Never forget (DT 31:9-13)

"So Moses wrote this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and to all the elders of Israel. Then Moses commanded them, saying, 'At the end of every seven years, at the time of the year of remission of debts, at the Feast of Booths, when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God at the place which He will choose, you shall read this law in front of all Israel in their hearing. Assemble the people, the men and the women and children and the alien who is in your town, so that they may hear and learn and fear the Lord your God, and be careful to observe all the words of this law. Their children, who have not known, will hear and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as you live on the land which you are about to cross the Jordan to possess.'" (Deuteronomy 31:9-13)

With each successive generation it becomes increasing more difficult for a people to remember and relate to the events that lead up to the creation of their nation. The times of trials and difficulties, the individual and corporate acts of valor, their choosing to ratify themselves as a nation though the covenants and contracts they made with themselves and God; all these begin to fade from the active memory and become mere stories in a history book. When this happens, a nation is at risk of loosing touch with their past and with who they were created to be and become. The promise and potential that existed at their nations creation is in jeopardy when the people forget their past.

This is, at least in part, why God directed the nation of Israel to regularly set aside times when the people would be reminded of their laws and the covenants they made with God. It was for their protection lest they should forget who they were. The same is true today. My country is now more than two hundred years old and much of our history and purposes for existence has been lost to many of our citizens. For many, we no longer understand why we became a nation and we have forgotten the foundational principals that were the basis of our founding documents and constitution.

For a nation to endure, it must make sure that it reminds and educates each successive generation on the how and why of its creation. It must strive to pass on those principles and covenants that make it unique to each successive generation. It must pass itself on to the generations that follow.

David Robison

nation, foundation, Book of Deuteronomy, The Robe, David Robison

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A Nation by Covenant (DT 29:1)

"These are the words of the covenant which the Lord commanded Moses to make with the sons of Israel in the land of Moab, besides the covenant which He had made with them at Horeb." (Deuteronomy 29:1)

The nation of Israel came into existence as the result of a covenant made between God and the Israelites. The very foundations of Israel's existence were built upon covenant. This was not just a covenant between that generation and God, but between every successive generation and God. The covenant they made with God that day was passed down from generation to generation. Each generation not needing to renew or decide again on the founding covenant of their nation, rather they received the nation and their participation in the covenant as an inheritance from this original generation. The covenant once made was in force for all generations after.

What is important to understand is that a nation, once conceived by covenant, is gifted from one generation to another as an inheritance. For my country, that covenant is expressed primarily in our Declaration of Independence and in our constitution. Having received our nation and covenants by inheritance, it is up to us to preserve them and to pass them on to the next generation.

Whether we like it or not, we have been made participants in the covenants made by our forefathers. While from time to time certain adjustments or changes may be necessary to the structure of a nation, we must always seek to make them in light of the founding covenants and principals set down by those who founded our nation. We do not have, nor should we suppose to have, the luxury of re-negotiating the founding covenants with each successive generation; our role is to preserve what we receive not to try and remake it into our own image.

One of the things that concerns me greatly about the times we live in in my country is that there seems to be a concerted effort to make wholesale changes in our government, our economy, and our culture. Laws and policies are being put advanced that are, in many cases, in direct opposition to our constitution. There appears to be little regard to the constitution and founding principles by those who are pursuing this course of change. It makes me wonder what we will have left to pass on to the next generation.

Change may be inevitable, but we must never change in a way, or to a degree, to violate or abandon the covenants that created us as a nation. To do so is revolution.

David Robison

foundation, covenant, constitution, Book of Deuteronomy, The Robe, David Robison

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Above all nations (DT 28:1-14)

"Now it shall be, if you diligently obey the Lord your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you obey the Lord your God... The Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you only will be above, and you will not be underneath, if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I charge you today, to observe them carefully, and do not turn aside from any of the words which I command you today, to the right or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them." (Deuteronomy 28:1-2, 13-14)

The greatness of a nation is not determined solely by the quality and composition of its government, laws, institutions, or history. While these things are important, they alone are not what exalts a nation. A nation's greatness, prosperity, longevity, and position in the world is determined primary by the character of its people. When God created the nation Israel He gave it everything it needed to succeed. However, ultimately their success as a nation would be determined by how the people lived; especially in direct relation to their God and to each other.

Often times we look to our government for solutions to the problems facing our nation. We expect "them" to step in and solve our problems and to guarantee our present and future prosperity. In our economy, security, and basic needs we look to our government as our savior. However, far too often what we really need is not more or better government but a revival of citizenship amongst our people. We need a fresh awakening to our individual responsibilities as they relate to our fellow citizens and especially as they relate to our God.

No nation, no matter how great and perfect its government, can prosper long when its citizens live a life style that is secular and separated from God. Great nations are built upon great people, and great people exalt great nations.

"Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people." (Proverbs 14:34)

David Robison

righteousness, citizenship, Book of Deuteronomy, Foundations of Governance, The Robe, David Robison

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Tithing in the third year (DT 26:12-15)

"When you have finished paying all the tithe of your increase in the third year, the year of tithing, then you shall give it to the Levite, to the stranger, to the orphan and to the widow, that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied." (Deuteronomy 26:12)

There are several things of interest in this passage of scripture. First, benevolence was to be undertaken by the individual and not the church or state. It was the individual's responsibility to "Honor the Lord from your wealth and from the first of all your produce" (Proverbs 3:9) in giving to the poor, needy, and the Levites. Today, we are more accustomed to looking to the government to provide for the welfare of the needy among us. We expect the government to use our taxes (or more preferably the taxes of the rich) to provide for those in need, but this was never what God intended. God intended that the poor and needy were to be provided for out of the abundance and generosity of others. This approach to benevolence was echoed by Paul when he said,

"For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. For this is not for the ease of others and for your affliction, but by way of equality — at this present time your abundance being a supply for their need, so that their abundance also may become a supply for your need, that there may be equality; as it is written, 'He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little had no lack.'" (2 Corinthians 8:12-15)

God appoints that equity should flow out of the voluntarily generosity of people's hearts, not as compulsion mandated by the government and extracted through taxes.

Secondly, the Old Testament practice of tithing was very different from our modern notions. "I have not eaten of it while mourning, nor have I removed any of it while I was unclean, nor offered any of it to the dead." (Deuteronomy 26:14) It is interesting that, in a scripture focused primarily on using the tithe to provide for those in need, the giver is to confess before the Lord, "I have not eaten of it while morning." His confession is not that he has not eaten of the tithe but merely that he has not eaten of it while morning. Presently, in most western churches, tithing is interpreted as bringing your money to the church for them to do with as they see fit. We would never consider spending a portion of the tithe on our selves, nor presume to stipulate how it should be used, but in this scripture it is at the discretion of the giver how they should offer that tithe so long as it is done with the knowledge that the tithe is seen as holy by the Lord.

Lastly, there is a promise for the land that is generous. "Look down from Your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless Your people Israel, and the ground which You have given us, a land flowing with milk and honey, as You swore to our fathers." (Deuteronomy 26:14) There is a blessing on the generous. "There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more, and there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in want. The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered." (Proverbs 11:24-25) However, this blessing is not limited to individuals, but the nation that is generous will also be bless. This scripture speaks of not an individual blessing but a blessing on the ground and a blessing on the nation.

I believe that this blessing on generosity is in part what has made my country such a prosperous country. Our generosity has led to America's greatness and has been at the foundation of American exceptionalism. Americas prosperity is not solely the result of individual industry but also of the blessing of God poured out on her because of the generosity of her people.

David Robison

tithe, blessing, generocity, The Robe, David Robison, Book of Deuteronomy, Foundations of Governance

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National Pride (DT 25:17-19)

"Remember what Amalek did to you along the way when you came out from Egypt, how he met you along the way and attacked among you all the stragglers at your rear when you were faint and weary; and he did not fear God. Therefore it shall come about when the Lord your God has given you rest from all your surrounding enemies, in the land which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance to possess, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven; you must not forget." (Deuteronomy 25:17-19)

After the Israelites had fully possessed the Promised Land and had vanquished their surrounding enemies, they were then to turn their attention to some unfinished business, namely the punishing of the Amalekites for how they treated them as they journeyed through the desert. At the time, Israel was not in a position to deal with them and punish them for their mistreatment. Later, however, there would come a time to requite the Amalekites for the injuries they suffered from them.

This "taking care of unfinished business" was common among the kings. Just before his death, David gives this charge to his son Solomon to take care of some of his own unfinished business.

"Now you also know what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner, and to Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed; he also shed the blood of war in peace. And he put the blood of war on his belt about his waist, and on his sandals on his feet. So act according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray hair go down to Sheol in peace... Behold, there is with you Shimei the son of Gera the Benjamite, of Bahurim; now it was he who cursed me with a violent curse on the day I went to Mahanaim. But when he came down to me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the Lord, saying, 'I will not put you to death with the sword.' Now therefore, do not let him go unpunished, for you are a wise man; and you will know what you ought to do to him, and you will bring his gray hair down to Sheol with blood." (1 Kings 2:5-6, 8-9)

What must be understood is the importance of national pride. National pride reinforces a strong since of national identity and motivates a nation's citizens to work together for a common good and purpose. It fuels the citizenry to participate in their civic duties and to fight for the preservation of their nation. Without a since of national pride a nation becomes weak and susceptible to various innovations and a deterioration of its culture and identity.

When a nation's pride is injured it must be addressed and defended. In this case, the remedy was the complete and utter destruction of Amalek as punishment for the injuries the Israelites suffered. This is not to say that every slight of insult needs to be retaliated or that the correct response for every injury is war, but national pride must be defended and, when injured, necessitates a response.

One thing that saddens me regarding my country's present circumstances is that national pride is almost ridiculed. Our president has made multiple speeches in foreign countries, not supporting his country, but apologizing for America and casting dispersions upon her. Even recently, the president of Mexico, while appearing before congress, chastised America's immigration laws, laws that are more generous than his own country's laws, with no response or rebuff from the president. At what point do we say, "enough is enough?" At what point to we defend our national pride? How long can we be silent?

David Robison

National Pride, Book of Deuteronomy, Foundations of Governance, The Robe, David Robison

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God and commerce (DT 25:13-16)

"You shall not have in your bag differing weights, a large and a small. You shall not have in your house differing measures, a large and a small. You shall have a full and just weight; you shall have a full and just measure, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you. For everyone who does these things, everyone who acts unjustly is an abomination to the Lord your God." (Deuteronomy 25:13-16)

God does not view our lives as compartmentalized; our spiritual life, family life, work life, and recreational life. God views all of our life as one. Whether it is in business, family, church, or leisurely pursuits, God views it as one life before Him and He expects us to display morality and righteousness in every aspect of our lives.

