Amen, so Deuteronomy chapter 21 is kind of continuing the same theme that we've
seen in 17, 18, and 19. God starts just dealing with a lot of civil matters,
specifically how they're gonna deal with the case of murder or somebody being
slain, and he's showing us here that what happens when the murder is not found. Of
course, we talked about in the last couple weeks in several different
chapters what to do when the murder is found or if it's a case of manslaughter.
It was an accident, you know, somebody gets killed on accident, they
were to flee to a city. But here we're seeing the case where the murder, someone
has been killed, but we don't know who did it. So there's even a course of
action to be taken in this instance as well, and it says there in verse 1,
If one be found slain in the land which Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it,
lying in the field, and it be not known who has slain him, then the elders and
thy judges shall come forth, and they shall measure unto the cities which are
round about him that is slain. And it shall be that that which is next unto
the slain man, even the elders of that city, shall take an heifer which hath
not been wrought with, and which not drawn in the oak. And the elders of that
city shall bring down the heifer into a rough valley, which is neither eared nor
sown, and they shall strike off the heifer's neck in the valley. And the
priest, the son of Levi, shall come near for them the Lord thy God
hath chosen to minister unto him, to bless in the name of the Lord. And by
their word shall every controversy and every stroke be tried. And all the elders
of that city that are next unto the slain man shall wash their hands over
the heifer that is beheaded in the valley, and shall answer and say, Our
hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it. So God has some
pretty elaborate instructions here, some real specific instructions of what's
supposed to take place even in the instance where we don't know who killed
him. We don't know that this guy is slain in the field, it's obviously you know not
a natural death, but nobody saw this who killed him, it's unknown. And what that
should show us is that again as the theme has been these last few weeks when
we're dealing with these topics is that God is careful when it comes to innocent
blood. You know we talked about in the in the in a few weeks ago in Deuteronomy 19
about the fact that you know God even provided cities that the that the slayer
who killed somebody you know unintentionally could flee to. Why? That
innocent blood be not shed in thy land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for
inheritance and so blood be upon thee. You know God is one who requites
innocent blood unto people even unto whole nations and that's why he's really
taking the time here and going through every one of these instances and
circumstances where innocent blood has been shed and it needs to be dealt with.
It's because God is a God of justice and he's going to avenge innocent blood. So
he's going that's why we have this elaborate kind of thing here with the
heifer and going into a certain valley and the measuring under the nearest city.
You know God there there is no pass when it comes to innocent blood basically. You
know but people could be tempted to say oh we found this dead guy but we don't
know who did it so you know big deal. We can't prove who did it so obviously
we're off the hook. Bible says no. God wants to make sure that that's the case
that he wants diligent inquiry to be made. He wants people to go back to their
city and ask hey did you see anything? Did you hear anything? Do you know
anything about this? And that after they had done that then they would come to
this and do this procedure of striking off the head of the heifer washing their
hands over it in water and confessing and say we do not know who did this.
And here's the thing you say well this is kind of redundant. God talks about
this a lot. Well that's because God wants people to be sensitive to innocent blood
being shed. He doesn't want us being hardened to this topic and quite frankly
I'm getting ahead of myself a little bit but that is what's going on in this
country. People are you know and even this world people have become very
hardened to this type of thing to where it's just kind of not a big deal right.
Before we get into that though I want to talk a little bit about some of the
symbolism that's here though because I think this is interesting that he
chooses specific animal and it's done in a certain place that this procedure is
all taken care of. So first of all he says that they were to take a heifer
right if you look there in verse 3 he says and it shall be that the city was
next next unto the slain man. Well first of all what they do is they would
measure. They would probably pace off the nearest cities and then whoever was
nearest to that city you know they're the ones that were going to go through
all this right and they would take a heifer there and it says in verse 3 that
even the elders shall take in heifer which hath not been wrought with meaning
they didn't put it to any work right which hath not drawn in the yoke. Now if
you've spent any time around you know dairy animals or anything like that
bovine you know a heifer is a cow that has not been impregnated it is a cow
that has not given birth okay it's a cow that has not you know brought forth
after its kind so that's what a heifer is all right it's a it's a it's a young
cow and there's sense I believe that the the the symbology here is what does that
heifer represent you know what elsewhere in another passage that talks about the
red heifer that was to be burned and its ashes taken out you know that there's a
lot of symbology I believe there with Christ but this one you know in
particular I believe is to remind these men of the lost potential in this life
that's what God is showing us here because a heifer you know it is an
animal that has a lot of potential you know when I worked for a short time on a
dairy farm you know you knew who the heifers were and you paid attention to
them and you waited to see when they got pregnant when they were gonna calve and
you took care of them because after they calved then they could produce milk you
know there's a lot of potential in a heifer you know a lot of gain can be
made and I believe that's why God is saying hey you need to use a heifer that
hasn't done any work and that has not rot it hasn't been in the yoke because
what it's showing us is that this person that's been slain you know that's a loss
of life that's a lot that person is not going to be able to do a lot of the
things that they would have been able to do that's some of the symbology and I'm
sure there's other you know more meaningful things you could probably get
out of that but when I'm reading that that's what I see is that they're saying
hey you know just like this heifer is a waste so is this man's life you know we
shouldn't just you know turn a blind eye to that and say well that's too bad you
know that's a that's a wasted life a life that could have been productive a
life that could have done great things for God you know the slain there they
had much to offer in life potentially you know could have been an innocent
person who had a family or would have had a family or could have done a lot of
