Deuteronomy: Lessons to remember as you walk to the Promised Land - Chapter 21

CHAPTER 21:

My husband called me this morning in a frustrated fit. He was stuck in traffic due to an accident. The traffic wasn’t the problem, though. It was the disrespectful people driving that made him so angry. Traffic was bumper to bumper and at a standstill, so some people decided they would use the emergency lane to get ahead. Eventually the emergency lane was as full as the others – so full that the rescue vehicles could not get through. The traffic was on a bridge with no shoulder to use get out of the way. There was no way for the EMS to get to the accident. After a while, my husband saw a helicopter coming in for a landing. It was the only way to get to the people who needed help. Can you imagine? People were so busy worried about themselves, they couldn’t take a moment to let rescue vehicles get to where someone needed their help. It made my husband mad. It makes me sad to think there is that much disrespect and selfishness out there.

God expected respect among His people. He even outlined some of the ways He wanted the Israelites to respect one another. Deuteronomy 21 has 5 scenarios where respect for others was important.

Read Deuteronomy 21:1-9.

If a person was found murdered outside of a city and no one knew who killed him, how would they decide which city to take care of it?

What were the elders of the city to do?

Why were they to get rid of the guilt for this crime?

How does this law show respect?

All of this sounds really strange to my 21st century ears. This law about an unsolved homicide is not found anywhere else in the Pentateuch, but isn’t it interesting that God demands retribution for murder even when the criminal is not found? He does not allow the crime to just be dropped. That life matters to Him.

Read Deuteronomy 21:10-14.

What was required to be done if a man desired to take a captive woman as his wife?

What happened if she did not please him?

What was the man NOT allowed to do?

How does this law show respect for the captive woman?


Read Deuteronomy 21:15-17.

It is important to note here that the phrase “If a man has two wives” is translated in Hebrew as “has had two wives,” meaning the first wife was deceased and the man had remarried. Moses is not condoning bigamy.

Why was the first son to retain the expected double portion of inheritance?

Who does this law respect?

How is the first son respected?

Read Deuteronomy 21:18-21.

Who is supposed to be respected in this scenario?

What happens in parents are not respected?

If a child does not respect their parents and the parents are obviously trying to teach the child the right way to behave, what does that say about the child?

Would fear of this law keep children in line? Why or why not?


This harkens back to Exodus 20:12 and the 5th commandment: honor your father and mother. Long term sin patterns of incorrigible disobedience were beyond hope. That was the idea, at least. Although for the men of the town to do the stoning, it must mean this is not a child. This is an adult man who is not doing his part, has been given time after time to repent and correct his behavior and is obviously choosing not to take the help offered. Although, I can totally see myself telling my eighteen year old son, “Hey! You better straighten up. Deuteronomy 21 gives me permission to stone you if you misbehave.” All jokes aside, there is more to respecting your parents than just paying attention when you are little. Continued respect – for their name, for their feelings, for their belongings - was expected.

Read Deuteronomy 21:22-23.

How was a criminal respected, even after death?

These verse obviously foreshadow the death of Jesus on the cross. He was not left on the cross after dark. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus took his body and buried it before sunset (John 19:38-42). Paul also mentions these verses from Deuteronomy 21 in Galatians.

Read Galatians 3:10-14.

Who was the curse on the tree?

We are redeemed from the ________________ of the Law because Jesus became the ___________ for us.

Why was it important that Jesus do this?

Without Jesus, we would only be justified by our perfect obedience to the Law. However, our sinful nature keeps up from perfection. There is no way for us to be found not guilty before God in our own efforts. We have all used His name in a disrespectful way, dishonored our parents, stolen a little something along the way, looked at someone in lust, and coveted the possessions of our neighbors. We are all sinners at heart. It is only because the perfect Son of God gave his life on a tree to pay our sin debt that sets us free from this Law. It is our faith in Jesus that justifies us before God. The righteous man shall live by faith! Thank you, Jesus for making the way.

According the Jesus, the greatest commandment is to love the LORD will all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and the love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:34-40). This starts with R-E-S-P-E-C-T. You cannot love when you are always disrespecting. Why? Because respect comes from the heart. It comes from a place of value. If you do not value the other person, you will inevitably feel contempt or hatred or just nothing. We are called to fear our God because He is the creator of all things and deserves our respect. He, in turn, calls us to respect others by treating them as we treat ourselves. The world could use a little more respect nowadays, a little more love. It starts with obedience to Christ.

Lesson to Remember: God provides the way. Jesus is our righteousness and we are only right before God because of our faith in him.

A Way to Walk: Learn to fear the LORD and walk in obedience to Him. Reach out to others with the respect due to someone who is created in His image.

Deuteronomy: Lessons to remember as you walk to the Promised Land - Chapter 20

CHAPTER 20:

Right now, there are a lot of people who are afraid. Afraid of catching the coronavirus. Afraid of a loved one getting sick and dying. Afraid they can’t pay their bills because they’ve lost their job. Afraid because they may not have food for their family. Just afraid. We are battling an unseen enemy, one that does not reveal its attack until days or even weeks later. How can you effectively fight an enemy you can’t see? Our fears reveal something about us though, just like it revealed something about the Israelites thousands of years ago. Let’s dive in and see if we can find exactly what our fears show us.

Read Deuteronomy 20:1-4.

What we see can sometimes bring fear. What things did Moses say they would see?

Moses said, “Do not be afraid of them.” Why not?

What were the priests to tell the Israelites?