In this scripture God is referring to how we relate to others in the course of business. Do we treat everyone fairly? Do we represent ourselves, our products, and our services honestly and equitably? Or do we oppress others in our business dealings? "A merchant, in whose hands are false balances, he loves to oppress." (Hosea 12:5) God is not opposed to making a profit but He does condemn those who, in their pursuit of a profit, seek to deceive and oppress others.

"Hear this, you who trample the needy, to do away with the humble of the land, saying, 'When will the new moon be over, so that we may sell grain, and the sabbath, that we may open the wheat market, to make the bushel smaller and the shekel bigger, and to cheat with dishonest scales, so as to buy the helpless for money and the needy for a pair of sandals, and that we may sell the refuse of the wheat?'" (Amos 8:4-6)

There are things more important than money; righteousness, fairness, decency, and honesty are all of greater value than all the gold in the world. These values are to be prized, not only in our religious life, but also in our work, business, and enterprises.

When considering good government, one of the primary enablers of commerce is a system of standard weights and measures. God provided a specific set of measurements for the Israelites to promote commerce and a healthy economy.

"Thus says the Lord God, 'Enough, you princes of Israel; put away violence and destruction, and practice justice and righteousness. Stop your expropriations from My people,' declares the Lord God. 'You shall have just balances, a just ephah and a just bath. The ephah and the bath shall be the same quantity, so that the bath will contain a tenth of a homer and the ephah a tenth of a homer; their standard shall be according to the homer. The shekel shall be twenty gerahs; twenty shekels, twenty-five shekels, and fifteen shekels shall be your maneh.'" (Ezekiel 45:9-12)

God goes to great lengths to describe the different measurements and their quantities so that the Israelites would have standards to support their commerce. In the same way, it is incumbent upon government to establish standard weights and measures to help promote equitable commerce between its people.

David Robison

commerce, The Robe, Book of Deuteronomy, Foundations of Governance, David Robison

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Private Parts (Dt 25:11-12)

"If two men are fighting and the wife of one of them comes to rescue her husband from his assailant, and she reaches out and seizes him by his private parts, you shall cut off her hand. Show her no pity." (Deuteronomy 25:11-12 NIV)

I've chosen a more gentle translation for some of the younger members of our audience. Sometimes it is hard to know what we can take away from some of the more bizarre scriptures such as this one. Beyond stating the obvious, I think there are three things we can learn from this scripture.

First, we need to understand that we are not brute beasts, we are humans, created in the image of God. When it comes to the animal kingdom there are no such injunctions or biblical laws pertaining to their sexual behavior, but for mankind there are plenty. God is not concerned with animals' sexual practices but he is concerned with ours. The reason is because we are special; we are not mere animals given over to our base impulses and passions, rather we have been created with the power of self control and the ability to rule over our passions and desires. God created us for sex and He created sex as something very powerful, beautify, and intimate; something to be shared by only two when united by the bonds of marriage. Every now and then you will hear some "expert" using the animal world as an example to try and convince us that our sexual morays are outdated. For example, since animals are not monogamous then nether should we expect ourselves to be. However, we are not animals but humans, and our sexual behavior is not to be governed by what animals do but rather by what God has said.

Secondly, God has created our sexuality as something very private. The Hebrew word here literally means, "his secrets". God provided for strict punishment for those who would violate someones "secrets". Even in the case of a wife defending her husband, it is no just cause for sexually violating someone else. We need to see that, not just sexual sin, but sexual harassment is an abomination before God. We must never excuse or placate such behavior. It must be exposed and dealt with for the protection of all.

lastly, we see that God often uses various forms of punishment for different crimes. In my country, most often our only form of punishment is incarceration. By limiting the forms of punishment we limit the effectiveness of our judicial system. While I am not condoning or advocating for the cutting off of people's hand as a form of punishment, I do think that sometimes there is a form of punishment that can be more appropriate to the crime than simple incarceration.

David Robison

Foundations of Governance, The Robe, David Robison, Isaiah

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The Hope for Profit (Dt 25:4)

"You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing." (Deuteronomy 25:4)

Paul helps us understand this scripture when he gives the following explanation.

"For it is written in the Law of Moses, 'You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing.' God is not concerned about oxen, is He? Or is He speaking altogether for our sake? Yes, for our sake it was written, because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the crops. (1 Corinthians 9:9-10)

This law applies to more than just oxen, it also applies to all who labor in the hopes of a reward; laboring in the hope of making a profit. It is in the nature of man to apply himself in labors where there is a hope for gain. This "profit motive" is from the Lord and is what drives and fuels the economic growth of any society. Take away the hope for a profit and you take away the incentive for industry, both personal and corporate. The profit motive applies not only to the owners of business but to all who participate in the chain of production required to produce a product and/or service. In this case, it apples to the ox as well as the farmer. In more modern examples, it would apply to the worker as well as the business owner. In all cases, the motivation for working is the hope for a profit.

