The Meaning Of Life

https://biblehub.com/nkjv/deuteronomy/21.htm

Over the next several chapters. Moses reviews various laws as set forth by our Lord. While you can certainly read these on your own, and I pray that you do, I’m going to cover them fairly quickly, bringing out points that I feel must be considered.

At the start of Chapter 21, Moses reviews the laws for Unsolved Murder. We have many murders today that haven’t been solved, “Cold Cases” as they call them, and obviously the had them during the days of Moses as well. And an unsolved murder, obviously, is one in which they find a victim, yet they do not know who did the killing. And God tells them to measure to the nearest town, which might be very well the location of the murderer, and instruct the elders to sacrifice for the sin of that murder. Why? Likely because there has to be a sacrifice for all sin, and if there isn’t, the sin is still there. So by offering a sacrifice, it ensures that innocent people are not charged with the sin. God wants to end sin, either through eradicating it, or through atonement for it.

Then there are laws pertaining to female captives, who, despite being captive must still be treated with respect, then the laws pertaining to inheritances and first born birthright.

Then the Lord, through Moses,talks about the punishment for someone who has a rebellious son. And when you read this, there are two very important things to consider. The punishment for a rebellious son is death…seems kind of harsh doesn’t it? Many of us today have experienced rebellious children. What’s important to notice is, the scripture specifically talks about children who will not obey their parents, even after being chastened or discipline still will absolutely not obey. It isn’t talking about children who rebel, then accept their punishment and try to do better…it specifically talks about those who refuse to change.

In the literal sense, these are children who are totally disregarding the 5th Commandment, which plainly states the punishment for not honoring your parents is death. And once again, God is trying to save the world, to eradicate sin, and just like Him wanting to eradicate the pagans who refuse to turn back to God, to give up their idols and continue to sacrifice children, He also wants to eradicate sin even in our own families.

In a comparative sense though, do you see any parallels to today? Adam and Eve sinned and were punished by God, and while scripture doesn’t tell, we can assume they repented because there is no further discussion on them. Cain sinned and was punished by God. and in both of these cases, their punishment was a separation from God; Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden, Cain was banished from the land and sent away.

The world continued to sin, and God tried to eradicate sin, but before He destroyed the world with water, everyone was given a choice to repent and get aboard the Ark, and except for a family of 8, no one chose to repent.

In Sodom and Gomorrah, the people were given a chance to repent, yet they did not. Lot himself sacrificed his own daughters to the men of the town to avoid the act of homosexuality, but the men did not repent.

The people of Egypt, or at least the Pharaoh was, given the chance to repent and let the children of Israel go, but he/they did not.

And now God is giving the people of Canaan a chance to repent and turn away from false gods, and they are not. And in this part of scripture, a son is given the chance to repent and follow his parents rules, and he is choosing not to. So God has to take action to wipe out sin, but every time, He gives them a choice, and they choose the wrong path.

How about today? We are living through the same trials today. God has given us His word. We freely have it. You can purchase your own Bible on Amazon for less than the cause of a meal at a restaurant. We are given the choice to learn about God and how to follow Him. We are given the choice to repent of our sins and turn back to Him. We are given the choice to eradicate sin from our lives so God doesn’t have to.

And what’s worse is we are already being punished for our sins. Each time we sin, we are separating ourselves from God. I know the Bible says that Adam and Eve were sent out of the Garden of Eden, but it wasn’t at God’s hand, it was at their own. How many of us today are like Abel, or are we like Cain? Are we like those who mocked Noah, or are we those who are going to climb in the boat? Are we like the men of Sodom and Gomorrah, or are we like Lot? Are we like the people of Canaan, or are we like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?

And finally, are we going to obey our Father, or are we going to be like a rebellious son? The choice is ours. The choice is clear. But we have to make that choice, and it isn’t going to be easy. We have to detach ourselves from all the pleasures in life that Satan himself has put in place to draw us away from God.

I’m far, far, far from perfect, but I’m trying to make the right choice. Pray for me.

And I’ll pray that you make the right choice as well.

God bless you, and Amen.