do likewise: thou mayest not hide thyself. 
• 4 Thou shalt not see thy brother's ass or his ox fall down by the way, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt surely help him to lift them up again. 

I believe sincerely that the word brother here includes anyone that has a problem and loses something. It could be brothers like we think of as brothers and sisters in the Lord, a natural brother or sister, a neighbor or anyone that we would consider a person who is in need. The verse in Matthew comes to mind about doing unto others as we would have them do unto us. Also the teaching of who is thy neighbor comes to mind. In the case here of Israel, it would be anyone from any tribe of Israel at that time.

• Matthew 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. 

Being concerned about the needs of those that live by us should be a natural way of life.

• Luke 10:29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? 
• 30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 
• 31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 
• 32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. 
• 33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, 
• 34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 
• 35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. 
• 36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? 
• 37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise. 

I believe this is what the law teaches. Not just a natural brother but anyone in need like the teaching about the neighbor. Love does not want to gain at another one's loss. What a blessing it is to restore to someone something they lost. To see the relief and joy they have on their faces is truly a greater reward than having the thing in our own possession. That truly is the law of love and it is what the law is all about. I was going into the grocery store with my son once and he noticed someone's wallet in the empty cart outside. I took it inside the the service desk and gave it to them. After getting groceries, I went to the service desk to ask if the owner found the wallet. The woman at the desk said happily, that a woman came to inquire if anyone found her wallet and was so happy to have recovered it. My son and I was so glad the way it turned out.

• Deuteronomy 22:5 The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God. 

Here is a touchy issue but we must understand the heart of what is being taught here. We live in a day of grace and salvation comes not by what we wear but by our faith in Christ, being born again by the Spirit. After receiving Christ it most probably will affect the way we dress but if a person has been brought up completely unlearned in the scripture, they probably will dress in a manner in which they were brought up and according to the culture in which they live. 

What I believe is being taught here is a distinction in God's creation between a man and a woman. I might throw on man's shirt to do some painting or something but other than that I'm completely uncomfortable wearing men's clothing. Most men wouldn't dream of dressing like a woman. It is kind of weird. At one time in American history women did not wear pants. Now wearing pants is part of our culture whether it is good or bad I don't know but most women wear them just because it is how they were brought up and not because it is in their hearts to sin against God. It is the condition of the heart that matters. 

Rebellion against the natural order of God and the way we were created is not good and in the long run we will suffer some kind of consequences like a mental disorder or a reprobate mind completely devoid of anything even close to godliness. This is how our country is bent toward today and we will see bad fruit as a result. It's gotten so bad now the some are trying to change the gender of children they think should be changed. It really ruins their bodies badly.

At one time also the only women that wore makeup were prostitutes. Now it is part of the culture we live in and they may wear it not because they are trying to attract the wrong kind of attention to themselves but because it is part of the culture. God looks on the heart. If our desire is to attract married men to ourselves and look desirable to someone other than our own spouse, then the sin is in the heart no matter how we are dressed. 

I personally admire the modest clothing of Mennonite and Amish believers. I don't know if that would suit me personally but I understand why they live the way they do. It is to be admired. Yet salvation does not come by their dress codes as good as they are but by the condition of their hearts. Have they we been "born again" by the precious spirit of God.? Is the question we must ask ourselves?

God's law does teach that men and women are different, that only men are to marry women, not other men. Anything else is confusion. Perhaps God saw a time when women and men would dress alike similar to how we do today and He saw the rise in unnatural (out of God's design and order) as a danger and threat to our existence. Despite what they say in today's world, living in sexual sin does bring disease and total confusion. It shortens the life and threatens society as a whole. God wants what is best for us. The way we dress just might reflect what is truly in our hearts although it is not the dress itself but the condition of the heart that makes the sin. 

Here is what John Wesley wrote on the subject:

Deuteronomy 22:5 Shall not wear - Namely, ordinarily or unnecessarily, for in some cases this may be lawful, as to make an escape for one's life. Now this is forbidden, both for decency sake, that men might not confound those sexes which God hath distinguished, that all appearance of evil might be avoided, such change of garments carrying a manifest sign of effeminacy in the man, of arrogance in the woman, of lightness and petulancy in both; and also to cut off all suspicions and occasions of evil, which this practice opens a wide door to.

Keep in mind that John Wesley lived in the day when women only wore dresses, never pants. 

