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Discussions Tithe & Finances Torah

Deuteronomy 25-26: Sowing seeds of a healthful culture

Honesty in business dealings and setting aside for the LORD the first and a 10th of what He has blessed us with seem like straightforward teachings from these two chapters for modern times. However, what do we do with teachings in this passage about men temporarily marrying their sisters-in-law to perpetuate the name of her dead husband and amputation as punishment for women who “fight dirty” seem way out of step with modern culture? Richard Agee explores what God is trying to show us about Himself with these teachings.

Food for thought from the audio discussion

Why is the “name” of a person so important to the LORD (Deut. 25:5-10)? What does a family of feet without sandals mean (Deut. 25:10)? How is it related to the prophecy of the footsteps of the people of Israel (Deut. 11:22-25)? What does a shoe represent in relation to a person? How is Deut. 25:5-10 related to the book of Ruth?

What type of fighting is described in Deut. 25:11-12? What is so offensive about a woman defending her husband by damaging his attacker’s genitals?

What is the point of Deut. 25:1-3? Is the key found in Deut. 25:4, or is that statement a teaching unto itself?

What is the seven-year cycle for the land of Israel (Ex. 23:10-12; Deut. 14:22-29; Deut. 26:12-15)? Is there a tithe of the land’s production in the seventh year? What do you do with the tithe the first year? The second year? The third year? What were the people of Israel to say to God at the end of the third year of tithes? What would the LORD say in response? How does one start his three-year cycle of tithes?