Building the parapet – Preaching
Preaching Outline on Deuteronomy 22:8 – “When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet on the roof, so that you will not put bloodguilt on your house if someone somehow falls from it.”
Introduction to Deuteronomy 22:8
In his Word, the Lord expresses his concern about the danger of someone building a new house forgetting to build a parapet on the terrace above the roof.
Around the terrace, to prevent anyone from falling down there and hurting themselves, or even dying from the fall. We know that the text is literally talking about physical safety for the family members of the house, but we can deepen our understanding by using a metaphor, bringing it into a more spiritual context.
Development
The parapet was a wall-like protection built on top of the house, around the terrace. The terrace was a place of much family activity, because towns at that time were small, surrounded by stone walls for security reasons, so there wasn’t much room for urban expansion, and the only place families had for meetings, leisure and other activities was the terrace above the roof.
The terrace functioned as the yard of the house, where people put grain to dry, children played and on hot summer nights it was common for families to sleep there. Given all this, the construction of a parapet was of the utmost importance.
A new house
We can compare it to a life that has been born again from the experience of conversion. When someone comes to know the Lord and gives their life to him, they begin to build a new house, that is, a new life in the presence of the Lord. That’s why God is concerned with what is on top of the house, with what is above the things below.
Spiritual life
The parapet can represent our spiritual life, and it is situated at the top of our life’s priorities. In the days of Moses, and today too, when someone built a house, they usually only worried about what was at the bottom, but the Lord is concerned to remember what was at the top, because there was safety and what was vital for the preservation of life.
Likewise, when we think about the things in our lives, we are usually led to worry about what’s down here, what’s part of our secular life, our family, our studies, our profession and so many other matters. Not that these things are sinful, but the issue is that we worry too much about these things and forget what is vital and most important: our spiritual life.
The Word exhorts us to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and that is exactly what the parapet means, concern for things above, for what is most excellent and eternal. Jesus said that at the end of time, “he who is on the housetop, having his household goods, let him not go down and take them”, and this word of the Lord shows the concern we should have for things above (the house – the roof), so that we don’t become entangled with things below (the house – the cares of this life).
Without a parapet, it’s death
The construction of the parapet was necessary to provide safety for the owner of the house, his family members and also for other people with whom he had relationships (friends, neighbors, relatives, etc.). Imagine a house without a parapet, how dangerous it would be for someone who visited and had to climb onto the roof, as they could fall from above, suffering a serious problem such as disability or even death.
In the same way, our spiritual life also influences the lives of our family members (wife, children), our neighbors, co-workers, friends and all those who come into contact with us on a daily basis. If we are vigilant and spiritually edified, if our lives are in the presence of the Lord, the Holy Spirit will be able to use us to pass on to others what we have already received, that is, the experience of the new birth and a new life in his direction.
But if we are spiritually maladjusted people, disobedient and neglectful of things above, all those who come into contact with us run the risk of being scandalized when it comes to the Lord’s Work and things related to the spiritual life, because we won’t have any experience to pass on, apart from distortions, misunderstandings and other things coming from our own reason.
People who get close to unbelievers will certainly suffer some damage to their spiritual lives and in more serious cases even spiritual death, because many have strayed from the truth because of the influence of people like this. That’s why the Word says: “Woe to the world because of scandals, for scandals must come, but woe to the man through whom the scandal comes”.
Conclusion of Deuteronomy 22:8
All of man’s activity is influenced by his spiritual condition and the outcome of his projects depends on his spiritual life. It’s a special side of man’s life whose adjustment and security depend on his relationship with God. The construction of the parapet points to a special side of life and is related to what is eternal. Specifically, the parapet points to the person of the Lord Jesus in our lives, for He is our security and that of our family. He is the greatest blessing the Father has given us and our whole life depends on him.
That’s why the Word tells us: “Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on things on the earth; for you are already dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory” (Col. 3: 1 – 4).
More Preaching Outlines
- I Kings 5:17 – The believer we need to become
- The Lonesome Sparrow – Psalms 102:7
- What shall I do for my son? – I Samuel 10:2-6
