Deuteronomy 24:17

On the subject of divorce as defined in the Old Testament law, the Bible says in Deuteronomy 24:17-22, “Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the fatherless; nor take a widow's raiment to pledge:[18] But thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee thence: therefore I command thee to do this thing.[19] When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands.[20] When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.[21] When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.[22] And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt: therefore I command thee to do this thing.” This was God’s welfare and food stamp system in the Old Testament. Yes, people who are vulnerable should be thought about, prayed for, and helped. The ones who should be cared for are mentioned here as: “strangers:” these are foreigners who are in a new place, perhaps a new country, and that makes them very vulnerable because of their lack of knowledge and lack of contacts. Secondly, are mentioned the “fatherless:” these are orphans and other children who have at least lost the bread winner of the family. Of course, children are very vulnerable who are without both parents to take care of them and watch out for them and provide for them. Thirdly, are mentioned widows. Widows often need help, even in the modern world; but they were even more needy in other times because being without a husband more often than not meant being without the bread-winner. And there were so few opportunities for women to be able to take care of themselves.

The Lord has different ways of helping different people. If you have plenty, then He wants you to take at least a little bit of what you have to help others who are in need. The message from God is this: do not take every bit of what you have and keep it for yourself. That is not God’s will. As it says in the New Testament, “God loves a cheerful giver.” Leave some grain in the fields and leave some fruit on the trees. Of course, those who are in need still have to do the work of going and getting the extra that was left over. Also, notice that the vulnerable were given food to eat so they would not starve, but they were not given extra spending money. If we make it too easy for the needy, they will have no motivation to find a way to take care of themselves.

The Bible says in Deuteronomy 25:1, “If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.” This is a general principle about lawsuits: usually one person is bad and the other is good. One person is trying to take advantage of the other in a selfish and deceitful way. The purpose of the court of law in these cases is to find which person is the good person and which is not. If you want to live in a good community, then you will want communities where the good people win and the bad people lose.

The Bible says in Deuteronomy 25:2-3, “And it shall be, if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to lie down, and to be beaten before his face, according to his fault, by a certain number.[3] Forty stripes he may give him, and not exceed: lest, if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should seem vile unto thee.” This verse is saying that under the law in the Old Testament times if a person is given a lashing, that it must not be excessive. It seems to me that since they were told not to go above forty stripes, that the stripes must have been relatively minor in regards to both the material used for giving the lashes and the force used in delivering the blows. For example, the Romans were much more severe and used a whip with several strands with bone or some other material on the end that would rip open the skin, which was a horrible and cruel punishment that could in itself result in death. The Roman beating and scouring is what Jesus received before His crucifixion. Anyway the Jews were told not to punish too severely out of respect for human beings. In the modern world we also have laws against cruel and unusual punishment. Unfortunately, in the modern world sometimes the opposite happens, and the punishment is not enough, such as waiting thirty years or more before someone is executed for murder.

The Bible says in Deuteronomy 25:4, “Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.” The Apostle Paul quoted from this verse and gave an important teaching about ministers of the gospel and God’s way of supplying their needs. Paul wrote in First Corinthians 9:6-14, “Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?[7] Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?[8] Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?[9] For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?[10] Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.[11] If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?[12] If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.[13] Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the alter are partakers with the alter?[14] Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.” And so we see that there are two ways for a preacher of the gospel and a pastor to be supported financially. The first way and the basic way is for a congregation to give of their substance. This principle is based upon what was written in the law: “Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.” The second way is modelled after the example of the Apostle Paul when he served in the city of Corinth and worked a secular job as a tent maker, and Paul said in verse 12 above, “Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.” Each preacher must decide which of the two ways to follow. Both ways have certain advantages and certain drawbacks. With the first method the preacher has more time to do more things, but he must be very disciplined or he will appear to be money-hungry and bring a bad name upon his calling. With the second method the preacher will be more like the average Christian, going to a secular job every day, and then doing what he can to help spread the gospel in whatever time is left over.

The Bible says in Deuteronomy 25:5-10, “If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her.[6] And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel.[7] And if the man like not to take his brother's wife, then let his brother's wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband's brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of my husband's brother.[8] Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him: and if he stand to it, and say, I like not to take her;[9] Then shall his brother's wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother's house.[10] And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed.” This whole issue of a woman under the law marrying the brother of her husband should her husband die, can be looked at from a couple of standpoints. For one thing, it shows that God is saying that there is a practical element to marriage. Of course, we can see the romantic element to marriage when we study Isaac and Rebekah, the book of Ruth and the Song of Solomon. But there is also a practical side, especially for women in other ages than the current day in which we live. Women were getting married to a man who would be charged with taking care of that woman for the rest of their lives. The woman would rely upon the man to be the bread-winner in many ways. A woman who was widowed could have easily been in a desperate situation. Some young women today would be well-advised to consider how good of a bread-winner her potential mate is. Is he a hard worker? Does he know the value of a dollar? Does he meet his practical responsibilities? Some women ended up having really bad marriages because they ended up marrying someone who had a lack of determination and lack of a work ethic. Before you get married, do not get so caught up in your emotions that you do not look at the practical side of things.

The Bible says in Deuteronomy 25:11-12, “When men strive together one with another, and the wife of the one draweth near for to deliver her husband out of the hand of him that smiteth him, and putteth forth her hand, and taketh him by the secrets:[12] Then thou shalt cut off her hand, thine eye shall not pity her.” This is a situation involving violence, and from a certain angle could almost seem comical. Imagine how Jerry Lewis or Jim Carey could have approached and interpreted a scene like this. But I think that the Bible is trying to emphasize the fact that people should always fight fair. You might have a lot of fights in your life, hopefully not physical, but certainly spiritual. There is a right way to do everything and a wrong way. If you are a servant of Christ, when the spiritual battles come, do not use the weapons of the flesh or the methods of unbelievers, but use the spiritual armor by trusting in the Lord Jesus and what He will do for you. Pray and fight the battle of faith. God will fight for you.

The Bible says in Deuteronomy 25:13-16, “Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small.[14] Thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small.[15] But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.[16] For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the LORD thy God.” Verse 12 was about being fair in fights, and these verses are about being fair in commerce. Every Christian should be known for how honest and true they are in their business dealings. You will not have a good testimony for Christ if you are not.

The Bible says in Deuteronomy 25:17-19, “Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt;[18] How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.[19] Therefore it shall be, when the LORD thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget it.” One of the spiritual principles that is evident from these verses is the fact that God blesses those who bless Israel, and God punishes those who hate or oppose Israel. Why would this be? God promised Abraham that it would be this way, and God always keeps His promises. God said to Abraham in Genesis 12:2-3, “And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:[3] And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” Both Jew and Gentiles can enter into the blessings given to Abraham by trusting in Jesus Christ.

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