When you come across a bird's nest beside the road, either in a tree or on the ground,
and the mother is sitting on the young or on the eggs, do not take the mother with
the young. You may take the young, but be sure to let the mother go, so that it may
go well with you and you may have a long life.
Deuteronomy 22:6-7
Why are these verses in the Bible? If there is, as I believe, no "filler" in God's Word -- if, as I believe, every Word from Him is important...then what is the importance of this?
I turned back to the Chumash (the Jewish commentary).
Here are some thoughts from the venerable Rabbis....
1. It is referring to an ownerless bird - not someone's poultry from their farm
2. The oldest commentaries say that the Torah forbad taking an ownerless bird while sitting on the nest of eggs or young because it is cruel to do so.
Here's the exact wording in the Chumash:
"The Torah forbids one to take an ownerless mother bird when it is sitting on its eggs or young. One must send away the mother bird -- even many times if it keeps returning to the nest -- and only then is one permitted to take the eggs or young....the reason for this commandment, as the prohibition against slaughtering a mother animal and its young on the same day (Leviticus 22:28) is because it is cruel to do so, especially since animals instinctively love their young and suffer when they see them slaughtered or taken away...Another reason is to symbolize that people should avoid doing things that will destroy a species, for to slaughter mother and children on the same day is akin to mass extermination.....these commandments are meant to inculcate compassion in people...that people should accustom themselves to act mercifully."
I am so touched by these thoughts from the ancient Jews.
The reference to Leviticus 22:28 is when God told the Jews "do not slaughter a cow or a sheep and its young on the same day."
Another thought from the Chumash....the Rabbis said that God would honor obedience to this simple commandment, that involved no financial loss, and so it demonstrated how much He would honor obedience in areas that caused hardship.
If we would obey God in small areas it showed that our hearts are yearning to be obedient in all areas.
The next verses in the passage from Deuteronomy talk about being responsible human beings, not only within nature, but within our communities, with each other. Verse 8 says that the Jews were to build a fence or other form of barrier around his roof, to keep people, who often entertained visitors on the flat roofs of their houses in the Holy Land, from falling off the roofs. Modern Jews use this verse to require them to build protection around their pools, or tall stairways that need railings.
The earlier verses in the Deuteronomy passage talk about an ox, or sheep or goat that has strayed. They are to be returned to their brother. If the owner lived too far away, or perhaps was unknown, the finder was to keep the animal safe and fed until the owner came to claim it. He was to do that for any lost items -- even a garment.
[And Jesus talked about a lost coin, a lost sheep, a lost boy .Just because the item is lost doesn't mean it changes owners! Finders keepers, losers weepers is not God's description of holiness.]
And you were to help your neighbor, whose ox or donkey had fallen, get the struggling animal to his feet.
The Torah says, "Do not hide yourself" from these everyday situations. Our NIV says, "Do not ignore it."
So God is deeply concerned with all details of our lives. He is watchful that we care for His creation. That we care for the endangered species around us. That we not treat carelessly the animal world nor our great natural resources that have come to us from the bounty of God.
And that we are watchful of the welfare of our neighbors -- helping them whenever we can. We must not 'hide oursevles' or ignore problems we can help fix!
What a wonderfully caring God we worship!
Bro Mike says he is himself a "tree hugger" in the sense that he recognizes that God has put us "in charge of" His vast creation. We are to be careful, thoughtful stewards of the bountiful world we live in.
From the words of our Redeemer Savior:
Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God.
Luke 12
And from my childhood, the Westminster Catechism:
Question 11. What are God's works of providence?
Answer: God's works of providence are, his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all of his creatures, and all their actions.
(Psalm 145:17, Psalm 104:24, Hebrews 1:3, Nehemiah 9:6, Ephesians 1:19-22, and Psalm 36:6.)
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