different things what about the symbolism of the fact that it was done
in a rough valley right that kind of shows I believe what that's showing us
there is the manner of death that this person died you know unknown because it
was done in a valley where it was not eared nor sown if you look there in
verse 4 and the elders that city shall bring the down the heifer into a rough
valley which is neither ear nor sown and shall strike off the heifer's neck you
know people don't gravitate towards rough valleys especially if they're
trying to you know farm the land this is probably they were going to a place that
it was uninhabited they're going to a place that people wouldn't venture you
know he's trying to get people to kind of realize what's taking place here with
the slain individual you know one a wife has been wasted and to the manner in
which this person died there was no one there to witness it you know this was
done unawares this was done something you know where nobody was there to see
it was done down in a sort of a rough valley you know where nobody is and it
was not known it was not it was unseen by others because it's uninhabited then
of course there's the striking off of the heifer's neck okay and of course he
clarifies later in the passage they said when they have beheaded it so that's
what it means by striking off the neck means that's where you're gonna hack the
head off okay and it's the beheading of the animal in verse 6 is where that's
clarified and you have to think you know they're this doesn't talking about a
guillotine can't and I you know I'm gonna paint a little bit of a gruesome
picture here you know cutting off and ahead of an animal is no that's not a
quick process and it's not a pleasant one you know it did they didn't say kill
it and then do it that's that's how you're gonna kill it I mean that's you
know they're sawing there's hacking there's there's gonna be a lot of
screaming and kicking and yelling and it's very painful and in a very
unpleasant process you know I remember I you know I whatever the cows come up in
the Bible love it because I can you know make a lot of analogies having worked on
a dairy farm you know I remember we used to have to go through this process
called dehorning you know if they if they didn't get them when they were
little they'd burn the little when they're just little cows and they're
little the the horns first come through they're just these little round just
marble sized little bits of bone popping through their head and you just take a
hot iron it's got a cup on it and it's holding on there and it it just kills
the nerve instantly and burns it off and it pops out and then they don't have any
horns but if you're if you get a little lazy and you don't do that and then the
horns start to grow when those animals get bigger then you got to go in there
and wrangle them and take these big what's you know basically giant shears
and cut off these horns off their head and blood spurts and animals kick it's
very unpleasant I don't enjoy it at all and they found no pleasure in it I knew
somebody else who was a little crazy that kind of got into that but it's
weird right but that's what that you know now imagine and you know say oh I
can't believe you cut off its horns well imagine having to go and hack its head
off and that's what God's saying to do here take this animal down into the
valley and chop off its head you know God doesn't really sit there and you
know get real graphic because he doesn't have to we all understand the process
that's involved here it's not just you know there was no Japanese katana blade
that it was just and it was just done you know or whatever they say when they
do that you know it was like whack whack whack I mean you can just imagine the
scene let that sink in see why why would God do that why couldn't they just you
know just stone it or kill it quickly or just let it you know cut its throat
and let it just bleed out real fast you know pass out before it even dies why
couldn't they just have a more humane way of doing it because he's trying to
remind us of what happened to this individual I mean murder is a gruesome
thing we get to feel bad about what happened this cow key imagine what that
person went through when their life's being snuffed out in a violent way I
believe that's what God's trying to impress upon these people about what's
taking place in their land is that there's been a loss of life a loss of
potential that it's happened you know in a rough valley where there's nobody
around no one to hear him scream no one to come to help no aid just feeling
completely alone and helpless at the hands of some predator or murderer
whatever it is and then of course the actual violent course of death that this
person had to suffer and that's what God's trying to impose on the you know
press upon these people so when they finally say hey I don't know anything
about it that they're you know they've there make sure that that is in fact the
case so I believe that's what a lot of this symbolism is it's it's not so much
as this great spiritual application it is it's just God trying to impress upon
these people what's taking place in your land murder violence you know gruesome
things have happened so that's what I think that was going on there and you
know it probably made them more accountable when they went through this
when they would go through this process you know and they realized hey we know
the protocol here and you know quite frankly I'm not really looking forward
to going hacking off some you know hiking down in some rough valley and
chopping off the head of you know a perfectly good animal I'm not looking
forward to that so if I'm one of these judges you know if I'm one of these
elders in this city I'm gonna probably make more diligent inquiry I'm gonna go
back I'm not just gonna be lackadaisical about it ask a few people hey you know
about it well we just got to go down spelling cops I don't want to do that
you know one because the impression that's been made upon me about what's
happened but also because that's a huge inconvenience and a waste and I'm gonna
swear before God that I don't know anything about it so now I'm gonna go
back to my city and I'm gonna ask everyone and I'm gonna make sure nobody
knows anything and and get to the bottom of it that's probably you know what took
place here or at least should have you know you know as I'm thinking this
through I'm thinking it made them more accountable it made them you know and
likely forced a more diligent inquiry in their communities and you know you
say well why why was it the people that were closest to the guy because that's
most likely where the murderer was I mean who here has ever tried to hide a
body it's not easy I mean so I've heard right you would have to of course it's
probably gonna come from the nearest city because you know it's probably you
know you know try picking up it's somebody who just goes completely limp
you're like oh they're only a couple you know 180 pounds 140 pounds whatever if
they're just even if they're just little all those joints and everything they're
very difficult to move a human so that's probably you know someone would only go
so far as far as as they needed to go you know before they felt like well this
is a good spot you know and they would get rid of them so that's probably why
