Deuteronomy 4 – 11

Keeping God’s commands involves both obeying them and not adding to them. For some of us obeying is easy; for those folks, the harder part might be not adding to them.  One example of adding to them would be Christians who hold to traditions and man-made institutions like they were commands from God.

The final words of Israel’s lawgiver instruct us as we take possession of and live in God’s promises to us. Moses warned them to be careful, to be diligent, not to deviate, to learn, to remember, and to teach. Their keeping of God’s commands was certainly not intended to be a casual part of their lives.

One way Moses gave them for remembering and keeping God’s commands was to “tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” (v 6:8-9) So the people did just that: they kept passages of Scriptures in boxes strapped to their arms and heads, and carved them into the doorposts of their homes. Doing so fulfilled the command, but missing God’s intention, the action was meaningless and valueless.

God wanted what they had seen and known about Him to be on their hearts all the days of their lives. He wanted them to embrace their covenant, their relationship, with Him with all their hearts. He wanted them to love Him. Love is a matter of the heart, not of checking off boxes. He wanted them to obey His commands as a way of remembering Him, but He wanted their obedience to spring from their love for Him. When we love someone we want to please him or her. If pleasing the one we love is a matter of duty or performing the bare minimum, that isn’t love, is it?

God intended for those commands to be observed on a deeper level than the surface, to impact them more deeply than going through the physical motions. The symbolic tying of God’s commands on one’s hands meant that those commands should direct their actions and guide their work. Symbolically binding them on their foreheads meant that He wanted those commands to guide their thinking, decisions and behavior. Writing them on the doorposts on their houses meant that they would be evident in the home, in family relationships and in their work. Writing them on their gates would remind them to be guided by them as they left home and went into society.

Remember that Jesus said He came not to abolish but to fulfill the Law, and He gave us New Testament people few direct commands. He said that since God is spirit, His worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth. He sacrificed much to come to earth and suffered to restore us to right relationship with Him. How do all of these fit together, and with the revelation of God’s heart displayed in His Old Covenant? It merits a God-seeker’s prayerful consideration.

These chapters give us the occasion to evaluate our own relationships with God. Please do so prayerfully today and the next couple of days as you read.

Deuteronomy 1 – 3

This book opens with Moses’ nutshell version of the nation’s history. He picked up the account at the point they had been formed into a nation, at Mt. Sinai (which is another name for what Moses here calls Horeb). God led them “through all that great and terrifying wilderness,” to an important place in their history, Kadesh-barnea.

We all have “great and terrifying wilderness” experiences in our lives, and we all face points of challenge like Kadesh-barnea, where we are confronted with a choice whether to trust God and go forward with Him, or turn away. Hopefully we are like Moses in Psalm 90:14, praying every morning that God will “satisfy us … with (His) unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.” Hopefully we follow Jesus’ example and pray, “… Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil….” This is the only way we can be prepared to handle our Kadesh-barneas better than God’s Old Testament people did.

So good God led His beloved people (He calls them so in Deuteronomy 7:8) through a “great and terrible wilderness.” The next stage of their journey didn’t improve their circumstances, for He brought them face to face with the prospect of war with giants. Do you ever have those seasons in your life, where you go from hard to harder? Can you trust God in those times to fight for you, to lead you to victory? Do you need to use the lesson of this passage to renew your commitment to trust God, asking Him to go before you and fight for you?

God has demonstrated His trustworthiness in His dealings with His Old Testament people. Later when they were ready for their second approach to the Promised Land, God warned them that taking possession would require them to contend with the enemy in battle. What looked like setback after setback, with one king hardening his heart and refusing to let the Israelites through his territory, to another king confronting them in battle array, God used to give His people victory. They captured every city; not one was too high for them as a result of God’s going before them and fighting for them.

This is His desire for all of His people, to be transformed from slaves into victorious soldiers and possessors.

Day 80 — Deuteronomy 33 – 34, Joshua 1 – 2

Another blessing bestowed before death, preserved here for our benefit so many generations later. What do you suppose God wants us to learn from it?

