He Captured My Heart

O. T. #411  "He Captured My Heart"
November 19, 2014
Deuteronomy 21-part 2
If you notice among the captives a beautiful woman and are attracted to her, you may take her as your wife.  Deuteronomy 21:9 NIV

LET IT GLOW

I still see it as plain as day, during our senior year in high school, when Roger sat in the student center, watching the ping-pong games at lunch. When his presence caught my eye, I began watching this new guy at school instead of the games. Eventually, after dating and spending time with him, as well as seeking the Lord's will, he captured my heart. His physical appearance was ordinary, but he was different from the rest of the guys I knew. In seven days, we will celebrate our 42nd anniversary. I can truthfully say, he still captures my heart.

Did you know God gave Israel instructions on this topic?

Moses is continuing to give instructions to Israel concerning their new societal order in regards to human relationships. It is this second generation of the Israelites who are going to form a new nation. They are God's chosen children. He desires them to live the right way, to be an example before the heathen nations.
Moses touches on an unusual situation-What does a man do with a beautiful captured woman that has captured his heart?

Such a woman would be from a non-Canaanite city that Israel had captured (20:4) since all the Canaanites were to be killed (20:16).
According to ancient war customs, a female captive became the servant of the victors, a prisoner of war. If this beautiful woman's conqueror desired marriage with her, there were some procedures that he must follow:

• The man was instructed to bring the woman into the Israeli man's house, giving her the rights of a daughter of Israel (Ex. 21:7).
• One month was to elapse before they married. It was a sign of cleansing (Lev. 14:8; Num. 8:7).
• This time allowed her to sorrow for the loss of her parents as she left home to marry a stranger.
• The typical signs of Jewish grief included: shaving the head, trimming the nails (signs of purification), removing her lovely, captive clothes (symbolic of passing out of the state of slavery).
• This action gave her opportunity to forget her natural affection for her people and for her father's house.
• However, if the Israelite husband found no delight in her, and decided divorce was appropriate, he could let her go; but he could not sell her as a slave. She would be set free completely.

[References: The MacArthur Bible Commentary, Liberty Bible Commentary]

We believing women are beautiful daughters of the King-King Jesus. We have captivated His heart, not by any thing we are or have done, but by His grace and love.

Ephesians 1:5 says, Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.

Is our inner countenance showing us to be a beautiful spiritual woman? Is our loving, humble spirit what draws attention to us, others to us, or is it a shallow outward beauty? Are we striving to be a Proverbs 31 woman? How will we honor our Savior today? Has Jesus captured your heart?


LET IT GROW

What were the Israelites to do when their son was stubborn and rebellious? When he would not obey his parents' chastening?

• According to the fifth commandment (Ex. 20:120, the son was to be stoned to death by the men of the town, not the parents.
• The parents were to take this rebellious son to the elders at the gate of their town.(verse 19)
• They charge the son with being a glutton and a drunkard. (verse 20) It showed he was unmanageable.

If a man would not obey his parents, he would not obey God, nor was he likely to obey civil authority. It would be punishing crime in its embryonic form. (Falwell)

Plus, rebellion could spread throughout the town. Stoning put fear into people so they would put away evil ways. Do we want our sins on display?

The last two verses in this chapter speaks about men being hung on a tree until dead for certain crimes. After his execution, the man's body was to remain on the tree as a public display of the consequences of disobedience. It was to be removed and buried before sunset.

A man hanged was accursed of God, as verse 23 tells us.
Galatians 3:13-14 NIV says, Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

Thank You Jesus for redeeming us Gentiles and making us Your child. Such mercy!

LET IT GO

Take any stubbornness and rebellion to Jesus for removal.

Allow Jesus to make me into a beautiful spiritual woman.

Thank Jesus for loving us Gentiles and redeeming us.

Share the love of Jesus with someone today.