Deuteronomy_21
Scripture
Deuteronomy 21:20-21
20 They shall say to the elders, “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 town are to stone him to death. You must purge the evil from among you. All Israel will hear of it and be afraid.
Observation - What does it say?
In our culture today, we see a rebellious child and say, “It’s just a season” or “I’m praying it doesn’t last long and that he comes around.” They may experience discipline from parents, but the worst they’ll experience is probably getting kicked out of the house. Before Jesus came on the scene, the culture in Israel was completely different. If your parents believed you to be rebellious and disobedient, God had commanded that they bring you before the town to be put to death.
Understanding - What does it mean?
The disobedient who are stubborn and won’t change will eventually die in their sin.
God is passionate about purity and holiness. Pure means there isn’t a trace of other elements mixed in (think pure gold). God desires his people to be set apart to him, pure in their love for him and obedience to his commands. One rebellious child, unwilling to change their ways, was enough to taint the community and so must be removed. Without the potential of serious consequence, people would be much more quick to rebel and be disobedient.
As I read this though, it was something else that struck me: The contrast between this account and the story Jesus told of the prodigal son in Luke 15. Rather than killing his rebellious son, the Father agrees to give him his inheritance. When he shared this story, I imagine his Jewish audience thinking of this law for rebellious and disobedient children, expecting somehow for this story to end in the rebellious son reaping deadly consequences. But there is a major plot twist when the rebellious son comes home and confesses his sin. Instead of punishment he received his Father’s embrace, a welcome back into the family and a party thrown in his honor. God’s love is so incredible it’s shocking!
But, does this mean the God of the Old Testament is different from the God in the New Testament? Like God had a change of heart? No.
He has always been the same. He has always been serious about purity and also serious about love and grace and mercy. If he stopped caring about purity and holiness he wouldn’t have had to send his Son Jesus to die. Those who are rebellious and disobedient and who never repent (turn from sin to God) will eventually die in their sin. The consequence in Deuteronomy of physical death is nothing compared to the consequence of eternal separation from God in Hell for those who don’t turn from sin. But, if we will repent and come back to God like the prodigal son, there is forgiveness and love and an embrace unlike any other!
Life Application
Worship God for his love and grace that he lavished on me when I turned from my sin toward him!