Read Deuteronomy 20:5-9.

The officers were to speak to the men next. What 4 conditions did they allow for a man to leave and not fight?

Verse 8 gives the reason God allows them to leave. What is that reason?

What does this say about God that He would make allowances for these men?

Read Deuteronomy 20:10-18.

What were they instructed to do before they besieged a city?

List the two options for the city.

What were they to do for the cities the LORD was giving to them as an inheritance?

What two reasons were they given to totally destroy these cities?

Read Deuteronomy 20:19-20.

What were they instructed to NOT do in these verses? Why?

Moses asks a rhetorical question: “For is the tree of the field a man, that it should be besieged by you?” What does this question reveal about the expected attitude of war?

While the Israelites are reminded that God will be with them in battle, God, in His grace, understands that some will be afraid regardless. He understands this fear can be contagious. Isn’t that the truth? You cannot have the slightest qualms about something and someone in their fear can plant those seeds in your mind, water them with continued discussion, and before long, you are afraid as well. That’s exactly what happened when the Israelites first scouted the Promised Land 40 years before this scene in Deuteronomy. Ten men voiced their fear and it spread like a contagious disease. That fear proved the majority of the Israelites were not ready to rely on the LORD even though He promised to go before them and make the way possible.

Have you ever been influenced by someone else’s fears? If so, how did it affect you?

How did you overcome those fears?

Likewise, have you ever influenced someone else with your fears? If so, how did it affect them?

What do you think would have made your fears subside?

We see a similar fear in the disciples in the disciples in Mark chapter 4. Jesus was teaching to the multitudes by the sea. When he was finished, he instructed the disciples to get into the boat and go over to the other side of the lake.

Read Mark 4:35-38.

What kind of weather did they encounter?

What was happening to the boat?

Where was Jesus and what was He doing?

My brother has always love a sail boat. He has owned some kind of sailing vessel since he was a young man, and has held his captain’s license for many years now. One day he invited my husband and I for an afternoon sail in the Charleston harbor. It was summertime, and as is normal on a Charleston summer afternoon, a thunderstorm arose. It was bad. Lightning popping. Wind whipping. Waves crashing. It was not your normal storm my brother said later. We were heading straight for the jetties, which is not a good thing. My brother went into captain mode very quickly, barking out orders. My husband was a great help since his brother had owned a shrimp boat when my husband was younger. He knew just what to do. I was no help, so my brother ordered me below deck.

Have you ever been in a boat cabin during a huge storm? There is absolutely no way you could sleep. The boat pitches from one side to the other so quickly and with such force that you are thrown around inside like a marble in a jar. So I find it interesting that Jesus is sleeping during this storm that was so bad the disciples thought they would die. They were afraid and went to wake Jesus.

Most of the commentaries I read on this declare the sleeping Jesus is a great picture of his humanity, that he was so tired even this violent storm didn’t wake him. To this I have two things to say. First, these commentary writers have obviously never been in a boat during a storm. They would know otherwise, if they had. Second, I agree that this does show us the mortal limitations of Jesus, but let’s remember, he is also God with us. I’m wondering if Christ in his deity didn’t have more at play here. I’m sure he knew the storm would arise, and he did point them in the direction of the other shore. Perhaps their sudden situation was a test of their faith. Perhaps it was designed to show them where their faith was lacking. Perhaps Jesus wanted them to know him more, to know who he really is.

Read Mark 4:39-41.

How did the storm calm?

What did Jesus ask them?

What happened to the disciples then?

What question did they ask?

What is the answer?

John MacArthur says, “The only thing more terrifying than having the storm outside the boat was having God in the boat!” Isn’t that the truth? Calming the sea with the simple words, “Hush, be still,” revealed to them exactly the power and authority of Jesus. Imagine. He spoke and suddenly the storm was gone. He controlled nature! That’s huge! But, the situation also revealed their lack of faith. “Do you still have no faith?” Jesus asked them. Still? After they had walked with him, listened to his teaching, watched him perform miracles – did they still lack faith?

It makes me wonder, where do I still lack faith? For sure, our fears will reveal where our faith is small.

What are your greatest fears, the ones that keep you up at night and make you anxious?

What fears do you have now because of the coronavirus situation we are living through right now?

What do these fears reveal about your faith?

What are you not trusting the LORD for?

You might have a battle in front of you that is of your own choosing, or you might have a storm that appears suddenly. Either way, He’ll let you feel the fear so that you can see right where your faith is lacking. Fear is a faith meter! Sometimes you might feel like God isn’t there and doesn’t care. You might even be like the disciples and think, “Do you not care that I am perishing?” But He is right there with you. He just wants you to see what it is you need to give over to Him.

Read 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.

What did Paul beg of God?

Did God take this “thorn” away from him? Why not?

What does “My grace is sufficient for you” mean?

Is Paul upset by this? Why or why not?

Paul is forced to rely on his Lord to overcome the “thorn” that makes him weak. It is only in this weakness that he is strong. He is strong because he is relying on the Lord’s strength and not his own. Scripture never promises that life will be smooth sailing for us. No. In fact, we are promised that we will have battles to face, we’ll walk through some fires, and that we will have troubles, maybe even our own “thorns” that make us weak. But, we are also promised that our Lord will be with us and will give us strength. Immanuel, God with us, promises “lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). Let us place our faith in Him and sail on, fight on, and “grow in our grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). To God be the glory! Amen!

