Does God Hate Mixed Fabrics? A Proper Understanding of Deuteronomy 22:11

You shall not wear a material mixed of wool and linen together. (Deuteronomy 22:11)

Does God really hate it when people wear two kinds of fabrics? Aren’t there more important things to worry about in life such as poverty, famine, and injustice?

Critics of the Old Testament often use the verse cited above and others like it to discredit the Bible’s relevance and authority. For example Richard Dawkins, Britain’s prominent evolutionist, scoffs at Deuteronomy 22:11 and refers to the God of the Old Testament as “petty.” One blogger that I consulted believed that the mixed fabric passage demonstrates that “The Bible exists as much, if not more, as an object of opression  [sic] as an object of inspiration.”

One thing to keep in mind is that the Old Testament was not written to twenty-first century English speaking westerners. Rather, Deuteronomy 22:11 was addressed to Hebrew speaking people who lived in an Ancient Near Eastern culture almost 3,500 years ago. In order to understand the verse, one must read it in its proper context.

Object lessons are powerful things that assist us in the learning process. For example, one might say: “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” This doesn’t mean that people typically walk around with multiple containers of eggs, but that you should not focus all of your time, resources, or energy into only one area. Another illustration of an object lesson is the phrase: “You can’t unscramble an egg.” In other words, we should be careful about what we do because some things cannot be undone. And then there’s one of my favorites: “You can’t fit a round peg in a square hole.” This short statement means that some things do not go well together.

In much the same way, Deuteronomy 22:11 served as a visible object lesson that taught the Israelites a very important lesson. The statement is listed alongside other objects that should not be grouped together: 1) two kinds of seed (22:9), and 2) plowing with an ox and donkey together (22:10). The point is that some things should never be mixed together.

The key to understanding this section of Scripture is Deuteronomy 22:12: You shall make yourself tassels on the four corners of your garment with which you cover yourself. Numbers 15:39 explains the significance of the tassels that the Israelites were to weave into their garments: It shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the Lord, so as to do them and not follow after your own heart and your own eyes, after which you played the harlot.

In other words, the Israelites were to remember that there is only one God. They should worship Him and must not follower the wicked desires of their hearts or adore the gods of the peoples that surrounded them. The God of the Bible and other deities do not mix!

Deuteronomy 22:11, therefore, provides an object lesson that every Hebrew speaking person in the Ancient Near East would understand: And [Jesus] said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37)

Cristianos, Not Cristinos!

and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch (Acts 11:26). 

According to Acts 11, the name “Christian” originally was not a compliment, but a way for the opponents of the followers of Christ to ridicule those who followed Jesus’ path. Over the course of the centuries, the word has undergone an interesting transformation. In the centuries following the events of Acts 11, believers took the name as a badge of honor, but in 2012 the name has come to refer more to a cultural identification. The old joke is that if someone’s great grandmother ever crossed the threshold of the doors of a church building that the whole family is Christian.

“Christian” literally means “little christs,” and the implication is that a follower is so strongly identified with Jesus that the two are inseparable. In other words, not only does the believer adhere to Jesus’ ethic of love, but also His moral ethics. 

Spanish has a phrase: “He is a ‘cristino,’ not a ‘cristiano’” to refer to someone who calls himself a Christian, but does not live like a Christian. There are already enough people who follow this philosophy! If we truly love Christ we must love as He loved, but also we must walk as He walked. As unpopular as the concept is in the twenty-first century, this means that there are absolutes that we must subscribe - - the absolutes that are taught in the Bible. 

Here are some things that one who truly wishes to follow Christ must do:

1. Make sure that we truly are believers

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

2. Understand that Scripture is perfect and unchangeable

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16)

3. Submit ourselves to Christ’s teachings concerning love as well as His moral ethics

but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him. (1 John 2:5)

May we be cristianos instead of cristinos!

Chinese Tamales

Several weeks ago after our Hispanic church service ended, some of the members invited my family to eat at a nearby Chinese buffet. Of course we said yes, because I've never met a buffet that I didn't like!

This Chinese buffet was unique. Because it was located in a Hispanic neighborhood, there were tamales, tacos, and other Spanish food alongside the egg rolls and sweet and sour chicken. There were somewhere near 500 Hispanics in the restaurant enjoying the amazing food, and if I had not known better, I would have thought that I was in Latin America.

The scene reminded me once more that not only does God send us to go to all the world, He is sending the world to us! May we be faithful to share the Gospel.

Which Way Are You Running?

Several years ago I watched a soccer game in which one of the players skillfully stole the ball from the opposing team. With speed and precision, he maneuvered the ball down the field, and no one stopped him. Then, he kicked the ball into the goal! The problem was that he had run in the wrong direction and had delivered a point to the opposing team.

When temptation approaches us, the Bible instructs us to run, but we must be careful about the direction in which we run. Joseph fled away from Potiphar's wife when she tried to seduce him rather than running into her arms (Gen. 39:12).

The next time that temptation rears its ugly head in your life, run! But we sure to run away instead of running toward temptation. Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. (1 Cor. 6:18)

 

Why Do the Wicked Prosper?

The author of Psalm 73 explained that at one point in his life, his feet almost had slipped from the righteous way because he had become envious of the wicked who were prosperous. His bitterness caused him to be like a beast toward God (73:22).

The author complained that their bodies were fat with excess food, while the godly sometimes had too little to eat (73:4). They oppressed others (73:8). They were even so bold as to set themselves against God (73:9).

When the author considered these inequities he began to despair, and he was not the only one. He wrote concerning the thoughts of God's people, "How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?" Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches. All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence" (73:11-13). In other words, they wondered where the benefit was of serving God if they were going to suffer while the wicked prospered.

The final portion of the psalm, however, places things into perspective. Even though it may seem like the wicked prosper, they will fall to ruin in the end (73:18). Just as one wakes from a dream and its content fades away like a phantom, so will be the wicked in their destruction (73:20). On the other hand, God guides the godly, and He is their refuge (73:24, 28).

Christian, next time you find yourself envying the prosperity of the wicked, remember their fate and continue on the path of righteousness. Jesus's way is the best and only way! My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever (73:26).

A Biblical Definition of the Word "Trespass"

Recently, as I was picking up my children from school, I noticed something interesting. Although parking was available only ten feet away, one person decided to park in the fire lane, right under the "do not park here" sign. I snapped a picture of the scene because it perfectly defines the biblical word "trespass."

"Trespass" means to know exactly what God expects of us, exactly where the line is that He has drawn in the sand, but to willfully and deliberately step over the line. The truth of the matter is that often we are not ignorant of God's will - - usually we know exactly what God expects of us, but we choose to ignore His words.

Thankfully, Jesus will forgive us of our deliberate sins if we repent and turn to Him! In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace (Ephesians 1:7).

The Purpose of Ecclesiastes

1.  Solomon's intention in writing the Book of Ecclesiastes was to teach knowledge and write words of truth correctly (12:9-10).

2.  Solomon explained that the words of wise men are like goads that prod a person in the write direction. These words come from the one true Shepherd (12:11).

3.  Solomon warned that their is no end to the production of books, and that excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body (12:12).

4.  Solomon revealed what is important in life: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil (12:13b-14).