Some of these tribes barely received any blessing at all from Moses’ blessing; Joseph, called “distinguished among his brothers,” pretty much got every blessing. Was Joseph distinguished because of his greater opportunities? Hardly. Does that speak to you about your own standing among your brothers and sisters? I would like for God to see me as outstanding!

If Moses had had a modern grave stone, his epitaph probably would have been verses 34:10-12. What a reputation for the history books: “whom the Lord knew face to face.” Could we possibly have the opportunity to be unique in the way God knows us? We can’t find out by comparing ourselves or competing with others, but only by seeking God. Seeking for the sake of knowing, which tends to block out any comparing or competing as we have our eyes only on God. Paul put it this way: “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God calls me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14)

You might want to check a map of Israel’s Promised Land to see the boundaries, and then compare it with a current map of the area. Here is a link for a good map of ancient Israel, and here is a link for a current map. The Great Sea Scripture speaks of is the Mediterranean Sea, in case you need that orientation.

Why do you suppose Joshua was told so many times (how many times was it?) to be strong and courageous? As I have said before, it must have been intimidating to follow a great leader like Moses, and Joshua was going to be leading them into battle, which was rather more difficult than leading them out of slavery or sitting in the wilderness. If they were rebellious under those conditions, what would they do in battle? Are you facing a daunting situation? Could God have a word for you in Joshua’s story?

We need to be careful in claiming God’s promises. Some of the promises He gives in the Bible are not given to us, and thus when Christians claim them and are then disappointed when they are not fulfilled, they doubt God’s word. So let’s see what God has for us in this account, learn from the principles presented here, and not set ourselves up for discouragement and unbelief.

God told Joshua, “I will not leave you or forsake you.” It was to Joshua He gave the promise, “… that you may have good success wherever you go.” Joshua was also the sole recipient of the promise, “…then you will make your way prosperous and then you will have good success.” If we claim those promises on the basis of this passage, we are in error, for God gave those promises to Joshua and not to us. So why even pay attention to them? Because we can glean some help from them.

Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 28:20, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Just as the Great Commission He gave them in conjunction with this promise is also given to us, so is the promise given to us. (Note that He didn’t say “I will,” but “I am.” Do you recall where else you have heard “I am”? Those two words make that promise of Jesus’ even more profound.) Further, in Hebrews 13:5 God gives the promise of Joshua 1:5 to us New Testament people. How good God is to give us two witnesses to this great truth! We have no reason to doubt that promise. That’s one we can claim for ourselves. But don’t forget that we have learned that we must not take the promise for granted; we must ask God to be with us.

But God does not give us the promises of prosperity or success. We cannot claim those promises for ourselves, at least not in the way of material prosperity and success. However, Jesus’ final words to His disciples before His death give us some promises we can claim. It’s not that God wants to deny us material prosperity and success; rather, He has better things in mind for us. We need to ask Him to transform our values if the promises He gives us are a disappointment because we prefer the material prosperity.

Notice that God’s being with Joshua wasn’t enough to ensure his success; God expected him to

  • Be what He called him to be – strong and courageous. Apparently Joshua didn’t feel strong and courageous, but God told him to be. How does one do that, be something he doesn’t feel? One exercises faith to act – act as if he did feel strong and courageous. Act to do what God has called one to do. As I have pointed out before, feeling it makes faith unnecessary. In our exercising faith by putting action to it, God transforms us so that it becomes a reality. Thus, as Hannah Whitall Smith put it, “Feeling follows faith.”
  • “Be careful to do according to all the Law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left…. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it.” He was to know the words of God, consider them constantly, speak of them, and do them.

Without these choices made properly, the prosperity and success God promised would not happen, or at least not be guaranteed, no matter how much God wanted His people to take possession of the land as He promised.

So Joshua rose up and acted. In commanding the people to prepare to cross the Jordan, he was acting strong and courageous, because there was no guarantee that the people would do as he said. After all, his command was not a sensible one at all. Everyone could see (and probably hear) plainly that this was absolutely not the time of year to be crossing the Jordan River, as it rushed dangerously and impossibly with runoff from seasonal rains. But God was with Joshua as He had promised, and the people obeyed his command. That must have helped him feel more strong and courageous!

