God Sides With Victims
I've said it before and I'll say it again: Deuteronomy is a very difficult part of the Bible to read. However, after going through it with First5 last year, I cannot help but think on it from time to time. It bothers me that I have trouble reconciling all the laws of bloodshed with Jesus' loving manner in the New Testament.
Reading this helps a bit, but I'm not even going to attempt to explain all the sensitive issues that arise from this book as a whole. For that, I'm too ill equipped.
What I'd like to do today, is to pause at 22:25-27 for a few minutes, if I may. ["25But if out in the country a man happens to meet a young woman pledged to be married and rapes her, only the man who has done this shall die. 26Do nothing to the woman; she has committed no sin deserving death. This case is like that of someone who attacks and murders a neighbor, 27for the man found the young woman out in the country, and though the betrothed woman screamed, there was no one to rescue her." - Deuteronomy 22:25-27, NIV]
I hate the fact that we live in a world where rape has been part of the 'culture' for centuries, but it is comforting to know that God abhors sexual assault too. So much so that He had specific punishments included in the old civil laws, and that it even noted that the victims are blameless.
Whitney Capps also highlighted these verses in the 'More Moments' on Deuteronomy 22 in the App, so we were totally in sync there. What she wrote resonated with me, because it cannot be said enough: Victims are NEVER to be blamed.
Crimes cannot be hidden from the Lord. He sees all. And, if you're a victim, He will not forsake you - He's always on your side, and so am I.
Reading this helps a bit, but I'm not even going to attempt to explain all the sensitive issues that arise from this book as a whole. For that, I'm too ill equipped.
What I'd like to do today, is to pause at 22:25-27 for a few minutes, if I may. ["25But if out in the country a man happens to meet a young woman pledged to be married and rapes her, only the man who has done this shall die. 26Do nothing to the woman; she has committed no sin deserving death. This case is like that of someone who attacks and murders a neighbor, 27for the man found the young woman out in the country, and though the betrothed woman screamed, there was no one to rescue her." - Deuteronomy 22:25-27, NIV]
I hate the fact that we live in a world where rape has been part of the 'culture' for centuries, but it is comforting to know that God abhors sexual assault too. So much so that He had specific punishments included in the old civil laws, and that it even noted that the victims are blameless.
Whitney Capps also highlighted these verses in the 'More Moments' on Deuteronomy 22 in the App, so we were totally in sync there. What she wrote resonated with me, because it cannot be said enough: Victims are NEVER to be blamed.
Crimes cannot be hidden from the Lord. He sees all. And, if you're a victim, He will not forsake you - He's always on your side, and so am I.
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