Devotionary

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Ep 994 – Deuteronomy 26:1-11 Jul 08, 2020

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The recitation of rules and regulations is finally over. All of that had been intended as a preface, preparing the people of Israel for the moment when they would finally cross over the Jordan and enter the land of promise. And in Deuteronomy 26:1-11, Moses provides them with instructions concerning the offering of the first fruits. One of the very first things they were to do when they set foot in the land was to present an offering of praise and thanksgiving to God – made up of the first fruits of the very first harvest they gathered. This wasn't a matter of if, but when. There was no doubt in Moses' mind that God was going to get them into the land and bless them with a bountiful first harvest. And when He did, Moses expected the people of Israel to show God the gratitude He deserved for all that He had done for them. This offering would be an expression of thanksgiving for all God had done, and a declaration of faith in all that He was going to do.

Ep 993 – Deuteronomy 25:11-19 Jul 07, 2020

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The various scenarios that Moses presents in Deuteronomy are almost comical in nature. His seemingly endless list of strange situations and the particular laws that apply to them is truly amazing. But it just goes to show how deeply God cares about the holiness of His people. He leaves nothing to chance. And in Deuteronomy 25:11-19, Moses deals with three seemingly dissimilar and disconnected scenarios that appear to have little in common. But, in reality, they all deal with personal holiness as exhibited in the day-to-day interactions between the people of God. Their status as God's chosen people was intended to make a difference in the way they lived their lives. Interpersonal relationships are so important in God's family. The proper care and concern for each other's well-being was mandatory. And all those who treated Israelites poorly were to be dealt with severely.

Ep 992 – Deuteronomy 25:1-10 Jul 06, 2020

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All of creation is the handiwork of God. And He chose to place mankind as stewards over all that He made. So, as Moses delivers to the Israelites God's rules for regulating their behavior, he includes instructions regarding their care of domestic animals. But, oddly enough, he sandwiches it in-between rules about the proper punishment of criminals and the care of widows. All stewardship, whether of laws regarding the punishment of criminals or those regulating the proper care of widows, was important to God. He expected His people to watch over all the He held near and dear, including everything He had created and placed under their care. The actions of God's people reflected back on Him as their Creator and Father. They could either honor or dishonor Him by the way they lived their lives. He had set them apart so that they might be holy as He is holy. And when they lived according to His will, everyone and everything stood to benefit.

Ep 991 – Deuteronomy 24:14-22 Jul 05, 2020

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We hear a lot of talk about justice these days. And rightfully so. God cares about justice and so should we. But it is important that we define justice according to God's terms and not those of the world. So, in Deuteronomy 24:14-22, Moses continues to outline God's expectations for the people of Israel concerning their treatment of one another. These verses concentrate on the needs of the less fortunate and the under-represented who were part of the family of God. These individuals, whether they were widows or hired workers, had few rights and were dependent upon the goodness of others to survive. In God's grand scheme, everyone deserved to be treated fairly and justly, regardless of their social status or ability to contribute to the well-being of the nation as a whole. Caring for the needy, the downtrodden, and the underdogs of life was critical to the nation's spiritual health. No one was a second-class citizen. Everyone had value in the eyes of God.

Ep 990 – Deuteronomy 24:5-13 Jul 04, 2020

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Individuality and community. Both are important to God. And nowhere is this made more clear than in Deuteronomy 24:5-13. In these verses, Moses outlines some very specific rules and regulations regarding life within the corporate community of Israel. This collection of individuals was made up of people all ages and from every walk of life, but they shared a common faith and the very same ancestry. They were to function as a unified whole, but never at the expense of the individual. Membership in the community of faith did not obliterate the rights of the individual. And in these verses, Moses reminds the people of Israel that a big part of life within the community is based on extending one another common courtesy. People matter to God. And He expects His children to love one another and to dwell together in unity. For God, protecting the rights of the individual while maintaining the health of the community was non-negotiable.

