Deuteronomy 25

Theme of chapter: Laws concerning misdemeanor crime, protecting widows.

Most important verse: Deuteronomy 25:3 Forty stripes he may give him, and not exceed: lest, if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should seem vile unto thee. (God's law was to flog criminals publicly, not put them in jails for periods of time. I think crime would drop dramatically, if public flogging was the punishment for crime instead of the ridiculous suspended sentence probation and fine crap that goes on today. )

Most prominent word: stripes (to be struck; to be beat)

Teaching about Christ: When Christ returns, sin and the flesh will be put away.

Command to obey: Governments should punish sin not let them go free. Give to those who give out the Word of God(pay your preacher). Be just and fair in business practices.

Promise to claim: The Lord punishes unrepentant sin.

New truth learned: If there were prisons in Israel in that day, they had to be pretty empty. As murderers, adulterers, and the like were executed and most all other criminals were flogged in public. I would imagine they had a low crime rate. It just makes sense, if you don't punish crime then crime just increases, if you punish crime then it decreases. (duh..why can't we get that right?)