Scripture Passage
Scripture Focus
“You must not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.” (Deuteronomy 14:21 NLT)
Observation
No, I’ve not chosen this verse because I know something about it…but specifically because I don’t. Indeed, to my knowledge, it’s one of only a handful of Scriptures for which Biblical scholars merely guess at its “original intent.” I don’t know of anyone really convinced that they have the definitive understanding of this Biblical prohibition against “cooking a young goat in its mother’s milk.” The usual suggestion is that the verse bans a ritual practice of one of the Canaanite religions, and is therefore in place as a prohibition against idol worship, and not directly because there’d be something wrong with the act in itself.
The point of highlighting this strange verse is to suggest that the rest of the passage—certainly when taken as a whole—makes good sense. “Stay true to God. Honor His instructions. Be generous—towards God and others. Remember to celebrate the mighty acts of God on your behalf.” When so much about a passage makes sense, it’s probably not worth getting too crossed up about one or two verses that don’t.
In this regard, I appreciate the words attributed to American humorist Mark Twain: “It ain't those parts of the Bible that I can't understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand.”
There’s plenty I don’t understand—not just about Scripture, but about life. But I do understand enough to act on. Lord help me to do just that!
4 comments:
I tell you what. there is a bunch that I dont understand but I am trying. the book of Job still throws me for a loop. This is the first time that I have really read the bible and with your teachings everyday Pastor it is a blessing because you explain it to me the best you can and you give me more to think about than just my own conclusion.
Probably goes along with not making your children march through fire. I agree that it is probably a prohibition given us to keep us from offering to other Gods. Isn't it a comfort to know all we have to do is love the lord our God with all our hearts and all our souls and all our minds and all our strength instead of making cream of goat soup. Amen
As I have read today's words in Deuteronomy, specifically ch. 14 vs. 3-8; I came across the same in Leviticus ch. 11 vs. 1-23. I am trying to catch up on what I have missed in the last couple weeks. I don't think it's an accident that I read about these similar passages of what to eat and what not to eat. I know alot of this was to protect them from illness and disease. What I am getting from it is that in doing these things the Lord commanded to the Israelites they could show God their loyalty to Him, their devotion and where their heart was, that they were a people set apart from the rest of the world. This is just as true today. We obey the commandments not just because we 'have' to but because we want to show God how much we are grateful that He delivered us, how much we love Him and desire to experience more of Him. All these things we read about in the Old Testament were law, they were 'do it or die'. Today it's not so much different. We do have a choice to follow what the Lord wants us to do ( and to each person that may be a variety of certain things put on your heart by God) If we do them we walk a little closer to God if we choose not to we can die spiritually, become infected with toxins in our inner man, a spiritual weakness or disease. We do have to keep His commandments which never change.
I heard a word today that has stuck with me all morning and would like to share.
"What your mind can conceive your heart will achieve."
just like you, Pastor, I pondered that one sentence for a few moments and wondered what it might have meant, and I agree, it wasn't so important compared to the message as a whole.
Thank the Lord for His understanding in our human ways and that He doesn't let that get in the way of His love for us!
Post a Comment