This Profit Motive is what makes capitalism far more productive to socialism. In the early colonization of North America, the Pilgrims established early forms of socialism where all contributed to a common stock and received from the same stock according to their needs. However, without the hope for a profit, industry was lacking and many Pilgrims were starving. Because of this, in 1623 William Bradford abolished the system of socialism and gave each household a plot of land and made each responsible for their own needs. In the end, the colony grew as people applied their labors according to their hope for a profit.

I believe that this motivation for profit is from God; He has given us this motivation to spur us on in our labors and industry. If this is the case, then it is incumbent upon good government not to nullify this motivation or to make it of no affect. It concerns me when my own president says, speaking a year ago of the financial industry:

"There will be time for them to make profits, and there will be time for them to get bonuses. Now is not that time." (Obama)

In saying this he misses the importance of the hope for profit to motivate people to work and succeed. If we take away the hope of any sector of our economy to make a profit, then we will decimate that sector as people move into other sectors where there remains a hope of profit. Hoping for a profit (and even making a profit) is not a sin, it is part of how God made us.

David Robison

profit, capitalism, socialism, Book of Deuteronomy, The Robe, David Robison

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Crime and Punishment, Mostly Punishment (Dt 25:1-3)

"If there is a dispute between men and they go to court, and the judges decide their case, and they justify the righteous and condemn the wicked, then it shall be if the wicked man deserves to be beaten, the judge shall then make him lie down and be beaten in his presence with the number of stripes according to his guilt. He may beat him forty times but no more, so that he does not beat him with many more stripes than these and your brother is not degraded in your eyes." (Deuteronomy 25:1-3)

This scripture tells us several things about punishment:

1. Physical punishment can be effective as a vehicle for administering justice. In my country we presently only have two options for punishment: 1) fines, and 2) incarceration, but this was not always the case. For example, in Las Vegas (where I used to live) the penalty for one who physically abused his wife used to be public beatings. In may other nations, beating or caining is still practiced today. In the right context, this may be useful as a punishment and a deterrence to crime.
2. For punishment to be effective it must be applied in a timely manner. When years pass between the crime, the sentence, and the actual punishment, the value of punishment as a deterrent diminishes. King Solomon observes, "Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil." (Ecclesiastes 8:11)
3. Punishment should not be done in secret. When punishment is done behind "closed doors" it can lead to the sentence being too strict and/or to the abuse of the offender. When those who mete out punishment never see the results of their sentence they loose touch with the effect their decision has on the lives of those they preside. Similarly, when punishment is not done "in the light" it is hard to ensure that the punishment is executed as intended in the sentence.
4. In punishment we must not loose sight that the offender is a person; one made in the image of Christ. No matter how heinous the crime, a person is still a person and deserving of respect. Not that we pity the offender, but we must still treat them with the common dignity shown to an human being. Punishment must not necessitate disrespect.

David Robison

crime, punishment, Book of Deuteronomy, The Robe, Foundations of Governance, David Robison

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Alians among us (Dt 24:17-18)

"You shall not pervert the justice due an alien or an orphan, nor take a widow's garment in pledge. But you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and that the Lord your God redeemed you from there; therefore I am commanding you to do this thing." (Deuteronomy 24:17-18)

Right now, immigration, both legal and illegal, is a major issue in my country. This one topic has recently heated up the passions and rhetoric of many on both sides of this issue. In this scripture God deals not with the citizenship of the immigrants but rather with the justice that is due to them; whether they be citizens or not.

The right to justice does not originate from, or is it conferred by, government, rather it begins and flows from God. People's right to justice is a right they bear simply because they are people; people made in the image of God. The role of government then is to provide for the equitable administration of justice, and this justice is to be afforded to all regardless of their race, age, gender, ethnicity, or even citizenship. Justice is one of the key duties of government and it should be provided with a blind eye; without regard to a man's face.

David Robison

immigration, citizenship, The Robe, Book of Deuteronomy, David Robison, Foundations of Governance

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Miscelaneous laws: Dt 24:7-16

"If a man is caught kidnapping any of his countrymen of the sons of Israel, and he deals with him violently or sells him, then that thief shall die; so you shall purge the evil from among you." (Deuteronomy 24:7)

God is speaking here of more than your basic kidnapping for ransom scenario. This scripture refers to those who participate and profit from the theft, trafficking, and selling of human soles. This would include participation is activities such as slavery and the sex trade. History is replete of examples of such violence, such as when Africans were captured and sold as slaves at markets in Europe and the Americas, and such violence and slavery continues today in places like the Sudan and in the sex trade in places like Thailand and Moldova. God had determined that the just penalty for participation in such activities is death.

"Be careful against an infection of leprosy, that you diligently observe and do according to all that the Levitical priests teach you; as I have commanded them, so you shall be careful to do. Remember what the Lord your God did to Miriam on the way as you came out of Egypt." (Deuteronomy 24:8-9)

While Leprosy is used as a metaphor for various moral and spiritual miladies, this scripture contextually is referring to actual diseases, infections, and sicknesses, especially those that are highly communicable in nature. The goal of these laws was to prevent the rampant spread of infections that could threaten the congregation as a whole. It is within the purview of good government to enact statutes to protect the public health and to prevent the epidemic spread of diseases. This might include the passing of laws relating to the quarantining of infected individuals, the authorization of stockpiling medicine and antidotes, and various provision and regulations for mass vaccination.