Lesson to Remember: God gives us strength in our weaknesses when we give our fears to Him.
A Way to Walk: Remember to let your fears reveal where your faith is small, then give those fears to the Lord. In Him alone, you will find the strength you need.

Deuteronomy: Lessons to remember as you walk to the Promised Land - Chapter 19

CHAPTER 19:

There are a couple of scenes from my childhood that I can remember clearly. Most of them are when I did something really wrong. The lawnmower was one of them. I don’t know why my daddy thought it would be a great idea to give me a riding lawn mower, but he did. It was old and he fixed it up, painted it bright colors, and put me on it telling me to drive. I did . . . right over all the monkey grass that edged our walkway. I didn’t mean to chop up all the monkey grass; that’s just where the mower went. I remember how sad it looked: cut to the quick, white, no green to be seen. I felt so bad. I may have even cried. I knew I was doomed to be punished. My daddy didn’t scold me though. Maybe he realized it hadn’t been a good idea. I got to keep my lawn mower. He just took the blade off. Sometimes it isn’t our intention to mess something up. My daddy knew this, and God knows this too. He even made provisions for it in Deuteronomy 19.

Read Deuteronomy 19:1-3.

How many cities were they to set aside?

What was the purpose of these cities?

Read Deuteronomy 19:4-7.

Who is allowed to flee to one of these cities?

Why is he allowed to go there?

Why do you think God would establish a city of safety for this person away from the “avenger of blood?”

Read Deuteronomy 19:8-13.

What was to happen if a man guilty of murder flees to one of these cities?

What is the difference between this man and the man that is allowed to stay there?

Verse 13 gives the benefit of following these commands. What is that benefit?

Why would this be a benefit?

Read Deuteronomy 19:14.

Why does God not allow them to move the boundary marks of their property?

Read the rest of chapter 19.

Why does God require more than one witness, do you think?

What happens to a false witness?

How does the chapter end?


God took measures to protect the innocent, and we see this throughout the chapter. He provided a place for the person who unintentionally kills someone. He requires two or more witnesses to ensure that folks with a personal vendetta weren’t allowed too much power. He makes sure false witnesses are punished appropriately thus dissuading people from lying against one another.

This last statement, “life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,” was unheard of in ancient laws. Today we might think the “eye for an eye” rule is a bit harsh, but it was meant to be an equalizer. Those in power, those with wealth, would not receive less punishment if guilty or be allowed to demand more punishment if wronged. Most ancient laws, even Hammurabi’s Code, gave more rights to the rich and powerful, leaving the poorer people at a disadvantage. This statement was a great equalizer, showing God’s view that all men are important and equal in His eyes. God protected those who were not able to protect themselves.

People are people though. Obviously, some Israelites went hard core with this concept using it for retaliation. Jesus confronted the Jews for using this “eye for an eye” concept as a reason for personal vengeance. In Matthew, Jesus explains that he has not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it.

Read Matthew 5:17-18.

In regards to the Law, what has Jesus come to do?

How much of the Law will be abolished before everything is accomplished?

Christ is the fulfillment of the Law. Let’s think about that for a minute. It is actually a huge concept when you consider all the things the Israelites did to make sure the Law was followed. Let’s look at the basic Law that was given, the 10 Commandments.

Read Exodus 20: 1-17.

Number these commandments. The first one is completed for you.

_____ Do not lie.
__1___ God is #1.
_____ Do not commit adultery.
_____ Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.
_____ Do not use the LORD’s name in a disrespectful way.
_____ Do not steal.
_____ Do not covet or be jealous of your neighbor’s things.
_____ Do not worship other gods.
_____ Honor your mother and father.
_____ Do not commit murder.

Jesus fulfilled all of these Laws. He kept the Law perfectly in both his actions and his heart. In fact, during the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus explained to the Jewish people that these Laws were not just actions to be completed, they were attitudes of the heart. To lust after a person that is not your husband or wife is adultery, even if you never act on that feeling. (Matthew 5:27-28) Jesus was sinless.

Jesus also fulfilled the ceremonial law by being the embodiment of the symbols. For example, he is the Passover lamb who died for us so that we would be spared from second death. I have to pause here. Do you get this? Our just God demands payment for broken laws, but He wants you there with Him. So He sent His son, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty that would be demanded of you. (Romans 6:23) The cross is a perfect picture of God’s justice wrapped up in His love. He is just. He has provided a payment for your sins, but He will not force it on you. You must decide to take it. Not only is Jesus the Passover lamb, but He is the Word of God, the bread of life, the cup of redemption, and much more. As Christians we are not obligated to carry out the sacrifices commanded in the Old Testament because Christ has already accomplished their end: forgiveness of our sins.

Not only is Christ the moral and ceremonial fulfillment of the Law, he is also the fulfillment of the judicial law come to personify God’s perfect justice. Let’s look at this a little closer.

Read Matthew 12:18-21.

Who is the servant in these verses?

Who chose the servant?

What will he lead to victory?

To whom will this give hope?


These verses show Jesus coming in gentleness to restore what seems useless – the battered reed and smoldering wick. He proclaims justice to the Gentiles, and leads justice in victory. God makes clear in these verses that Christ is His chosen servant and holds His spirit. It is important to note here that our God is just. He punishes the wicked and protects the innocent. That is not always an image we want to consider nowadays. We want the loving God who saves everyone no matter how awful you are, but God never paints that image for us in scripture. He offers forgiveness, but He is just.

>Read Matthew 5:38-42.

Does Jesus refute this law that comes from Deuteronomy 19?

What does he say to do instead?