How did the people of Jericho hear about God parting the Red Sea for Israel? That was certainly not a local event. Doubtless, God had made sure that the inhabitants of the land heard about it and remembered it these forty years, and used it to make their hearts melt, “so that there was no spirit left in any man because of” Israel. That didn’t glorify Israel in their eyes as much as Israel’s God. This is how God’s people conquer the enemy – not in physical battle, but in their seeing God as “God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.”

 

So we have finished reading the books of the Law! That is a milestone to celebrate! Hopefully, you have kept up with the reading. I am praying for you to keep up, keep engaged, and grow in your understanding of God’s word and how to understand it and apply it to your life. If you haven’t kept up, please do not allow the enemy to use that to discourage you. Now is a great time to start anew, since we are at this milestone. You can plant your flag in the territory you claim, that of starting with the history books beginning with Joshua, and make this the first day. I recently saw a quote from Toby Mac: “One day or Day one. You decide.” Let’s go forward into the books of history!

Day 79 — Deuteronomy 31:30 – 32:52

Moses was calling “heaven and earth to witness against them” in their future corrupt actions and turning aside from the way that he had commanded them (v. 31:28-29) Yet he wanted his “teaching to drop as the rain, (his) speech distill as the dew, like gentle rain upon the tender grass, and like showers upon the earth.” What image does that convey? Refreshing, satisfying, life-giving words. How can that message possibly be refreshing? Don’t you want your witness of Jesus to be gentle and refreshing? This is a wonderful prayer to memorize so that we can pray it as we are preparing to share what we fear may be an unwelcome message. It is a truly life-giving message; isn’t it worthy of this lovely presentation?

Jeshurun is another name for Israel that you will see again in poetry. Remember this reference so that you aren’t confused when you see it again!

Realize how sad Israel’s treatment of God was. We will read in the upcoming history books that Israel did just as Moses said they would do. God cherished them like a father cherishes his children. He found them in a barren place where nothing was happening and there was no hope of anything changing, and He encircled them, cared for them, made something of them, and established them. He transformed their barren existence into a life of abundance. That should have inspired their devotion, but instead in their abundance they grew fat and satisfied and unmindful of God. Their corrupt dealing with Him resulted in their forsaking Him and then forgetting Him. Look at what we are capable of.

In Moses’ closing of his final words he cautioned the Israelites that these words were not empty words, but their life. How can words be life? Think about it. Moses was presenting the people with a choice to believe what God said about their covenant with Him and the warnings about what would happen if they failed to be faithful to Him. Isn’t it sobering to think that today’s choices, insignificant as they may seem, ultimately become one’s life?

Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” We are faced with the same choice the Israelites had. Aren’t you glad that you are in His word daily, and hopefully cultivating the lifetime habit of being in His word, so that you will know it? Hopefully you are also choosing daily to live by His revealed word, and then choosing again as the need arises in moments of crisis to put into practice what you know to do.

The very day Moses delivered his final words to the Israelites, God told him to go up the mountain to die. I am blessed by this. I want to go like Moses, ministering up to the day I leave this world, and not remaining here a minute longer than God wants to use me. Although he didn’t get to enter the land, God showed it to him from that mountaintop. How satisfying it must have been to him to realize the legacy he left to the Israelites, leading them to the place of God’s promise. Don’t you want to leave such a legacy? That is determined by the choices you are making today!

Day 78 — Deuteronomy 29 – 31

The secret things belong to the Lord, and the people were not responsible for what they didn’t know. Just as He revealed the provisions of the Covenant in a series of revelations, He reveals to us as we are able to deal with the revelation. Once He reveals to us, we are responsible for the new understanding we have, to act on it as He leads and to live by it. We are responsible to do what we know to do, but only that. Isn’t God good to hold us accountable only for the known? Think about what that looks like in the body of Christ.

