Be With Me: 7 Minutes of Biblical Wonder
Be With Me is a daily 7 minute chronological walk through the New Testament hosted by Michael Smith. It is for everyone who is curious about what Jesus actually said and did in the gospels. Most episodes will leave you with at least one good thought to chew on for the rest of the day. We start with the Bible and hopefully end with Awe. We are walking through the chronological events of Jesus' life and then thoughtfully considering them. It is meant to spur the devotional life of the Christian and the not-yet-Christian. We occasionally venture into the Old Testament when it helps our understanding of the New Testament events. Everybody has 7 minutes. Everybody needs to wonder. Be With Me is hosted by Michael Smith who has absolutely no special qualifications to do a podcast. He is not a pastor. He has not been to seminary. He does not lead a mega-church. He is not a professional and he has no more credentials than you do. He does, however, follow a great God with an observant eye and a curious heart. Each day, he starts with a study bible and aims for astonishment. ‘be with him’ for 7 minutes as he sets out daily to discover the God who invites us to ‘Be With Me.’
Be With Me: 7 Minutes of Biblical Wonder
Can you marry this person in the Lord? S29e61 Dt25:5
We'll land on the question today: "Who am I at liberty to marry?" We will get there by way of an unusual Old Testament practice. We'll also address what comes along with marriage. What are my duties? To whom are they owed?
https://youtu.be/MYbcoQMWDLY
Deuteronomy
Can you marry this person in the Lord? S29e61 Dt25:5
Levirite marriage—brother in law in latin—don’t worry, not for today
5 “If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead man shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her and take her as his wife and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. 6 And the first son whom she bears shall succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel. 7 And if the man does not wish to take his brother’s wife, then his brother’s wife shall go up to the gate to the elders and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to perpetuate his brother’s name in Israel; he will not perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me.’ 8 Then the elders of his city shall call him and speak to him, and if he persists, saying, ‘I do not wish to take her,’ 9 then his brother’s wife shall go up to him in the presence of the elders and pull his sandal off his foot and spit in his face. And she shall answer and say, ‘So shall it be done to the man who does not build up his brother’s house.’ 10 And the name of his house shall be called in Israel, ‘The house of him who had his sandal pulled off.’
Purpose was protection for the widow and That his name not be blotted out. It is a case where polygamy might be allowed under certain circumstance. How? Possible that the surviving brother may already be married.
PROTECTION In this sense acts as a protection for the widow. Alternativeswere generally not good: Sexual impropriety, prostitution, starvation. These are the backdrops that make this practice a little more understandable and may give us an insight into the desires of God. He is given the opportunity, especially in light of these risks, even peril that the widow faces, and the obligation/opportunity to family providershipPerpetuate his name in Israel, and protect and provide for widow And the offspring of the widow
There is desire to perpetuate the family heritage. That the dead brother’s
Ideas of the “kinsman redeemer” themes of Ruth
Persists in not wishing to taking her. He gets a choice. This is not an absoluterequirement. He is not forced to marry her.
Penalty consequences: Pull his sandal off
Spit in his face
So shall it be done to the one who does not perpetuate
The house of him who had his sandal pulled off
Why not marry your brother’s ex-wife
1. Sinful. You do not wish to build up your brother’s house.
a. Brothers can be rivals. It is not every brother that wishes the best for his brother. So this could be sin on the surviving brother’s part. “I never liked by brother. I’m not going to be kind to him or his spouse after his death.” That would be sin.
2. Sinful. You do not want the expense. With the wife, goes the commitment goes providership. There has always been, and remains to this day a connection between marriage and provision; between sexual union and the ongoing financial commitment. With sex goes responsibility. Something we already know, but bears reinforcement in this story.
3. You don’t choose a marriage to her. Maybe you honestly don’t have an affection for her even to here fulfill a covenantal responsibility to her. , and you wish to spare her a life with your grouchy non-affection. This could be done in a holy way, but there will be a price to the title on your household: “the house of him who had his sandal pulled off. “
Overarching concept of commitment to family. Bit of a lightbulb that in this hour of israel’s history, that the woman your brother chooses to marry is a person that you now have some very unique potential commitments to.Illustrates the Lord’s provision for continuing your name. rev 2: 17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’
I suppose this all pictures the Lord’s provision to us.
Not a law for today:
Paul 1 Cor 7:39 39 A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.
Here is the NT teaching: a wife is bound until the death.
After the death of the husband , she is free. And vice versa.
She is free to marry to whom she wishes sort of, with restrictions
But get the main thing right: ONLY IN THE LORD.
If you cannot marry this person before the Lord, then do not marry this person. If they are not a real believer, then you will not share the fundamental foundational bedrock of your life: what Christ has done for you. Worldview that a Christian is commanded to share, at least as far as it depends on you.
Two married non-christians, who then one becomes a Christian, they are to stay married, and the believer influences the non-believer into faith.
I think a fair question for those marrying a second time, “Is this a marriage IN THE LORD? Are you in the Lord? Is the potential spouse in the Lord? Are you at liberty to marry in the Lord? Can you marry this person in the Lord?