“The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother’s milk.”—Exodus 23:19
Does it seem like a strange command to give? Don’t boil a baby goat in the milk of its mother. Three times in the Old Testament, God gave this command to Israel. Two times it is mentioned in close relation to the offering of firstfruits. The third time it is found at the end of a list of dietary restrictions (Deuteronomy 14:21).
We know from Paul that Old Testament commands regarding agriculture did not imply God’s sympathy for the livestock. “Doth God care for oxen…?” No, He says it “for our sakes” (I Corinthians 9:9-10). God was saying more to Israel than, “Let your livestock feed in the harvest time.” He was teaching them something about being His people. Paul saw that, and he realized that God was saying something more to him too. The laborer has a right to enjoy the fruit of his labor.
Recently, I came across this quote that seeks to give clarity to the struggle we sometimes face when interpreting and applying texts from a radically different cultural context. “To give a correct meaning of a text is to give a correct application; at the same time, to give an application is to give a meaning. We cannot ultimately distinguish them.” What God was saying to Israel, and across time was saying to Paul, He is still saying to us despite the differences in our cultural contexts.
So what could God have been teaching Israel about being His people when He commanded them not to boil a young goat in its mother’s milk? This kind of humane consideration would have been vastly different than the barbarism of the heathen around them. Even Proverbs points out that “the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel” in the context of the treatment of livestock. “A righteous man,” it says, “regardeth the life of his beast.” So how about this: My people are to be characterized by a consideration and a compassion for all life because I am considerate and compassionate toward all life. That’ll preach!
One more quote: “…if God is immutable and in his providence assembled a book to guide his people in all times and places, then what he revealed yesterday about his character and his design for his creatures will not be changed today.” When we know what He was saying to them, we know what He is saying to us. Different cultural contexts? To be sure, but that is the beauty of the Scriptures: they transcend time and culture.
So preacher, God is still speaking. When you preach, let Him speak for Himself.