Cut off her hand...

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Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
24,420
12,905
113
#41
Does anyone have a view on this?
The only thing that matters is God's view. What about legalized abortion today? It is even more barbaric than anything you may find in Scripture. And that commandment to *cut off her hand* would have been a warning to all women, so that in reality no one's hand was cut off.
 

Deade

Called of God
Dec 17, 2017
16,724
10,530
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Vinita, Oklahoma, USA
yeshuaofisrael.org
#42
I had problems at first coming to Jesus about all the death sentences and commands to wipe out all the inhabitants of ancient cities. I mean, women and children. God is higher than we are.

Isa. 55:8,9 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."

It makes it seem so cruel is that God is condemning them to forever flames according to our traditional Christian understanding. God is not doing that. In fact, if a person is not called of God in this first dispensation his whole life is vain and meaningless.

Ecc. 1:2 "Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity."
Ecc. 1:14 "I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit."
Ecc. 2:17 "Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit."
Ecc. 3:19 "For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
Ecc. 12:8 "Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity."

God looks at life and death differently than we do. We spend all our time trying to make sure our needs are met. We work tirelessly to make sure we have food, shelter and clothes for tomorrow. We worry and fret and save for hard times because we have seen them come. All of this is against faith (see Matt. 6:25).

When this life ends, nobody is headed to "forever" flames. This is why there is no understanding what God is doing. When Christ comes back, mainstream Christianity will be treated much like the Pharisees of the first century. It will be a case of a different Christ than what was expected.
 

Scrobulous

Active member
Sep 17, 2018
290
73
28
#43
Misogynistic culture? By who's reckoning? Yours? Today's World?

God was very specific, and Israel had disastrous consequences, from taking the wives and mixing their seed with certain women of other Nations. The reason for this is clear. Through Israel the Messiah would come. So again, any attempt to damage or corrupt His Chosen people's seed would by necessity be harshly dealt with.

Protecting the posterity of the man was of paramount concern for God. It doesn't say this woman would have her arm chopped off for stomping on the guy"s feet, or biting his had, or a thousand OTHER ways she could have interceded in the fight. The decree is specific to damaging his genitals, that carry his seed.
I would say all ancient middle eastern cultures were misogynistic and Jesus confirmed it by saying that divorce was a concession to the hardness of heart that is characteristic of misogyny.
I find you argument about the ‘seed’ very curious. This idea that sin is carried in the DNA! I thought the injunction against foreign wives was founded on concern about the culture of the foreign nations, not fear of their DNA or contamination arising from their foreignness. God himself has no such concerns, or he would not have encouraged foreign converts to join Israel as equal partners. In fact this was core to God’s purpose, so the idea of corruption based on seed seems to me misplaced.
 

luigi

Junior Member
Dec 6, 2015
1,222
216
63
#44
I had problems at first coming to Jesus about all the death sentences and commands to wipe out all the inhabitants of ancient cities. I mean, women and children. God is higher than we are.

Isa. 55:8,9 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."

It makes it seem so cruel is that God is condemning them to forever flames according to our traditional Christian understanding. God is not doing that. In fact, if a person is not called of God in this first dispensation his whole life is vain and meaningless.

Ecc. 1:2 "Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity."
Ecc. 1:14 "I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit."
Ecc. 2:17 "Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit."
Ecc. 3:19 "For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
Ecc. 12:8 "Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity."

God looks at life and death differently than we do. We spend all our time trying to make sure our needs are met. We work tirelessly to make sure we have food, shelter and clothes for tomorrow. We worry and fret and save for hard times because we have seen them come. All of this is against faith (see Matt. 6:25).

When this life ends, nobody is headed to "forever" flames. This is why there is no understanding what God is doing. When Christ comes back, mainstream Christianity will be treated much like the Pharisees of the first century. It will be a case of a different Christ than what was expected.
Many of the Middle East nations whom the Exodus group vanquished were conducting human sacrifices, enslaving their neighbors, and committing other atrocities.
The Lord also allowed the Conquistadors to conquer and enslave the indigenous peoples of Central and South America, who were also conducting human sacrifices, enslaving their neighbors, and committing other atrocities.
The Lord also allowed the Chaldeans and Nebuchadnezzar to conquer and enslave the Judeans and other Middle Eastern nations who were committing various atrocities.
Basically, it seems the Lord allows the more just and enlightened to reign over the less enlightened and unjust.
 

