Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 34:26-28.
“You shall bring the very first of the first fruits of your soil into the house of the LORD your God.
“You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.”
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.” So he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did not eat bread or drink water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.” Exodus 34:26-28.
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“You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.” is so different than the first command in verse 26 (“You shall bring the very first of the first fruits of your soil into the house of the LORD your God.”) I do not remember anything (or much) written about it or spoken about it, particularly compared to the first command.
It is also the final command which has a position usually reserved for the most important and desired to be most remembered.
So, we will meditate on this final command (“You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.”)
First, it seems to me that the intention of it is to motivate more general meditation on it than to only prohibit a very specific and unusual activity. Certainly, the fact that this command is so shocking helps motivate more general meditation.
It seems so very cruel to “boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.” And, our focus switches quickly to a general abhorrence of cruelty.
“A righteous man has regard for the life of his animal,
But even the compassion of the wicked is cruel.” Proverbs 12:10.
If we have regard for the life of an animal, how much more should we have regard for the life of a person!
Thus, the general purpose of this final command may be to repel us away from cruelty and draw us to compassion.
“He has told you, O man, what is good;
And what does the LORD require of you
But to do justice, to love kindness,
And to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 