365 Reflections

Deuteronomy 20 is God's instruction to the people concerning how they were to carry out their warfare campaigns. The commentators I read point out how much different these instructions are concerning war for God's nation than typical ancient peoples. For us today, this chapter holds powerful spiritual truths. God opens by letting Israel know they will face stronger and larger nations than themselves. Deuteronomy 20:1 (ESV) “When you go out to war against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them, for the LORD your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. But regardless of these facts, Israel was not to fear. The priest was to pronounce a faith-word over the people of God, reminding them that they do not fight alone, God is with them, He will strengthen their efforts against all enemies. Deuteronomy 20:2–4 (ESV) And when you draw near to the battle, the priest shall come forward a...

Deuteronomy 19:7–10 (ESV) Therefore I command you, You shall set apart three cities. 8 And if the Lord your God enlarges your territory, as he has sworn to your fathers, and gives you all the land that he promised to give to your fathers— 9 provided you are careful to keep all this commandment, which I command you today, by loving the Lord your God and by walking ever in his ways—then you shall add three other cities to these three, 10 lest innocent blood be shed in your land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance, and so the guilt of bloodshed be upon you. I have already spoken about the cities of refuge mentioned in Numbers 35 and how they serve as a type of Christ for sinners to avoid the wrath of sin and how at the death of the high priest, the man slayer might return home. So too in Christ, we have the right to return home since our high priest has died for us. Here in Deuteronomy God gives Moses an additional command concerning the cities. Remember ...

What is God making clear to Israel in Deuteronomy 18 when He forbids several vile practices of the nations in Canaan? Very simply put: We need TRUE guidance from God. Before God shows them how to follow Divine guidance rightly He eliminates the wrong options. Deuteronomy 18:9–12 (ESV) “When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer 11 or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, 12 for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord . And because of these abominations the Lord your God is driving them out before you. For as long as humans have been on the Earth, they have acted in ways detrimental to their well being for the sake of inquiring of the spirits beyond. These ...

Not enough people hear this but it is true. Serving God's purpose is the most privileged life we can experience. Remember the Levites? They were the tribe that sided with Moses in the golden calf incident. They took up swords against the immorality of the people and zealously defended the honor of God. For this they got? No land inheritance in Israel. Yes. The tribe that served the Lord righteously and did not bow to the calf was rewarded with something far better than material wealth. And what was it? Life in the presence of the Lord. Deuteronomy 18:1–5 (ESV) “The Levitical priests, all the tribe of Levi, shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They shall eat the LORD’s food offerings as their inheritance. 2 They shall have no inheritance among their brothers; the LORD is their inheritance, as he promised them. 3 And this shall be the priests’ due from the people, from those offering a sacrifice, whether an ox or a sheep: they shall give to the priest the shoulder...

Impartial Judges, Respected Priests and Humble Kings were to be the marks of the governing bodies of ancient Israel. When we read Deuteronomy 16-17 today, we have come to expect that God's standards are such. But we must put ourselves in the position of Israel. They were saved from a nation who worshipped their king (Pharaoh) and lived luxuriously off the backs of Israeli slave labor. They saw the priest fawn over Pharaoh and do his bidding, they were familiar with judges who had one rule for Egyptians and one for Israel. They also would have been familiar with the nations in Canaan who most likely lived similarly in such matters pertaining to their governance. What we find in Deuteronomy 16-17 is nothing less than the most unexpected code of conduct for an ancient people concerning their national policies. Today we herald these values as essential to a thriving country. They come from the Nation God founded and freed. First, Israel was to have impartial judges. Deuteronomy 16...

Deuteronomy 16 is an incredible passage for us today. It outlines the three major feasts of Israels calendar year with astonishing brevity making certain to work precise details into the text so that we learn how to approach their realities in the New Testament fulfillment. Deuteronomy 16:1 (ESV) “Observe the month of Abib and keep the Passover to the LORD your God, for in the month of Abib the LORD your God brought you out of Egypt by night. First, they were to observe the month in which they were to KEEP the Passover to the Lord. This happened every first month of the year. This practice rehearsed the nation's defining moment as God's new born nation from out of slavery. Their time as a people started the day God saved them. Today we celebrate the Lord's table as the start of the new work of God in our lives.  Deuteronomy 16:9–10 (ESV)  “You shall count seven weeks. Begin to count the seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain. 10 T...

Deuteronomy 15:7–11 (ESV)   “If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, 8 but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be. 9 Take care lest there be an unworthy thought in your heart and you say, ‘The seventh year, the year of release is near,’ and your eye look grudgingly on your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he cry to the Lord against you, and you be guilty of sin. 10 You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. 11 For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’ The faith of Israel was no...

Deuteronomy 14:22–23 (ESV)   “You shall tithe all the yield of your seed that comes from the field year by year. 23 And before the Lord your God, in the place that he will choose, to make his name dwell there, you shall eat the tithe of your grain, of your wine, and of your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and flock, that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always. God has already spoken to Israel about the tithe in Deuteronomy 12.  Deuteronomy 12:5–6 (ESV) But you shall seek the place that the Lord your God will choose out of all your tribes to put his name and make his habitation there. There you shall go, 6 and there you shall bring your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution that you present, your vow offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock. It seems even the Old Testament people of God were like normal people who need to be reminded again that tithing is not optional for God'...

Deuteronomy 14:1–3 (ESV)   “You are the sons of the Lord your God. You shall not cut yourselves or make any baldness on your foreheads for the dead. 2 For you are a people holy to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. 3 “You shall not eat any abomination. You are either confused about the Old Testament dietary laws, ignore them completely or use them as an excuse to ignore other parts of the Old Testament - particularly laws about sexuality that you do not like.  The other option is that you consider what God is TEACHING His people about who they are and that He has given them 3 reminders per day about this incredible reality. Notice how the chapter on food laws begins. God calls them sons, then God calls them a people holy to Himself. The wording is intentional to make sure Israel is fully aware that their identity is sacred and tied to the Lord God ov...