Milo

FEBRUARY 10

Reading 41

HONORING GOD

Deuteronomy 19:1–21:14

“Make its people an offer of peace” (Deut. 20:10).Human life is precious to God. Even in cases where the taking of life is permissible—in executing a murderer and in war—God’s people are to honor the Lord by showing respect for life.

Definition of Key Terms

Murder.

Hebrew makes a distinction between personal killings (rasa’) and the general act of taking life (harag). Murder and manslaughter are rasa’, while a judicial execution or killing in warfare is harag. A number of additional words are also used in describing slaughter in war. It is important to understand that the commandment, “Thou shalt not kill,” takes a stand against rasa’, a personal rather than judicial or military killing. Deuteronomy 19 deals with rasa’, and chapter 20 deals indirectly with harag. Whether intentional or unintentional, rasa’ is sin. But only intentional personal killings—what we would call first-degree or premeditated murder—merits the death penalty. As these chapters teach, imposing the death penalty on a murderer is not wrong, but required. One circumstance even required Israel to engage in wars of extermination. Old Testament laws do not deal with all the issues raised by those who decry the death sentence, or those who take a pacifist stand on war. Yet these laws do make important distinctions we need to understand to discuss such issues intelligently. These laws do show that Israel was to honor God by showing unusual respect for human life.

Overview

Detailed regulations required Israel to honor God by respecting human life. Cities of refuge had to be established to protect those who committed accidental homicide (19:1–14). Strict rules of evidence governed all criminal cases (vv. 15–21), just as strict rules had to be followed in making war (20:1–20). Unsolved murder called for cleansing (21:1–9). Women captives were to be treated with unusual care and respect (vv. 10–14).

Understanding the Text

“Build roads to them” Deut. 19:1–3. Old Testament Law called for the establishment of cities where a person who killed another accidentally might be safe. The phrase “build roads to them” is significant. God wanted nothing to hinder or delay any person’s flight to safety. You and I are responsible to see justice done in our society. But we are also responsible to “build roads” that will guard the innocent. “In a rage” Deut. 19:4–13. In Israel a near relative of a murder victim was responsible to execute the killer. Understandably such a person, a son or brother or father, might be angry enough to kill without waiting to check circumstances. The cities of refuge were established so that a person who killed another accidentally might be safe while the killing was investigated. If it truly was an accident, as in the illustration provided in verse 5, the killer could remain in the city of refuge until the current high priest died, and then return home. But if investigation showed the killing was intentional, then the elders of the city of refuge were to “hand him over to the avenger of blood to die. Show him no pity.” This law reflects the precious nature of human life. No amount of money, no possible penalty, can replace the life that has been taken. The death penalty affirms to the entire community the supreme value God places on a single human life. “Do not move your neighbor’s boundary stone” Deut. 19:14. The boundaries of family land were marked by stones in biblical times. Why is this law placed here in a discussion of life and death issues? Possibly because of the connection between a family’s means of support—its land—and life itself. The command not to murder establishes the significance of human life. It stands forever as a barrier to any act which in any way, directly or indirectly, might threaten the well-being of another human being. Christians today need to take a stand for laws that promote justice, as well as to call for the punishment of wrongdoers. “One witness is not enough to convict” Deut. 19:15–21. In any criminal matter two or three witnesses were required to establish guilt. The judges were also to carefully examine the witnesses. Justice is so important that a lying witness must pay the penalty not of lying, but the penalty established for the crime about which he or she lied. Strict justice is required, that “the rest of the people will hear of this and be afraid, and never again will such an evil thing be done among you.” The surest way to promote crime is to fail to punish criminals. “When you go to war” Deut. 20:1–9. Early Israel had no standing army. Instead a militia of citizens reported when the nation was threatened or went to war. Biblical law granted humanitarian exemptions, and anyone who was afraid was sent home “so that his brothers will not become disheartened.” These exemptions reflected a belief in God which Israel’s priests were to proclaim before every battle. Victory did not depend on the size of Israel’s army, but on God. “The Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you.” Whenever you or I feel small and powerless, this is an important principle to remember. Neither our strength, nor that of the foe, is at issue. The issue is whether or not the Lord goes with us. “When you march” Deut. 20:10–18. The passage makes an important distinction. When Israel went to war against an enemy outside the boundaries of Canaan, its armies were to invite surrender. Only if the enemy city resisted was the army free to kill and plunder. However, within Canaan, Israel was commanded to “completely destroy” foreign settlements. The reason is clearly stated. “Otherwise, they will teach you to follow all the detestable things they do in worshiping their gods, and you will sin against the Lord your God.” “Do not destroy its trees” Deut. 20:19. No parallel exists in the rules of war of other ancient nations. Only Israel was to preserve fruit trees when attacking a walled city. This law does more than reflect God’s concern for all people. It shows that to Israel the ideal state was one of peace, not war. The Assyrians and Babylonians and other ancient world powers thrived on war and thought nothing of the devastation they caused. Only in Israel was peace to be the nation’s first concern. “If . . . it is not known who killed him” Deut. 21:1–9. The whole covenant community was responsible to enforce God’s Laws. If a killer was unknown, the elders of the nearest town were to break the neck of an animal representing the killer, symbolizing their willingness to carry out the penalty God required. They then publicly announced ignorance of the killer’s identity before priests, who represented the Law itself. This ceremony purged the land of guilt for shedding “innocent blood.” The ceremony portrays again the fact that in Old Testament Law the whole community of faith was responsible for the conduct of individual members. “You may take her as your wife” Deut. 21:10–14. Ancient armies were noted for rape and pillage. But God’s Law replaced rape with marriage. A change of clothing and cutting off of the captive woman’s hair symbolized separation from her nation and adoption into Israel. She was then given time to mourn the loss of relatives, and when taken became a wife, not a slave (v. 13). If for any reason a divorce took place, the woman was to be given her freedom rather than treated as a slave. Rules of warfare in other ancient nations recovered by archeologists show much more brutal treatment of captive women.