Here is what Clarke wrote on the subject:
Deuteronomy 22:5 

The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man - כלי גבר keli geber, the instruments or arms of a man. As the word גבר geber is here used, which properly signifies a strong man or man of war, it is very probable that armor is here intended; especially as we know that in the worship of Venus, to which that of Astarte or Ashtaroth among the Canaanites bore a striking resemblance, the women were accustomed to appear in armor before her. It certainly cannot mean a simple change in dress, whereby the men might pass for women, and vice versa. This would have been impossible in those countries where the dress of the sexes had but little to distinguish it, and where every man wore a long beard. It is, however, a very good general precept understood literally, and applies particularly to those countries where the dress alone distinguishes between the male and the female. The close-shaved gentleman may at any time appear like a woman in the female dress, and the woman appear as a man in the male’s attire. Were this to be tolerated in society, it would produce the greatest confusion. Clodius, who dressed himself like a woman that he might mingle with the Roman ladies in the feast of the Bona Dea, was universally execrated.

• Deuteronomy 22:6 If a bird's nest chance to be before thee in the way in any tree, or on the ground, whether they be young ones, or eggs, and the dam sitting upon the young, or upon the eggs, thou shalt not take the dam with the young: 
• 7 But thou shalt in any wise let the dam go, and take the young to thee; that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days. 

We see here a God of compassion. This reminds me of another verse. 

• Deuteronomy 14:21 Ye shall not eat of any thing that dieth of itself: thou shalt give it unto the stranger that is in thy gates, that he may eat it; or thou mayest sell it unto an alien: for thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk. 

In verse 22:7 is seems they were allowed to take the young but allow the mother to live. Both mother and the young were not to be taken. In Deuteronomy 14:21 they were not to take a young goat that was not yet weaned from his mother's milk. 

I don't fully understand all of this but it does carry with it a promise of prolonging our days on the earth by being compassionate and having a heart that cares not only for people but animals as well. Israel was to keep from idolatry and anything that defiles. They were to be holy unto the Lord. This applies also to any of us who have been adopted into the family of God by the new birth which is a result of our faith in Jesus Christ. We are to live in holiness not by trying to keep the rituals and religious works of the law but by our love and faith toward Jesus Christ. 

• Romans 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. 

In reading all these things, lets remember that God is for us. He is out for our good, not our misery.

• Deuteronomy 22:8 When thou buildest a new house, then thou shalt make a battlement for thy roof, that thou bring not blood upon thine house, if any man fall from thence. 

God never ceases to amaze me. His law is where we get some of our laws today about responsibility. Keeping wells covered so a child can't fall in, fencing a swimming pool in, and other such sensible laws. They were to build their houses so that those on the roof would not fall off easily. Their roofs were flat and used to stand guard and watch for enemies. They were to build battlements around the edge. See how God cares for little things like this. Accidental deaths do not please the Lord especially if it is caused by our laziness or neglect. 

• Deuteronomy 22:9 Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with divers seeds: lest the fruit of thy seed which thou hast sown, and the fruit of thy vineyard, be defiled. 
• 10 Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together. 
• 11 Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts, as of woollen and linen together. 

God seems to dislike a mixture. Light and dark does not mix. Compromise with sin defiles the flesh and causes trouble. This may be what is taught here. The seed was to be pure, not mixed with other seeds. This causes confusion when we try to mix different species. God created everything perfect, we don't need to change how he made things. Israel was not to mingle with the heathen who lived in idolatry. It would defile them and cause confusion. A believer in Christ is to keep themselves unspotted from the world. We are to share the gospel but not share in the sin of those that do not yet know the gospel. 

They is why a believer in Christ should never marry one that does not believe. It creates a mixture. I want to make it clear though because occasionally someone gets the idea that if they marry and unbeliever and want to get out of the marriage later, they might think its okay to just abandon that spouse and marry another. No. Two wrongs do not make a right. Its still a marriage. A sacred vow in the presence of God.   

• Deuteronomy 22:12 Thou shalt make thee fringes upon the four quarters of thy vesture, wherewith thou coverest thyself. 

This was part of the law before the law was written in our hearts by the Spirit indwelling that comes after receiving Christ into our lives. Here is what Wesley says about this verse:

Deuteronomy 22:12 Fringes - Or laces, or strings, partly to bring the commands of God to their remembrance, as it is expressed, Numbers 15:38, and partly is a public profession of their nation and religion, whereby they might be distinguished from strangers, that so they might be more circumspect to behave as became the people of God, and that they should own their religion before all the world. Thou coverest thyself - These words seem restrictive to the upper garment wherewith the rest were covered.