The law given in Deuteronomy 19 was meant to limit punishment so that the punishment fit the crime. No one could extol more or less from you than was right and just. Jesus was calling people to surrender to the Law, just as he would surrender to God’s Law on the cross for us.

I’m concerned today that our world has a warped sense of justice. In a place where it is legal to kill an innocent unborn child, but a person receives jail time for abusing a dog, something must be wrong. Don’t get me wrong. I love my dogs and wouldn’t want anyone to hurt them, but murder of the defenseless and innocent should never be a “choice.” If God demands protection of the innocent and is a just God, I can only imagine what He will do with these things and the people who are allowing and supporting them. Will it be a life for a life when they stand before Him?

Sometimes, when I stop to think about these things, I am overwhelmed. Some of the things that happen in this world are monstrous. I feel like the useless battered reed and smoldering wick in Matthew 12. My realm of influence is small. I cannot stop the evils of the world. But I know the One who can . . . who will.

Read Revelation 19:11-16.

Is this a picture of forgiveness? Why or why not?

If this is a picture of justice, then what does this say about Christ?

What is His weapon?

If His weapon is His Word, wouldn’t it be important to know the Word before it is used to judge you?

Read Revelation 21:1-8.

Who will make things new?

What two adjectives describe His words?

In His justice, our Lord will right the wrongs. He will make all things new. The one who thirsts, the one who overcomes, he is the one who believes in Jesus Christ.

What will this person inherit? (Look back in verses 1-4.)

Who will not inherit these things?

What will they receive instead?

Friend, do you thirst for Christ? Are you counted among His overcomers? If so, you will be counted among those who dwell in the New Jerusalem. The LORD’S justice will prevail. Crying and pain and death and mourning will be gone forever. And you will get to hear Him say from His throne, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them . . .”

If this is not you, it is not too late. It is as simple as recognizing that you are a sinner who needs a savior. Then, place your faith in Jesus and His work on the cross, repent from your sins, and choose to follow Christ. He is faithful and true. He will do it. Come, Lord Jesus! Let it be!

Lesson to Remember: God is a just God who protects the innocent.

A Way to Walk: Be thankful that Jesus is the fulfillment of all the Law and work to honor Him, for He has accomplished what you could not, and He offers you the freedom and peace his forgiveness guarantees.

Deuteronomy: Lessons to remember as we walk to the Promised Land - Chapter 18

CHAPTER 18:

What kind of things did you play as a child? For me it was make believe things based off movies or television shows. Star Wars. I always wanted to be Princess Leah, defender of good, slayer of evil. Or some days it was Donnie and Marie, where I wanted to be the singer of beautiful songs. That was really make believe because I cannot sing. In fact, my mom, who was a good singer, used to ask me to stop. No kidding. I also loved to play house in the little house my dad built and my mom furnished with miniature sized furniture. There is a little bit of each of those make believe personas that is still part of me. I still want to defend what is right and just and good. I still sing my guts out . . . when I’m alone. And I love taking care of my family and my home. I think we can all identify a little bit of our childhood play in our adult selves. Remember your thoughts about your childhood play. We’ll come back to it and its influence on us later.

The end of Deuteronomy chapter 16 and chapter 17 outlined the role of judges and the Levitical priests when it came to hearing criminal cases before the LORD. Chapter 17 ends with an outline for the king’s behavior. One thing the king was asked to do was to write himself a copy of the law on a scroll in the presence of a Levitical priest. As the experts in the law, the priests were an important part of the nation of Israel. Deuteronomy 18 addresses three things for the priests: their inheritance, some forbidden practices, and the promise of a great prophet/priest to come. Let’s tackle these three things.

Read Deuteronomy 18:1-8.

The Levites did not receive an inheritance of land. Who is their inheritance?

How is this similar to our inheritance as Christians? (Read Revelation 5:10 for a clue.)

Read Deuteronomy 18:9-14. List the 9 things that were NOT to be found among the Israelites?

The beginning of verse 12 and verse 13 gives the two-part reason these things are forbidden. What is it?

The Israelites are going into a land full of different nations. Who do these nations listen to for advice?

The text doesn’t outright say this here, but who is Israel supposed to listen to for advice? Who are we, as Christ-followers supposed to listen to?

From your personal experience, what happens when we don’t listen to God?

I find this list of forbidden things interesting for one reason: We still have these things around today and people are still listening to them. We have commercials for dial-a-psychic on regular TV. We have been culturally overtaken by the Harry Potter world. Isn’t there even an entire theme park devoted to it? We have children’s television shows based on witches and spell casting – both good and bad. We have spiritists who travel around promising to help you hear from your dead relatives. Our fascination with the super-natural world is clearly evident today just as I’m sure it was evident to the Israelites when they moved into some of these nations.

I think we inherently know there is something forbidden about these things, even if we don’t know Deuteronomy 18 forbids it. It is plain we understand because of the excuses we’ve concocted. It’s not real. It’s just a fantasy book. It’s just pretend. The good witch always wins. I just wanted to know this one thing. I was just curious what would happen. This is an archetypal character who overcomes his struggles, so it isn’t really about witchcraft. Excuses are a sure sign of justifying your actions. Justifying is something we do when we want to continue in our sin. Do we really think God has changed His mind about these things?

