Levirate Marriage And Us

So this may be my craziest interpretation of a text ever. But I was reading about Levarite marriage law in Deuteronomy and thought about how this is fulfilled in the New Testament people of God. Let's look at the law first:

Deuteronomy 25:5–10 (ESV) “If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead man shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her and take her as his wife and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. 6 And the first son whom she bears shall succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel. 7 And if the man does not wish to take his brother’s wife, then his brother’s wife shall go up to the gate to the elders and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to perpetuate his brother’s name in Israel; he will not perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me.’ 8 Then the elders of his city shall call him and speak to him, and if he persists, saying, ‘I do not wish to take her,’ 9 then his brother’s wife shall go up to him in the presence of the elders and pull his sandal off his foot and spit in his face. And she shall answer and say, ‘So shall it be done to the man who does not build up his brother’s house.’ 10 And the name of his house shall be called in Israel, ‘The house of him who had his sandal pulled off.’

The word mentioned most often in this passage (other than minor words) is "Name". The emphasis of this law is to protect the property rights of a member of the house of Israel should something tragic happen and a man dies prematurely. Of course, we can see that legal issues are at stake here. We can also see that women were in need of protection in such instances. We also see the need for brotherly care and sacrifice for one's close relatives should the unthinkable occur. But how do we interpret this for our faith in the New Covenant of Christ's blood? 

So here we go. Are we not the brothers of Christ who produce spiritual offspring in His Name since He died before producing a spiritual heir? When you consider that Christ died with all the disciples fleeing from Him, John staying near until His death but hiding in fear with the rest of the disciples three days later. The fact is, Jesus died with no one believing His death was atonement for sins. You could suggest there were no believers in the finished work of Christ at time of His atoning work. He died without an heir. 

So the Church is made up of His brothers (who He calls to Himself) AND the Church is His bride. In a strange way, the Church, through intimate and selfless living for one another and giving to one another carry on the Name of Christ by producing spiritual offspring from generation to generation. All this is from God who has given us the power to bring people into the fold through the proclamation of the seed of the Gospel deposited into the fertile hearts of people God saves. 

This interpretation carries a warning. For the man who does not carry on his brother's name in the Deuteronomic law is called before the Elders and publicly shamed, spit upon and de-sandaled. What we make of this can only speak of the shame many Christians will have at the judgment for never giving and serving selflessly for the sake of the Gospel presentation to build up the house of God. 

Now here's where things get interesting. In Matthew's genealogy, he mentions three particular women who are all somewhat involved in Levirate marriage. Tamar (through her father-in-law and her shrewd activity), Ruth (through Boaz), and "the wife of Uriah" (through David). Remember Uriah was like a brother to David as one of his 30 mighty men (1 Chron. 11:41). In a strange way, Uriah's widow, who married David and produced Solomon had the duty of a Levirate performed for her by her husband's murderer. That's tough to grasp. What we can certainly affirm is that God redeemed the mess for the transmission of the royal line to Jesus. 

All this being said, is it not too much of a stretch to assume that since Levirite marriage was used three times to get us to Jesus' birth, spiritual Levirite marriage would be necessary to bring us forward from His death? Yes, Jesus rose and is alive again. That's true. But to this day, He has appointed and anointed people to do the work of carrying on His Name throughout the Earth. And those people are named His brothers and sisters. 

Hebrews 2:11 (ESV) For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers

If we take one thing from this passage and the Biblical Narrative filled with this law being referred to is that our job as borthers/sisters of Christ is to fulfill our duty to our Older Brother and great Savior. We spread the Word, and heirs are produced from one generation to another. 

Amen.