Living Long

Deuteronomy 20, 21, 22, & 23

Ch 20:1 “When you go to war

Against your enemies

Do not be afraid of them

Because the LORD your God

Who brought you up

Out of Egypt

Will be with you.

3  Do not be faint hearted

Or afraid

Do not be terrified

Or give way to panic before them.

4 For the LORD your God

Is the One

Who goes with you

To fight for you

Against your enemies

To give you victory.”

Those are fighting words. And yet, God is a God who does not want us to trust in the size of the army to get the job done. 

These chapters also include all kinds of incidental laws and bits that seem strange and contradictory.   Exclusionary laws and principles that on first glance do not foster community or togetherness.  

The exclusion from assembly parts exclude people from fellowship.   I wonder if these are the same people Jesus ministered to outside the towns, by the seashores, and outside the temples and synagogues.

No Ammonites.

No Moabites.

None of these people were included or invited. 

Even down to the 10^th generation,

Which is equivalent to saying,

Unwelcome for as long as you live.

But there is one exception.

Wait for it….

Ruth.

She is a Moabitess.

Her very ancestors

Hired and heard

Balaam’s blessings

Instead of his curses. 

The NIV notes state that Ruth is an outstanding exception to Moabite exclusion from Israel’s community, gathering, and fellowship.  Evidence of God’s redemption plan.  

Ruth,

A woman,

A daughter

Whose life exemplified

Unswerving and selfless devotion

To Naomi

Embracing Naomi’s people.

And Naomi’s God.

Showing that participation in God’s Kingdom

Is decided, not y flesh and blood or birth

But by conforming

One’s life to the will of God

Through obedience

That comes from faith. 

In these last chapters of Deuteronomy

We read of blessing and curses

Of fear or courage

Of war and peace

Of conquest and river crossing

Of obedience and disobedience

Of choosing this day life or death.

These last words of Moses.

I sometimes don’t know what to make of them, but there are always pearls in here.   Pieces of truth for our lives.   And so we keep reading, and listening, and tucking away.  Listening because God is telling us something. And when we seek Him with all our hearts, He will be found.