I’m not being judgmental here; I’m just trying to figure out why we as Christ-followers still entertain these ideas. I watched Bewitched growing up. I’ve read several Harry Potter books, seen the movies. I’ve watched those TV shows with renowned prophets who told of things to come, and they were obviously not from God. So, I’m certainly not judging anyone. I’m just wondering why we don’t heed the warnings. We’re told they aren’t from God. We’re told they are detestable to Him, and yet with toy with the idea of it all. How presumptuous of us! And we even feed it to our children. Strains of a proverb run through my mind: Teach them in the way they should go and they won’t depart from it when they are older (Proverbs 22:6).

In the cycle of ideas, tolerance leads to acceptance, acceptance leads to practice. And when it isn’t from God, practice leads to depravity. Eventually, God will give us over to our depraved mind if we practice it long enough. (Romans 1:21-25). Remember that child’s play we talked about in the beginning? What happens when our children are playing witches, casting spells in their imaginations, talking to the dead? And they are. As a teacher for over 25 years, I’ve personally witnessed this in the children of Bible believing families. Do these things live inside of them when they get older? Will they want to rely on someone, something other than God to quickly work things out when life is tough? If we are tolerating, will they accept or even practice these detestable things before God? Will our tolerance lead to a depraved mind? It may seem like a little thing to us, but God is telling us otherwise.

I have learned over the years that when I disagree with God or when I don’t understand, I can’t just say, “Well that’s ridiculous. That doesn’t fit our modern world,” and then do what I think is right anyway. No! It is there for a reason. It is best to ask Him and search His word for some understanding. So, if we are having trouble with this, then we need to go back and ask why God prohibited it in the first place. This is a two-part answer.

Read Jeremiah 27:9-10.

The goal of their spiritists was to remove the Israelites from their Promised Land. God has given us a promised land, the place of our inheritance. That place is with Him. We have an enemy, Satan, who desires to keep us far from that land. If our enemy thinks enticing us to rely on him, listen to him and his information will keep us or our children from God, he will most certainly do it. Listen! Your enemy does not want you there. Dazzle them. Intrigue them. Entertain them. Satisfy them with a little information. Make God’s word seem silly. Keep them from the promises of God. That’s his M.O.

What happens here is that we don’t put our trust in the LORD. We put our trust in something else, someone else, perhaps thinking that God is holding out on us. That is exactly the lie that was fed to Eve in the garden: There is something God didn’t tell you. He is holding back on you. Here. Eat this and you will know the things God didn’t tell you. That was the enemy’s trick then. It is his trick now. Don’t fall for it! There are some things we are not meant to know and that’s okay.
So, the first part of our answer is that listening to these forbidden sources will keep us from His promised land.

Read Malachi 3:1 and 3:5-6.

The messenger in verse 1 is John the Baptist, also prophesied in Isaiah 40:3. He clears the way for Jesus. Malachi also prophesizes the second coming of Jesus who will “suddenly come to His temple.” Jesus will return on the Day of Atonement to cleanse His people, forgive them, and make “swift judgement” against those who don’t fear Him. Therein lies the problem; they do not fear the LORD. They do not love Him with all their hearts. They do not remember what He has done for them. They do not respect His authority over them. And because they do not love, remember, or fear Him, they cannot follow Him or observe His commandments. The LORD God is not in His proper place in their heart or lives.

God gives a statement and a promise in verse 6: “For I, the LORD, do no change; therefore you, O Sons of Jacob, are not consumed.” The promise reminds the Jewish nation that His promise to them is still good. They are still His people. But the statement could also be a warning. God tells us in Deuteronomy and other places in scripture that we should fear Him and follow His commands. This, too, still stands. His expectations for us have not changed. He still detests the occult and those who practice it. I don’t know about you, but I have no desire to be presumptuous and toy with things detestable to Him. They may seem harmless to me, but obviously, God knows something I do not. Isn’t it best to trust Him even when I don’t understand?

The last section of Deuteronomy 18 tells us about the prophet we can listen to and follow.

Read Deuteronomy 18:15-22.

What did the people as of God when they were at Mt. Horeb?

Where will this prophet come from?

What will God put in His mouth?

Read Acts 3:18-23.

Who is the prophet that Moses spoke of in Deuteronomy 18: 15-22?

What are we to do with this knowledge? (v. 19)

What will happen to those who do not heed the words of Jesus?

Being on the other side of the cross, we have the privilege of knowing the prophet God promised. We know Jesus! We also know that Jesus upholds everything God has already told us. He did not change a thing. (Matthew 5:17-18). We cannot under grace continue to entertain ideas that God detests. We cannot feed them to our children when we should be feeding ourselves and our children on the Word of God. God still desires a place of authority in our hearts and minds. Respecting His authority is the “fear” He requires of us. We must still, even today, love, remember, fear, observe, and teach our children to put God first in their hearts.

I want my children and my children’s children to know Jesus, believe His promises, and desire to honor Him in all they do. Will it be difficult to stand up and be firm in my testimony against these things when the culture around us sees it as child’s play? It sure will! But Jesus never asked us to tip-toe around His Word. He told us to take up our cross and carry it daily. (Luke 9:23-26) Being different from the rest of the world because of His Word is part of your cross. Will you take it up and carry it?

A Word of Encouragement: My friend Marty always says about scripture, “If you can’t say ‘Amen!” you should at least say, ‘Ouch!” If I stepped on your toes today, I hope you can at least say, “Ouch!” I hope you will at least search the scriptures for yourself and debate with the LORD yourself. He is not opposed to you working it out with Him. And this applies to anything in scripture that you are uncomfortable with. He is opposed to you simply dismissing His words. Read. Pray. Search for His answer, His understanding. In time, it will come. Plus, you will learn something about yourself and about Him in the process, and that is always a good walk to take.

