Archives for March 2021

OVERVIEW:

The remaining lots are divided among the tribes of Israel; the cities of refuge are designated; the 48 cities are given to the Levites from among the other tribe’s inheritance.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As we begin chapter 19 today, Simeon is given his inheritance from within the inheritance of the tribe of Judah. (Joshua 19:1, 9) This action actually fulfilled Jacob’s deathbed prophecy in Genesis 49:7, when he said, “I will divide them (Simeon and Levi) in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.” This was the direct result of their over-the-top anger and wrath that was meted out by murdering in cold blood every male in the city of Shechem after the king’s son had defiled Dinah, their sister. Once again, we are reminded of the biblical principle that sin bears great consequences, even when forgiveness has been granted. (Galatians 6:7–8) How many of God’s people throughout history have suffered life-altering consequences because of the momentary lapse of reason caused by the uncontrolled passions of anger, wrath and/or lust. Dr. Bob Jones, Sr. used to say, “Don’t sacrifice the PERMANENT on the altar of the TEMPORARY.” May God help us!

In chapter 20, God appoints six cities to be a place of refuge for those who innocently killed somebody, meaning that it was the result of an accident, or unintentional, not a premeditated act. In the city of refuge, they were protected from the “avenger of blood” by the elders of the city, until the death of the high priest. Upon his death, they were free.

Once again, God has taken out His paintbrush and is painting an absolute masterpiece of His Son and the incredible refuge we have found “in Him!”

The Cities of Refuge:

1. They were appointed for those who were guilty of shedding innocent blood.
2. They were appointed to protect from the “avenger of blood.”
3. A refugee was safe if they stayed in the city.
4. Only the death of the high priest set them free.
5. These cities were always readily accessible to all.
6. Knowing they existed wasn’t enough to protect a person. You had to flee to them.
7. One seeking refuge had to leave everything (family, friends, possessions, etc.) to come to the city.
8. The cities of refuge were the responsibility of the Levites. (Numbers 35:6)

The Lord Jesus Christ:

1. We were all responsible for shedding Christ’s innocent blood. (1^st Peter 2:24; Isaiah 53:4–12)
2. By turning to Christ as our Refuge, we are protected from the true “avenger of blood”, God the Father. (See Deuteronomy 32:35, 43)
3. Those who have found refuge “in Christ” are safe and secure. (Romans 8:31–39)
4. It is only through the death of our High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ (Hebrews 6:20), that we can be made free indeed from the penalty of our sin. (John 8:36)
5. Jesus is accessible to anyone, at any time. (Romans 10:13; 2^nd Peter 3:9)
6. Just knowing what Jesus did and who He is doesn’t save a person. One must flee to Him and trust Him with their life. (Ephesians 1:12–13)
7. One must be willing to forsake family, friends, and possessions to come to Jesus. (Matthew 10:34–39; Luke 18:22)
8. As New Testament priests (Revelation 1:6), it is now our responsibility to lead others to the only true Refuge, the Lord Jesus Christ. (2^nd Corinthians 5:18)

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

As the cities of refuge — Joshua 20 (See Psalm 46:1)

OVERVIEW:

The land of Canaan is divided among the tribes of Israel.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

In Joshua 15, Caleb, the eternally strong warrior (a picture of God the Father—Joshua 14:11), decides to reward the man who conquers and takes the city of Kirjathsepher (the “city of the book”) with his daughter, Achsah, to wife. Othniel (whose name means “lion”), who “just happens” to be from the tribe of Judah, conquers and takes “the city of the book” in order to obtain his bride. Achsah, which means “anklet”, was given to Othniel as the promised reward for his accomplishments in battle. Her “anklet” was what distinguished her from other women. During this time period, women were covered from head to toe with clothing, making it nearly impossible to tell one from the other. Othniel’s bride, however, was clearly recognizable by her walk.

Those are the details of the story but the question is, what is all of this actually picturing in the prophetic, or doctrinal application of scripture?

The picture here, is that God the Father gave the love-gift of the church to Christ, the Lion from the tribe of Judah, because of Christ’s accomplishments in battle. Through His death, burial, and resurrection, He fulfilled every prophecy in “the Book” of God (all three components of the gospel were all carried out precisely “according to the scriptures”—1^st Corinthians 15:3–4), and thereby, Christ purchased to Himself a bride. Like Achsah (“anklet”), Christ’s bride, the church, is clearly recognizable by her “walk”! (Romans 6:4; Ephesians 4:1, 17; 5:2, 8, 15)

The picture continues in chapter 15:18–20, as Achsah (the bride of Christ who is known by her walk), “let’s her request be made known” to her father. (Philippians 4:6) She humbles herself by getting off her donkey, and pleads that her father might grant her a field. Jesus said in Matthew 13:38, “the field is the world”!  But notice, that her request is not for just any field! She desires a field that would be watered by springs. Water, biblically, is a picture of the word of God. (Ephesians 5:26) Her father grants her request, so she can produce “much fruit”. As Christ’s bride, we have been commissioned to take His word to the world, that we might “bring forth fruit, and that our fruit should remain”. (John 15:16) Again, the Bible is an incredible book!  

