Deuteronomy

So, about 6 months ago I started reading my Bible. I started with Matthew, because a very wise woman told me that if I wanted to get to know Jesus, then I needed to start with Him. Since I got through the entire New Testament, I started at the beginning with Genesis and have thus far made my way to Deuteronomy.

I've been learning a lot about the Old Covenant as I've made my way through Exodus, Leviticus and now Deuteronomy... and last night I had a revelation.

Here's one example of what I read last night: Deut 21:18-21 -

18 If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and will not listen to them when they discipline him, 19 his father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his town. 20 They shall say to the elders, "This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey us. He is a profligate and a drunkard." 21 Then all the men of his town shall stone him to death. You must purge the evil from among you. All Israel will hear of it and be afraid.


And another example: Deut. 22:13-24 -

13 If a man takes a wife and, after lying with her, dislikes her 14 and slanders her and gives her a bad name, saying, "I married this woman, but when I approached her, I did not find proof of her virginity," 15 then the girl's father and mother shall bring proof that she was a virgin to the town elders at the gate... 20 If, however, the charge is true and no proof of the girl's virginity can be found, 21 she shall be brought to the door of her father's house and there the men of her town shall stone her to death. She has done a disgraceful thing in Israel by being promiscuous while still in her father's house. You must purge the evil from among you. 22 If a man is found sleeping with another man's wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die. You must purge the evil from Israel. 23 If a man happens to meet in a town a virgin pledged to be married and he sleeps with her, 24 you shall take both of them to the gate of that town and stone them to death--the girl because she was in a town and did not scream for help, and the man because he violated another man's wife. You must purge the evil from among you.


I know that Jesus came to Earth as a perfect man, and died sinless on the cross, and rose again after 3 days in the grave - His sacrifice is why I am saved, I know this. But just last night it occurred to me WHY he had to do this.

So I'm reading in Deuteronomy last night and I was reading how the consequence of all these different sins is that the guilty party is to be stoned to death, and I'm thinking, "wow, how horrible for these sinners that they don't get a second chance." Because let me tell you, I should have been stoned to death a LONG TIME AGO, but then it hit me like a bolt of lightning - that's why the fact that Jesus Christ established the New Covenant is so important. I HAVE been given another chance. I was able to repent and to be FORGIVEN - I don't have to face the sentence of death as a consequence of my sin - Thank you Jesus!!

So, we've all heard over and over again, Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." - and although I've known this for a long, long, time - I now know it, I understand it, and I am convicted in my knowledge and understanding of what it means and why.