Establishing Order within the Family
Scripture Passage: Deuteronomy 21:18-23 (NASB)
18 “If any man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey his father or his mother, and when they chastise him, he will not even listen to them, 19 then his father and mother shall seize him, and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gateway of his hometown. 20 They shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey us, he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ 21 Then all the men of his city shall stone him to death; so you shall remove the evil from your midst, and all Israel will hear of it and fear.
22 “If a man has committed a sin worthy of death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, 23 his corpse shall not hang all night on the tree, but you shall surely bury him on the same day (for he who is hanged is accursed of God), so that you do not defile your land which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance.
SUMMARY
Moses commands that when a stubborn and rebellious son has disobeyed his parents, the parents must take the son to the elders of the town, explain to them what happened, and deal with the son according to the verdict of the elders. If this son has committed a sin worthy of death, all the men of his city shall stone him to death, then his corpse be hung on a tree. This was so that people will remove the evil in their midst and all Israel will hear of such punishment and fear.
MEDITATION & REFLECTION
I had to read this text many times to understand what would be the reason for God to deal ever so severely with the rebellious, disobedient son. To be put to public humiliation in front of people at the gateway of his hometown, to be stoned to death, and his dead body to be hung on a tree.... all these for disobeying his parents? Why so harsh? Couldn’t there be any other way to tame his unruly disobedience? Just when I was puzzled with such questions and it was hard to understand His intention on such harsh punishment, a person came to my mind--Cain. In Genesis chapter 4, Cain became jealous towards his brother and got angry at God because God looked with favor on Abel and his offerings. God knew what was developing in Cain’s heart and said, “if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.” (Genesis 4:7) Even with this warning from God, Cain disheartened his heart, and acted on killing his own brother Abel. That very stubborn and rebellious heart that was unwilling to listen to God led him to the very first murder of humand kind. Enemy had the best of him. Only if Cain listened and obeyed God of His loving warning, he could have mastered to rise above the enemy's temptation to sin against God. Cain had no remorse and guilt even after killing his brother. He only showed cowardly, selfish cover up. There was no asking for His forgiveness of his horrific sin. I realized this is exactly why God hates stubbornness and rebellion in one’s heart. It comes from arrogance, pride, conceit and all that can be the root of the sin. I can also see that God’s intention was to uproot any seed of sin that might taint the entire community. He wanted Israel to learn that disobedience coming out from a stubborn and a rebellious heart is a great sin. I was reminded of the leavened bread---how a small amount of yeast can work up the whole bread, puffing up its size. Just like leaven, sin can cripple into a home, and soon it can spread into the whole community tainting its pureness. God does not want His people to live a lifestyle like neighboring tribes and nations, but to be holy and blameless following His commands. To bring serious awareness of the consequences of sin, God probably had to establish such harsh punishment in His people so that they would think twice about disobeying His commands. It was important to “remove the evil from the midst” so that it does not penetrate into the surrounding.
APPLICATION
So what is the opposite of a stubborn, rebellious and disobedient heart? It is the humble, contrite and obedient heart. I’m reminded through today’s QT again that God desires a pure and humble heart in us which is willing to submit to its authority, His Lordship. The fact that I may complain about certain situations in my life, or perhaps unwilling to change the way I am although you know that’s not what God wants, is reflecting the stubbornness and rebellion in my heart. If I know who is the Lord over my life, I must obey Him and obey Him completely, not partially.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for allowing me to reflect on what’s creeping in my heart. Any dissatisfaction and complaints and even some rebellion that is trying to grab a foothold, please help me to remove it completely. I do not want to be someone like Cain who failed to access himself, but rather blame it on his surroundings or other people, even God. I do not want to be stubborn in my ways, but be able to submit to your leading. You lead, and I should follow. Most of the time though, I lead and I want you to follow and bless the path. Forgive me for my ignorant arrogance and unwise pride. I thank you for reminding me of a character so that I was able to see what’s in my heart and what you dislike. May your Holy Spirit cleanse me and transform me daily removing what’s detestable in your sight but filling me with your goodness.
Amen.
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