There are several other observations we must make from today’s reading to help us understand some of the key issues we face, as we, like Israel, seek to possess our inheritance. (Acts 20:32; Ephesians 1:15-23)

1. Some of the children of Israel chose to dwell “on this side of Jordan”. (Numbers 32) Like many believers today, they are indeed God’s children, and are glad of it, but that’s about it. They missed the point of their exodus. (Deuteronomy 6:23) They are more interested in having the promise of going to God’s home when they die, than they are allowing God to make them His home while they live. Notice that they were the first to fall to the enemy because they settled for less than God intended for them! (2^nd Kings 10)
2. Some were only “partial possessors”. (Joshua 16:10) That is, they could have driven the enemies out, but rather, chose to put them under tribute instead. In the same way, many “partial possessors” today think they can “spiritualize” their flesh, and use it for “ministry” or some other perceived benefit, rather than utterly destroying it on a daily basis.
3. Some were conquerors and possessed all of their inheritance. (Joshua 8:26; 19:47) This is what Paul was praying we might allow God to do in us in Ephesians 1:18–20 when he said, “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,”!
4. One wanted more—Caleb in Joshua 15. In like fashion, Paul prayed in Philippians 3:10-14, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

In terms of dealing with your flesh and taking possession of all that God intended your salvation to be, which of the four groups listed above do you think you presently fit into?

Notice also in today’s reading, that the scriptures provide us with several action steps for beginning the process of “possessing our inheritance”:

1. “Arise!” (Joshua 18:8a) In other words, get up out of your “safe” place! Sometimes we must purposely and purposefully choose to get up out of our mediocrity and comfortability in order to take possession of our possession! (Philippians 3:14)
2. “Go for a walk!” (Joshua 18:8b) “Walk” through every area of your life and allow the Lord to reveal areas of your life that you still haven’t allowed Him to possess. (Psalm 139:23–24)
3. “Tell Joshua (Jesus) what you see!” (Joshua 18:8c–9) Take what the Lord has shown you about where you are in your relationship with Him, and pour your heart out to Him about it! Allow Him to change you and to possess all of you today. The reality is, we will not live in the full possession of the spiritual inheritance God intended our salvation to provide, until our Lord Jesus Christ fully possesses all of us!         

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

Through Othniel – Joshua 15:17 (His name means “lion” and he is from the Tribe of Judah—Revelation 5:5).

As Shiloh – Joshua 18:1 (Shiloh means “peace”, as in “rest from war”—See Genesis 49:10; Matthew 11:28, and Colossians 3:15-16.)

OVERVIEW:

Joshua conquers kings and cities for Israel; the land is divided by lot among the tribes; Caleb requests and obtains the mountain of Hebron from Joshua.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

Word has been spreading throughout the land of Canaan about this weak, nomadic people who have been transformed into powerful warriors and their omnipotent God!

Notice as we move into Joshua 11 in today’s reading, the kings throughout the land have been struck with fear and are conspiring together to keep them from completely overtaking their cities. (11:1-5) Note: The word “king/kings” is found over 50 times in today’s reading!

Knowing that these various kingdoms banding together might be intimidating to Joshua and his people, God reassures him that He, by His power, will slay the conspirators and grant victory to Israel just as He had done with the previous individual kings and their armies. (11:6-9)

Notice in 11:10, that Joshua defeats the king who was the head of the villainous kingdoms with “the sword”, in the same way that our Joshua, the Lord Jesus Christ, will defeat the “king” who is the head of the kingdom of darkness with “the sword” that proceeds out of His mouth. (2^nd Thessalonians 2:8; Revelation 19:15, 21)

Notice also, in 11:21, that Joshua not only utterly destroyed all of the kings and their cities, but also the giants and their cities! (The Anakims were giants.) Have the kings from the kingdom of darkness been conspiring together against you? Are there giants that seem to be coming down out of the mountains against you? Trust in the sword of the word of God that is in the possession of our Joshua! He’s got this! By trusting the word of God and the God of the word against the enemy, in time, one-by-one, you will be able to list the kings and giants that have been defeated as you take possession of your possession, just as surely as Joshua’s defeated foes are listed one-by-one in Joshua chapter 12!