they chose the nearest city now look there in verse 8 it says be merciful old
Lord unto thy people Israel who now has redeemed and lay no innocent blood unto
thy people of Israel chart Israel's charge and the blood shall be forgiven
them so that's what these guys are praying there at the end of verse 7 they
shall answer and say our hands have not shed this blood neither have I seen it
be merciful Oh God you know because and why are they asking for mercy again
because God avenges innocent blood they're begging for mercy they're doing
all this they're saying we made a diligent inquiry we brought the heifer
we're going through this process God we don't know anything please be merciful
unto us and lay not innocent blood unto thy people of Israel's charge and the
blood shall be forgiven them you know God's you know God is not God is very
just and God definitely executes wrath and justice but there's always a way to
get mercy from God and you know here's a way to do it this is what they had to
know if they decided not to do this would they would God grant them that
mercy would they be free from the guilt of this innocent blood no they wouldn't
they had to go through this process and he says in verse 9 so shalt thou put away
the guilt of innocent blood from among you when thou shalt do that which is
right in the sight of the Lord you know you don't want to be guilty do what's
right so the whole purpose of this whole person you know this whole process is to
give account for the innocent blood you know and the elders they were gonna be
the ones that were gonna be making the inquiry and that they were gonna be
truthful in saying that they knew nothing of it and here's the thing they
might not know anything about it but God knows that whether or not that's the
case you know the Bible says you know be not hasty to utter anything before God
you know they don't want to show up there on this day and say well we don't
know anything about it while the whole times God's going well it's because you
didn't make diligent inquiry the murders in your city buddy you know if you'd
asked around a little bit more you would have found that out you know God's
trying to get them to do the right thing here by making this process you know
difficult and unpleasant and what people need to understand is that you know you
can't just just say well I don't know anything about it if you haven't really
looked into it you know if we haven't really tried to get to the bottom of
things and you know they would also understand these elders they would
understand that God knows who did do it you know it was professor plum with the
candlestick you know God God has all the cards he knows who did this and what
God is doing here with this with all of these things and what we have to take
away from all this because obviously we're not doing this today you know and
we as individuals specifically the people in this room we're never gonna do
this we're not elders in some city what why do we even have to read this today
what does it even matter to any of us room about this red heifer and cutting
off its head in some valley somewhere what does it even matter well it's good
for us to read these things and hear these things because it's impressing
upon us the fact that God hates the shedding of innocent blood and that God
does not want us to become calloused to things like murder and violence God
doesn't want us to become calloused to these things and quite frankly our
society has our society is very hardened to things like murder you know in any
one of us that have grown up you know watching any amount of you know
television or movies we could probably confess one to another that are even our
own hearts have become calloused to things like murder just from all the
entertainment we've seen just from all the movies we've seen you know Rambo
the Terminator the predator all these you know action flicks where we just
people are getting blown to bits and shot up and everything else where it's
just like oh yeah that's you know most people you know there was a time you
would never see anything like that except in real life and it wouldn't
shock you it would have a real because it would be real we just watch it it's
just real as it could be as on television and we look at it oh yes
after a while well that's normal and what happens is what we're becoming
desensitized we're becoming callous to this and you know the quite the
philosophical question is if you're watching something that's depicted as
real isn't it just as good as real I mean so it's make-believe yeah but it's
depicting an actual event in a very realistic way so is it really fake
that's the thing we have to ask ourselves and that's where our society
is I mean every other movie that comes out is somebody some psycho killer
horror story you know people mangling each other some murderer you know that
they're just they abound it's everywhere we have it and we're living in a society
that's become calloused to murder and violence you know it's it's a form of
entertainment you know the murder mystery specials you know they'll show
you that you know the blurred out images from the crime scene you know then they
explain the whole story you know 48 hours and all these other things all and
it just becomes a form of us just to entertain just to pass the time we're
just gonna we're just gonna kill time by just watching some murder by just
watching some innocent blood be shed that's where this society is and you
know God is you know so that's why it matters that's why we should spend a
little time in Deuteronomy chapter 21 tonight maybe to shake us and wake us up
a little bit and understand that murder isn't just you know a fun thing to watch
on television that people really do get killed that people innocent blood really
is being shed even today and that we don't want to become calloused people
towards it you know I mean do we have to talk about abortion I mean is there
not innocent blood just being shed in this land are people not callous to that
I mean they're so callous they stand up and say it's our right to do it and
they'll make signs and march up and down Washington and every other street and
have their special days and and they'll go to work and they'll get their you
know political movements together and elect their candidates to make sure that
they can continue to shed innocent blood in this country that's how hardened we
are in this country today to innocent blood and God is taking time in his word
to cover every aspect of what to do when innocent blood has been shed if it's
done intentionally if it's done accidentally if it's if it's done and we
don't know who did it God's taking at it from all angles so he says there in
verse 10 when thou goest forth to war against thine enemies and the Lord thy
God hath delivered them into thine hands and thou has taken them captive
and seest among the captives a beautiful woman and has to desire unto her that
thou was have her to thy wife then thou shall bring her home to thine house and
she shall shave her head and pare her nails and shall put the raiment of her
captivity from offer and shall remain in thine house and bewail her father and
her mother a full month and now shall then and after that thou shall go in unto
her and be her husband and she shall be thy wife so this is kind of a you know
