Today’s passage: Deuteronomy 22
Helpful thoughts:
- Verses 1-12 contain laws in which most refer to the command to love your neighbor as yourself and reminded Israel that they were a people distinct and separate from the rest of the world.
- Laws are also given concerning sexual morality. In these laws, God further defines marriage as a life-long covenant relationship between one man and one woman.
- Many of these laws are also written to protect women in a time where little regard was had for them.
Questions to consider:
- Which laws stuck out to you? Which of them are particularly interesting given the characteristics of our culture today?
- What do we see God values pertaining to manhood and womanhood? To sexual purity? To the value of the covenant of marriage?
- How can the principles of all these laws help us to better love our neighbor as ourselves? How can we see in these laws further evidence that sin comes from selfish desires and righteousness out of love for God and others? What is our hope in finding forgiveness from our sin and then growing in righteousness through Christ?