Happy Wife, Happy Life
24: 5
Happy wife, happy life DIG: How is this mitzvah part of the Holy War? What other exemptions are given? Why was giving this exemption to the husband so that he could have a successor so important?
REFLECT: Because the Torah is our blueprint for living, is this mitzvah still good advice for husbands today? Husbands, love your wife as Christ loved the Church (Ephesians 5:25).
Happy wife, happy life.
Deuteronomy 19:1 to 26:15 (to see link click Dl – The Social and Family Mitzvot) deals with individual mitzvot, and to today’s readers they might appear irrelevant at first, but the very principles behind these commandments were the ones that have brought dignity to mankind. We need to examine these mitzvot in depth to discover the spirit in which they were given, so that we can still live in obedience to God’s Word today. For example, in Numbers 18, the Israelites were to bring their tithes to the Tabernacle because the priests and Levites had no inheritance. But today we have no Temple and no priesthood; however, we bring our tithes to our place of worship. That is the spirit of the mitzvah.
From 23:15 to 26:15, Moses deals with twenty real life situations that the nation would need to function in a godly manner, and valuable lessons for us today as well: number seven.
This mitzvah, in its context, provides a positive balance to the negative message of divorce previously mentioned (see Ei – Divorce and Remarriage). Here, a positive message is given, which is intended to promote the health and growth of a new marital relationship. This mitzvah belongs with others concerned with the Holy War (see Ag – The Problem of Holy War in the TaNaKh), and the four other exemptions from military service (see Dp – Regulations for a Holy War).
When a man takes a new wife, he is not to go out with the army or have any other duty passed over to him. He is to be free at home for one year and make his wife happy (24:5). Such a mitzvah would be out of place in modern society, but in Deuteronomy it is of far greater importance that the husband should be guaranteed descendants that he should participate in a Holy War.516 This was extremely important in Jewish society. There were economic problems that would arise for the wife if her husband died without producing a son (25:5-10). This is no doubt an image of marital bliss, but it has the practical purpose of laying a strong foundation to lessen the likelihood that problems would arise later on in the marriage.517
In the Scriptures, we are not told that a wife should love her husband because she is a responder (Genesis 3:16). The flower depends on sunshine and rain. When the flower gets sun and rain, it responds by blooming into something beautiful. And when the wife is a responder, when the wife receives love, she responds with love. Therefore, the husband and the wife are supposed to love each other selfishly. But make no doubt about it. The man is held responsible for what goes on in the marriage (for more details on that statement see the commentary on Genesis Lv – do not be fooled by the title: I Do Not Permit a Woman to Teach or Have Authority Over a Man, She Must Be Silent).518
Dear Loving Heavenly Father, How wonderful You are! As partners in marriage respond to being loved by their partner, so believers should respond in love to Your great love. My heart is full of joy because Your love for Your children (John 1:12) is truly amazing! You forgive our sins and live in those who love You – so that Messiah may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to grasp with all the kedoshim what is the width and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Messiah which surpasses knowledge (Ephesians 2:17-19b). Yeshua is preparing (John 14:1-3) for all who love and follow Him as Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9-10) a wonderful home of perfect peace and great joy in heaven (Revelation 21:4). Your love causes me to want to respond back in love. I look forward to worshipping and praising You forever! In the Holy name of Yeshua and His power of resurrection. Amen
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