God made the covenant with the nation of Israel, but He was making it with individuals. God is a personal God, and sought personal relationship with His Old Testament people, as He does with His New Testament people.

History has revealed God’s compassion on His Old Testament people, as He has restored their Promised Land to them by great miracles, and people from all over the world have migrated there. Although they haven’t seemingly returned to relationship with God, He has shown compassion in their scattered and persecuted state. His dealing with His Old Testament people reveals Him to be a compassionate God. We are told not to test God; we cannot presume upon His compassion; however, we New Testament people can certainly appeal to His compassion revealed in His dealings with His Old Testament people as we seek relationship with Him and pray for others.

The Israelites would not be faithful in their relationships with God without a transformation of their hearts. The transformation would cause them to love Him so much that they would obey His commands. Seeing how unfaithful, how stubborn the Old Covenant people were, we understand what a miraculous transformation that would be. That is what Messiah has done in us! Think about that, and give thanks and praise to God today for that miraculous and amazing work done in you. If you don’t see evidence of that work done in you, I encourage you to talk to God about it today. If you need guidance in this matter you are welcome to contact me. But please don’t do nothing in response to the reality of transformation.

Day 77 — Deuteronomy 27 – 28

God planned a huge observance for the entire nation upon their entrance into the Promised Land, involving burnt offerings to God, peace offerings that they would eat together in a single gathering of the entire nation, and rejoicing before the Lord.

All I can say about the command to pronounce curses on those who fail to “confirm the words of the Law by doing them” from the two mountaintops is that it would have been an unforgettable ceremony, involving the huge population of the entire nation on the two mountains which together surround a valley. My guess is that it would have inspired them to fulfill the commands.

Notice that the blessings God promised to give them were of such a nature that they could be attributed to things other than God. Abundant crops, abundant harvests, prolific herds and flocks, enemies running away in defeat, blessings in all they put their hands to, financial prosperity – all could be easily taken for granted or pridefully attributed to one’s own work and talents. Are you guilty of that today?

Notice also the effect their sin would have on their animals, on the land, and on their sons and daughters. Sin had a much broader impact than simply on the one who committed it. Sin hasn’t changed in all the years since.

If you know anything about the history of the nation of Israel, you know that God fulfilled His promises given here in a most tragic way. Scripture tells of their suffering the exile He promised. From the time Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans in A.D. 70, Jews have endured periodic persecution wherever they have scattered, some of it horrific, culminating in the Holocaust during World War II. Their history is indeed one of horror. The history shows that God has power to do everything He says He will do, and in fact has been faithful to do it, because they didn’t “serve the Lord (their) God with joy and a glad heart, for the abundance of all things,” they didn’t revere His “honored and awesome name,” and didn’t obey Him.

How are you at doing what God wants His chosen people to do? Think today about those things He wanted from His chosen people:

  • Serving Him as Lord with joy and a glad heart
  • Enjoying His abundance with joy and a glad heart
  • Revering His name as honored and awesome
  • Obeying Him

Why not ask God what He thinks of how you are doing?

Day 76 — Deuteronomy 23 – 26

More seemingly random commands, many of them new. What were these about? Can you discern God’s purpose or heart revealed in these commands? In my mind, it would be presumptuous to think that I would be able to figure out God in every command He issued to His Old Testament people. I won’t try to; no one would want to read such a long post anyway. One way, however, these varied commands speak to me is their revelation of God’s concern for all aspects of our lives. That reveals His love for us! So while we may feel like trudging through these commands, let’s instead treasure them for demonstrating to us all the little ways God shows us that He loves His people.

But can we see some overall principles in these commands?

God is sovereign over His creation, and we must submit to His sovereignty. Sometimes that may appear unfair to us. God doesn’t claim to be fair, and that generally works for the benefit of His people.

God’s presence in our midst requires decency. He addressed the baser issues of human existence, but He didn’t want to have to step on them as He was in their midst! He loves us, is willing to have fellowship with us despite these ugly realities of life that come with us, which He finds indecent. In order to enjoy relationship with Him, God’s people must deal with their indecencies decently. Does that speak to you of ways in which we will be distinct from our culture today?