Ep 988 – Deuteronomy 23:15-25 Jul 03, 2020

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It would be a rare occasion for an Israelite to encounter a situation where he had to ask the question: What would God have me do? That's because God had provided His people with a very detailed and comprehensive list of rules and regulations for life. And Deuteronomy 23:15-25 contains yet one more compendium of commands that cover a wide-ranging set of circumstances. These were essentially regulations for real life that covered virtually every conceivable situation they might encounter along the way. From how to treat a runaway slave to the making of vows. Everything was important to God, including the lending of money, the moral integrity of children, and care of the less fortunate. So, He made sure that the people of Israel had a comprehensive list of clearly understood instructions that left no room for speculation or confusion. The topic of holiness was too important to leave to chance.

Ep 989 – Deuteronomy 24:1-4 Jul 03, 2020

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Moses spent a great deal of time elaborating on a host of "what-if" situations that might occur within the nation of Israel. It wasn't that he doubted that these scenarios could or would take place, he was simply covering any and every imaginable circumstance that might result in the people of God committing sins and blaming their actions on ignorance. He wanted them to know that God had an interest in every area of their lives and had provided them with rules and regulations to govern all their behavior. And in Deuteronomy 24:1-4, Moses outlines God's laws concerning divorce. But, in this case, he gets very specific, dealing with a very particular issue regarding divorce that, at first glance, seems unlikely to be a major problem. But God knew better. He knew the hearts of His people and so He provided detailed restrictions that covered even the most unlikely of circumstances. If a sin could be committed, the Israelites would figure out a way to do it.

Ep 987 – Deuteronomy 23:9-14 Jul 02, 2020

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Purity was to be a high-priority for the people of God – in every area of their lives. There was no place or potential circumstance where the pursuit of holiness was either unnecessary or failed to apply. And as we'll see in Deuteronomy 23:9-14, even the front lines of battle were to be considered holy unto the Lord. These verses provide the men of Israel with God's clear instructions regarding times of war. When they were called to assemble for battle, they were to remember their status as God's chosen people – set apart for His glory and tasked with honoring His holy name. And, as always, God gets very specific, providing them with detailed instructions regarding their personal holiness and hygiene during wartime. The battlefield was not to be used an excuse for spiritual apathy or moral laxness. The priority of personal and corporate holiness took precedence over everything, including war.

Ep 986 – Deuteronomy 23:1-8 Jul 01, 2020

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The worship of God is serious business. And not everyone is worthy to enter into His presence. When God set apart the nation of Israel as His chosen possession, he also provided them with His law. Those decrees and commandments were intended to regulate their behavior, so that they could remain unstained by sin and capable of worshiping alongside the rest of the assembly. And the sacrificial system was the God-ordained means by which those who committed sins could receive atonement and cleansing – once again, making it possible for them to worship God in the manner He deserved. But in Deuteronomy 23:1-8, Moses provides the people of Israel with additional rules designed to restrict the access of some from the God-ordained times of corporate worship. This has less to do with the unworthiness of those who were restricted and more to do with the holiness and worthiness of God.

Ep 985 – Deuteronomy 22:22-30 Jul 01, 2020

Show notes

Moses isn't done dealing with the topic of marriage. In Deuteronomy 22:22-30, he provides further rules and regulations governing the institution of marriage among the people of Israel. Their view on marriage was to be radically different than that of the pagan nations around them. For them, marriage was to be a living illustration of their covenant relationship to God. If they couldn't remain faithful to their marriage partner, how in the world could they hope to remain faithful to God. So, Moses provides them with a series of scenarios designed to illustrate just how serious God was about the sanctity of the marriage covenant. What was considered acceptable behavior among the pagan nations occupying the land of Canaan was to be off-limits for the Israelites. There was no point at which adultery should be justified or rape be treated as normal behavior. Acts of wickedness had no place within the covenant community of God's people.

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