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The DEEP

Harsh Punishment

God's priorities are different.

Exodus 22:16–20

“If a man entices a virgin who is not betrothed, and lies with her, he shall surely pay the bride-price for her to be his wife. If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money according to the bride-price of virgins.

“You shall not permit a sorceress to live.

“Whoever lies with an animal shall surely be put to death.

“He who sacrifices to any god, except to the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed.”

Once again, we see the law favoring women; the responsibility for pre-marital sex lands entirely on the man. The bride-price is very steep (more than a year’s wages), and the girl’s father can call off the wedding and still get the bride-price. This should make any man think twice.

However, if the woman is betrothed, this is equivalent to adultery and the penalty is much worse.

“If a young woman who is a virgin is betrothed to a husband, and a man finds her in the city and lies with her, then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city, and you shall stone them to death with stones, the young woman because she did not cry out in the city, and the man because he humbled his neighbor’s wife; so you shall put away the evil from among you.

“But if a man finds a betrothed young woman in the countryside, and the man forces her and lies with her, then only the man who lay with her shall die.” — Deuteronomy 22:23–25

God’s law doesn’t shy away from capital punishment. This stuff is important to Him—much more important than long lives for disobedient people. The last three verses in today’s passage also reflect that.

These things are nowhere near being capital crimes in our society.


These harsh punishments seem to only make sense from God’s point of view. Too bad that’s beyond our vision. We’re stuck in our human, temporal perspective, which sees these punishments as too severe.

Part of the process of growing in Christ is maturing our perspective. Even though we can’t understand God’s ways, we can come to appreciate them and be comfortable with them. Still, that’s a big change.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, — Romans 12:2a

Conversion can’t be the only part of our growth in Christ that’s transformative; Romans was written to Christians. So, what is Paul telling us to do in Romans 12?

Ask God to transform you. Sanctification is hard work, but it’s not entirely our hard work.


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These weekday DEEPs are written by Mike Slay. Saturdays' by Matt Richardson. Subscribe here: https://www.ailbe.org/resources/community

The weekly study guides, which include questions for discussion or meditation, are here: https://www.ailbe.org/resources/itemlist/category/91-deep-studies

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Mike Slay

As a mathematician, inventor, and ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church in America, Mike Slay brings an analytical, conversational, and even whimsical approach to the daily study of God's Word.