I am nearly overwhelmed (in a good way) by the Book of Deuteronomy.

It is so vast in its content, covering every area of life.

Law after law, line upon line.

It deserves a lot more preaching than it ever gets!

For today I have chosen just one verse for our Text, having used whole paragraphs for the past few mornings.

“Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together.” Deuteronomy 22:10

That’s it!

“Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together.”

One might initially suspect that this prohibition would only be applicable to farmers, right?

After all, this is “merely” one of the 613 different “regulations” proposed (commanded) by the Old Testament. (That’s the number the rabbis tell us the Pentateuch contains. They’ve carefully counted them all, too.)

But wait a minute!

I suggest God’s Laws may not simply be “haphazard.”

That a solid “reason” was behind the giving of each statute.

For example, today’s verse.

To yoke an ox and an ass together would injure both animals!

Their legs are so different in length … that they could never “plow” in step. The yoke would be constantly “rubbing” the animals with each tug on the plow! Sores would develop. Infections follow. Cruelty indeed! Perhaps even premature death would ensue! DO NOT PLOW UNEQUALLY YOKED ANIMALS IN THE SAME HARNESS! For the animals’ sakes!

What a practical reason … “Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together.” By the way, one would also be putting a “clean” (the ox) and an “unclean” (the ass, donkey) animal together! Never a good idea, in God’s Economy!

Then I immediately advance … there is a spiritual principle behind the code as well.

One which Paul (under the direction of the Holy Spirit) picks up and uses in that great 6th chapter of his 2nd Epistle to the Corinthians. There he is talking about us Christians separating ourselves from sin! And he writes: “Be ye not UNEQUALLY YOKED together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” 2 Corinthians 6:14, where I guarantee you Paul had Deuteronomy 22:10 in mind, our very verse today!

Do not become intimately involved (in marriage, in business, in schooling, in comradery) with those who are “unclean” in God’s Eyes. With reprobates! With rebels! With rank sinners!

Lessons learned from the farm!

But just a minute.

Clearly, we are NOT under the Law of Moses in this blessed Age of Grace!

Jesus has come, died, been raised from the grave! And He sits this very second at His Father’s Right Hand, praying for His Own, for you and me.

BUT … the principles behind those laws are yet significant!

After all, He is the same God today as He was thousands of years ago!

Amen.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Incidentally, should God have given a Law with no logic behind it at all … IT WAS STILL TO BE OBEYED! Because He is God! Like (maybe) … “If a bird’s nest chance to be before thee in the way in any tree, or on the ground, whether they be young ones, or eggs, and the dam sitting upon the young, or upon the eggs, thou shalt not take the dam with the young: but thou shalt in any wise let the dam go, and take the young to thee; that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days.” The “dam” obviously being the “mother” bird. Deuteronomy 22:6-7, the same chapter we’ve studied today.

However, personally, I think this “bird and her eggs” law is loaded with practical admonition! I preached a sermon or two from it several years ago!

Now, the lesson has ended!