an interesting passage you know God's dealing with how to handle you know if a
guy you know he's out at war and he sees one of these these beautiful women says
you know he's looking for a wife you know and she's available because you
know her family just got wiped it's kind of an odd circumstance right but he says
hey I want to make this woman my wife and you say well what's up with the
shaving of the head and the pairing of the nails what's going on there you know
and we have to remember he's bringing home a beautiful woman okay meaning that
she's very fair to look upon you know she's pleasant to look at and I believe
why God's doing this having her do this is to remind that guy that beauty is
only skin deep you know we look at her and go oh she's gorgeous well she can
look that good with a shaved head you know oh her nails are so nice we'll cut
them things off you know and I guess I'm probably back then maybe that was more
of an attractive thing more of you know there don't get me wrong it's still out
there today there's the ladies with the giant press-ons and then you know the
huge just claws out there with all the glitter and the blitz on it and blitz
did I say I meant bling I'm bling and glitz put together that's blitz people
BAM coined it all right it's out there that's going to be in the urban
dictionary blitz what's blitz that's when you got you got bling and glitz
together got blitz it's not just a football move anyway but that was
probably a thing back then you know they they would maybe it was a sign of
decadence you know or beauty how beautiful you could make your nails so
God's saying yeah you can have her but make sure you shave her head and cut
her nails and not only that then she's gonna bewail her my father and mother a
full month you know just you know she's gonna be in the state of mourning you
know and it's not going to be pleasant and I believe what God is showing here
again is that beauty is only skin deep that what's matters the most is what's
on the inside and that this guy better be sure about what he's doing because
you know there's more to marriage than just a pretty face that he needs to make
sure that this is you know really what he wants you know and nothing will
strike bring that home to reality more than a bald morning woman with short
nails you know just bewailing and bald and not it you know all the
attractiveness is gone you know I'm gonna stop right there I'm gonna get my
I've got something I feel like I just if I say it I'm gonna get in trouble so I'm
done I'll say it I'll risk it for you you know it's like it's like it's like
the morning the morning face right the wife gets up you know oh my wife's so
beautiful yeah just here your first gets up you know and hasn't done anything
hasn't taken a shower you know she's been up with the kids for like four
nights in a row and you know it's just life it's been hard you know but that
you know this is an important point though because you know especially guys
that aren't married you better think about this that you know there's a lot
more to a woman than just the way she looks you know you know beauty is vain
but a woman that fear at the Lord she shall be praised and quite frankly you
know the the morning face and the hair and all that when it's when it's for a
good reason is a beautiful thing got myself out of that one but I think
that's what's going on here God's just you saying you know that's fine if you
want to take this woman to wife but make sure it's for the right reasons make
sure it's not just you know because she's beautiful I mean she might be
beautiful but you know a fair woman with which is without discretion as as a jewel
of gold in a swine snout it just doesn't belong there and not only that
it's a complete waste you know it's take a jewel of gold and put it in a swine
snout so I think that's what God's getting at here and this is also a great
proof text that what what validates a marriage is consummation and we talked
about this a little bit after service with another brother this morning about
you know what constitute when a person's married and and of course I believe the
vows are a big part of that you know just consummation is not is what makes
or breaks a marriage but I believe that if if people if people were to make
vows in a marriage and then the wedding night comes and they just have a knock
down drag out fight and it's not consummated that marriage could be an
old you know because we see in the Bible that that's what constitutes a marriage
or that's what seals a marriage is when they become together and become one
flesh and you see that multiple examples of that you see that here in
verse 13 he says she shall put up the raiment of her capital captivity from
offer and she'll remain in thine house and bewail her father and her mother a
full month and after that thou shalt go in unto her that's talking about the
consummation of a marriage that's how the Bible puts that that phrase and be
her husband and she shall be thy wife so it's not when he brought her home it's
not when he said hey you're gonna be my wife and she was consented and went with
him it's not any of that it was when when he went and unto her that's what
made her finally his wife that's what made them husband and wife you know
another example of that would be Genesis chapter 24 when Isaac it says Isaac
brought in her in unto her mother unto his mother Sarah's tent and took Rebecca
and became his wife and he loved her you know and they went into the tent to
consummate the marriage that's what made that there so you know marriage is just
is more than just vows and companionship okay we talked about this a little bit
this morning and this is kind of a delicate subject but you know what
there's married people in the room and there's people that are going to be
married one day and this is an aspect of marriage that the Bible addresses so I
don't feel ashamed or out of place to address it so we're gonna we're gonna
talk about it for a minute if you would go to 1st Corinthians chapter 7 the
Bible hits it dead on takes it takes it right take you know goes right at this
and if you don't know what I'm talking about then it doesn't apply to you okay
but if you're old enough and mature enough and you've learned about the birds
and the bees then you know what I'm talking about you know so if you don't
then you know you can just zone out for a minute I guess I don't know but 1st
Corinthians chapter 7 it says in verse 1 now concerning the things where have you
wrote unto me it is good for a man not to touch a woman nevertheless to avoid
fornication let every man have his own wife and let every woman have her own
husband let the husband render do unto the wife do benevolence cats talking
about the physical relationship within marriage rendering that do benevolence
and likewise also the wife unto the husband the wife hath not power over of
her own body but the husband and likewise also the husband hath not power
of his own body but the wife the fraud ye not one another accept it be with
consent for a time they may give yourselves a fasting and prayer and come
together again that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency so a couple things
we can get out of this is that you know marriage is important not just for the
