Deuteronomy 19-21; Psalm 46; Galatians 3

Deuteronomy 19
1-13 Cities of Refuge

• After you have "dispossessed" the nations (an established fact, as far as God is concerned), set apart 3 cities, equidistant so one guilty of manslaughter could flee to any one of them. In Numbers 35, there were six. The other three are east of the Jordan (Deuteronomy 4:41-43).
• Example of manslaughter given, and reason for cities of refuge: so avenger of blood won't take justice into his own hands
• If you follow God's commands and he enlarges your territory, you'll be able to add 3 more cities of refuge
• One guilty of premeditated murder will be removed from city of refuge and killed.
• Show no pity.
  

14-23 Property Boundaries and Witnesses

• Don't move your neighbor's property boundaries
• Convictions made only on evidence of 2 or 3 witnesses
• False witness will receive punishment he intended for his victim -- to be made an example
• Show no pity: "life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot." This is one of the most well-known of Old Testament passages, yet this is the only time -- so far -- that I have noticed it. In context, it shows God's utter disdain for falsehood born out of malice.

Deuteronomy 20 Rules of Warfare

• If enemy is larger, do not be afraid. The LORD God is with you.
• Before battle, the priest will remind you that God will give you victory.
• Next: the commanders will tell the armies that if they have any unfinished business (house dedication; enjoying fruit from a vineyard; marriage), they'd better take care of it, in case they don't survive the battle. Not much comfort here! Apparently, victory doesn't mean every soldier will survive.
• For towns that are far off:
• As you approach a town, first offer terms of peace. If they accept, they will be your slaves.
• It not, kill all the men, but take everything -- and everyone -- else as spoil.
• But for towns you are inheriting -- the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, Jebusites -- annihilate them -- get rid of their pagan influences
• In a siege, don't destroy food-producing trees -- only those you'll use for wood.
• Funny statement: "Are trees in the field human beings that they should come under siege from you?" So it's okay to fight against humans, but leave the trees be.
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Deuteronomy 21
1-9 Murder by Unknown Person

• If body is found in field, but killer is not known, the elders from the nearest town are to bring a never-worked heifer to a running stream and break its neck there
• In the presence of the priests, they are to wash their hands above the heifer and declare their innocence and ask God for absolution

10-14 Female Captives

• If soldier wants to marry a captive woman, he brings her into his house, where she shaves her head, pares her nails, and discards her garb.
• She stays in his house for a month, mourning her family
• After the month, he may marry her, but if he changes his mind, he is to let her go free. She is not to become a slave, "since you have dishonored her."
  

15-17 Right of the Firstborn - A firstborn is to receive his rightful inheritance, even if his mother may not be the preferred wife. Polygamy seems to be an acceptable practice -- though a possible problem is implied: A man will probably prefer one wife over another and tend to favor her children as well.

18-21 Rebellious Children

• If a son is stubborn and rebellious, a glutton and a drunkard, then parents can take him to the elders, and all the men of the town will stone him to death
• Reason? "So you shall purge the evil from your midst; and all Israel will hear, and be afraid." This theme of making an example of evildoers is repeated again and again. It's a sacrifice of one for the good of the whole.

22-23 Re: Execution by hanging - You must bury the body the same day, "for anyone hung on a tree is under God's curse." A reference to the ignominious death of Christ (Galatians 3:13 - Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us - for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree" -- which is in today's reading, coincidentally.)

Psalm 46
Familiar passages from this psalm:
1 - "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."
2 - "Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult." I remember this being a particularly appropriate passage in the aftermath of Katrina. See Meditation Moments, written in September 2005, published here on March 13, 2008.

Galatians 3
1-18 Law, or Faith?

• "You foolish Galatians!" Paul is again incredulous that they are following where the Judaizing teachers are trying to lead them. They saw the crucified Jesus for themselves; they received the Holy Spirit; they saw miracles. Do they now believe that was all from doing the works of the law?
• Even the Father of the Jews -- Abraham -- wasn't saved by the works of the law. He was saved by faith. So as Gentiles you'll become his child not by following the old law but by believing. That's what God told Abraham would happen.
• You'll be cursed if you try to follow the law -- because that's what happens to those who break the law -- and you will break it. Christ took that curse on himself on the cross.
  
• God made the promise to Abraham that all the nations would be blessed in him. The law does not nullify that promise.

19-29 Purpose of the Law

• Added because of sin -- a guide for God's people until the one came who would be the true offspring of Abraham.
• The law helps fulfill God's promise, but it cannot produce righteousness. It's a system of sin and punishment.
• The law was used as a disciplinarian, but faith frees us from the disciplinarian.
• All who are baptized wear the same clothes -- Christ -- and there is no gender or ethnic distinction.
  
• All who are Christ's are children of God and heirs of the promise made to Abraham.