"You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your countrymen or one of your aliens who is in your land in your towns. You shall give him his wages on his day before the sun sets, for he is poor and sets his heart on it; so that he will not cry against you to the Lord and it become sin in you." (Deuteronomy 24:14-15)

Governments should protect the poor from the rich and the weak from the strong. The goal of such laws is not to make them equal but to prevent one from taking advantage of the other and to provide remedies when this is not the case. This particular scripture is referring to the case where an employer holds back the wages due his employees. In such cases the government may intrude into the employer/employee relationship to ensure that the worker is treated fairly and receives his just wages and receives them in a timely manner.

"Fathers shall not be put to death for their sons, nor shall sons be put to death for their fathers; everyone shall be put to death for his own sin." (Deuteronomy 24:16)

This scripture is very clear, but it also provides the foundation for some other laws and stipulations, even within our own constitution. The US Constitution, Article 1, Section 9, Clause 3 says, "No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed." Part of the reason for the prohibition of Bills of Attainder is to prevent laws from being passed that would punish the surviving family members of one who was convicted of an egregious crime. These bills were often used to punish the family members of those convicted of treason against the crown. God's law simply says, punish those who commit the crime but leave the innocent alone.

David Robison

Book of Deuteronomy, foundations of governance, laws, The Robe, David Robison

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Laws on Lending: Dt 24:6, 10-13

"No one shall take a handmill or an upper millstone in pledge, for he would be taking a life in pledge... When you make your neighbor a loan of any sort, you shall not enter his house to take his pledge. You shall remain outside, and the man to whom you make the loan shall bring the pledge out to you. If he is a poor man, you shall not sleep with his pledge. When the sun goes down you shall surely return the pledge to him, that he may sleep in his cloak and bless you; and it will be righteousness for you before the Lord your God." (Deuteronomy 24:6, 10-13)

God provides for some basic laws pertaining to lending to the poor. These laws were intended to preserve the rights and dignity of the poor and to prevent the rich from exercising their power of wealth over the poor. King Solomon noted, "The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender's slave." (Proverbs 22:7) Because of this inequity of power, God's has established his laws to ensure equitable treatment of the borrower by the lender.

In this passage, God establishes two basic rules of lending, both which deal with the collecting and holding of collateral. First, the required collateral must not be so egregious as to deprive the borrower of their ability to earn a living. In Moses' day that would be taking away a man's millstone, today it might be taking away a man's house, car, tools, or other assets that he might depend upon to make a living. Secondly, the collecting of collateral must be done in a way as to not demean the borrower or to deprive them of their dignity. The rich are not to view the borrower as their slaves but as their brethren and they are to treat them with the dignity that is fitting a brother.

In summary, God says that our lending should be in such a way as to engender the blessings of those to whom we lend. When we view lending as a means of increasing our wealth, we begin to view the poor as objects and not people made in God's image. However, when we view lending as an opportunity to bless and aid others, we see them as people and treat them as brothers. This is the kind of lending that God desires. The kind of lending that leads to a promise. "He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward him for what he has done." (Proverbs 19:17 NIV)

David Robison

Book of Deuteronomy, Foundations of Governance, lending, poor, rich

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Newly Married (part 1) Dt: 24:5

"When a man takes a new wife, he shall not go out with the army nor be charged with any duty; he shall be free at home one year and shall give happiness to his wife whom he has taken." (Deuteronomy 24:5)

Unfortunately, this does not mean that the new husband does not have to do any work for a full year, rather this law applies to the state's demands and expectations upon a newly married couple. The health of the family is to be given greater priority over the health of the state. A man's responsibility to his new bride is to take precedents over his responsibility to the state. The state must recognize and respect the importance of families and must not enact policies and behaviors that would intrude into the family in a way that would be destructive, harmful, or counter productive.

This verse deals specifically with required military service and other forced obligations to the state. Couples, in their first year of marriage, were not to be pressed into service by the state but rather were to be given a year to establish their marriage and their family. Unfortunately, such wisdom is not universally practiced in our modern military. It is quite common for couples to get married immediately prior to one or the other deploying for six months or longer. While there are many reasons why couples marry just before joining the military, it often leads to significant hardships and difficulties, especially when faced with prolonged separation due to military deployments. God's wisdom is either to wait to wed or wait to deploy (a choice not available to most new recruits).

I believe that my government, in particular, needs to rethink its policy of deploying newly wed solders. I also believe that the military needs to amend its policies of deploying mothers of young children. There is a surprising number of women deployed who have infants at home under the care of husbands and/or grandparents. I believe that the same wisdom espoused in this scripture can also be applied to deploying parents, especially mothers, with infants under then age of one year old.

While this scripture deals specifically with the government's demands on the family, often the modern church also intrudes upon families with excessive demands, especially for newly married couples. I am amazed how often the church takes newly married couples and places them in "ministry", making them youth pastors, worship leaders, and the like. The church is then in a position to place demands and expectations on them that can interfere with their growth as a married couple. I think it would be wise for churches to remove all expectations and demands on newlyweds for a year to give them time to grow together without the interfering demands of the church. Similarly, I am also concerned with the number of young families that serve as senior pastors or senior leaders in churches. In the first century church, their leaders were called "elders", because they were "elder". They were older saints who, not only had the benefit of years of wisdom, but also had the time to devote to the church, in that they had finished raising their children and could give a greater portion of their time to the church. While this verse does not prohibit young families in position of leadership within the church, such decisions should be based on the principal found in this verse: family first, church and state second.

