Week 60, Day 3: When You Have a King
Today’s Reading: Deut 17:1-20
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
I am impressed at times just how much Moses knew about what Israel would do. God had revealed to him so much of what would happen to Israel before they even entered in to possess the promised land. Here we have Moses telling the people that when they look around and say they want a king just like the nations around them that the king is to not do three things (14-20). He was not to multiply horses for himself or go to Egypt for the purpose of trading/ multiplying horses. They were not to have interactions with Egypt. Second, he was not to multiply wives for himself lest they turn his heart away. The passage does not state this as a maybe they’ll be a bad influence on him. The passage states it plainly that the multiple wives will turn his heart away. Thirdly, he was not to amass silver and gold for himself. I find this one very interesting. It would appear based on this that the king should have been working in such a way as not to try to horde great wealth for himself. Either he could spend it on projects to help the nation or he could just not collect as much in taxes. Either way, God tells them he is not to greatly increase silver and gold for himself. I also found it interesting that it is noted that his heart was not to be lifted above his countrymen. The king, even though highly exalted as their leader and protector – in a sense, was not to exalt himself. I see this as a reflexion that he was to keep in mind that he was a servant of God, serving God’s people in a special role. But God was their source of guidance and source of protection, not him. He was just like the rest of Israel, just a man. Very interesting.
Question: What benefit would it be for the king to make the copy of the law himself?
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