DEVOTIONAL

Road Builders (Deut. 19)

“I heard this rumor about you,” my caller said. “And I just wanted to check it out for myself.” I really appreciated his phone call. I’d heard the story was going around, and laughed at it. I’m far from faultless, but this tale was ridiculous. The only trouble was that people who heard it kept on repeating it as if it were true. Ultimately a lot of Christian brothers and sisters heard the story, believed it, and repeated it. Yet this caller was the first—and only-person who ever bothered to check out the facts with me personally. After a while the story died out. It wasn’t true in the first place. And God guarded my ministry, so the rumor hadn’t really hurt me. But the incident reminds me how much more eager we Christians are to grab a hatchet and take off after someone suspected of wrong—like modern avengers of blood—than we are to pick up our hatchets to build roads so the innocent can find their way to a city of refuge. Yes, let’s punish the guilty. But let’s make sure that no one who is innocent suffers unjustly. So what are we to do when we hear about a supposed fault or problem in a brother or sister’s life? Deuteronomy 19 suggests several road-building principles. First, delay before you repeat a rumor. An Old Testament city of refuge was first of all a place where a person could find temporary refuge while his case was being investigated. Second, check the facts. It’s not enough to remain silent. Confront the one who told you the rumor. Where did he get his information? How does he know it is reliable? If the rumor is being repeated without personal knowledge of the facts, confront the person who told you. It is sin to testify falsely against anyone. Third, if the rumor persists, speak to the person who is accused. He or she has a right to know what is being said and a right to be heard. In no way are Christians to clear the guilty or to ignore sin. But rumor, gossip, and false accusation are evils to be purged from the believing community.

Personal Application

“Do this so that innocent blood will not be shed in your land.”—Deuteronomy 19:10

Quotable

“He that accuses all mankind of corruption ought to remember that he is sure to convict only one.”—Edmund Burke

FEBRUARY 9

Reading 40

SERVING GOD

Deuteronomy 16:18–18:22

“Be sure to appoint over you the king the Lord your God chooses” (Deut. 17:15).It is a very special calling to serve God as a leader of His people. When we are called by God to be a leader, He will guide our paths.

Definition of Key Terms

Prophet.

The prophet in Israel was God’s spokesperson, a man or woman commissioned to deliver messages from God. The role of prophet was not hereditary. God called and commissioned individuals as He chose, from any of Israel’s tribes. Though prophets foretold events that were to take place in the distant future, the prophet’s primary ministry was to the people of his or her own generation. The prophet provided divine guidance for special situations, at times to individuals, but usually to those who ruled God’s people. Deuteronomy 18 is the key biblical passage dealing with the Old Testament prophet. It gives the criteria to be used by Israel in recognizing a spokesman for God. The true prophet will be an Israelite (v. 18). The true prophet will speak in the name of the Lord, not another god (v. 20). And what the true prophet predicts will take place or come true (v. 22).

