Bro. Bruce's commentaries for the books of Genesis, Exodus, and Leviticus are
now available in hard copy for $7.50. Just mail your request for COMMENTARY ON GENESIS to the address above.

DEUTERONOMY
CHAPTER 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. 2 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.

When a person accuses another of wrong doing, he should be able to PROVE what he says. If he does, then the "evil doer" is to be punished along with assessment of damages which may have occured (Deuteronomy 17:8-13).
If the accuser is wrong, then HE is to be punished! The punishment was severe, forty lashes; but not to exceed forty.
A custom was developed from this law out of respect for God's Word, "forty lashes. save one." This custom was to be sure God's Word was not broken by those who administer justice.
OH! How GREAT it would be if judges were so careful today!!
((Pilate administered this scourging to Jesus in Matthew 27;23, Mark 15:15))
((Paul received this punishment five times - 2Corinthians 11:24.))

4 Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.

A domestic animal should be allowed to graze when he's working. See how Paul applied this to ministers of the gospel (1Timothy 5:17-18).

5 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.

The law of levirate marriage was instituted by the Lord to preserve family names, and to keep the land inheritance in the proper family.
When the oldes died and was without an heir, it was the obligation of the next eldest to marry the widow and raise a son who would become the heir.
This would keep the widow from marrying outside the family unless she had exhausted the possibilities (IE. No other brothers?).
The obligation of the younger brother was not simply to his brother who died, nor only to his widow. His obligation was to the whole family and to God.
What if the younger brother declined? Suppose he just didn't have any love for the woman? Then he COULD refuse. And if there were another near relative, he could "pass on" the obligation to that relative (Ruth 4:1-2).
However, if he refused to carry out his obligation, and there were not any near relatives, he would carry a certain amount of SHAME for the rest of his life. That was because he refused to provide an heir for his father's household.
One can see that refusal was serious in the sight of God by reading Genesis 38:7-10.
God WANTS to preserve His people on earth as well as in heaven. That's why He instituted such a law. However, man's sinfulness distorts the rightful use of the law at times. This was the case of those who brought a question before Jesus in Matthew 22:23-29. note Jesus' answer in verse 29.
The power of God is able to preserve His people on this earth. But the Jewish nation as a whole did not TRUST in that, and thus thwarted the perfect will of God. As a result they lost their land.
That nation also did not realize the significance of all who believe God, being made "sons of God." When we come into heaven we'll be like the angels, having no sensual desires.
THAT is what brought about the first sin in Adam! He knew Eve had done wrong, but he wanted HER more than he wanted to obey God. Eve was deceived (1Timothy 2:14), but Adam was NOT.

11 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.

Now here's a thought-provoking law. Why would a woman resort to such vile measures except that she had contempt for manhood in general? Also her action showed contempt for God's covenant with the Jewish nation.
After all, the covenant of God with this nation included marking the manhood. There are many OTHER ways to deliver or save a husband than to do this.

13 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. 17 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.

Actually, all these verses address the same sin: deceipt and/or trickery.
If a person carries two sets of weights (one right and one wrong), he is a deceiver. His intent is to STEAL.
This is an abomination to God (verse 16).
Now, in relation to deceipt and trickery is God's admonition to not forget what the Amalekites did to the nation of Israel (verses 17-19).
The Amalakites slipped in behind Israel and began to wage war against the feeble and aged. Now THAT'S where deceipt leads: to taking advantage of the helpless or unsuspecting.
God's promise in Exodus 17:14 was to utterly destroy all the descendents of Amalek because of this horrible sin. The sin of deceipt leads to maliciousness in attitude and is long-lasting in a people.

Please continue to follow with us daily in Bible study.