Week 60, Day 4: A Prophet from among you
Today’s Reading: Deut 18:1-22
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
Moses warns Israel not to allow those who practice witchcraft, one who interprets omens, a sorcerer, medium, spiritist, one who casts a spell or one who calls up the dead to be among them. Such a one was to be put to death. It seems that there have always been these kind of practices taking place. Today it is a weegie board, tarra cards, palm readers, wiccan priestests, and the like. Such actions are described as being detestable to the Lord. Christians today should not be involved with such actions, even as a joke.
In the midst of speaking about such things Moses tells them that God would raise up a prophet from among them who will tell them all that God commands for them. This prophet would be proven to be true by the truthfulness of what he said. The prophet would say certain things would come about and when those things came to be it proved that he was from God. If however what he said would take place doesn’t take place then they are not from God and are to be put to death for speaking falsely in the name of the Lord.
Question: Verse 15 is cited in Acts 3:22 in reference to someone else. Who is being spoken of in Acts 3:22?
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?
Week 60, Day 2: Three Times
Today’s Reading: Deut 16:1-22
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
Moses reminds Israel that they are to appear before the Lord three times a year (vs. 16). For the Passover/ Feast of Unleavened bread, at the feast of weeks, and for the feast of Booths. These were not optional feasts that they were to attend. Moses also tells them not to come empty-handed before God. So their obligations are made clear to them. Moses is giving them all those last words of advice because he will soon not be with them. These feasts were very imiportant for an Israelite. But as we see, Israel was not faithful to continue in these things for long.
Question: How does this text refer to the bread they were to eat during the feast of unleavened bread (vs. 3)? Why do you think it is referred to as this?
Week 60, Day 1: A Year for Remission
Today’s Reading: Deut 15:1-23
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
This chapter tells us about an interesting practice commanded by God. In the seventh year the Israelites were to forgive the debts owed them. Whatever was loaned, whatever service had been endebted was to be forgiven. This to me is a very interesting practice for God to command Israel. But God goes on to tell them that they are also not to think in their mind, “The seventh year, the year of remission, is near” and thus be hostile toward the poor. They were to give generously even though the seventh year was at hand. God promises that if they heed His command then the Lord will bless them in all their work (vs 10). This is like the phrase that was use sometimes that says you cannot out give God.
A reason is not given in the text as to why God commanded such a practice. In ways I would like to know why these kind of commands were given. But we are not given the reason so we cannot know for sure.
Question: What lessons about generocity might we be able to learn from this chapter?
Week 59, Day 5: Because you are different
Today’s Reading: Deut 14:1-29
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
Moses goes on to tell the children of Israel that they are not to eat any detestable thing. He reminds them of the animals that they may and may not eat of. What I want to focus on in this post is why they were to make this distinction in their eating choices. It is because God has chosen them for His own possession as a holy people. Therefore they were to be different. God tells them what foods they are to abstain from as part of their distinctiveness. Because they are God’s people, a holy people, they were to have different standards for what they ate. Many have tried to explain why the distinctions are made between these animals. Why Israel could eat one animal but not another one. What I am emphasizing here is that because they belonged to God it required them to maintain a different lifestyle than those people who were of the nations around them. It has always been the case that God’s people had a different standard than those of the world. I am sure that the gentiles would not have understood why they didn’t eat certain things or may have thought it even strange, but that didn’t change the fact that in order to be pleasing to God the Israelites had to keep to God’s instructions.
Question: What commands today do you think cause Christians to stand out from those in the world? What commands might the worldly think strange?
Week 59, Day 4: Do Not Allow It
Today’s Reading: Deut 13:1-18
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
Moses even tells Israel that there may come a time when a prophet or dreamer arises who gives some sign or wonder and yet instructs them to serve other gods. This is an interesting concept. Someone who is able to give some sign or wonder and yet he is trying to mislead the people. Moses tells them that this is God testing them to finnd out if they love Him with all their heart and soul (vs. 3). Israel knew very clearly that God did not want them to serve any other god. He had instructed them to destroy all the idols and not allow themselves to be seduced to follow after such practices. So if someone comes along, even if they could perform some wonder, they were not to be believed and were to be killed. I find the concept of God testing them very interesting. Would they pass the test? We know from their history that they did not pass the test. Would we pass the test? Do we pass the test? This concept makes me think about Paul’s statement in 2 Cor 13:5. Christians are to examine themselves to make certain that they have Jesus in them. We should each know how to know this and be able to know that we are abiding in Jesus.