reasons we talked about this morning you know the continuation of the human race
you know enjoying that special you know relationship you know the companionship
and everything like that this is a very important aspect of a reason why to get
married to satisfy that physical need that is in is in all of us that every
person has to satisfy that that's a perfectly valid reason to get married
and then that's me what he's saying there you know nevertheless to avoid
fornication you know he said elsewhere it is better to marry than to burn okay
so that's one reason to get married and it's also an aspect of marriage that is
not to be abused meaning not used as a means of control over the other person
you know you should never use this as a means of control over your spouse you
say that's crazy people do it all the time people say you know that you're
sorry no not happening you know I have the headache you know they don't like
something you did and it could go either way you know whether it's the wife to
the man or the husband of the wife you know and they use this as a power play
in their marriage you know they dangle it over their heads use it as a carrot
proverbial carrot dangling out in front of them and the Bible says don't do that
in fact when you really think about when you have that kind of an attitude with
their marriage that's a wicked sin because look what it leads to it leads
to temptation he says you know defraud you not one another what does it mean to
defraud somebody rob them of something that's rightfully theirs that's what
he's saying there he's saying look the wife hath not power over no body but the
husband likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body but the
wife you know if they'd have that need it is your duty within marriage to
satisfy that need and when you fail to do that you're defrauding them you're
saying you're holding back and you're robbing them of what's rightfully theirs
and you know here's the thing that doesn't just mean that their desire for
that satisfaction disappears it's still there and the one person that they have
been given by God to help them with that and to meet that need is defrauding
them and saying no and what does that kind of lead to well it says right there
that they at the end of verse 5 that Satan tempt you not for your
incontinency it leads to temptation at least some you know a husband saying
well if I you know if she's not gonna help me out I'm just gonna go find it
somewhere else does that kind of thing happen better believe it does so don't
use that you know within marriage as a power play over your spouse or as a
means to get what you want or something like that because what you're doing is
you're defrauding your partner you know your spouse your husband your wife and
you know they're just gonna end up going looking for it somewhere else eventually
they're just gonna get fed up you know potentially you know maybe not maybe not
certainly but I mean do you really want to find out do you want to open that
door and see how they react no you know for the simple fact that you know God is
saying look it's your duty within marriage to render due benevolence unto
your spouse so again you know the Bible addresses this head-on go ahead and turn
back to a Deuteronomy chapter 21 Deuteronomy chapter chapter 21 and we'll
get back into you know the bald-headed woman with short nails you know what
let's let's go back to that situation meanwhile you know back in the in the
house of the bald-headed woman it says in verse 14 and it shall be if thou
have no delight in her then shalt thou let her go whither she will so he's
saying look if it turns out you know that you know you look at that bald head
for a whole month and them short nails and listen that bewailing yeah you know
and say you know what a second thought she's not my type you know then it says
then thou shalt let her go whether she will you know that then you can release
her from that from that that marriage but it goes on and says but thou shalt
not sell her at all for money thou shalt not make merchandise of her because thou
has humbled her okay so God's putting this clause in here because God doesn't
want people to turn into human traffickers you know and that's
potential especially when you're involved in warfare you know if you're
the conquering people and you have you know just this the sudden you know quite
frankly a resource is what they would consider it you know of human life they
could sell them into slavery and all kinds of things and God's saying not so
not you know if you don't want her let her go you know and you're not gonna
sell her you're not gonna make merchandise of her because quite frankly
that could become a practice you know and you know I mean that goes on even
today that kind of thing happens you know Pete man man's heart is wicked and
they they traffic human beings you know all the time and God's you know the
God's dressing that and here's what this is another example what I just love
about the Bible is that God just sees man coming a mile off in all these
instances we've talked about of several different examples you know like
polygamy you know God makes all these clauses and these exception not
exceptions but you know well when you didn't do it you know and divorce well
when you do get divorced even though I told you not to do it when you do it
write a bill of divorce meant you know I told you not to get have multiple wives
but you know when you do it because I know you you're gonna do it because
you're falling your man you're predictable you're gonna disobey you're
gonna disregard my word when you when you go ahead and multiply wives just
make sure you render do benevolence you don't diminish the needs of the first
wife you know and the son is not the firstborn son is not going to be robbed
of his double portion of the inheritance and here's another great example where
God just says you know what you're gonna go ahead and see that pretty face bring
her home shave her head and then realize whoa what have I got myself into and he
can say now you can't sell her because I know what you're like because I know
that man is his heart is deceitfully wicked above all things who can know it
and there's a very good strong potential that you'll get that idea and think well
I can just sell it for money God just sees man coming a mile off and we're
just so predictable and his ways are so far above our ways you know and we would
just humanity would just do so well to just open up this book and just think
about it and read it and know it understand it and then practice it so he
goes on here in verse 15 if a man have two wives keyword there is if okay not
when okay say if because we've talked about this at lengthy you know and I
know I'm being a little redundant here but that's what's here tonight is that
if a man has two wives again polygamy not condoned in Scripture if he have two
wives one beloved and another hated and they have born in children both the
beloved and the hated and if the firstborn be son the firstborn son be
hers that was hated so in saying look the guy ends up with two wives and he
ends up hating one of them but it turns out that the son the firstborn son is
born of the wife that he hates there's there's a provision here verse 16 then
it shall be when he maketh his sons to inherit that which he hath that he may
