Theological Commentary: Click Here
Discipleship Focus: Character
- Character: Having the interior life that is necessary to support the work that God sets before a person. It is hearing from God and obeying. It is doing the right thing when nobody is looking.
What an interesting chapter to come at the topic of
character. First, we hear about the
cities of refuge. The city of refuge is
a concept based on character. If a
person had poor character and meant to kill someone, there was no safety. If a person had good character – while being
guilty of killing someone but not guilty of meaning to do so – then there was
refuge for them. The city of refuge is
totally built upon the concept of character.
The next story we hear about is not moving a neighbor’s land
markers. Again, this is an issue of
character. Character is doing the right
thing when nobody is looking. What Moses
is telling the people is that when it comes to neighbors, we need to do the
right thing. We need to respect their
property and not try to steal it from them – especially if we want the same
treatment back.
The last topic we hear about in this chapter is being a
witness. This is also a topic of character.
Good witnesses provide honest truth and evaluation of what happened. Bad witnesses lie and take bribes and say
what other people want to be said.
Certainly Moses is interested in the character of the people as he
gives his farewell speech to them.
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