Overview

A variety of leaders were to serve Israel under God, the nation’s King (16:18–18:22). These included local judges (16:18–20), a supreme court composed of priests (17:8–13), a king (vv. 14–20), and the entire priesthood (18:1–8). When Israel required special guidance, God would provide it through prophets (vv. 14–22).

Understanding the Text

“Appoint judges . . . in every town” Deut. 16:18–20. There was no national police force in ancient Israel. Elders of good reputation in each community were to serve as judges. The judges were to determine the facts in legal cases and then apply Moses’ Law to fix any penalties. This first paragraph about those who serve God and His people rightly focuses on the character of the judges. We see the same thing in New Testament guidelines for selection of Christian leaders (1 Tim. 3; Titus 1). Character is more important than gift as equipment for spiritual leadership. Character was important because judges must show no partiality and accept no “bribe.” The word translated “bribe” can also be translated “gift.” This injunction reflects the ancient and modern Middle Eastern practice of giving gifts to those from whom a person expects favors.

The gift is not spoken of as a bribe, but the giver feels that he has a special relationship that merits favors from the person who receives it. No “special relationship” was to exist in the covenant community. The judge’s sole commitment is to be to justice. “Purge the evil from among you” Deut. 16:21–17:7. Some wonder why “religious” laws are inserted here, in a section dealing with human leadership. The reason? God is Israel’s Sovereign, the Ruler from whom human leaders derive their authority. If Israel should abandon God, the whole structure of authority would crumble. So Israel was not to set up any symbols of pagan worship, such as an Asherah pole or massebot (sacred stone). Israel was to honor God by bringing only the best to Him in sacrifice. Complete commitment to God is so vital that any Israelite proven to have worshiped pagan gods or goddesses was to be stoned to death. “Cases . . . too difficult for you to judge” Deut. 17:8–13.

Priests at the central sanctuary were expected to have an in-depth understanding of the divine Law. Thus they were to serve as an authoritative supreme court and decide cases local elders could not resolve. The priest’s decision was final, and had to be accepted. However, the decision had to be carefully explained and be rooted in the Law (v. 11). We need to respect our leaders too. But leaders remain obligated to make decisions based on the Word of God, and are responsible to explain the biblical principles on which those decisions are based. “Let us set a king over us” Deut. 17:14–20. It would be several hundred years after entering Canaan before Israel petitioned for a king. Then that request would be wrong, for two reasons. First, God was Himself Israel’s King. The request for a human king reflected a lack of trust in God. Second, Israel was intended to be different from all other nations. The motive, to “be like the nations around us,” implied abandonment of Israel’s calling.

Yet this passage has a special and wonderful message for us. God used even rejection for His glory and mankind’s good. When God’s own Son entered the human race, He was born of Israel’s royal line. Jesus, both God and man, has been exalted as King of kings and Lord of lords. God’s ability to weave Israel’s failures into His plan should encourage us. Each of us will sin at times, as Israel did. When we do, let’s remember God’s grace. Let’s ask Him to forgive us. And remember that God remains able to transform failure into good. “He is to read it all the days of his life” Deut. 17:18–20. Israel’s request for a king would reveal a spiritual flaw in God’s people. God would still rule His people through that human king. But the king must be fully committed to God. Four special rules for rulers are given. The king was to be “from among your own brothers.” Only one of God’s covenant people could rule the covenant community. The king was not to “acquire great numbers of horses.”

He had to depend on God rather than on military might. The king was not to “take many wives.” In biblical times marriages between royal houses typically sealed treaties between nations. Taking many wives implied this practice, which would (and in Solomon’s case did!) introduce paganism into the royal house itself. The king was not to “accumulate large amounts of gold and silver.” The king was to rule for the benefit of his people, not for self-aggrandizement. These rules have direct application to spiritual leaders today. Spiritual leaders must be true believers, must rely fully on God, must be completely committed to God, and must care more about the people they serve than any personal gain.