Lesson to Remember: God’s Word is a firm rock on which to stand. It does not move like the shifting sands of our culture.

A Way to Walk: Be humble before your LORD. Walk with a heart that is willing to work things out with Him and submit to His wisdom, even when you don’t understand.

Deuteronomy: Lessons to remember as you walk to the Promised Land - Chapter 17

CHAPTER 17:

On day 16 we looked at some of the Feasts of God that were appointed by the LORD through Moses and are still being observed by Jewish families today. That is amazing to me. As Christians, we’ve been remembering Christ through the celebration of the Last Supper for 2,000 years. Remembering is a good thing. If we forget, then we will lose our identity as Christians. That was the challenge for the Israelites in a land full of distractions. It is our challenge as well. My prayer is that we continue to remember Christ and what he has done for us.

We did not finish chapter 16. The end of the chapter outlines how Israel would appoint judges across the nation to help govern the people. It also outlines how the judges were to act.

Read Deuteronomy 16:18-22. Look for 3 shalls and 5 shall nots as you read. List them.

God tells them to do these things so that they will live long in the land He is giving them. The assumption is that they will lose the land if they don’t follow these guidelines. God knows the heart of humanity. Bribes play on our emotions, our sense of pride. Perhaps it isn’t even money, but simply an exchange of values for position. Truly, when we are not focused on our Lord, when we allow other influences into our realm of possibilities, our hearts will be blind and our words will be perverted.

The last two “shall nots” dealt with worship. They were not to plant Asherah trees near the altar or set up sacred pillars. Both of these things were part of pagan worship. So the LORD was saying, don’t mix your worship of Him with the worship of these other gods. He was clear that he hated this (v. 22). Do we do this today? I hope not. In a land that upholds freedom of religion, we are surrounded by other ideas, just like the Israelites would have been. This is truer today as our nation moves away from believing the Bible.

Do we mix other worship into our worship of Jesus? Will these things creep into our churches from the culture outside and we won’t even notice? Will our children become so familiar, so comfortable with foreign ideas they begin to feel it’s all just one big religion, one god, and there are many ways to get to heaven? How do we keep our worship of the one true God pure? These are the questions that roll through my mind. Like the Israelites, we need to be watchful.

Chapter 17 picks up with these same ideas of following Got, not worshipping false gods/idols.

Read Deuteronomy 17:1-7.

What was required when a man was accused of worshipping a false god?

What was the purpose of having more than one witness?

How does this establish fairness?

Read Deuteronomy 17: 8-13.

When would a case go before the Levitical priest or judge?

What happened to the man who acted presumptuously after a verdict had been given?

Presumptuous means to take liberties or overstep your bounds. First, a man was not to take the law into his own hands giving more punishment than the priest or judge prescribed. Second, they were not to give less punishment. Anyone not following through with the verdict was to be killed. This would stop future presumptuous behavior. God’s desire was to ensure fairness and equality for all citizens, for both the rich and the poor. He wanted His people to be judged in righteousness and justness, for He Himself is a righteous and just judge.

Read Deuteronomy 17:14-20.

At the time Moses gave the Israelites this message, they did not have a king. Moses says, “When you enter the land . . . and say, ‘I will set a king over me like all the nations who are around me.” He anticipates a time in the future when this will happen, therefore, he sets up some guidelines.

What are the 5 guidelines set for the king?

What is the blessing received if the king follows all of the guidelines?

A day did come when the people wanted a king over them instead of judges.

Read 1 Samuel 8:1-9.

Why did the people demand a king?

Why did God allow the king?

Who did God say had been rejected? How had they rejected Him?

Read 1 Samuel 8:10-18.

God warned them about a king. What did God say a king would do?

Did He promise to help them when they cried out to Him?

Read 1 Samuel 8:19-20.

Did they heed the warning?

What was their reason?


Oh! Doesn’t that sound familiar? Isn’t that what we do today? We compromise God’s way and the good things He offers because we don’t want to seem different than the world around us. We want to fit in, so we negotiate our Christian values. We tear down God’s word. We blend in, we acclimate, we dilute until we don’t look any different than the non-Christian next to us. Compromising God’s Word always leads to corruption. It was the Israelite’s downfall, and it will be ours as well . . . if we let it.

God’s formula for avoiding compromise is easy. Love the LORD. Remember what He has done. Fear Him. Observe His commandments. Teach your children. The trick is to keep your eyes focused on Him. Deuteronomy 17:20 warned the king to read the word and follow the LORD daily, then not to turn to the right or the left so that he might continue a long time. That same thing will work for us. Stay in God’s word. Know what He says. If you don’t know, then you will for sure be led astray - to the left and to the right.

God has provided us with His word so that we can follow Him. We don’t need to guess; it is all right there in black and white. Keep your eye on the Word and you will not swerve. Another thing God has provided for us is the Church. It is so important to have a church family. For starters, a good pastor will continually remind you of the right way to live. Your church family will be a support for you, will teach you, will hold you accountable, and will remind you when you are swerving. A church family will be like you, so that you don’t feel the need to compromise. We are warned that “Bad company corrupts good character,” but a Christ-following church family will develop Godly character in you (1 Corinthians 16:33). It is so easy to not go to church, or even to sit in a pew and not get involved, but that is not what we are called to do. I encourage you to find a church family if you don’t already have one. You need it more than you know.

