Many believers in Yeshua dismiss this chapter and similar ones as “just a list of rules” and assume they have no relevance to the modern times. Yet there is foreshadowing of the Messiah in the laws for cities to atone for the “stain” of unsolved murder, inheritance for the firstborn of “unloved” wives and capital punishment for “rebellious” sons.
Laws on the cities of refuge discouraged vigilantism and encouraged respect for the legal system to decide guilt or innocence. There was a serious penalty against “malicious witnesses” in criminal cases. God gave rules for the war to clean the Land, including discharge from service for the distracted and annihilation of certain existing peoples.
Deuteronomy 17 covers the type of animals to be given for sacrifice, what to do with a person who is worshiping another god and when and how they will chose a king. Deuteronomy 18 explores Levites and their inheritance, a reminder to the children of Israel that they are not allowed to “learn to imitate the detestable things of those nations” and a foretelling of a Prophet will come who is even more powerful than Moses.
Seven shows up repeatedly in Scripture. It appears first with the seventh day of creation, threads through God’s cycles of appointments with mankind, and foreshadows the timing of Messiah Yeshua’s arrival as the Word become flesh and culminates with many of the symbols of the Day of the Lord.
Explore the connection between Messiah Yeshua’s (Jesus) being hung on a tree, the cross, and the command here to hang cursed, executed criminals on a tree and execution of a rebellious son. Also discussed is God’s handling of “cold” murder cases.
The foundations for modern criminal law are found in the Torah: malice aforethought, compensatory damages, perjury, and proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Also, the army of ancient Israel was not to be manned by a draft.
One of the most precious promises of the Torah is found in Deuteronomy 18. A prophet like Moses — Messiah — would come and reveal God in a more intimate way. However, we must not seek divine knowledge by other means — divination.