Deuteronomy 22.3 3 And
you shall do the same with his donkey or with his garment, or with any lost
thing of your brother's, which he loses and you find; you may not ignore it.
– God
Hmmm, so much for “finder’s keeper’s…” There are two
understandings that are absolutely essential when it comes to reading Moses: 1. God’s
heart, 2. God was speaking to the Jews. First, God’s heart.
God cares for us and desires the best for us. (I can hear
the religious in my upbringing groaning, yes,
God loves us and God is love, but you better walk according to the straight and
narrow or God’s gonna getcha!) Funny, I don’t see that in the instructions above to not ignore the loss of personal
property by one which is found by another, and kept safely until the losee comes
to his senses and exclaims: Oh! That’s
where I left It!
God’s heart is simply this: As I have watched out for you, you are to watch out for one another.
(Sadly, that has not always been the case for me…) However, God’s heart is for all of us.
Then, God’s law. It was written for the Jews. Those with
crushed testicles (Deuteronomy 23.1) may not
enter the assembly. That just seems so un-God. I don’t know why that was the
command, but I do know that watching out for one another goes beyond injury to
one’s genitals. God chose to deal with the Jews the way He chose to deal with
them. The Church is different than the early Jewish nation.
Where we moderns tend to get into trouble, is we think
the Mosaic Law somehow applies to us (or at least parts of it). I think that’s
where we confuse God’s heart and God’s Law. Did the one whose manhood was
mushed want that to happen? Did he
intentionally go out and subject himself to that!?
I’m not sure, but I’d say, probably not.
Bottom line is: the
Law was the Law while the Law was the Law. It was written to guide the Jewish
nation until such time as their Messiah arrived, and their Law would then be
forever fulfilled. Yes, that time has come; and yes, the Mosaic Law is no more.
But, God’s heart is for our hearts, not obedience to a law. We’re to obey our
society’s law provided it doesn’t interrupt our relationship with God (God
makes that very clear). But the Law under Moses was for then, and not for now.
God’s heart is always for those who come to Him in faith,
seeking God’s desires for them. Pretty simple equation. And really, do we need to be told to watch out for one
another, or can we simply follow God’s lead in our lives and just love people as
He does, and do to them what we’d have them do to us? No law necessary for
love.
Father, it is just that simple. May I know Your heart and
then live accordingly – amen.
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