Reading
SAA Notes
War is terrible and horrible. Unregulated behaviour in war produces such bestiality, sadism and cruelty, unimaginable in peace time, that it is no surprise that the Lord gives regulations that mitigate against the extremes of human behaviour.
SJA Notes
* Loving God, we cry to You – please answer us from Your holy hill. You are a shield about us, our glory, and the lifter of our head!
“And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God.”
This passage has hard words, many of them misunderstood and used as reasons for unbelief in God.
War. Murder. Marrying captives. Unloved firstborn. Death for rebellious children (quite obviously an adult in this example). Hanging on a tree.
These are dark topics, hard words.
“… For a hanged man is cursed by God.”
This should resonate with all of us!
Paul goes deep into this understanding in his letter to the Galatians, chapter 3.
We were those who relied on works of the law, and so were under a curse.
We were cursed because we could not and did not and would not abide by what was written in God’s word.
So what did God do?
“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a cruse for us – for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree’ -“
So Jesus became a curse for us! He was a hanged man, punished with death for a crime and crimes He did not commit.
But He did this to redeem us.
To stop us being at war with God – Peace has come. What good news, what a hallelujah!
* Dear God,
We praise You that in Jesus we have peace!
In Jesus we are no longer at war with You, God Almighty – What wonderful news this is!
Please help us to love You better today, to serve You better, to be more refined, sanctified a little more towards You.
Amen.