PennEd

Senior Member
Apr 22, 2013
12,931
8,661
113
#45
I would say all ancient middle eastern cultures were misogynistic and Jesus confirmed it by saying that divorce was a concession to the hardness of heart that is characteristic of misogyny.
I find you argument about the ‘seed’ very curious. This idea that sin is carried in the DNA! I thought the injunction against foreign wives was founded on concern about the culture of the foreign nations, not fear of their DNA or contamination arising from their foreignness. God himself has no such concerns, or he would not have encouraged foreign converts to join Israel as equal partners. In fact this was core to God’s purpose, so the idea of corruption based on seed seems to me misplaced.

This is a subject matter that requires a whole lot of homework. So just the outline here.

From God's pronouncement to to satan in Genesis 3 that it would be by the Seed of the woman that he would be destroyed, till the Birth, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, satan sought to destroy the line that Jesus would come from. Satan didn't know how long God would wait to fulfill His judgement. So he started immediately by killing Abel through Cain, and therby also destroying Cain by God's Hand.

But of course from then the line would come through Seth. Satan changed his strategy with his fellow fallen cohorts corrupting virtually the whole human race, except Noah, who the Bible tells us was perfect in his generation, or read that HIS GENES!

But Genesis 6 tells us "and also after that" referring to emergence of the nephillim, or progeny of the fallen angels. I do not believe there was a second fall of different angels. And Jude tells us that the ones that committed the horrible sin of mating with human women are currently held in chains

So SOMEONE on that Ark aside from Noah had at least some portion of fallen angel DNA. Maybe one of the wives of Noah's sons.

But merely carrying a gene does not guarantee that it will be passed down to every offspring. Just like today, not every kid inherits a disease from there parents unless certain criteria is met.

So at this point you need to do a serious study of nephillim, rephaim, and giants. There ARE four gentile women in Jesus's lineage, some of whom come from these affected gentile nations.

But you are also certainly right that one of the reasons God forbade intermarriage was because He knew the people would be lured into demonic idol worship.
 
Mar 28, 2016
15,954
1,528
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#46
I would say all ancient middle eastern cultures were misogynistic and Jesus confirmed it by saying that divorce was a concession to the hardness of heart that is characteristic of misogyny.
I find you argument about the ‘seed’ very curious. This idea that sin is carried in the DNA! I thought the injunction against foreign wives was founded on concern about the culture of the foreign nations, not fear of their DNA or contamination arising from their foreignness. God himself has no such concerns, or he would not have encouraged foreign converts to join Israel as equal partners. In fact this was core to God’s purpose, so the idea of corruption based on seed seems to me misplaced.
We shold be carefull for the counterfeiter. Incorruptible is based on seed

Its not the kind of seed that can be traced through DNA. which are seeds of the flesh as many. But is the spiritual unseen seed the incorruptible seed of God word by which all are born anew from above.

Galatians 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ


1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
 
L

LPT

Guest
#47
There's no account for it happening in scripture or else where. it has a deeper meaning and not an actual event. She forfeits her right to the levirate marriage. since she attempted to save her husbands life by improperly touching another man. her right to a levirate marriage under the law would be cut off and she will not be pitied. the principle of talion is in fact at work as both the man who was injured and the woman loss the potential of having a child in the future.
 
P

pottersclay

Guest
#48
Some of the laws and traditions seem cruel, offensive, brutal, but consider this as a deterrent.

I know all of us have heard of somebody saying or even we have said it ourself (I know what I would do in that situation)
We'll think twice on what not to do.
 
L

LPT

Guest
#49
On the surface it may seem as a literal statement and it is but it's not a actual cutting the hand off but rather cutting off from. the key to understanding the passage is the word hand, the OT was written first in Hebrew and looking at the Hebrew word (Kaph) which is used in the OT three different ways, referring to either Palm/hand,foot/sole,hip/socket. Ironically in the garden Adam and Eve took from the tree with their palm/hand, covered the hip/socket with fig leaves, then walked out of the garden with their feet/soles.


But the dove found no resting place for the sole (kaph) of her foot, and she returned into the ark to him... Genesis 8:9

Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket (kaph) of his hip; and the socket (kaph) of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him.
Genesis 32:25
 
Mar 28, 2016
15,954
1,528
113
#50
This is a subject matter that requires a whole lot of homework. So just the outline here.