not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated
which is indeed the firstborn but he shall acknowledge the son of the
firstborn by giving him a double portion of all that he hath see the firstborn
son according to God's custom receives a double portion of the inheritance when
a man would divide up his inheritance among his sons the firstborn son got a
double portion and he's saying you know if the firstborn son of a certain man
who's multiplied himself wives you know it's taken more than one wife he can't
show favor to that son because of who this mother is if he's indeed the
firstborn son he has to honor him as the firstborn son because he is the
beginning of his strength as he says there the first the right of the
firstborn is his so again just another great example of God just knows what
man's gonna do and it just in just goes ahead and just addresses it before man
even has to get himself into that position he goes on in verse 18 of
course this is another real popular passage that you know haters of God love
to pull out of context and misquote and misapply at any time any preacher
nowadays it seems like gets up and actually preaches this portion of
Scripture as it is written they sometimes find themselves in hot water
with a bunch of you know liberal God hating folks it says here in verse 18 if
a man have a stubborn and rebellious son which will not obey the voice of his
father or the voice of his mother and that when when they have chastened him
will not hearken unto them then shall his father and his mother lay hold on
him and bring him unto the elders of the city and under the gate of his place and
they shall say unto the elders of the city this our son is stubborn and
rebellious and will not obey our voice he is a glutton and a drunkard and all
the men of this city shall stone him with stones that he died so shalt thou
put away evil from among you and all Israel shall hear and fear now there's a
lot there's not a lot to impact but there's some things you need to
understand about this this is not talking about young children okay kids
take it take a deep breath you're okay right well how do you know that because
of what it says there at the end of verse 19 he is a glutton and a drunkard
right it's not speaking about a child it's speaking about a grown adult child
a young man specifically young man who is neglecting his personal
responsibilities it's talking about a bum somehow some kid who grows up
becomes a young man and it's just a bum he's worthless he's a glutton he's a
drunkard he won't take correction and he's guilty of riotous living go and
turn over to Proverbs chapter 23 Proverbs chapter 23 you can't you know
newsflash you can't be a riotous glutton a riotous drunkard as a child I mean I
suppose it's possible but that's not what the Bible is talking about in all
practicality here you know in the realm of reality that's not what takes place
you know people don't become these things until they get a little older in
life you know and they're late teen years maybe when they start to get some
independence early 20s or whenever beyond that point where people can start
to exercise their own will and not and begin to just disobey their parents
whenever they feel like it and kind of live their own life children can't do
this you know I'm never afraid I'm gonna walk in one day and find little Corbin
John with a fifth of you know Jack Daniels hiding out behind the bunk beds
just slamming it you know and put that down no you know and just telling me
what for as he's walking around like a crazy little drunk right not worried
about that why cuz it's not impossible you can't do it it's talking about a
grown adult here and a proof of that you know as in Luke 15 it says talk
about the proverbial son remember how he got himself into the position that he
got himself into where he's eating with when he would feign fill his belly with
the with the husks that the swine fed upon after he spent all of his substance
and it says not many days after the young son gathered together all together
and took his journey into a far country and there wasted his substance with what
riotous living he said give me my portion of inheritance and when he got
it he goes off and he wastes it with riotous living it's not talking about
the fact that he went down you know to South Central LA and through a brick
through window and you know it's not that kind of a riot you know where he's
just grabbing stereo speakers and everything it's talking about being a
riot you know like the Bible says a riotous eater of flesh being a glutton
being a drunkard that would be considered a riotous person there you
know the deacons are not to have children accused of riot or unruly right
I mean we don't have kids that are out there just you know hanging out at the
club you know hung over you know every day of the week and just just riotous
people just living the life of a glutton and a drunkard look there in Proverbs
23 verse 19 hear thou my son and be wise and guide thine heart in the way be not
among wine bibbers among riotous eaters of flesh you know don't be around drunks
don't be around gluttonous people for the drunkard and the glutton shall come
to poverty and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags go over to Proverbs
Proverbs 28 you're right there so again what does it mean to be riotous you know
it means to be like a wine bibber drunk it means to be a person who is a eater
of flesh you know that's why the one time I went into a Brazilian steakhouse
I didn't stay long because I realized I was about to turn into a riotous eater
of flesh because that's meat just keeps coming and coming and coming who's ever
been in those Brazilian steakhouses man you turn to me you guys got to go I'm
telling you turn that little thing over green and they just everybody's walking
by with just all these you know different cuts of meat and they just
keep putting on your plate and putting airplane meat just keeps coming out of
the kitchen for as long as you sit there and I was when we were moving out here
from Michigan we stopped in Albuquerque to stay for the night we went to this
place and I after about 30 minutes I said we better get here I'll be here all
night you know they're bringing me all these chicken hearts and you know all
this different steak and everything it was pretty good so anyway I don't want
that to do with anything but look at Proverbs 28 verse 7 who so keep to the
law is a wise son but he that is a companion of riotous men shameeth his
father you know what it's not just that the dad's gonna hang his head say oh my
son's a you know he's a companion of riotous men oh my son's a drunkard in a
winebibber and an eater flesh you know he's all these things it's not just that
he's gonna feel ashamed it's that other people are gonna look at that son and
go your father you know they're gonna be ashamed of his father they're gonna be
ashamed of him it's gonna soil his reputation I mean that's why you know
the the the the qualifications for the bishop and the deacon are to rule your
house well as an example you know that you are to have your house in order so
that you can take care of the Church of God so he's saying look if your son you
know is a companion of riotous men it's gonna bring your father to shame you
know because he what it means is he didn't raise you right he didn't teach
