Deu 22:9-11 | KingComments | STEP | These verses deal with the prohibition of mixing things that should not be mixed. Three things are mentioned: 1. the vineyard, which speaks of joy, 2. plowing with an ox and a donkey together, which speaks of the service to the Lord, 3. a garment of a material mixed of wool and linen together, which speaks of behavior. Here we find pictures of what Paul says in the second letter to the Corinthians: “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols?” ( ). The sowing has to do with the sowing of the Word of God. “The seed is the Word of God” ( ). That must be pure and only God’s Word and must not be mixed with some word of men. The preaching of the Word must be balanced. For example, both God’s love and God’s holiness must be spoken of. A one-sided preaching with all emphasis only on God’s holiness or only on God’s love is wrongful seed sowing. It is wrong seed, for example, if Christians are told to bear political responsibility. We should not, on the one hand, teach the corruption of the flesh and, on the other, point to means that are in fact tantamount to restoring the flesh. Here it is about the seed for a vineyard. We see in this the picture that a right, balanced preaching of the Word will promote the joy of fellowship with God and the Lord Jesus, the Father and the Son, “so that our joy may be made complete” ( ). To know this true joy, only good and unmixed seed, that is “the living and enduring word of God” ( ), must be sown. If two varieties of seed are sown, the increase of the vineyard will become defiled. The increase must be excluded from consumption and is a loss. The expected ‘joy’ is not that in which God can share. It is forbidden to plow with an ox and a donkey together. This represents doing a work together for the Lord. An ox is a clean animal and a donkey is an unclean animal. Its application we see in the above mentioned word of Paul in 2 Corinthians 6 ( ). A believer cannot do a work for the Lord together with an unbeliever. Wool and linen shall not be used together for the purpose of making one garment out of them (cf. ; ). Wool is good and linen is good, but not to be mixed together. Linen has to do with the service in the sanctuary. We see this in the linen in the curtains and court of the tabernacle and the linen clothes of the priests ( ). However, there is no room for wool in this service ( ). Wool reflects the natural warmth of the animal. Natural feelings are not wrong. They have their own place. But they must be put aside in what has to do with the sanctuary. There the service must be done according to what Scripture says about it and not according to human feelings. It is not about a service that makes us feel comfortable, but that with which God is comfortable toward. This is fulfilled if we follow the instructions of His Word.

‏ Deuteronomy 22:9-11

What Shall Not Go Together

These verses deal with the prohibition of mixing things that should not be mixed. Three things are mentioned:

1. the vineyard, which speaks of joy,

2. plowing with an ox and a donkey together, which speaks of the service to the Lord,

3. a garment of a material mixed of wool and linen together, which speaks of behavior.

Here we find pictures of what Paul says in the second letter to the Corinthians: “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols?” (2Cor 6:14-16).

The sowing has to do with the sowing of the Word of God. “The seed is the Word of God” (Lk 8:11). That must be pure and only God’s Word and must not be mixed with some word of men. The preaching of the Word must be balanced. For example, both God’s love and God’s holiness must be spoken of. A one-sided preaching with all emphasis only on God’s holiness or only on God’s love is wrongful seed sowing.

It is wrong seed, for example, if Christians are told to bear political responsibility. We should not, on the one hand, teach the corruption of the flesh and, on the other, point to means that are in fact tantamount to restoring the flesh.

Here it is about the seed for a vineyard. We see in this the picture that a right, balanced preaching of the Word will promote the joy of fellowship with God and the Lord Jesus, the Father and the Son, “so that our joy may be made complete” (1Jn 1:4). To know this true joy, only good and unmixed seed, that is “the living and enduring word of God” (1Pet 1:23), must be sown.

If two varieties of seed are sown, the increase of the vineyard will become defiled. The increase must be excluded from consumption and is a loss. The expected ‘joy’ is not that in which God can share.

It is forbidden to plow with an ox and a donkey together. This represents doing a work together for the Lord. An ox is a clean animal and a donkey is an unclean animal. Its application we see in the above mentioned word of Paul in 2 Corinthians 6 (2Cor 6:14). A believer cannot do a work for the Lord together with an unbeliever.

Wool and linen shall not be used together for the purpose of making one garment out of them (cf. Lev 19:19; Zep 1:8). Wool is good and linen is good, but not to be mixed together. Linen has to do with the service in the sanctuary. We see this in the linen in the curtains and court of the tabernacle and the linen clothes of the priests (Exo 26:9 ; Exo 28:4b-5). However, there is no room for wool in this service (Eze 44:17).

Wool reflects the natural warmth of the animal. Natural feelings are not wrong. They have their own place. But they must be put aside in what has to do with the sanctuary. There the service must be done according to what Scripture says about it and not according to human feelings. It is not about a service that makes us feel comfortable, but that with which God is comfortable toward. This is fulfilled if we follow the instructions of His Word.