Reflection
Deuteronomy 25:5-10
- (Deu 25:5 ESV) “If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead man shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her and take her as his wife and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her.
- (Deu 25:6 ESV) And the first son whom she bears shall succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel.
- (Deu 25:7 ESV) And if the man does not wish to take his brother’s wife, then his brother’s wife shall go up to the gate to the elders and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to perpetuate his brother’s name in Israel; he will not perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me.’
- (Deu 25:8 ESV) Then the elders of his city shall call him and speak to him, and if he persists, saying, ‘I do not wish to take her,’
- (Deu 25:9 ESV) then his brother’s wife shall go up to him in the presence of the elders and pull his sandal off his foot and spit in his face. And she shall answer and say, ‘So shall it be done to the man who does not build up his brother’s house.’
- (Deu 25:10 ESV) And the name of his house shall be called in Israel, ‘The house of him who had his sandal pulled off.’
Discussion
God established systems in Israel to provide for His people. His law contained a number of different guidelines for all sorts of life situations. This passage in Deuteronomy outlines how to care for the family when the husband passed away. It was to ensure that the heirs of that man were cared for and also that his name be carried on into future generations. In this society there was no welfare system, no social safety net to take care of those unable to care for themselves. It was the responsibility of the family to look after their own who needed help – and to fail in that carried pretty severe consequences.
Under the New Covenant God has also established the church as His body of people set apart in this world. He has established instructions for us in His word on how to handle one another inside the family of God.
Connection
How can we know the direction God has outline for the church in our day?
How much should the culture we live in modify the instructions God has given for the church?
What dangers do we introduce when we fail to do what God has instructed or change His instructions in the operation of the church?
What fallout did we see in the story of Naomi’s family when they failed to the instructions outlined by God?
Expansion
The Church Family
The church is both the universal and local people called by the Holy Spirit and redeemed by Jesus alone. Our citizenship is secure in heaven and our devotion on earth is the work of God. We are baptized into His body and led by men called of God to the roles of elders and deacons with the purposes of fellowship, worship, discipleship, evangelism, and ministry.
Jude 4, 8, 12, 13, 16, 1 Peter 2:9-12, Colossians 1:15-20, Ephesians 5:23-32, Acts 20:28, Colossians 3:15, 1 Corinthians 12:12-13, Ephesians 4:11-12, 1 Corinthians 12:28, 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9, 1 Peter 5:1-2, Hebrews 13:17, 1 Timothy 3:8-13, Acts 2:42-49. Matthew 22:37-39, Matthew 28:19-20