DEVOTIONAL

God Surely Will Guide (Deut. 18:9–22)

When Karen came to Ron, an elder in our church, she was frustrated. She had an important decision to make. And her friends all gave her conflicting advice. So Karen decided to come to church and ask Ron to tell her what to do. No specific “thou shalt” or “thou shalt not” applied. So Ron showed her several Bible passages with principles that might apply. Finally he told her to pray and ask Jesus what she should do. Angrily Karen burst out, “But you’re the elder. You’re supposed to tell me what to do.” All of us have times when we feel a need for special guidance-for someone to tell us what to do. In the ancient world people commonly turned to sorcery or divination, or cast spells, in a search for supernatural guidance. Some moderns do the same thing, turning to palm readers, spiritists, or astrology. In this passage Israel is bluntly informed that such practices are “detestable.” God’s people are not to engage in any of them (vv. 9–14). Then immediately, God made a promise. Yes, situations will arise which are not covered by Scripture. Yes, there will be times when people need special, supernatural guidance. But, God said, then “I will raise up for you a prophet.” God made a commitment. He Himself would provide any special guidance His people might need through prophets. Israel would never need to look to any source but God. Karen was furious when Ron wouldn’t tell her what to do. Ron explained that God has given His Holy Spirit to each believer. Karen needed to pray about her situation and let God Himself guide her. “I’m not God,” Ron explained. “I don’t know God’s best for you, but He does. And if you listen, God will show you what to do.” Karen stayed angry for two days. But finally she decided to do what Ron said. Later she came back, excited. God had guided her, and she had found a solution neither she nor any of her friends had thought of. Ron, as a good servant of Jesus Christ, had helped another person learn that she truly could depend on God.

Personal Application

God has given you His Spirit too. You can look directly to God for guidance today.

Quotable

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”—Proverbs 3:5–6

FEBRUARY 8

Reading 39

WORSHIPING GOD

Deuteronomy 12:1–16:17

“You must not worship the Lord your God in their way” (Deut. 12:31).Worship is the way we express intimacy in our corporate and personal relationship with God. Because God is special, worship is to be special too.

Definition of Key Terms

Worship. Moderns tend to think of worship simply as singing hymns and praising God on Sundays. Hebrew and Greek words translated “worship,” however, mean to “bow down” or “prostrate oneself.” The image is one of showing utmost respect. Broadly understood, any act by which we express deep respect for God is an act of worship. These chapters in Deuteronomy review some of the ways that Israel was to show respect for the Lord when they entered the Promised Land.

Overview

Worshiping Israel was to establish a central sanctuary (12:1–32), to reject idolatry (13:1–18) and pagan rites (14:1–2), honor dietary laws (vv. 3–21), faithfully pay tithes (vv. 22–29), and to forgive debts and release Hebrew slaves every seventh year (15:1–18). The Israelites were also to set firstborn animals apart to the Lord (vv. 19–23) and faithfully observe religious festivals (16:1–17).

Understanding the Text

“Seek the place the Lord your God will choose” Deut. 12:1–32. The people of Canaan had sacred sites scattered throughout the land. They offered sacrifices at these sites, held orgiastic rites, and practiced various kinds of magic intended to influence their gods. Israel’s rites of worship, such as sacrifice, were to be held at one place alone. The text promised that after Israel had taken the land, God would choose a particular site, and identify Himself with it (“put His Name” there). That site, not selected until the time of David, was Jerusalem. Emphasis on a single worship center reflects a common Old Testament theme. There was only one entrance into Israel’s tabernacle court, and one way to enter the tabernacle. Later the temple followed this plan.

There was to be only one altar of sacrifice, one high priest, one mercy seat where sacrificial blood was poured out each year on the Day of Atonement. The truth these things symbolized was expressed by Jesus, who told His disciples, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). It may be popular these days to be broad-minded and say there are “many roads to God.” But it is not biblical. Scripture supports that chorus: “One way, and only one.”

“He tried to turn you away from the Lord your God” Deut. 13:1–18. Modern history shows how vulnerable people are to cults. How do we respond when someone knocks on our door with the message of Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Mormons, Moonies, or some other cult? If anyone incites us to abandon the Lord for a cult, we will “not listen to [his] words” (v. 3). Rather we will remember that “it is the Lord your God you must follow, and Him you must revere” (v. 4). God deserves our total allegiance. Worshiping Him as He has revealed Himself in Scripture is to be our first priority. “Do not cut yourselves” Deut. 14:1–2. God’s people are not to adopt the practices that reflect the attitude of the surrounding pagan peoples toward death. “Do not eat any detestable thing” Deut. 14:3–21. Some have argued that Hebrew dietary laws prohibited the use of disease-carrying animals as food. The real explanation is more profound.