From God's pronouncement to to satan in Genesis 3 that it would be by the Seed of the woman that he would be destroyed, till the Birth, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, satan sought to destroy the line that Jesus would come from. Satan didn't know how long God would wait to fulfill His judgement. So he started immediately by killing Abel through Cain, and therby also destroying Cain by God's Hand.

But of course from then the line would come through Seth. Satan changed his strategy with his fellow fallen cohorts corrupting virtually the whole human race, except Noah, who the Bible tells us was perfect in his generation, or read that HIS GENES!

But Genesis 6 tells us "and also after that" referring to emergence of the nephillim, or progeny of the fallen angels. I do not believe there was a second fall of different angels. And Jude tells us that the ones that committed the horrible sin of mating with human women are currently held in chains

So SOMEONE on that Ark aside from Noah had at least some portion of fallen angel DNA. Maybe one of the wives of Noah's sons.

But merely carrying a gene does not guarantee that it will be passed down to every offspring. Just like today, not every kid inherits a disease from there parents unless certain criteria is met.

So at this point you need to do a serious study of nephillim, rephaim, and giants. There ARE four gentile women in Jesus's lineage, some of whom come from these affected gentile nations.

But you are also certainly right that one of the reasons God forbade intermarriage was because He knew the people would be lured into demonic idol worship.

Angels are not made from the dust of the field as beast of the field as was mankind. . They have no DNA and therefore cannot be fruitful and multiply . The sons of God in that verse are those who are led by the Spirit of Christ as believers .They mingled with daughters of men .Not born again as sons of God . The spiritual seed Christ ( one) not many seeds DNA .

Christ's seed was in jeopardy the thoughts of men as to the imaginations of there hearts (no faith) was evil continually. Noah was used to begin again. It was fulfilled in the Son of man. Jesus . The end of the genealogy of the generation of Christ the supernatural generation . (Mathew 1:1-17)
 
K

Karraster

Guest
#51
Psalm 18
25With the merciful you show yourself merciful;
with the blameless man you show yourself blameless;
26with the purified you show yourself pure;
and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.
27For you save a humble people,
but the haughty eyes you bring down.
28For it is you who light my lamp;
the Lord my God lightens my darkness.
29For by you I can run against a troop,
and by my God I can leap over a wall.
30This God—his way is perfect;d
the word of the Lord proves true;
he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.
 

memyselfi

Junior Member
Jan 12, 2017
503
260
63
#52
In Deuteronomy 25 we have the following:
11 If two men are fighting and the wife of one of them comes to rescue her husband from his assailant, and she reaches out and seizes him by his private parts, 12 you shall cut off her hand. Show her no pity.

When reading the OT law, it is important to realise that although, by our standards, the events are pretty barbaric, we are dealing with divine judgment and being educated to understand the deadliness of sin and God’s attitude towards it. Genocide is a last resort and the means by which God judges the nations of the middle east. There are indications, Gen 15:16 that God waits generations before judging in this way. We are, in fact, instructed to love the law and to dwell on it night and day Ps 1:2.
It seems to me that the law is an imperfect means of structuring a society along godly lines, but in spite of all this, the above command strikes me as utterly disgusting.
I am appalled too, at commands to stone animals, like bulls who gore people to death. Stoning is a means of killing so painful, slow and disgusting, that surely no merciful God could condone it. Why the cruelty?
I have to say such things really upset my faith.
Does anyone have a view on this?

Are you willing to stand before G-d and tell Him His Word appalls you or is that just something you do for humans?
 

rlm68

Active member
Jul 23, 2018
486
121
43
#53
I always asked this question because it just made sense to me...those who threw the stones to kill those who sinned were supposedly righteous people. Do I actually believe every stone thrower was sin free?

NO, absolutely NOT!!

In my idealism concerning the chosen executioners, I see what we see when Christ asked those who were about to stone Mary...Those without sin cast the first stone!!

In my opinion, sinners were killing other sinners.

How God could justify such a thing, knowing that God as Christ would litigate on Mary's behalf to save her, is beyond my reasoning.