God expects His people to be faithful to fulfill what they say they will do. They are not to be stingy, but to show mercy to the needy. God expects His people to conduct business justly and conduct themselves with justice.

God was not sanctioning divorce in His provisions for it here. It was not part of the plan for marriages that He established when He created Eve, and He reveals elsewhere in Scripture that He hates divorce. Jesus said that He permitted divorce because of the hardness of people’s hearts – sin. Again, we see God making provision for undesirable realities of life in a sin-cursed world.

God is concerned for poor people, that they be able to maintain their lives and their dignity in their need. He had some ingenious ways to provide for them. Can they shed light on our culture’s provision for the poor, or even our own charitable practices?

Many of these commands differentiated His Law from the laws and practices of other ancient cultures, distinguishing His people as more decent, more just, more merciful, more good, more orderly, more faithful and more joyful. Aren’t these lovely characteristics for God to promote in His people? Don’t they speak of happiness? What does that teach you about God, and about His desire for you?

When God would bring them into the Promised Land, He planned that they would live in the blessings of abundance. They were commanded to make a point of remembering where they came from, recognizing His abundance, and rejoicing in it on a regular basis. Do you do that?

Part of the observance commanded was to ask for God’s blessing as He promised their forefathers. Think about that: He had promised to bless them, but they were commanded to ask for that blessing as He had promised. Note what else He promised them at the end of chapter 26. We have many promises given to us as God’s people; do we realize that we have to ask God to give us the wonderful things He has promised us?

He reinforces that these many, varied and sometimes seemingly random commands were to be not only known, but done. Done carefully, with enthusiasm and thoroughness. Their observance of these commands wouldn’t be a part of their lives, but their whole way of living in conformance to God’s ways. In response, they would be God’s treasured people. Imagine what that would mean to them, to be treasured by God. Do you treasure anyone? Then your feelings for and actions toward them will reveal to you somewhat of God’s feelings for you and actions toward you, for His New Testament people are as treasured to Him as His Old Testament people. That is worth thanksgiving to God today! Is it worth your living in conformance to His ways?

Day 75 — Deuteronomy 19 – 22

Did you catch the heart of what God has presented in the Law in these chapters? Some of them are difficult to understand!

The shedding of innocent blood imposed guilt of innocent blood in the midst of the land and the people, which must be purged, “that it may go well with” them. Yet God was at least as concerned, perhaps more concerned, that innocent people were not punished for crimes they didn’t commit, evidenced in the cities of refuge and the roads He required to be built to make them readily accessible, and the requirement of two or three witnesses for conviction. That would likely mean that some crimes didn’t get purged according to the remedy of “life for life.” What does that teach you about God?

They were permitted to offer terms of peace to the inhabitants of cities outside their inheritance against whom they went to war. If the city accepted the terms, they were permitted to save the women and children as spoils of war, but kill all the men. But the cities within the boundaries of the Promised Land had to be utterly destroyed “in order that they may not teach you to do according to all their detestable things which they have done for their gods, so that you would sin against the Lord your God.” It was a matter of God’s judgment on these people and Israel’s survival in the land.

How does the concept of bloodguiltiness relate to the utter destruction of the Canaanites? How does one reconcile God’s obvious rejection of murder, with His command to destroy completely the Canaanites? It’s worth contemplating, because modern man finds difficulty in the reconciliation and will use it as an excuse to reject God, reject Scripture as an authority, and reject anyone who doesn’t share their confusion. Satan can use it as a weapon to make you doubt God’s goodness. I encourage you to seek full understanding from God on the matter, because only His answers can vanquish such doubts. I will offer one word that might make the analysis seem worthwhile to you: justice.

On the evidence of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed. This became an important principle for any matter of vital truth. It’s a good rule to follow for our acceptance of truth today.

Justice required that they should “not show pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.” Does that clarify matters of justice today?