Another concept from this passage is that the people of Israel were not to let anyone lead them astray. No one. Not their brother, or the wife they cherish, or even the friend who is as your own soul (vs. 6). Do we have such dedication in our service to God? Is He our hearts desire to the extent that no one here on earth, no matter how dear they are to us, would be able to entice us to depart from serving Him faithfully?
Question: How do we know that we are in Christ Jesus and that He is living in us?
Week 59, Day 3: In the designated place
Today’s Reading: Deut 12:1-32
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
Moses warns Israel that they are to be careful not to offer their sacrifices in just any place when they enter into the land. They are to offer their sacrifices in the place where the Lord chooses. They are going to be entering into a land where the people had many high places and idols. Israel was warned not to pursue worshipping these idols and not to sacrifice in all these places that had been used for the idolatrous worship. It is not explained what Israel was supposed to do in the period of time between when they entered the land and when God chose the place for the temple.
The main thrust of this passage is a warning to them. Don’t be carried off after the idol worship. Such practices as sacrificing their children to these gods. It might seem strange to think that they would need such a warning since they have seen all the mighty works of God in the wilderness. But Moses is warning them, instructing them in the way that they should go. And I believe that he knew by the Spirit of prophecy that Israel would be drawn into following the same idolatrous practices of the people. This should serve as instruction for us. Even though we may think something would never happen, we need to train our children so that they “know better”. Don’t take things for granted. If we do not teach the next generation why they serve God and what God commands of us then we may find one day that they have been carried off into practicing things we never thought they would engage in.
Question: Where was the place that God chose for Israel to make their sacrifices? What other events took place at this same location (hint: the connection goes all the way back to Abraham)?
Week 59, Day 2: Blessings and Curses
Today’s Reading: Deut 11:1-32
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
Moses reminds Israel of how abundant and good the land is that they are entering. He reemphasizes to them that they are to keep all of God’s commands. He then tells them that if they are careful to keep all the commands, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to hold fast to Him then the Lord will be with them in possessing the land (22-25). He then sets before them a blessing and a curse (26-28). They will be blessed if they listen to God and cursed if they do not listen. I am sometimes impressed by the admonitions given in the OT. The language used is no different than what we would say to someone. The Israelites were repeatedly encouraged to give God their hearts and to wholely devoted to Him. I believe that some today have missed how these kind of things have not changed. The NT teaches us to hold to God and keep His commands. We are not to have some light hearted nature towards God’s commands. The blessings are not the same for us today as for them. We are not going to be given a land or physical victory over our enemies because we follow God. But God does bless us and gives us promises for the future.
Question: What blessings does God give us here and now for our faithfulness? What blessings are promised to be given in the future to those who are faithful?
Week 59, Day : The Tablets Remade
Today’s Reading: Deut 10:1-22
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
God commands Moses to remake the two stone tablets. He brought these back up on the mountain and God wrote on them like the former tablets. Moses is told to put these into the ark of the covenant. This remaking of the tablets indicates God’s forgiveness of Israel for making the calf and thus a renewal of the covenant just made.
Moses asks them now, what does the Lord require from them(vs 12)? How would you answer such a question today? You can examine Moses’ answer to that question in verses 12-13 but I think that it is a good exercise for us to answer that question to ourselves. He also tells them to circumcise their heart and do not stiffen their necks any longer (16). Circumcision was a very important process for the Israelite to keep. But what do you think it means for someone to circumcise their heart?
Week 58, Day 5: 40 days and nights
Today’s Reading: Deut 9:1-29
Some thoughts from today’s reading…
Although God had delivered Israel from Egypt with a strong hand from the slavery of Egypt, Israel quickly provoked God’s wrath by making their golden calf. When Moses saw what they had done in making the altar, he threw the two stone tablets and smashed them before Israel. Moses then displayed his sincere dedication to God by falling down before God and neither eating or drinking because of the sin of Israel (vs. 18). For forty days and nights Moses pleaded for Israel to be spared (vs. 25). Moses did not have to intercede for them. He was not required to petition that they be spared and he displayed great diligence to persist for 40 days and nights. These kind of accounts should help us understand what a good, godly leader is like. Moses was a very unique man. His dedication to God helped deliver Israel from destruction.
Question: When you think of Moses, what quality stands out the most to you?