As we begin chapter 13, the Lord reminds Joshua, “Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.” There is no doubt, many reading this today who feel the same way! But regardless of our age, I’m sure the Lord could speak these same words to each of us, “There remaineth yet very much land to be possessed!” May we passionately pursue possessing our possession!

In the remainder of chapter 13, God identifies the various places in the land that Joshua and the children of Israel still needed to possess. What is interesting, is that before they have actually taken physical possession of these various places (13:7), God goes ahead and has them divide the land as if it was already theirs. The fact is, it was as good as theirs because God had given His word in verse 6, saying, “Them will I drive out from before the children of Israel.” The point is, to go ahead and divide the land as the inheritance to the various tribes required faith in God and His word. That is the pathway to victory every time!

Chapter 14 is a significant chapter. It had been 45 years since Joshua and Caleb had gone with the other 10 leaders of the tribes of Israel to spy out the land that God has promised to them. When they were in the land, Caleb set his eyes and his heart on a particular piece of property. Though he was now 85 years old, he never forgot it, and never waned in his desire that God would give it to him. Notice his words in 14:12, “Give me this mountain!” It was the mountain of Hebron. This is the same mountain that the 10 other spies saw and feared because of the giants that lived there in the “great and fenced” cities. (Joshua 14:12) Caleb received permission to go and conquer this mountain and the giants that lived there. Even in his old age, Caleb was anxious to claim the inheritance God had promised him. (Joshua 14:6-9) It is interesting to note that Hebron means “fellowship”. It is the very thing that God desires from each of us. God has promised fellowship to us, but like Caleb, we must claim the promise of God that we are “more than conquerors” in defeating the giants in our lives that seek to keep us from it! (Romans 8:37)        

What mountain are you trusting the Lord to give you today? Have you possessed Hebron, the mountain of “fellowship”?

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

Through JOSHUA – Joshua 11–14 (As the One who conquers the “kings” and “giants” in our lives—Romans 8:37, and as the One who gives us our “inheritance”—Acts 20:32; Ephesians 1:11.)

OVERVIEW:

The conquest and destruction of Jericho; the sin of Achan; the destruction of Ai; the deception of the Gibeonites and their subsequent covenant with Israel; Joshua leads Israel in victory after victory.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As Christians, we face many “Jerichos” in our lives. Like the spies at Kadesh, we, too, often want to give up at the sight of insurmountable odds. (Numbers 13:28–33) But Joshua chapter 6 teaches us that no wall is too high, no barrier so impenetrable, and no sin so great that our Lord Jesus Christ cannot give us the victory. Take notice from Joshua 5:14 in yesterday’s reading that the soldier who fights most powerfully and experiences the victories God intends, is the one who bows the lowest before battle! God is picturing for us the fact that the battles we face in the Christian life are won on our KNEES and on our FACES before the Lord! (Ephesians 6:10–18; 1^st Peter 5:6–8)

Note also in today’s reading that no man can take a city by himself. It is no small thing that Joshua had the loyal cooperation of the priests and the people, and that together they overcame the enemy! The book of Hebrews commands us not to forsake assembling ourselves together, as so many in the last days are doing (You know, the old “You don’t have to go to church to be spiritual” stuff!), but it tells us to exhort one another, and especially as we get closer to Christ’s return! (Hebrews 10:25) We all need the accountability and help that our brothers and sisters in our own local church provide, in order to keep our enemies defeated, so we can possess the fullness of what God intends for our lives. (1^st Corinthians 1:10) It is the only way we can live in victory. (Matthew 16:18)

In chapter 7, God reveals to us the consequences of secret sin. Achan had secretly taken some of the spoils from Jericho in direct disobedience to God’s command. (Joshua 6:18–19) Because of this sin in Israel’s camp, they suffered their first defeat. What is interesting, is that in Joshua 8:2, unlike in the battle with Jericho where all the spoils of the city were to be reserved to God alone, God now instructed the children of Israel to take the spoils from Ai unto themselves! Had Achan simply waited a few days, he would have had all the wealth he could have carried! (Matthew 6:33) How much like our FLESH to prematurely TAKE what the SPIRIT is fully capable of and even planning to PROVIDE!