God wanted to remind His people that He is involved in every aspect of their lives. In everything we do we can demonstrate respect for the Lord. Everything we do can thus be an act of worship. “Bring all the tithes” Deut. 14:22–29. Israel’s economy was to be agricultural, and her wealth was the land and its products. God, the Giver of the land, claimed a 10th of its bounty as His share of every crop. Showing respect for God by giving has been an integral part of worship from the very first. “Do not be hard-hearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother” Deut. 15:1–18. The depth of a person’s relationship with God is displayed in the way he or she treats others. This principle, woven throughout Scripture, is particularly evident in laws explaining how to treat the poor. Those in need are to be helped willingly. Every seventh year, the debt of all who have not been able to repay loans is to be forgiven.

And any Hebrew who has been forced to sell himself into slavery is to be released. Helping the poor is an act of worship which is especially pleasing to the Lord. The passage says, “Because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to” (v. 10), and again, “The Lord your God will bless you in everything you do” (v. 18). “Observe the month” Deut. 16:1–17. When Israel conquered the land the people were to hold annual worship festivals, attended by all. The chart on the next page shows the religious calendar of Israel. For the meaning of each festival, see Reading 28, Leviticus. Israel’s religious calendar

DEVOTIONAL

God’s Share (Deut. 14:22–15:18)

“Bring your tithes into the storehouse,” Pastor L. used to preach. “Then you can give to others.” What he meant, of course, was that the local church ought to get the Christian’s tithe. All other giving was over and above the 10 percent our pastor thought the local church deserved. I understand his message. But I question his exegesis. Particularly when I read chapters like these in Deuteronomy. Here one thing links the tithe, which Israel was obligated to give, and generosity, which Israelites were urged to display. Why is that? Both required that giving and optional giving were intended primarily to meet human need. The regular tithe was delivered to the temple to be used to support the Levites and priests who served God there. Then, every third year, the tithe was stored locally so that “the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied” (14:29). Both the giving God required and optional contributions He encouraged went to meet human needs. If you were to look at my income tax forms for the past few years, you’d see an interesting pattern. Our local church receives regular support. But a greater percent of our giving is directed to ministries like Prison Fellowship, which minister directly to the powerless in our society. And some goes to nondeductible and even “secular” causes. Certainly at the very least this important passage in Deuteronomy gives us fresh insight into the loving heart of our God. And perhaps cause to stop and evaluate the way we worship Him with our giving.

Personal Application

In what ways do you show your reverence for God on weekdays?

Quotable

“Piety cannot consist of specific acts only, such as prayer or ritual observance, but is bound up with all actions, concomitant with all doings, accompanying and shaping all life’s business. Man’s responsibility to God is the scaffold on which he stands as daily he goes on building life. His every deed, every incident of mind, takes place on this scaffold, so that unremittingly man is at work either building up or tearing down his life, his home, his hope of God.”—Abraham Heschel

FEBRUARY 7

Reading 38

REMEMBERING GOD

Deuteronomy 8–11“Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe His commands, His laws and His decrees that I am giving you this day” (Deut. 8:11).Memory is a great gift. Our tomorrows may be shaped by how well we remember God’s past deliverances and His judgments.

Definition of Key Terms

Remember.

In the Old Testament “remember” is more than the mental act of thinking about something that has happened in the past. Its deepest meaning is to recall or pay attention to, and then to act on what has been remembered. In these chapters God called on Israel to remember what had happened on the journey to Canaan, in order to help them make better choices when they entered the Promised Land.

Overview

Israel was to remember the wilderness years, when God taught His people to depend on Him (8:1–20). Events on that journey revealed Israel’s rebelliousness (9:1–29) and the faithfulness of the God who kept on calling His people to holiness (10:1–22). Looking back was to help Israel love God, to carefully observe His commandments, and so to experience His blessing (11:1–32).