David Robison

church, state, family, marriage, David Robison, The Robe, Book of Deuteronomy

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Industry, Proprietorship, and Entitlement: Dt 23:24-25

When you enter your neighbor's vineyard, then you may eat grapes until you are fully satisfied, but you shall not put any in your basket. When you enter your neighbor's standing grain, then you may pluck the heads with your hand, but you shall not wield a sickle in your neighbor's standing grain." (Deuteronomy 23:24-25)

This scripture deals with three aspects of personal property.

Industry: A person's industry is to be rewarded. One who applies himself to the formation of wealth had the right to the fruits of such pursuits. In this case, those who apply their efforts to tilling and farming the land. Those who work do so in hope of a profit and are deserving of their rewards. "Who plants a vineyard and does not eat the fruit of it? Or who tends a flock and does not use the milk of the flock? Because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the crops." (1 Corinthians 9:7, 10)

Proprietorship: While one may be the proprietor of his own wealth, it is the Lord who gives the increase. All that we have, including the strength to create wealth, comes from God. The law allowing a neighbor to eat from another's field as they pass through is, in part, to remind us that before anything became ours, it was first God's. Since God gave us the land and its increase, He has also the right to give it to others for their use, enjoyment, and satisfaction. We must not hold on so tight to our possessions that we forget to be charitable and generous to others. "The earth is the Lord's, and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it." (Psalms 24:1)

Entitlement: No one has the right to presume or intrude upon another's wealth. He who works is entitled to the increase of his labors and the rewards of his industry belong to him. We do not have the right, or entitlement, to another's wealth for which we have not labored. The world and our society does not owe us its wealth, nor are we entitled to its riches, except to the degree to which we apply ourselves in labors, efforts, and industry. "For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either." (2 Thessalonians 3:10)

David Robison

work, labor, industry, The Robe, David Robison, Book of Deuteronomy

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Fugitive slave laws: Dt 23:15-16

"You shall not hand over to his master a slave who has escaped from his master to you. He shall live with you in your midst, in the place which he shall choose in one of your towns where it pleases him; you shall not mistreat him." (Deuteronomy 23:15-16)

As we say earlier, the Jews were required to watch after and return anything which they might find that belonged to their neighbor. "You shall not see your countryman's ox or his sheep straying away, and pay no attention to them; you shall certainly bring them back to your countryman." (Deuteronomy 22:1) The scriptures over and over validates the right of personal property. A person's property belongs to them and to take it, or to hide it when it is found, is the very definition of stealing. God commands us to respect the property of others and to return to them whatever might have been lost by them.

What is at issue in this scripture is whether or not a master's "slave" is his "property". God makes a distinction between the "ownership" of human souls that the owning of other forms of "property". Human slaves are not to be perceived as "property" and as such, should a slave escape his master, he was not to be returned to his former "owner" but left to live among those to whom he escaped, in what every place he should please.

In the early history of my country, there was a law called the "Fugitive Slave Act" which required runaway slaves to be returned to their owners. Even if the slave should make their way into a "free state" they were required by federal law to be returned to their "slave state" and to their master. Slaves were property and as such must be returned to their lawful owners. Even the rulings of our Supreme Court in that time validated and upheld these views and established the "justness" of such laws. The fate of fugitive slaves became a contentious issue between the north and south and was a contributing factor to the war between the states. How much pain, misery, and death could have been avoided had this godly principal been universal in the hearts of men, that men and women cannot and should never be taken as property.

David Robison

slavery, fugitive, The Robe, Book of Deuteronomy, Foundation of Governance, David Robison

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Government and Sex: Dt 22:13-30

"But if in the field the man finds the girl who is engaged, and the man forces her and lies with her, then only the man who lies with her shall die." (Deuteronomy 22:25)

God's primary intentions in establishing laws pertaining to sexual behavior is not to regulate sexual behavior but rather to provide protection and recourse to those who might be violated or defrauded by the sexual behavior of others. God's laws on sex are designed to protect rather than regulate. Primarily, there are two classes of people that these laws seeks to protect. First are those who would be violated by the unwanted and unsolicited sexual advances and behavior of others. This would include rape, incest, and sexual harassment. Secondly are those who would be defrauded by another sexual behavior. This primarily includes adultery and infidelity. In these cases, the government has an interest to provide for both protections and recourse for those who are sexually violated or defrauded by others; to protect the innocent rather than regulate the consenting.

David Robison

sex, marriage, Book of Deuteronomy, The Robe, David Robison

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A desire to stay free: Antiquities 3.1.4 vs 19

"That they ought to reason thus: that God delays to assist them, not because he has no regard to them, but because he will first try their fortitude, and the pleasure they take in their freedom." Josephus, The Antiquities of the Jews. 3.5.4 vs 19

It is not often that I cite secular sources in this blog and, in this case, I am not seeking to elevate the writings of Josephus to those of scripture, yet in this passage Josephus makes some interesting observations about the Israelites departure from Egypt. When I've read the story of Israel's exodus, I have always concerned myself with how the Jews relationship with God must have changed as a result of His miraculous deliverance which He worked on their behalf. However, Josephus, as a first century Jewish historian, writes not of their relationship with God but of their new found freedom; a freedom that was physical, civil, and political. As such, Josephus sees the purpose of the trials they endured in the wilderness as a test of their desire to be free, not merely a test of their love for God. Whether or not this is the case in this instance, Josephus brings up a significant point when he refers to the "pleasure" in being free, and it has some important lessons for us who have found freedom in Christ.