“Do not be fainthearted. Do not be afraid, or panic, or tremble before (your enemies arrayed in battle before you), for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.” God meant that, as funny as it seems to one who can’t comprehend approaching battle with anything but fear, trembling and a faint heart. That would eliminate me from their armed forces, for God meant it so absolutely that He told them to send home any soldier who was afraid. God didn’t have any use in His army for a fearful soldier. What about the battles we’re fighting today? It’s no different for us as soldiers fighting alongside God. Do you have fear that you must deal with today?

God stressed that the evil must be removed from their midst. The method given here of removing evil from their midst required parents of a stubborn and rebellious son to report him and throw the first stone in killing him. That was a drastic step to be taken to remove the evil from their midst. God really meant that command, too. Knowing that requirement meant that parents took a grave risk with their children’s lives in failing to train them to be disciplined. There were no excuses offered for rebellious children. If it was possible in that day to train children to be disciplined, is it also possible in our day?

Helping the owner of what was lost to recover his property taught the Israelites that they were not to ignore the needs and predicaments of others. What a concept. Building a parapet taught that they couldn’t be neglectful of others’ safety.

Forbidding mixtures in fibers and fields seems odd to us. One of the possible principles associated with this command was to avoid the appearance of adherence to pagan practices. Or it possibly had to do with keeping distinct what God had created distinct.

Keeping genders distinct, acknowledging the first-born with the double-portion inheritance to which he was entitled, and many other of these requirements taught the Israelites that God’s people were to do what is right, and not simply what they felt like doing.

Do any of these requirements reveal God’s desire for His people that speak to you in a particular (or particularly painful) way today? Why not ask God what He thinks?

Day 74 — Deuteronomy 15 – 18

God reiterates and enlarges upon the provisions of the Law in such a way as to help His people understand His intention. They may not be able always to know the letter of the Law, because it was impossible to cover every circumstance in the provisions of the Law. So He reveals His heart in these reiterations. Once again, although these may not apply specifically and directly to us New Testament people of God, we should seek to understand them if we want to be His people. His people will want to be like Him, and want to understand His heart so that we can please Him and be like Him.

Yesterday we read about the dietary laws, which revealed God’s intention that His people be holy – pure and set apart, distinct from those who were not God’s people.

His requirements for settling debts every seventh year and setting slaves free demonstrate a concern for the needy that would prompt them to do something to help them. It also required them to hold wealth lightly and to be unselfish in sharing the wealth God gave. His intention was that they would choose the way of His blessing and thus would be so blessed that they would have no poor in their land; however, He addressed the reality that there would be poor people. Thus, there is no contradiction between verses 15:4 and 15:11, only a conciliation to the reality of sin necessitating the need to care for the poor. His plan for that was that the wealthy would take care of them by their generosity springing from a willing heart as they enjoyed God’s abundance.

Observing the designated holy days made institutions of their remembrances of their enslavement in Egypt, God’s leading them out to freedom, and His establishing them as a nation of His covenant people. These became an important and distinctive part of their culture, as our holidays are important and distinctive parts of our culture. Remembrance is an important part of the Church, as remembering in the observance of communion is one of only two commands Jesus gave us. What means have you implemented in your own life to remember the milestones in your personal relationship with God?

Rejoicing was also an important part of their holy day observances. We are told to “Rejoice in the Lord always.” Our joy is important to God!

Part of their most important holiday observances were congregating in Jerusalem, and bringing gifts to God, giving as each was able, according to how God had blessed each one. Both gathering and giving should be important to us as well.

Justice is important to God. So is showing mercy. Justice is what is right (not necessarily happy or convenient) for all parties. We all want justice for ourselves when we are wronged. Generally, we have the luxury of taking justice for granted in our culture, and thus don’t treasure it as much as those who have had to struggle to receive justice, or don’t enjoy it at all. Think about what a treasure justice is; doesn’t it instill love in your heart for a just God who values justice? Mercy requires one giving up what is his, possibly including justice. Think about that with regard to circumstances in your life for which you desire justice. What we receive from God should be extended to others.