Lesson to Remember: Christ is our righteous and just king.

A Way to Walk: We are to faithfully follow Christ, even when that means we look different than those around us. Studying God’s word and being part of a church family helps us to walk with purpose and focus.

Deuteronomy: Lessons to remember as you walk to the Promised Land - Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16:

Confession: I have stressed over chapter 16. I have avoided it. I have procrastinated. Why? Because in light of God’s kingdom calendar, the festivals mentioned here are very important. While the chapter is about the Israelites and how they should worship the LORD during the required festivals, all the festivals are symbolic representations of what Jesus accomplished in his first coming, as well as what he will accomplish in his second coming. There is a lot to say, and I have prayed that I will include what you need to know in a succinct way.

Let’s start with an overview. God established 7 appointed feasts for Israel. Remember, seven is the number of completion in God’s economy, so this is a complete cycle of feasts. These feasts both recount or remember what God has done for the Israelites, and they offer worship to the LORD for His goodness and provision. There are four feasts in the spring around March and April. There are three feasts in the fall around September and October. (The Jewish calendar is a little different from our calendar.) The first four feasts are Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of First Fruits, and Pentecost.

Read about read the fist three of these feasts in Deuteronomy 16:1-8.

The end of verse 3 tells why they were to hold these feasts. What is the reason?


As a Christian, you might read about these ancient feasts and think it has nothing to do with you. But, oh, it has everything to do with you. Remember that the Israelites are a physical picture of what is happening spiritually. So, we need to look at each of these feasts through the lens of Jesus.

To begin, Passover is a spiritual picture of our bondage to sin. Just as the Israelites were slaves in Egypt and captive to the rulers, we are slaves to our sin; it is our ruler. When the time came for the Israelites to leave Egypt, God instructed them to sacrifice a perfect lamb, put the blood on their door frames, and the death angel that passed through the land that night to kill every first born would pass them over. The blood would be the sign.

Well, that is exactly what Jesus did at the time of Passover thousands of years later. Jesus was the perfect lamb sacrificed on the cross, and when his blood is symbolically applied to you, final death, which is separation from God’s blessings for all eternity, passes you over. During the Last Supper, Jesus took the broken bread and the cup of wine, and pointed out that these elements of the Passover Seder meal had foreshadowed him all along. The Israelites remembered how God led them to escape Egypt. We must remember how Jesus has redeemed us through his work on the cross.

In fact, all of the festivals foreshadowed what Jesus would accomplish spiritually for us. Take the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for example. Leaven in the bread represents sin. When Jesus died for us on the cross, our sin was removed. The New Testament church is reminded to remain unleavened.

Read 1 Corinthians 5:7-8.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread occurs after Passover. Who is the Passover lamb?

What is the significance in pointing this out?

The old leaven includes malice and wickedness. What should the new unleavened bread contain?

Isn’t this the truth? A little sin works its way through the whole thing: the whole mind, the whole heart, the whole congregation. I cannot help but think about the present state of our world, of our nation, of the Church. We are in a state of apostasy, fallen away from God’s sincerity and truth, following our own thoughts, pleasing our own hearts. Left sitting, leaven works through the whole lump of dough. Compromising God’s word leads to corruption. Paul’s words should ring in our ears. It’s time to be unleavened for the Passover sacrifice has been made!

The next feast is the Feast of First Fruits, and it came at the conclusion of the Passover week.

Read 1 Corinthians 15:20-23.


Who is the first fruit offering?

Who will be second?

Are you included in this second fruit? Why or why not?

If you aren't do you know what to do to be included? If not, leave a comment on this post so that I can help you.

Read Deuteronomy 16:9-12.

How many weeks were they to count?

What offering was to be given at this time?

This is the Feast of Pentecost. Originally, it commemorated the giving of the 10 Commandments, but later turned into a wave offering where two loaves are waved before the altar as an offering. For the New Testament believers, this feast was the day the Holy Spirit descended on the Church.

Read Acts 2:1-4.

What noise was heard?

What did the people see descend?

What effect did this have on the people?

The loud noise and descending fire is very similar to the experience the Israelites had in the wilderness when God descended onto Mount Sinai and spoke to them. (Exodus 19:18-25) The people were not allowed to come up to the mountain, though. Their experience with God was one from a distance. This is unlike the believers’ experience when the Holy Spirit descended. The Holy Spirit went to each person individually. Why the difference? Jesus! At Passover, when Jesus was crucified, His blood is now applied to each individual believer. It was Jesus’ work on the cross that allowed the difference. Justified sinners, cleansed by his blood, can now receive the gift of God – His Holy Spirit. This gift is in them, empowering them to go forth into all the earth with His Good News.

Without the Holy Spirit, the Church would not have grown. Jesus told the disciples before he ascended that the Holy Spirit could come. (John 14:15-31 and Acts 1:8) The Holy Spirit gave the Church power to go forward and accomplish the Great Commission: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching you to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).

Ezekiel holds a beautiful picture of what God has done for us. Read his words.

Read Ezekiel 36:26-27.

What will God remove?

What two things will He give?

Whose spirit is given to us?

How will this spirit help people?

What did believers receive at Passover and Pentecost?

This festival is now the wave offering of two loaves, which represents both the Jewish nation and the Church. The 10 Commandments. The giving of the Holy Spirit. The waving of two loaves. God is great at putting it all together.

Now read Deuteronomy 16:13-17.