It's hard for me to imagine come judgement day, that God is justifiably sending those stoned to death to a Lake of Fire for all eternity, when He is well aware those stoned to death were killed by others also full of sin :(
 

Scrobulous

Active member
Sep 17, 2018
290
73
28
#54
I asked why the law of God demands amputation and the stoning of bulls in the situations described in Deut 25:11-12. I have been told these laws were intended as a deterrent. In which case, society should suggest boiling people in oil for not returning their library books, after all this is a crime against the whole community and how about hanging and disembowelling people who park their cars in the wrong place? If the laws are savage enough, no one commit crime at all, right? Saudis amputate the hands of thieves and we think them pretty barbarous, but the effectiveness is undisputed. Not many steal in Saudi, but some do and they suffer amputation. They are given anaesthetic. Imagine if they were not. So why don’t we go down this route? Because we recognise that the law is an expression of our aspirations. We are defined by our laws.
How can I obey Psalm 1:2 ?
The implication of this is that I will reevaluate how I interpret the bible. The bible is written by men. Many parts of it are inspired by God and some parts are not. Working out which are and which are not is actually no big deal. One can smell the bits that come from men, the divorce laws and the stoning of animals easily enough.
 

Demi777

Senior Member
Oct 13, 2014
6,877
1,949
113
Germany
#55
Didnt Jesus also.say cut out ur eyes if they cause u to sin?
 

trofimus

Senior Member
Aug 17, 2015
10,684
794
113
#56
The implication of this is that I will reevaluate how I interpret the bible. The bible is written by men. Many parts of it are inspired by God and some parts are not. Working out which are and which are not is actually no big deal. One can smell the bits that come from men, the divorce laws and the stoning of animals easily enough.
God is greater than Bible in which we are not sure about so many places, anyway. We know His character as presented by Christ. We know his mercy and grace.

Therefore, I agree, that its better to just put some strange verses aside than to see God in a wrong perspective, as unjust or cruel.

its always better to say "I do not understand this verse" or to say "I think this verse is not inspired" than to say "God can be cruel because He is God and can do whatever He wants".

We love God, because He deservers our love. Not because He simply commanded us to love Him.
 
Oct 25, 2018
2,377
1,198
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#57
The implication of this is that I will reevaluate how I interpret the bible. The bible is written by men. Many parts of it are inspired by God and some parts are not. Working out which are and which are not is actually no big deal. One can smell the bits that come from men, the divorce laws and the stoning of animals easily enough.
My friend, you are walking on dangerous ground, trying to see what is inspired and what is not. Every bit of it is inspired, and we can rest in knowing it is.

14-17 But don’t let it faze you. Stick with what you learned and believed, sure of the integrity of your teachers—why, you took in the sacred Scriptures with your mother’s milk! There’s nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.(2 Timothy 3)

We can rest knowing when we read our bibles, we have the very words of God in our hands, from Genesis 1:1-Revelation 22:21.
 

Scrobulous

Active member
Sep 17, 2018
290
73
28
#58
Are you willing to stand before G-d and tell Him His Word appalls you or is that just something you do for humans?
I don’t think this is the word of God.
I think people defending this position are like Job’s comforters. Defending God’s honour out of a misplaced understanding. I don’t think God will be very impressed. Jesus himself didn’t reach for the stones or the knives.
 

rlm68

Active member
Jul 23, 2018
486
121
43
#59
My friend, you are walking on dangerous ground, trying to see what is inspired and what is not. Every bit of it is inspired, and we can rest in knowing it is.

14-17 But don’t let it faze you. Stick with what you learned and believed, sure of the integrity of your teachers—why, you took in the sacred Scriptures with your mother’s milk! There’s nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.(2 Timothy 3)

We can rest knowing when we read our bibles, we have the very words of God in our hands, from Genesis 1:1-Revelation 22:21.


Except for the few scriptures that have either been proven to have been altered, added to, or made up. But the other 99% is definitely inspired by our God!!
 

trofimus

Senior Member
Aug 17, 2015
10,684
794
113
#60
My friend, you are walking on dangerous ground, trying to see what is inspired and what is not. Every bit of it is inspired, and we can rest in knowing it is.

We can rest knowing when we read our bibles, we have the very words of God in our hands, from Genesis 1:1-Revelation 22:21.
Every bit? How can every bit be inspired when we do not know how whole chapters or books should be? LXX vs MT, majority vs critical text etc. Not to mention mess with the OT canon.

Every bit of which Bible? Of the first church? Peshitta? Of Old Slavonic? Of Vulgate? Or your own Bible only?

We believe in God.