While Jesus and early Christians seem to have read and even delighted in the book of Deuteronomy, it can be a challenging read for Christians today because it features such a large number of laws that deal with a wide variety of topics. I offered some general insights about these laws to help you better understand their purpose and context in a previous post. In this post, I will seek to apply some of those principles as I examine particular laws that can be head-scratchers in terms of what they mean or what value they might have for us today.
Not Cutting Skin or Hair at a Funeral (Deuteronomy 14:1-2)
Why were the Israelites specifically forbidden from cutting themselves or making bald spots on their heads on behalf of the dead? This was because such actions were common ways in which other religions and nations around Israel mourned, as these actions could be ways that they would either call upon their gods or connect to the dead. This command is thus a requirement for God’s people to mourn differently from the nations around them and a reminder that God’s people were not to adopt the practices and rituals of the surrounding nations; God’s people are to be holy (set apart and different). It is likely that this is also forbidden because self-mutilation does not show honor to the body that God has made.
These particular customs and practices are not necessarily common today at non-Christian funerals in America, but that does not mean this law has no relevance for us today. For one thing, this law could speak to other cultures in which such practices are common. In addition it shows us that our mourning practices should both differ from those who do not share our beliefs and reflect what we believe is true. We can grieve, but we should do so as those having hope, knowing that we don’t have to do things to get God’s attention in our mourning and remembering the resurrection of the body that awaits.
Taking Eggs But Letting Momma Bird Go Free (Deuteronomy 22:6-7)
A command that seems to come out of the blue and also seems a little odd is the instruction in 22:6-7 that addresses what one can do when they find a bird’s nest with chicks or eggs. The directive given is that one can take the young birds but not the mother bird. There is rationale attached to this command: “so that you may prosper and live long” (22:7). It would seem that the underlying reason for this prohibition against taking the mother bird is that it would allow her to have more eggs and chicks in the future; if one takes the mother as well, then one would be ending the chain that leads to further resources. This law reflects the reality that humans can utilize the animal kingdom for their own good, such as through eating meat. It also reminds us of the need to have some restraints, that we should use the resources of this world in such a way that they do not get exhausted or eliminated. This is a principle that appears elsewhere in the law, such as in the command not to cut down fruit-bearing trees outside of a city that is being laid siege (20:19-20).
I’m not sure the command about mother birds necessarily applies in all times and places, but it does offer some sound wisdom that applies not only in this particular situation but also in similar situations in which our actions regarding the resources of the created world today may impact the ability for us or those after us to also enjoy them.
