#347 Shattered

He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord.

2 A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the Lord.

3 An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the Lord for ever:

4 Because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee.

5 Nevertheless the Lord thy God would not hearken unto Balaam; but the Lord thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the Lord thy God loved thee.

6 Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their prosperity all thy days for ever.

7 Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother: thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian; because thou wast a stranger in his land.

8 The children that are begotten of them shall enter into the congregation of the Lord in their third generation.

9 When the host goeth forth against thine enemies, then keep thee from every wicked thing.

10 If there be among you any man, that is not clean by reason of uncleanness that chanceth him by night, then shall he go abroad out of the camp, he shall not come within the camp:

11 But it shall be, when evening cometh on, he shall wash himself with water: and when the sun is down, he shall come into the camp again.

12 Thou shalt have a place also without the camp, whither thou shalt go forth abroad:

13 And thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon; and it shall be, when thou wilt ease thyself abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from thee:

14 For the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore shall thy camp be holy: that he see no unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee.

15 Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which is escaped from his master unto thee:

16 He shall dwell with thee, even among you, in that place which he shall choose in one of thy gates, where it liketh him best: thou shalt not oppress him.

17 There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel.

18 Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the Lord thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the Lord thy God.

19 Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury:

20 Unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury; but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon usury: that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all that thou settest thine hand to in the land whither thou goest to possess it.

21 When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.

22 But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee.

23 That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform; even a freewill offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the Lord thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth.

24 When thou comest into thy neighbour's vineyard, then thou mayest eat grapes thy fill at thine own pleasure; but thou shalt not put any in thy vessel.

25 When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbour's standing corn. Deuteronomy 23 KJV

It was apparently a common practice of some cultures to geld certain slaves. Men are not animals, but behave often worse than such, and this maybe likened to male lions killing off the young of another male, or the fear of cheating. There are still cultures today where women are abused in these practices, and self mutilation occurs in several cultures. As to the command that they and bastards not enter into the congregation of the Lord, I have read commentary that is all over the place. First, other than self mutilation, which to remove the stones or the penis would be an outward sign, but not that of the circumcision of the congregation, the others could very well not be your fault. One could be, though rarely, born this way, or more often forced to this by a conquering ruler. Four of the greatest men of the Bible, men who did not waver, were the eunuchs Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, along with Daniel. They had the outward scars applied to them by the culture, but inwardly they were steadfast, God fearing men. The first 3 refused to bow to the idols of Babylon all the way to the fiery furnace, and the last was a great prophet from whom the wise men of the east probably learned the prophecies of a coming King. He would be thrown into the Lion's den, not for refusing to be a good employee, for he was the favored, but he would not stop praying to the One True God. I admit this is a difficult passage, but my opinion is that these men were kept from position here in the congregation, but could be faithful followers of the One true God, respected members of their society. I think that the severity points to the disgust in both practices, that in the removal of one's reproductive organs and  the other in the irresponsible use of said organs, the need that even science recognizes in that of parents. There are those eunuchs by choice which Paul discusses, but this is not a command or physical sign, rather a spiritual gift, freeing one up to serve but not making one holy. It is a misunderstood condition in the catholic church and applied to positions of extra biblical invention. Sadly, the role of priest in Roman Catholicism is one attributed to "eunuchs" that have left many bastards in their wake. The remedy for this is the same as it was for those in the book of Daniel, refuse to bow to idols, pray to God and hold His word above religion, above Popes, priests and cardinals, that is reformation.

The reason for the restriction against the children of Lot is here stated that they did not greet them as family, but later hired a prophet (Balaam) to come against them.

It is said by God, "Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated", but here he extends to his children grace and to the Egyptians as well, remembering that Israel was a stranger there. One might wonder at this kindness considering that Israel was also treated with prejudice and disdain, the subjects of tyranny for much of their time in Egypt. I think that election here stands for it was not so many passages ago that they came to understand that those being pushed out of the land before them was due to their sin, and yet Israel received not according to their goodness, but solely on the promise and good will of the Creator.

Many cultures, including the one I live in, give much leeway in one way or another to those who are their soldiers, the defenders of their liberty. Here it is held that they must not neglect their spiritual duties as soldiers, and they must conduct themselves in cleanliness so as not cause the sickness of others. They bury their feces, and it is still what comes out of them that defiles them. They must have an aim to holiness that God be with them. War is not the end of character, does not dissolve the demands of holiness, but begs and even stronger resolution, without excuses.

We are to protect those that are understood to be oppressed or are we without empathy, unable to meet our brother with bread. Israel just left such abuses, would it be right then for them to be the abuser or send someone back to that situation. What business do those being called God's people have in doing what God punishes others for?

Prostitution is called an abomination and both that of whores (females) and dogs (males) is discussed. It is rightly so, because it reduces the image of God and the afore mentioned responsibility of reproduction. Those that elevate the act and their lust always pretend at being enlightened for such, rather than owning that we have all inherited depravity from the fall. The value of those objectified is reduced to their body parts and sexual appeal. I think it is a worthless scale because you are worth so much more than the things that it can measure. The pimp also here cannot with clean hands give the money that is made in this manner as an offering, it is unacceptable. God does not honor the ill use of His creatures. It is sad on both accounts, that one, we do not take under our wing, the widow, the orphan, yet look upon them in disgust when they go to those that would pay them for the use of their bodies. And it is sad that in our fallen natures we would so quickly resort to such.

The rest covers kindness to family and the removal of interest, for I think it makes sense that those who are part of us we should seek to elevate all the more. I should not try to earn extra upon my brother's back, and as a Christian, who is my brother? An interesting chapter.

One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at table. 37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” 40 And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”

41 “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 Then those who were at table with him began to say among[h] themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” 50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Luke 7:36-50