Understanding the Text

“He humbled you” Deut. 8:1–9. The Hebrew root of “humble” means to be poor and thus dependent. During the wilderness years God let Israel hunger, then fed His people, to teach them to depend fully on Him. When Jesus was challenged by Satan to turn stones into bread (Matt. 4; Luke 4), He quoted a verse from this passage: “Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” Jesus knew what it means to depend completely on God and to be satisfied with what the Lord provides. Before we assume that God intends to keep His people in poverty, note what the Lord provided for Israel. Food (v. 3), clothes that did not wear out (v. 4), and good health (v. 4). In the land they were about to possess God would give Israel agricultural and mineral wealth (vv. 7–9). God may hold back material things to teach us to depend on Him. But Isaiah’s promise still holds. “If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land” (Isa. 1:19). “It is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth” Deut. 8:10–20. Pride and humility are contrasting attitudes.

The humble person acknowledges his dependence on God. The proud individual credits his own “power and the strength of [his] hands” for his success. The curse of the proud is that in taking credit for abilities God has given, they forget the Lord. Moses warned that if Israel became proud, “You will surely be destroyed.” Paul portrayed the viewpoint you and I are to develop. “Who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” (1 Cor. 4:7) If all that we have is ultimately a gift of God, we have nothing to be proud about but much to be grateful for. This small metal calf was recovered by archeologists at a hilltop worship site in territory once occupied by the Israelite tribe of Dan. A calf or bull was a frequent motif in Canaanite worship. The animal either represented Baal, or was thought of as a throne on which the invisible deity sat. The bull symbolized virility in religions where ritual prostitution and sexual orgies played a major part. Israel’s worship of a golden calf was a retreat to gross paganism. “Because of my righteousness” Deut. 9:1–29.

How are we to interpret God’s good gifts? Moses warned Israel not to assume that God’s blessings were “because of your righteousness or your integrity.” In fact, as the incident of the golden calf (vv. 7–21) and several other events (vv. 22–29) demonstrated, Israel had been “stiff-necked.” This one graphic term sums up Scripture’s portrait of sinful human nature. All mankind, like Israel, is unresponsive to God, disobedient, and actively rebellious. Israel’s occupation of the land is evidence of God’s faithfulness to the covenant promises, not of Israel’s righteousness. God’s love and faithfulness, not our good works, are the true explanation of any blessings He may shower on you or me today. “At that time” Deut. 10:1–11. God’s matchless grace is displayed in these verses. God forgave Israel’s sin, provided new tablets on which His Law was inscribed, and told Moses to “lead the people on their way, so that they may enter and possess the land that I swore to their fathers to give them.”

When remembering God, we must stand amazed at His forgiving grace. “What does the Lord your God ask of you?” Deut. 10:12–22 In a brief review, Moses summed up the holy way of life God expected His people to live. Today too we are to “circumcise our hearts” (demonstrate inner commitment to God) by loving others and by worshiping and praising the Lord. “Faithfully obey” Deut. 11:1–32. Note how intimately this chapter links remembering and responding. Again and again Moses reminded his listeners of what God had said and done. On this basis he called on Israel to “love the Lord your God and keep His requirements” (v. 1), to “observe therefore all the commands” (v. 8), to “faithfully obey the commands” (v. 13), to “be careful” to worship God only (v. 16), and to “carefully observe all these commands I am giving you to follow—to love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to hold fast to Him” (v. 22).

Yet Moses did more than appeal to the past to show the value of obedience. He looked ahead as well, and linked the divine promise of future blessing to loving and serving God. In remembering God and how He had dealt with His people Moses was “setting before you today a blessing and a curse—the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God . . . the curse if you disobey.” What God has done, He will do. For God is faithful and consistent.

DEVOTIONAL

Remember Our Golden Calves (Deut. 9:7–10:11)

I really don’t like to remember my sins. That flush of shame, that awareness of failure, aren’t at all pleasant. Besides, as forgiven people, aren’t our sins forgiven and the past forgotten? While there’s nothing spiritual about wallowing in guilt, every now and then we need to revisit sites where we have erected golden calves. The golden calf that Israel made on the plains of Sinai was the ultimate affront to God. God had delivered His people from slavery; Israel ignored Him and chose to worship an idol. God had fed and protected Israel; they decided to praise a creation of their own hands. In the most basic way the golden calf was a total rejection of God. And yet, the Bible says, “At that time, the Lord said” (10:1). At that time, when Israel overtly rejected Him, God told Moses to return to the Mount, and there God gave Moses new tablets containing His Law (vv. 2–8). And at that time, God also said, “Go . . . and lead My people on their way, so that they may enter and possess the land that I swore to their fathers” (vv. 10–11).