While freedom is never cheep, often its price is paid by others on the behalf of those who are enslaved. In the case of the Jews, their freedom from Egypt did not cost them much personally, but it did require the death of countless sheep whose blood was to be shed and placed on the doorposts of every Jewish home. So to, our freedom in Christ was not the result of any labor, effort, or act of our own, it was purchased entirely by the offering of Jesus upon the cross; His death purchased our freedom. However, while freedom is sometimes obtained with minimal personal cost, it is rarely maintained without personal involvement, cost, and often sacrifice. Because of this, after having first become free and subsequently facing the trials and struggles to remain free, we are often faced with the temptation to surrender our freedom and return to a life of captivity. This was continually the case for the Israelites.

"The rabble who were among them had greedy desires; and also the sons of Israel wept again and said, 'Who will give us meat to eat? We remember the fish which we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic, but now our appetite is gone. There is nothing at all to look at except this manna... Oh that someone would give us meat to eat! For we were well-off in Egypt... Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become plunder; would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?' So they said to one another, 'Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt.'" (Numbers 11:4-6, 18, 14:2-4)

When faced with difficulties, many in Israel desired to return to their land of bondage; to return to Egypt. Our fight to stay free is often a battle to choose between comfort and liberty; to chose from a life of ease, though it may include bondage, and a life of trials and struggles, even though accompanied with freedom. We see this in the history of the Jews and we see it even in our own modern history. In my country, many have become willing to surrender their personal freedoms for the security and ease of a cradle-to-grave "protection" promised by the government. We also see this temptation in the christian life. Once having become free, we can easily fall pray to the temptations of the world, the promise of ease and comfort, but also the shackles of sin and unrighteousness.

"But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? You observe days and months and seasons and years. I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain. It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery." (Galatians 4:9-11, 5:1)

It is one thing to be set free, it is another to remain free. I think Josephus was right, that sometimes our trials and tribulations are, at least in part, meant to test the firmness of our fortitude and our desire to be free. Do we really desire the freedom that is found in a life lived in Christ, or are we willing to settle for ease and comfort? Paul was clear, if we desire to go back, there will always be opportunity. "And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return." (Hebrews 11:14-16) However, if we desire a life of freedom in Christ, then there is grace to overcome the trials of life and to walk in the pathway of freedom.

"Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word." (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)

David Robison

Josephus, freedom, bondage, The Robe, David Robison

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Roofs, railings, and personal liability Dt 22:8

"When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof, so that you will not bring bloodguilt on your house if anyone falls from it." (Deuteronomy 22:8)

I am continually amazed at the level of detail for which God cares about our lives. Bloodguilt is not only the result of determined actions, such as murder, but is also imputed in cases of negligence, where injury is the result of the failure of someone to take reasonable precautions against harm and injury to others. Specifically, in this scripture God warns home owners that, if they are going to invite their guests up to their roof, they should install a railing to prevent them from carelessly falling off the roof. When considering good government, two conclusions can be drawn from this scripture.

1) It is reasonable to hold people liable for harm and injury to others when they have failed to take reasonable precautions to prevent injury.
2) It is reasonable for government to set minimal safety standards to prevent unintentioned injury to others.

David Robison

government, personal injury, liability, The Robe, David Robison, Book of Deuteronomy, Foundations of Governance

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A National Faith: Dt 21:1-9

"If a slain person is found lying in the open country in the land which the Lord your God gives you to possess, and it is not known who has struck him, then your elders and your judges shall go out and measure the distance to the cities which are around the slain one. It shall be that the city which is nearest to the slain man, that is, the elders of that city, shall take a heifer of the herd, which has not been worked and which has not pulled in a yoke; and the elders of that city shall bring the heifer down to a valley with running water, which has not been plowed or sown, and shall break the heifer's neck there in the valley... All the elders of that city which is nearest to the slain man shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley; and they shall answer and say, 'Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it. Forgive Your people Israel whom You have redeemed, O Lord, and do not place the guilt of innocent blood in the midst of Your people Israel.' And the bloodguiltiness shall be forgiven them. So you shall remove the guilt of innocent blood from your midst, when you do what is right in the eyes of the Lord" (Deuteronomy 21:1-9)

We have previously looked at how bloodguiltiness can be charged to an entire nation. National bloodguiltiness is washed away by the process of justice and the executing of judgment upon the guilty. However, this passage deals with unsolved crimes; the shedding of innocent blood where the perpetrator is unknown. Without the punishment of the guilty, the bloodguiltiness assigned to a nation remains. There needs to be a way for a nation to expunge itself of bloodguiltiness when the guilty cannot be found and punished. In these cases, God accepted the blood of a heifer as payment for the innocent blood, thus removing the land's bloodguilt.

