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closing the loophole

Deuteronomy 19:11-13 (JDV)

Deuteronomy 19:11 But if someone hates his neighbor, lies in ambush for him, attacks him, and strikes him fatally, and runs away to one of these cities,
Deuteronomy 19:12 the elders of his city are to send for him, take him from there, and hand him over to the avenger of blood and he will die.
Deuteronomy 19:13 Do not look on him with pity but purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood, and you will prosper.

closing the loophole

The English word loophole comes from the Middle English loupe, which referred to the opening of a city wall that made it possible to shoot arrows towards one’s enemy, while still being protected by the wall. The term came to mean any way of evading or escaping the consequences of a rule or law that was meant to protect someone else.

Moses closed the loophole to the city of refuge law quickly. The law was intended to protect the innocent, but someone guilty of premeditated murder would try to escape to a city of refuge in order to escape prosecution and execution. So, the elders of the murder victim’s city are responsible to extradite the suspect.

In the New Testament, Jesus often condemned the legalistic Pharisees for finding loopholes in the law to benefit themselves, and so ignore the weightier matters of the law — consideration of others and loving God above oneself. God’s rules are not a playground.They are designed to make us better people. When we use them against others, or to enrich ourselves and protect our sin, we will not be protected by them.

Lord, purge us of our hypocrisy and self-centeredness.