Moses reminded Israel of the golden calf not to shame them, but to help them realize how great and how gracious God is. This is why we need to revisit our golden calves now and then. To remember how forgiving, how loving, how gracious God has been to us. “At that time” in our lives, the time of our greatest failure, God came to us in Jesus. He lifted us up, took us in His arms, forgave us, and set us on our way again. Revisiting our golden calves reminds us that not even our sins can cut us off from the love of God. Whenever we fail, God is able to pick us up and set us on the path of righteousness once again.

Personal Application

What event in your past makes you most grateful for God’s forgiveness?

Quotable

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His Word has no place in our lives. My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have One who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”—1 John 1:9–2:2

FEBRUARY 6

Reading 37

LOVING GOD

Deuteronomy 5–7 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deut. 6:5).These chapters identify the fundamental principles of personal relationship with God. The rules which come later are merely illustrations of how these fundamental principles are to be applied by a people who love God.

Definition of Key Terms

Deuteronomy 6 calls on us to dedicate “heart,” “soul,” and “strength” to loving God. “Heart” in the Old Testament is the seat of both the mind and emotions. “Soul” is best understood here as one’s “being.” We are to love God with our whole self, not limit Him to smaller compartments of our lives. “Strength” suggests the will’s direction of every capacity toward love. Use of three such powerful terms in a single verse makes it clear that relationship with God calls for wholehearted devotion. The implication of these chapters is that only a person truly devoted to God will obey Him. Ten Commandments. Ten brief, basic rules showing human beings how to love God and other persons. For explanation of the Ten Commandments, see Exodus Reading 19.

Overview

The 10 basic commandments given at Sinai show how to love God and others (5:1–21). Keeping them promotes well-being (vv. 22–33). Love and reverence for God produce obedience, and are to be taught to future generations (6:1–25). God demands complete allegiance; competing faiths were to be driven from the land so that God could keep His covenant of love with Israel (7:1–26).