• Deuteronomy 22:13 If any man take a wife, and go in unto her, and hate her, 
• 14 And give occasions of speech against her, and bring up an evil name upon her, and say, I took this woman, and when I came to her, I found her not a maid: 
• 15 Then shall the father of the damsel, and her mother, take and bring forth the tokens of the damsel's virginity unto the elders of the city in the gate: 
• 16 And the damsel's father shall say unto the elders, I gave my daughter unto this man to wife, and he hateth her; 
• 17 And, lo, he hath given occasions of speech against her, saying, I found not thy daughter a maid; and yet these are the tokens of my daughter's virginity. And they shall spread the cloth before the elders of the city. 
• 18 And the elders of that city shall take that man and chastise him; 
• 19 And they shall amerce him in an hundred shekels of silver, and give them unto the father of the damsel, because he hath brought up an evil name upon a virgin of Israel: and she shall be his wife; he may not put her away all his days. 
• 20 But if this thing be true, and the tokens of virginity be not found for the damsel: 
• 21 Then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die: because she hath wrought folly in Israel, to play the whore in her father's house: so shalt thou put evil away from among you. 

In today's world this seems to be harsh and strict but it is given to show us the seriousness of sexual immorality and the seriousness of sin against God. This type of sin brought the death penalty under the law. This sin can be forgiven, cleansed and put away from us under the law of grace. We can be thankful for that but we can see from this that it was serious. We are to go and sin no more like Jesus said to the woman found committing adultery. 

• John 8:10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? 
• 11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. 

We are quick to show the Lord's mercy to this women here but we forget, he told her to go and sin no more. We are never given a license to continue in sin under the law of grace. 

By reading the severity of the law we see the great price Jesus paid. He actually took the punishment for this sin along with all other sins when He died on the cross or execution stake as some call it. We can be free from sin by our faith in Him and what He did on our behalf. Jesus in no way paid that price to give us a license to sin and still claim salvation. He came not just to pay the price for our sins but to cleanse us from that sin. 

• John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 

It is an humbling thought indeed to think of the mercy and grace brought to us through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ to save us from all sin. 

• Revelation 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 

His blood was shed so that I could be free, the very Son of God who died for me. 

• Deuteronomy 22:22 If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel. 

Again we are shown the seriousness of adultery. Taking another man's wife was adultery. It defiles whole nations. It destroyed the household of King David. We can be cleansed from this sin but we are to go and sin no longer after than cleansing. This sin brought the death penalty. That means if we do these things and are not cleansed by coming to Christ for salvation, we will die in these sins and be lost for eternity. This is why Christ came and why we need Christ because unless we die as an innocent child, sooner or later we would be breaking one of these laws of God. The only way to eternal life is to be cleansed from the sin of breaking the law. Only the blood of Christ can cleanse us from any sin. 

• Deuteronomy 22:23 If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her; 
• 24 Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbour's wife: so thou shalt put away evil from among you. 

Notice also how serious God considers marriage and even the agreement to be engaged to be married. No outsider was to come along and defile a women that was promised to someone else.

• Deuteronomy 22:25 But if a man find a betrothed damsel in the field, and the man force her, and lie with her: then the man only that lay with her shall die: 
• 26 But unto the damsel thou shalt do nothing; there is in the damsel no sin worthy of death: for as when a man riseth against his neighbour, and slayeth him, even so is this matter: 
• 27 For he found her in the field, and the betrothed damsel cried, and there was none to save her. 
• 28 If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found; 
• 29 Then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel's father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days. 
• 30 A man shall not take his father's wife, nor discover his father's skirt. 

It was serious to take a damsel that was not betrothed but even more serious to lie with someone who was engaged to be married. It was similar to adultery and brought a death penalty. This is to show us that if we die in our sins we will not inherit eternal life. That sin remains in our souls after death. Only the power of the God and the cleansing that comes by our faith in Jesus Christ, the one God sent to take away our sins can keep us from eternal death and the damnation of our souls. 

We take these things so lightly today but it is still a serious sin to commit adultery. God hates divorce and putting away our vows and commitments to one another. Once a man marries a wife, he is responsible to her. He is to support and care for her all the days of his life. If she goes from him and refuses to be a wife, that may be different but he is responsible to care for her and support her. 

Two Christian believers who name the name of Christ should never utter the word divorce if at all possible. There is always exceptions and bad circumstances that cause divorce but as a general rule, we must respect marriage and be faithful to our spouses. If we can't be faithful in marriage, how can we be faithful to the Lord. We must remember too though that through Christ genuine repentance for sins of the past are forgiven when we come to Christ. -DC

Deuteronomy 23