DAY 067; TODAY’S READING: DEUTERONOMY 23–26

OVERVIEW:

Requirements to be in the congregation; cleanliness; civil statutes; divorce; civil statutes; first fruits offering; charge to hear and obey.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

By the time the children of Israel had heard all of the statutes, commandments, and judgments in Moses’ second address (Deuteronomy 5–26), for what life was to be like in this new land God was preparing them to enter, they must have been thinking, “Man! How are we going to keep all of this stuff straight?!” The truth is, there were a lot of requirements, stipulations, and specifications for the new lifestyle God had in mind for their new life in the new land! But lest we miss the purpose behind all of these seemingly rigorous and meticulous details, Moses concludes this section in today’s reading by revealing the real intent of God’s heart. (26:16–19) He tells the children of Israel that all of these instructions were given simply because God desired “to make thee high above all nations which he hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honour; and that thou mayst be an holy people unto the Lord thy God, as he hath spoken.” (26:19) How awesome is that?!

As we have constantly sought to remind ourselves through the 365 Days of Pursuit, we must always keep in mind that the children of Israel are a picture of the individual believer in the New Testament. God tells us in 1^st Peter 2:9–10 that His intent and purpose for us is to make you and me “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.” Again, I say, how awesome is that?! The real desire of God’s heart for His people has always been the same! That we might be a peculiar people because of the holy life we live, in the midst of this dark world, as we seek to glorify the holy name of our God!

Recognize, however, that one of the most blessed and marvelous differences between us and the children of Israel is that we have been made free from the EXTERNAL law of Moses, because we have been placed “in Christ”, who Himself, fulfilled all of the stringent requirements of the Old Testament law! (Matthew 5:17) He did that, so we might be free to live by the law of the Spirit who has taken up residence in us INTERNALLY! With that in mind, be blessed today by some of the key truths God has revealed to us as New Testament saints:

Romans 7:6 “But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.”

Romans 8:1-4 “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

Galatians 5:18 “But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.”

Oh, may we never be moved, as Paul feared we might, from “the simplicity that is in Christ.” (2^nd Corinthians 11:3) May we never be moved from “the simplicity” of the greatest commandment: “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30–31) No, we are not bound to serve the law of Moses. We are free FROM the law of Moses, so we can be free to FULFILL the law of the Spirit, and to FULFILL the law of love. (Romans 8:2; Galatians 5:13–14) Praise God for “the simplicity” of life “in Christ”!

But note in today’s reading in chapter 23, that certain people were not to be admitted into the citizenship of the children of Israel. They could reside in the area, but due to impurities (mutilation, illegitimacy, ancestry, etc.) they could not join the congregation of Israel. Again, the point is, the Lord desired a pure and holy congregation of peculiar people. The simple reality was, sin had lasting consequences! Moses reveals in chapter 23 that the reason holiness, cleanliness, and purity had such an important place inside the congregation of Israel was because the holy, clean, and pure presence of the Lord was in their midst!  (See 2^nd Corinthians 6:16–18)

The last part of chapter 23 speaks of vows and generosity. Vows were/are sacred to God. Vows made to God were not to be made flippantly, and once they were made, were to be kept! God repeats this same truth in Ecclesiastes 5:4–5 where He lets us know that it is better not to vow a vow, than to vow a vow and not pay it. Verses 24 and 25 of Deuteronomy 23 tell the children of Israel that they are to be a generous people while at the same time, being careful not to take advantage of the generosity of others.

Deuteronomy 24 is a very significant chapter because of its teaching regarding divorce. In Matthew 5 and 19, our Lord deals with the issue of divorce that is addressed here in Deuteronomy 24. Jesus emphatically lets us know that divorce was not God’s plan from the beginning (Matthew 19:8) but it was a concession made by God “because of the hardness of your hearts.” Note in 24:2, the woman in a divorce situation is permitted become another man’s wife, but verse 4 refers to her as being “defiled”. There’s no way around it, sin always has lasting consequences.

Once again, God reveals in chapter 24 the compassion of His heart for the poor, the fatherless, widows, and strangers. God wanted to make sure that the rich and powerful never took advantage of them, and that they were never able to oppress them. God wanted Israel to always remember that they had been slaves in Egypt, and wanted them to treat others in their affliction the way He had treated them. (The New Testament equivalent of this principle for us is found in Ephesians 4:31–32.) This new land and nation God was establishing was to be a nation of abundant generosity and care for others. If the children of God are to be a reflection of their Father, they (we) must be abundantly loving and generous!

Chapter 25 gives instruction for those who would serve as judges in Israel, followed by detailed specifications for the Old Testament teaching regarding the kinsman-redeemer. A living example of this principle in operation is found in the book of Ruth, as Ruth, a Gentile from a cursed race (the Moabites), is redeemed through the relationship she had with Boaz, her Jewish kinsman-redeemer from the city of Bethlehem. The principle of the kinsman-redeemer found here in Deuteronomy 25, as well as the living example found in Ruth 3–4, is a beautifully descriptive picture of our Lord Jesus Christ becoming our “kinsman” by taking on human flesh in Bethlehem, so He might “redeem” us Gentiles who are part of the cursed human race in taking us to be His lawfully wedded wife! The Bible is an amazing Book!

The chapter continues with statutes for honesty in business. In the commerce of that day, merchants would carry their own weights that would be placed on the scales when making transactions. Some determined that they would put a lesser weight on the scale when BUYING a certain commodity, and a heavier weight when SELLING a commodity. Practically speaking, it was a very deceptive and dishonest way of being able to “buy low and sell high”. God lets them know that such practices were an “abomination” to Him. (25:16) Be reminded, our omniscient Lord knows of our honesty with people, and deals with us accordingly.

The offering of the first fruits in Chapter 26 was a special one-time gift that was to be offered to the Lord from the first harvest in the new land. This offering was to be a hallowed worship experience that included a time of remembrance, a time of rejoicing, and a time of confession. Once the Lord brought them into the land that was promised, He wanted them to recognize that they would be living in houses they did not build, eating from crops and gardens they did not plant, and living in abundance from the gracious hand of the Lord!

In 26:16–19, God wanted the children of Israel to make a confirmation of all that had been commanded them. He had commanded that all of His statutes, commandments, and judgments be kept with all of their heart and soul. The people avouch that they will walk in His ways, and keep His commandments. The Lord avouches that they will be His peculiar people, holy to Him. This concludes Moses second address in Deuteronomy.

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

As THE GENEROUS ONE — Deuteronomy 24:19–21 (2^nd Corinthians 8:9; Romans 8:32)

As THE KINSMAN REDEEMER — Deuteronomy 5:5–6 (Romans 3:24; Colossians 1:13–14)

As THE FIRSTFRUIT OFFERING — Deuteronomy 26:10–11 (1^st Corinthians 15:20, 23)

As THE DELIVERER — Deuteronomy 26:8 (Galatians 1:3–4)