Day 20 - What the Bible Really Says
Today's Reading: Deuteronomy 23:15-32:47
More rules? Yes, more rules.
Let escaped slaves remain free. Don't let girls or boys be cult prostitutes. Don't use the money earned from prostitution or selling a dog be used in the tabernacle as payment for a vow. Don't charge interest on anything to your own people, charge it to foreigners, sure, but not your own people. If you make a vow to God, stick to it, or just don't make a vow. If you visit a neighbor's field, have a snack, but don't take more than you eat. You can't remarry your ex wife after she had married someone else and divorced or become widowed....
You know what? I'm going to just stop re-writing what is in the text. You can read it for yourself. But needless to say, this is a long long list of rules.
In chapter 27 we find curses. These are like rules, but if you do said thing you are cursed. Not sure what that means...
Every resource I check describes "cursed" by using the word "curse". And the definition of curse is "to have harm befall", but I can't figure out exactly HOW one is cursed.
We first see the word "cursed" in Genesis, the serpent is "cursed" to crawl on his belly.
Then in chapter 28 we have blessings, but then more curses. Basically, follow the rules and stuff will go good. If you don't, it will go bad.
AH! Verse 21 starts describing the curses! And oh, yes, they are ugly and messy.
We end today's reading with an amazing song by Moses. Of course it's just the text. I often wish the original melodies of these songs could have been preserved.
So let me editorialize a bit.
All these rules. Yes, we have "the big ten" that seem to be set apart, but all these others seem to be given equal importance. Over and over and over again Moses pleads with the people to follow ALL the rules and statutes. All of them. Every one that has been given to them so far has been equal importance.
What does this mean for us in the 20th centurty? Are we to follow some and ignore others? Are we to make laws to make sure others are following these rules while ignoring others for our own convenience? Why do some seem so set on enforcing some of these rules and not all of them? Putting tassels on your cloak is just as important as not being a cult prostitute. Why aren't we out there making laws to force clothing manufacturers to put tassels on everything?
We'll see what Jesus says later on.
Monday's Reading: Deuteronomy 32:48-Joshua 10:28