The Feast of Booths or Tabernacles was designed for the Israelites to remember their time in the wilderness: how they lived in tents (or booths), how the LORD led them, how He provided for them. It is part of the fall festivals and is the last festival of the year, the seventh festival. Jesus has already fulfilled all of the spring festivals in his first coming. He will fulfill the fall festivals in his second coming. The Feast of Trumpets will be fulfilled in the Rapture of the Church. The Day of Atonement will be fulfilled in Jesus’ second appearing on earth where he cleanses His people and sets up His throne. This last festival is symbolic of Jesus’ millennial reign on earth. He will rule and people will worship Him. The verses in Ezekiel that we just read have a follow-up picture for us.

Read Ezekiel 36:28.

Finally, the nation of Israel will acknowledge their savior. They too will receive a new heart and His Spirit. He will be their God and they will be His people. That’s what God has wanted all along!

Thank you for sticking with me through all of this. My prayer is that you’ve learned something today that will help you in your walk of faith. We will finish the rest of this chapter tomorrow.

Lesson to Remember: God’s plans prevail.

A Way to Walk: The festivals were a time of remembrance. Take the time to remember your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and worship Him with all your heart.

Deuteronomy: Lessons to remember as you walk to the Promised Land

CHAPTER 15:

Sundays are such a day of rest at my house. I sip coffee in the morning while I leisurely get dressed for church. Dinner is waiting for me and my family when we arrive home hungry. We eat and nap and discuss the sermon . . . and I am seriously pulling your leg. Sundays are just as crazy as every other day. Sundays are my catch-up day. The fourth command in the 10 Commandments is to remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. Why is it that I try to observe all the other commands to the best of my ability, but I disregard this one?

What is a Sabbath, anyway? The word Sabbath comes from the Hebrew verb sabat, which means to stop, to cease, to keep. The concept of Sabbath was established in Genesis during the Creation week.

Read Genesis 2:1-3.

Seven is the number of fulfillment in God’s economy. He had created the world in six days, so on the seventh, He rested. It was finished. Of course, God didn’t need to rest, but He was establishing a pattern for us. Work for six days, rest on the seventh. This shows up in the 10 Commandments as the fourth command.

Read Exodus 20:8-11.

Who is not supposed to work on this day?

What is God’s reasoning (v. 11)?

God, in all of His wisdom, gave us a day of rest and a day to worship. We need rest. Our bodies need time to regenerate. Our minds need time to refresh. Without rest, we cannot properly function. I’m old enough to remember the days when nothing was open on Sundays. My parents actually rested. We went to church. Mom did cook Sunday dinner, which brought a pack of my brothers’ friends to eat with us. I still remember the aroma of her roast cooking as we opened the front door, home from church. After the dishes were cleaned and put away, we rested by taking a nap or just sitting around talking. People would come by and visit. Relatives. Friends. Sunday was a day to be still. No stores were open. No places to go. Just rest, worship, and catch up with friends. Why do I make my Sundays so hectic?

The Israelites made upholding the Sabbath very complicated. Absolutely no work. You could only walk so many steps. Certain types of work were punishable by death. Jesus was not so legalistic about the Sabbath.

Read Matthew 12:1-8 and Mark 2:27.


What did Jesus and his disciples do that caused controversy?

What Old Testament account did Jesus remind them of?

Jesus says, “something greater than the temple is here.” What does he refer to?

What does Jesus desire in our observance of this commandment?

What does Jesus mean by the Sabbath was made for man?

Who is Lord of the Sabbath?


Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath. He desires that we are loyal and compassionate, not that we restrict ourselves from lots of work. This day was made for us – a day of rest and worship. Like all the other commandments, it is a heart thing. Jesus wants our hearts, and that means that we should desire to worship Him on this day.

Deuteronomy 15 is all about the Sabbatic year, where debts are forgiven and the whole land rests.

Read Deuteronomy 15:1-6.

What does Moses instruct them to do? Why?

Read Deuteronomy 15:7-11.

How are they to give to the poor?

Read Deuteronomy 15:12-23.

If they owned a slave, how were they to set him/her free during this Sabbatic year?

This chapter reminds me of a poem title “Choose” by Carl Sandburg. It’s short, so here it is:

The single clenched fist lifted and ready,
Or the open asking hand held out and waiting.
Choose:
For we meet by one or the other.

The poem holds two contrasting images: the tightly clenched fist and the open, inviting hand. It represents people and their attitudes. It think that’s what God is saying here: we can be tight-fisted, or we can have the open hand.

Over and over, all throughout Deuteronomy, we have seen God’s open hand giving protection, giving provisions, giving forgiveness, giving and giving and giving. God is always willing to give. As God’s people, we should mirror His character. Our giving is a reflection of God’s blessing on us. We should be open-handed people, always willing to give to Him and to others. It is the Luke 6:38 principle: “Give and it will be given to you; a good measure, pressed down, and shaken together will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

You can’t out-give God! When we know this, there is no fear in opening our hearts and our hands to our Lord, first of all, then to those around us. Freely. Generously. Sufficiently. These are the adverbs that should describe our giving. The poor will always be with us . . . but so will our giving God. Love. Remember. Fear. Observe. Be blessed.

Would you consider yourself tight-fisted, open-handed, or somewhere in between?

What holds you back from giving?

What is it that God is calling you to give?

Pray and ask for His help.

Lesson to Remember: God is our giving provider.

A Way to Walk: Remember that giving is not all about money. It could include a plethora of things: time, your talents, worship to name just a few. Be giving toward your Creator and others because God has given generously to you.