Understanding the Text

“It was not with our fathers . . . but with us” Deut. 5:1–21. The adults who stood before God at Mount Horeb (Sinai) and first heard the Ten Commandments were dead when Moses proclaimed them to this new generation. Yet Moses said God’s covenant was “not with our fathers” but was “with all of us who are alive here today.” What did Moses mean? That God’s Word has a powerful, present message for each listener. God’s Word was first spoken centuries ago, but it is as fresh, vital, and compelling as if it had been just uttered today. In a real sense, God’s Word is spoken today. The living God meets us in His Word. All He says there is said to us as well as to generations past. You and I must never read the Bible as though it were merely a record of something that happened long ago. We are to read Scripture attentively, expecting God to speak to us in our today. As the writer of Hebrews says, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Heb. 3:15). The Bible is God’s voice. Through it He is speaking not only to our fathers, but to us! “Hear . . . learn . . . and be sure to follow” Deut. 5:1. Each of these words is found in Moses’ first words to the assembled Israelites (v. 1). The Ten Commandments state fundamental principles which are to be applied in our relationship with God and with others. It’s important not to confuse loving God and others with love feelings. Love is a choice. The person who loves God will hear God’s Word, study to understand what that Word means, and then carefully apply it in daily life. “That it might go well with them and their children forever” Deut. 5:22–33. Some act as if the moral standards revealed in the Ten Commandments are arbitrary and restrictive. They resent the “You shall nots” of Scripture, as if these were intended to spoil mankind’s fun and make human life as miserable as possible. Nothing could be further from the truth. God’s laws are actually intended to promote human happiness. We humans are moral beings, created by God with a sense of right and wrong. Like a train that functions only when running on a track, human beings function in a healthy, happy way only when living morally good lives. There is a special urgency in Moses’ call to Israel to obey God. Israel enjoyed a covenant relationship with God. In this relationship God was committed not only to bless obedience, but also to punish disobedience. Unbelievers as well as believers are better off living a morally good life. But God is actively involved in the life of believers. Because God cares so much about us, you and I are more likely to feel the immediate effect of our sins. “When you eat and are satisfied” Deut. 6:10–25. Moses said “when” because he knew that God would surely bless His people. For Israel this meant inheriting “a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant.” Still, such blessings are dangerous. When life is too easy, and we become satisfied, we tend to “forget the Lord.” Moses explained the way for believers to guard themselves when blessed. First, “fear the Lord your God.” The word here means to treat Him with respect, remembering that He is able to discipline as well as to bless. Then, “keep the commands.” The believer is to “do what is right and good.” Finally, the believer is “in the future” to pass on faith to the next generation. This is the only way to guard ourselves and our children from empty, meaningless lives. “You must destroy them totally” Deut. 7:1–6. The demand that Israel utterly destroy the people who inhabited Canaan before her has troubled many. How does this command square with all the talk in Deuteronomy 6 of love? How do we understand it in view of God’s revelation of love for all people in Jesus? To answer we need to make several observations. First, archeology has confirmed Scripture’s portrait of Canaanite culture as morally and religiously depraved. Some 600 years earlier God had told Abraham that He would not expel the people of the Promised Land then, because “the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure” (Gen. 15:16). Now that full measure of sinfulness had been reached, and Israel was to be God’s instrument of punishment. It’s important for us to remember that the God who loves human beings also hates evil. Any concept of God that fails to take His commitment to punish sin into account is essentially unscriptural. Second, the command to destroy the Canaanites emphasized Israel’s call to be a holy people. Intimate association with the Canaanites would (and did!) lead Israel into idolatry. Only by destroying the Canaanites who currently inhabited the Promised Land could Israel be safe from moral and spiritual corruption. It would be a strange parent indeed who would stand idly by and watch a much-loved child be infected with a deadly disease. God was protecting His children. One other observation. Israel was not commanded to go beyond the borders of Canaan and wipe out the several racial groups represented in Palestine. God’s first concern was for the well-being of His people. Yes, God does care about everyone. But those who know and love Him are His first priority. “It was because the Lord loved you” Deut. 7:7–26. Why did God choose Israel and decide to bless them? Why does God care so much for you and me today? The puzzle is resolved by stating an even greater mystery. Why? “It was because the Lord loved you.” God needs no reason other than love to bless us. Though there are many reasons why it is to our benefit to obey, we need no other reason than love for Him.

DEVOTIONAL

“Communicating God’s Love”(Deut. 6:4–8)

Loving God is so important. Surely a love for the Lord is the most important heritage we can pass on to our children. When my oldest son was a seventh-grader in our local Christian grammar school, and I was a professor of Christian education at Wheaton College Graduate School, I did an experiment with his class to learn how boys and girls from Christian homes “caught” their parents’ faith. What I found was that most of the things parents did or did not do to pass on their faith made very little difference in their children’s lives. The one thing that did make a difference is explained here, in words spoken by Moses millenniums ago. Moses says that communicating faith begins with a parent’s own love for God. A love “with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (v. 5). This kind of love opens us up to God, so that He can write His commandments on our hearts (v. 6). Why is this so important? Because as long as God’s commandments seem only like demands engraved in stone, we will never be able to communicate either them or a love for God. It’s only when God has written His laws on our hearts and they find expression in our lives that we are able to “impress” them on our children (v. 7). When God’s love has made us sensitive to His commandments, so that He and they become such an integral part of our lives that we “talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up,” then the God who is real to us will be real to our children too. Then our own love for God will find a home in the hearts of our boys and girls. What makes the difference? Simply this. If God is real to you—if you love Him and follow Him faithfully—then God will be real to your children too.

Personal Application

Show your love for God daily by your commitment to doing His will.

Quotable

“Too often Christians regard the Law merely as a set of legalisms, and they view Jewish people as trying to follow the letter of the Law. On the other hand [they] then proclaim that the New Covenant describes how God works in grace to redeem His people and shower His love on them. In no way should such a compartmentalization exist between the Old and New Testaments. Deuteronomy describes how God blessed Israel and showered His love on them because of His grace and mercy. What the Lord expected from Israel in return was an outpouring of love. While some people misappropriated God’s intentions and developed a legalistic substitute, a remnant in every generation always deeply loved, honored, and served the Lord their God.”—Lewis Goldberg