you things did instruct you and and beat that fire out of you young and teach you
the right from wrong so you know those of us you know that that didn't have
that growing up you know and if you know by the grace of God made something you
know of our ourselves for it for the Lord and and God out of that you know
praise God for that but those that are in a house that has a dad that is
teaching them to not be these things they ought to thank God for that they
ought to thank God that they have a dad who doesn't want this to be their end
you know because what was God's law what was the what did we just read about back
in the day they just say oh you don't want to listen you want to keep doing
your own thing you don't want to go to work and just be a lazy bum let's go
talk to the elders of the city because I'm not gonna sit here as your father
and suffer shame because of you we'll deal with it you say that's kind of a
harsh penalty but what it what does God say about it in verse 21 and all the men
in the city shall stone him with stones that he died so shall thou put evil away
from among you God says look these people these bums these derelicts these
drug addicts these drunkards these lazy jerks who don't want to get a job these
young fully able-bodied young men who just want to hang out down here at the
turnpike and beg for your hard-earned money anything else on their stupid sign
and not listen to their parents not listen to their elders disregard all
their instruction and just be ashamed of their own father Bible says that they
bring they are an evil influence on society because now all kids are walking
by oh I could just do that oh look at that guy he's free he doesn't listen to
anybody yeah he also sleeps in a gutter he probably smells like a trash can and
who knows all the other problems he has that's not free and he's a he's an evil
on society those are the guys that you know are getting so hooked on drugs they
have to go break into your car and steal something and take your take your stuff
or commit any kind of violent crimes I mean they can get into some of the worst
things that are out there and it's God saying look put them away from you put
this evil away from you don't suffer it you know and people want to reel at that
and oh I don't know about that boy well I don't think we've really stopped to
consider that the blight upon society that these people are that they bring
evil upon a society and that's what the Bible says they're riotous drunkard
they're they're stubborn they're rebellious they will not be corrected
and it's not like they're saying you know the first time you talk to him he
says no that's it you're done he's saying look we've he we've they said
this our son is stubborn rebellious now to prove somebody stubborn you have to
find that out you know it's not just like you maybe you just well I'm gonna
just make my son stubborn I'll just whisper it tell him to do something just
just loud enough to where you can't hear it it's like hey son go mow the lawn oh
he won't do it oh he's stubborn let's get rid of him you know you you'd be
saying son mow on go get a job raise a family go get it you know work quit
quit being a drunk it would just be you know rebuke after
rebuke and just no no no and the Bible says you know he that being often
reproved and hardened at this neck shall be such destroyed suddenly and that
without remedy and finally dad would just mom and dad just say okay well
we've had enough rather than just here sitting here and just you know being the
source of of evil upon a society and suffering shame and having our own
reputation just drug through the mud because of your lack of discipline and
laziness we're just gonna we're just gonna take care of business he says he's
stubborn he's rebellious he's being told what to do and he will not obey our
voice he is a glutton and a drunkard now here's the thing he says here is so thou
shall put away evil from among you and all Israel shall hear and fear you know
not get triggered you know not not rage on social media I can't believe you'd
say that know that if this actually it's one thing for to say it but if this
actually happened you know what the reaction would be if a society actually
made this a rule this was the law of the land you watch how quick these guys get
a job you watch how quick these guys get off the drugs clean up you know get an
act get their act together and go out and take care of business I don't think
this happened had to happen if it very much in fact I don't think it ever did
I don't you know they probably never enacted it maybe they did I don't know
but how many times would you have to be that guy and see that happen to your
buddy you know you're hanging out under the underpass trying to score some smack
or something and your buddy's gone because mom and dad hold them off to the
elders and now he's dead and now you're gonna go you're probably gonna rethink
your life decisions at that point and say what's really important to me maybe
it's time for me to get some help and quit being so stubborn and rebellious
and actually get serious about life and and being a productive member of society
not a dread you know a drain on it so you know that's kind of a hard thing in
the Word of God but it's there and quite honestly it would probably do people a
lot of good you know we do society a lot of good it'd be unfortunate for the you
know the first few people that had to set the the example but you know it
would as a whole you know it would it would help things there would be a lot
there would be a fewer unoccupied you know underpasses you know all those tent
cities up in Portland you ever been in whose hair ever been to Portland you
know it's totally legal just just pitch a tent anywhere in Portland practically
I mean I visited there once years ago and I just we'd go under passage just be
tense everywhere they're just like yeah they just let him come here and they're
protected they can't be kicked off and they're just allowed to hang out well
you know what Deuteronomy 21 them and watch how quickly they put the old
Coleman away you know and start looking for a place to take a shower and shave
and they'll be you know Taco Bell application Arby's application every
fast-food place in this in the city would probably have a you know a roster
of people you know they could take down the help wanted sign so that's that's
that we'll move on here verse 22 take a time here it says and if a man have
committed a sin worthy of death so there are certain sins that are worthy of
death in the Bible and he be and he be put to to death and now hang him on a
tree so he's saying look if you decide to that's his punishment you're gonna
hang him on a tree his body shall not remain all night upon the tree so
whether he's talking about after you've killed him hang his body there or this
was the mains by which he died no God prescribed stoning in the Bible you know
hanging somebody on a tree I don't know I don't think it's talking about
literally like a noose like a literal hanging I think he's referring to here
is that after you would set him up as an example you know and they would say so
other people would walk by and say whoa you know what happened here you know
this is what he's guilty of and they're saying look go ahead and do that but
