Deuteronomy 14-17 - A Reminder of the Law: Part One

Now begins a recap of the law. Moses starts by going over the rules regarding clean and unclean food, what can and can't be eaten. I've never really understood this. What made an animal unclean? And why did that it mean it couldn't be eaten? The rules seem so arbitrary that I can't see any sense to them. But maybe they don't need to make sense. Maybe they were just a test of obedience.

Next, Moses talks about tithes, and he tells the people to set aside one tenth of everything they harvest. I always thought the tithes were given over completely to God, and seeing as He had no use for food I figured they were burnt like sacrifices or just left to rot, but it appears that was not the case. The food was eaten in the presence of God in the place that He decreed so that the people would revere Him. So it seems tithes were more about honouring God than they were about giving to Him. For most of us, a tenth of what we harvest now means a tenth of what we earn, but the reason for tithing has not changed. We may give money rather than food, but it is still important that we set aside a percentage of our incomes to glorify God, in whatever way we best see fit.

Now Moses moves on to talk about debt. Every seventh year, all Israelite debts were to be cancelled, although loans to foreigners could still be called in, perhaps explaining to some degree where the stereotype about Jewish moneylenders came from. This practice was intended as a safety net, so that people who found themselves in difficulty could wipe the slate clean and start again. I think it's great. Debt is a major problem in our society, and this simple solution could help so many people. To the person who has lent the money it may seem unfair, but to the person in debt it would be a lifeline. Maybe we need to put fairness to one side sometimes, and focus instead on generosity. Maybe we need to be more willing to give people second chances. After all, we'd all want someone else to give us that chance.

In talking about debt, Moses says that there should be no poor, then a few verse later he says that there will always be poor. He knows because God knows that nothing ever goes as it should. But God doesn't leave us with our messes. Just as He sewed clothes for Adam and Eve after their sin made them ashamed of their nakedness, so He built into the Law protection for those who would screw up or get let down. And so Moses tells the people not to "be hard-hearted or tight-fisted" toward someone in need, but to "freely lend whatever he needs". We too need to soften our hearts and open our hands, but not just because we are commanded to. People don't donate millions of pounds after natural disasters because someone tells them to. They do it out of love and compassion, because they know instinctively that it is right. And it is in that spirit that we must give.

Charity and the cancellation of debt weren't the only ways in which a person could get a second chance. An Israelite who had fallen on hard times could also sell themselves into servitude, guaranteeing them food and accommodation. Then after six years, if they wished to leave, their master was obliged to release them, giving them a chance to start over. But that wasn't all. Their master was to supply them "liberally" with livestock, grain and wine, providing a foundation on which to build a new life. The master really had to go out of his way to help, but God said they must do this because they were once slaves too. God rescued them and gave them hope and a new life, so they must do the same for others. Our experiences should change us for the better, especially the bad ones. Otherwise, we have suffered for nothing. And we can not expect to receive something that we are not willing to give in return.

Now Moses tells the people that every year the firstborn animals from their flocks and herds must be set apart and eaten in the presence of the Lord, just as with the tithes. Notice how they must set aside not just any animals, but the firstborn. We must give to God first because He deserves no less. In all things, He must take priority.

Next, Moses reminds the people of some of the feasts God has already instituted. He tells them once again how they must celebrate Passover and instructs them to eat unleavened bread just as they did when they left Egypt, "so that all the days of [their] life [they] may remember". Moses is talking about a festival which lasts only a few days of every year, but he still wants them to remember every single day. Because God is for life, not just for holidays. He also talks about the Feast of Weeks, celebrated seven weeks after the beginning of the harvest, when the entire community is to come together and "rejoice" before God; and the Feast of Tabernacles, celebrated seven days after the threshing and pressing has finished, when they are to "be joyful". It seems strange that God should have to command His people to be joyful, but so often we need that reminder. In taking our faith seriously, we can become too serious about our faith. We try to be on our best behaviour and we forget that we are allowed to have fun. God wants us to be committed, but He also wants us to be happy.

Moving on, we find Moses talking about justice. He instructs the people to appoint judges and officials for every town. Those appointed must judge fairly, showing no partiality and accepting no bribes. Anyone found guilty of worshipping other gods must be put to death, but no one is to be executed on the testimony of only one witness, presumably to prevent false accusations arising from personal grudges. There must be two or three witnesses, and they must be the first to carry out the death penalty, possibly so that witnesses would think more carefully before condemning a person to death. As you can see, this was a fairly sophisticated system. Justice was important. It still is, but it must always be tempered by mercy.

Finally, Moses tells the people that when they enter the promised land and ask for a king, they must appoint the man God chooses. He must be an Israelite and he must copy and learn the Law so that he may revere God and follow Him carefully. He must not acquire a great many horses or take many wives or accumulate a great deal of wealth, and he must not consider himself better than his people or above the Law. In other words, he must be humble and obedient,a figurehead and representative of God not a ruler in his own right. That doesn't sound much like any of the monarchs or world leaders I can think of. It's no wonder we're in such a mess.