To this day, each of our nations bear a measure of bloodguiltyness for crimes committed but never atoned for. However, today we don't need to shed the blood of bulls and goats for the blood that covers all sins has already been shed upon the cross of Calvary. If the people of a nation will repent and ask for forgiveness then God will forgive their bloodguiltiness. "And [if] My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14)

It is not sufficient for a nations institutions to be godly and to be founded upon scriptural principles and wisdom, a nation must also possess a common faith in God. This is not to say that everyone must agree on all points of faith and religion, but simply that a common national faith in God and in His providence and governance over them is essential for the prolonged live and prosperity of any society. There will always be instances where, in the course of events, guilt is imputed to a nation and, at times like these, the people may be called upon in their common faith to ask for the forgiveness and favor of God upon their lives and their nation. The saving power of a national faith is no where more clearly demonstrated than in the story of Nineveh.

The sin of Nineveh had piled up and it was time for God to act, so God spoke to Jonah saying, "Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me." (Jonah 1:2) After a miraculous trip in the belly of a great fish, Jonah arrived in Nineveh and began to declare to them God's judgment upon their sins. "Then Jonah began to go through the city one day's walk; and he cried out and said, 'Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.'" (Jonah 3:4) Upon hearing of God's impending judgment, and much to Jonah's displeasure, the people of Nineveh turned to God, repented, and prayed. "When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he arose from his throne, laid aside his robe from him, covered himself with sackcloth and sat on the ashes. He issued a proclamation and it said, 'In Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let man, beast, herd, or flock taste a thing. Do not let them eat or drink water. But both man and beast must be covered with sackcloth; and let men call on God earnestly that each may turn from his wicked way and from the violence which is in his hands. Who knows, God may turn and relent and withdraw His burning anger so that we will not perish.'" (Jonah 3:6-9) Upon seeing their repentance, God relented of the punishment He had determined for them and He forgave their sins. "When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it." (Jonah 3:10)

It was their corporate response to God, their common faith in the goodness, rightness, and mercy of God, that brought about their deliverance from impending doom. There is no indication that the Ninevehvites had a national religion or state sponsored church, but they did have a common faith in God and, when the situation demanded it, they knew where to turn for mercy and forgiveness as a nation. God never intended for nations to be secular. He never intended for faith and relationship with God to be removed from the public discourse or from public life. Rather He intended that a nation's shared faith in God would provide the sure foundation and stalwart pillars of all corporate life and of the nation as a whole.

David Robison

government, faith, repentance, forgiveness, sin, The Robe, Book of Deuteronomy, Foundations of Governance, David Robison

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Diplomacy, War, and Victory: Dt 20:10-18

"When you approach a city to fight against it, you shall offer it terms of peace. If it agrees to make peace with you and opens to you, then all the people who are found in it shall become your forced labor and shall serve you. However, if it does not make peace with you, but makes war against you, then you shall besiege it. When the Lord your God gives it into your hand, you shall strike all the men in it with the edge of the sword. Only the women and the children and the animals and all that is in the city, all its spoil, you shall take as booty for yourself; and you shall use the spoil of your enemies which the Lord your God has given you. Thus you shall do to all the cities that are very far from you, which are not of the cities of these nations nearby. Only in the cities of these peoples that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, you shall not leave alive anything that breathes. But you shall utterly destroy them, the Hittite and the Amorite, the Canaanite and the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite, as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that they may not teach you to do according to all their detestable things which they have done for their gods, so that you would sin against the Lord your God." (Deuteronomy 20:10-18)

This passage gives us several principles relating to the execution of a war.

Diplomacy before war: Conflicts are bound to arise between nations, but the first response should never be war but rather diplomacy. The nation of Israel was to first offer terms of peace to those nations that stood before them. This was an attempt to achieve a negotiated peace and to avoid the blood shed of war. This principle is consistent with God's dealings with mankind. When God was ready to judge the city of Nineveh He first sent a prophet to warn them of their sins, proclaim God's impending judgment, and call them to repentance. The Ninevites repented in dust and ashes and God also repented of the harm He had purposed on Nineveh. "When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it." (Jonah 3:10) Diplomacy should come first, but if diplomacy fails, then war may be the only option.

A measured response: Israel's ferociousness in battle was determined by the degree to which her opponent posed a threat to her way of life. For remote nations, God allowed them to keep the women, children, animals, and spoils or war, but for the nations that made up the land they went to possess, they were to destroy everything in which was the breath of life. Their response in war was a measured response based on the specific dangers posed by their enemies. In this case, remote nations posed a reduced threat to the nation of Israel while the nations of the land of Canaan posed a direct and immediate threat. "So that they may not teach you to do according to all their detestable things which they have done for their gods, so that you would sin against the Lord your God." (Deuteronomy 20:18) In war, our response should be measured and appropriate to the perceived threat.

Peace through victory: The goal of war is victory. Israel was to pursue here enemies until they were either destroyed or were subjugated to their control. "Then all the people who are found in it shall become your forced labor and shall serve you." (Deuteronomy 20:11) Sometimes peace is only achieve through victory. For over four thousand years there has been waring in the middle east between the Jews and the decedents of Ishmael. While much effort has been exerted to achieve a negotiated peace, I wonder if peace will only come to that region through victory; one side reigning victorious over the other. In victory there is a winner and a looser, a dictator and a dictated, an imposer and an acceptor and so it should be. We should not fear victory nor stop short of its full realization for, without victory, peace is unsure.

David Robison

peace, war, victory, Foundations of Governance, Book of Deuteronomy, The Robe, David Robison

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