don't like don't you thou shalt thou shalt not remain all night upon the tree
he's saying look don't just leave him up there you know have some respect for the
dead you know have some level of dignity here yeah make an example of them you
know take that rebellious drunkard and put up here say this is what happens if
you don't obey the voice of your parents if you're rebellious and stubborn this
is what God has prescribed and then everybody else can get their act
together all Israel will look at that and fear but he's saying but don't just
leave him up there you know stinking up the place and birds are coming and it's
it's macabre but that macabre excuse me at that point he's saying look you shall
he shall not hand up upon the tree but thou shalt any wise bury him that day
okay so he's saying have some decency for he that is hanged is a curse of God
and that's a very true statement you know if you're one who has been
condemned by the word of Word of God for one of these civil infractions that are
worthy of death Bible saying you're cursed of God I'm not necessarily saying
that means this guy is gonna go to hell you know but it's definitely you know in
this life you could say that God wasn't blessing him that's not the blessing of
the Lord when you're getting stoned and hung on a tree that's you know the
chasting hand of God and he's saying you're gonna bury him that day that the
land be not defiled which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance and
of course this passage to remind us of Jesus Christ because of the fact that
Jesus Christ was hung on a tree and it says the Galatians chapter 3 I'll read
to you Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law right he suffered that
punishment for us the curse of the law you know we were a cursed of God we were
going to suffer at the at the at the the law of God we were condemned
spiritually speaking we might not found ourselves hung on a tree but we were
hellbound you know that's where we were gonna suffer our punishment and God
Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us you
know we ought to talk about the death of Christ and we talked about the physical
aspect of it which was horrific and he suffered many things you know the the
pulling out of his beard spitting in his face beating those reeds and whipping
him and just everything that and I preach sermons on that you know and it's
it's it's it's a heavy subject and it's it's a very serious thing but sometimes
we forget about the fact that he was made a curse for us for it is written
cursed as everyone that hangeth upon a tree you know the Bible says he had
taken all our iniquities upon were laid upon him you know that he that he became
sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God
that's why at one point Jesus had to cry out why hast thou forsaken me because
God turned his back and couldn't look at him because he was a cursed of God
that's the other aspect of Christ's death that sometimes we forget about the
spiritual aspect of it that he was separated at that moment from his father
somebody who he'd been with for all eternity and he was suffered from he was
separated from because he was a cursed you know so that verse to remind us of
that that you know that Christ has suffered for us in that way as well that
he hung a tree upon a tree for us well really the the the primary application
of course here is that God's all about justice God's all about making an
example out of evildoers that others would fear and others would look at that
bad example and say I'm not gonna let that be me and that's the reaction we
should have when we drive by these bums and these derelicts don't let that be me
I'm not gonna grow up to be like that I don't want to be a loser okay that
should be our attitude and back then God was saying look put them to death put
them on a tree make an example out of them that others may fear but don't let
them hang there all day you're gonna bury him that day you know God is all
for justice and God is all about you know balancing the scales and and
innocent blood being accounted for you know and purging society of its of its
lesser elements of its of the evil that's within it but God is not macabre
you know God is not grotesque God is not just you know trying to just just gross
you out you know God still you know has a line that he doesn't want us to cross
and you know the heathens did that I mean you remember what they did with
Saul's body I mean Saul fell upon his own sword lest the Philistines should
come and desecrate him that's what he's afraid of be abused and desecrated you
know and that's what they did to him they took off his head you know and then
they hung his body upon a wall and it was there long enough for I can't
remember which which house at which man it was but there was a certain group of
men that went there and and took his body down and King David you know
rewarded them and praised them for doing that for taking it the body of Saul and
Jonathan off that wall the Philistines wall and burying it giving a proper
burial bringing back the bones you know so people do do that kind of thing you
know people can go to an extreme when they're trying to make a public example
out of people you know and even you know I've even heard people say things like
that you know we should bring back you know the public executions and you know
the shooting you know the public shootings hell that the firing squads
you know and and and you see it even in foreign countries you know in Muslim
countries they they'll hang them up right out in public and they'll just
leave them hanging there you know God still has a line that he doesn't he
doesn't you want to just turn into this evil sick society that's just because
that's graphic and it all goes back to what we started talking about this
earlier in the sermon that God doesn't want us just to become hardened to
seeing these graphic things because those type of things you know seeing a
body like that you should make an impression that's the whole point and if
you just end up seeing it oh there's that body again oh there's that body
again oh is that there's that same guy you know the impression wears off you
know so you know there's a lot a lot of great things in this chapter that that
you know we could learn from you know the fact that you know we should be
careful how we live our lives you know young men need to not be this guy you
know that might not happen you know that's not the law of the land but God's
gonna look down and say well you know if I had it my way that's what would
happen is that you know and we don't want to be a shame unto our father we
don't want to be a shame unto our mother and bring reproach upon their names you
know we saw you know the importance of getting married for the right reasons
you know that beauty is great you know it's it's you know that's an important
element but that's can't be all that's there there has to be some some
substance some character you know in the person that we're gonna marry you know
and just these practical matters of how to deal with people that we've even put
to death people that have been put to death they you know should be given some
level of respect and being given a burial it's a lot of great things that
we can learn from this this passage let's go ahead and close in a word of
prayer