God wanted them to avoid worship practices that were common to others’ worship of their man-made gods. Man’s ideas about demonstrating devotion are not necessarily shared by God; where the two differ, God’s ideas prevail, and man’s ideas are junk.

Removal of that which threatened to lead them away from God was important enough to invoke the death penalty. Let’s understand clearly that God’s imposition of the death penalty for those who attempted to lead others away from Him did not demonstrate a low value of life, but a high value of devotion to God.

Submitting to the decisions of the authorities God set in place was important. Again, the harshness of the penalty for failing to do so demonstrates how important that was to God. Our democratic society may not share that value, but that is of no importance in the matter. God clearly intends for His people to submit to the decisions of their God-given leaders, for if He gives the leaders, the people are submitting to Him in submitting to them. God doesn’t appreciate our having our own minds where He has revealed truth or His will.

Again, a kingdom was not God’s choice for their government, but reality dictated that He provide for it anyway. The design of a kingdom in conformance to the Law provided that their kings were not to build up the nation’s security in anything or anyone but God. They were to avoid the wielding of power that foreign kings exercised, such as building a harem and stashing and living in great wealth. This would have distinguished Israel’s kings from every king around them, and kept them humble and closer to the people. Kings were also expected to know God’s word and rule the nation by it.

What do you think of God’s standards for His people? What do you think of God for setting such standards for His people? Why don’t you talk that over with Him today?

Day 73 — Deuteronomy 12 – 14

Signs and wonders aren’t necessarily from God, and so the only test of whether a so-called spiritual leader is from God is whether his or her leadership guides the followers to God or away from God. God might allow a false prophet’s signs and wonders to come true to test His Old Covenant people’s devotion to Him; might He do the same with us New Covenant people? The book of Revelation tells of such a false prophet who will lead people astray with his signs and wonders. Isn’t that sobering? Are you vulnerable to being led away from God with false signs and wonders? Note the protection against such vulnerability: “You shall not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer of dreams” who entices people to serve other gods. Of course, they would likely be more subtle than to say outright, “Let’s go after other gods.” If we are not to be taken in by them, we must be able to detect any message that endangers our devotion to God. Our protection is knowledge of God’s word and the Holy Spirit’s faithfulness to us. The only way we can maintain the former is to be in God’s Word in regular, systematic reading and study, and in church. The only way we can count on the latter is by seeking God with all our hearts. Moses puts it this way: “You shall follow the Lord your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him.” I’ve highlighted all those verbs to reinforce what God’s people are told do to maintain their stability in relationship with God and so avoid being led astray by signs and wonders.

They were not to spare or pity one who doomed himself to death by attempting to lead others astray. God intended them to take such action seriously. Should we do any differently today? We obviously wouldn’t punish with death such a one in our circles; but we shouldn’t tolerate such, either.

We will not encounter today many people encouraging us to follow after other gods. To be on our guards, we need to consider now, while we are in our right minds, what messages we are likely to hear from people who want us not to follow God; who or what will they likely present for us to put before God?

God obviously wanted to show mercy to His people and make them increase, but He placed conditions on His showing them mercy and increasing them. Think about it: their choices, their actions placed restrictions on His showing them mercy and blessing them as His heart desired. Do we restrict Him by our choices and our actions today? Do your choices and actions limit the mercy and blessings that He wants to give you?

What the holy, chosen people of God ate was obviously important. Why do you suppose that was? Should we have diet restrictions today? Do the restrictions imposed on God’s Old Covenant people have any impact on His New Covenant people? What about the simple fact that they had dietary restrictions imposed?

God gave them a break for hardship on their method of bringing their tithe to the place He would choose; however, He did not give them a break on the meeting place nor on the necessity for bringing the tithe. Does that speak to our worship today? They were to go to the trouble of bringing their tithe to the place God would choose, ultimately Jerusalem, to eat it in God’s presence with rejoicing. They could even enjoy strong drink (v. 14:26) in their rejoicing before the Lord! He meant for them to rejoice, don’t you think? Note that they weren’t just to rejoice with their families, but with their households. That would include their slaves. What would that do to the relationships in the household?