Note specifically in Joshua chapter 8 that Ai represents the daily battle we have against the flesh. (Galatians 5:17) In 8:3, notice the wording. It says, “So Joshua arose,” and thereby, led Israel to victory against Ai. Recognize that for New Testament believers, it pictures the fact that it is only through the power of Christ’s resurrection that we can conquer and defeat the enemy of our flesh! In verse 6, we are told that “they will come out after us”, picturing the fact that the members of our fleshly bodies will come out to fight against the Spirit until we receive our glorified bodies! (Romans 8:23; Ephesians 4:30; Romans 6:12–13; Colossians 3:5) Notice also that the end of verse 9 says, “Joshua lodged that night among the people.” We have this same promise, that our Joshua (Jesus), in this biblical “nighttime” in which we are presently living in the Church Age (Romans 13:12; 1^st Thessalonians 5:4–9), that our Lord Jesus Christ “lodges” with us, as it were, by His Spirit, to provide our victory over the flesh. (Romans 7:24–25; 8:9–14; Ephesians 3:16)

Gibeon was the next city to be taken after the victories of Israel at Jericho and Ai. Notice that the Gibeonites used deceit as their tool to avoid destruction. In chapter 9, they posed themselves as ambassadors from a far country who wanted to be the servants of Israel. They succeeded in getting this agreement (or covenant) from the leaders of Israel before their true identity was revealed. Oh, my brothers and sisters, may we beware! Like the Gibeonites, our flesh will do everything within its power to try to make deals with us so it can escape death!

Note also that there is a lesson for us to learn by the timing of this whole ordeal with the Gibeonites! It is often after taking God at His word, in trusting Him for great spiritual victories, that the next attack of our flesh will be to “work wilily” (9:4) in agreeing to be the “servant” of the Spirit, so it doesn’t have to die! We must learn that our flesh is as deceptive as Satan himself! We must, therefore, never let our guard down! The only answer to the flesh is DEATH! May we join Paul in saying, “I die daily.” (1^st Corinthians 15:31).  

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

In the Ark of the Covenant – Joshua 6 (Like God’s presence dwelt within Israel in the ark, God’s presence now dwells in us by the Spirit of Christ – 1^st Corinthians 6:19; Romans 8:9).

Through Joshua – Joshua 8 and 10 (He is the only one who can lead us to daily victory over our flesh.)

OVERVIEW:

The commission of Joshua; the covenant with Rahab; crossing the Jordan river into the land promised; the memorial of the twelve stones; the circumcision of God’s people at Gilgal.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

The book of Joshua is the account of how Israel crossed the Jordan River and claimed the inheritance that God had promised them. Before actually possessing the land, however, there were still many battles for them to fight, and many enemies they would need to defeat. Once again, we find that God is painting another incredible picture of the Christian life through His record of Israel’s history. Because, as we seek to take “possession” of our “inheritance in Canaan”, we, likewise, have many battles to fight, and many enemies to overcome. Namely, the world, the devil, and these bodies of flesh in which we all live. Note that 1^st Thessalonians 4:4 tells us that we have been called to “possess our vessel in sanctification and honor.” For this to happen, just like the children of Israel in the book of Joshua, we must allow our Joshua, the Lord Jesus Christ, to lead us to victory in every battle, and against every enemy! (Ephesians 6:10; 2^nd Corinthians 10:4–5)

Be sure to keep in mind as we develop these pictures in the book of Joshua, that Canaan is NOT a picture of heaven. We do not have to battle to gain our home in heaven, it is a gift! (Ephesians 2:8–9) Rather, Canaan represents the abundant inheritance that God has for each of us “in Christ”. We sometimes refer to this inheritance as “the victorious Christian life”; Jesus referred to it as the “abundant life”. (John 10:10) It is very simply the life of fullness and fruit-bearing God designed all of us who have received Christ to “possess”. Practically speaking, it is when the life of Christ, in all of His fullness, is what is being manifested through our bodies (2^nd Corinthians 4:11), while at the same time, we manifest the “fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22–23), the “fruit of holiness” (Romans 6:22), and the fruit of souls won to Christ (Colossians 1:6).

Notice that the book of Joshua begins with the ending of a life: “Moses my servant is dead.” (Joshua 1:2) Moses was the lawgiver and the simple but poignant fact is, the law could not give life or defeat sin! Romans 7:5 says, “For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.” Moses brought the children of Israel to the edge, but Joshua (Jesus) must take them in and give them the victory! Verse 2 continues with, “now therefore arise.” We must die to ourselves and our self-righteousness (Philippians 3:4–9) and allow God to raise us up to walk in newness of life on a daily basis! (Romans 6:4, 13)

Verse 8 of chapter 1 was certainly a key challenge for Joshua in terms of how God wanted him to approach His word, and yet this verse has likewise been used to challenge every child of God ever since it was delivered personally to Joshua in this text! God told Joshua: “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” (Joshua 1:8)

The simple reality for every person God has delivered from the bondage of sin, and redeemed to Himself, is that He intends for His word to be our “core value”. The reality is, every one of us has a value system and, in our value system, there are certain things that are at the very core. Our “core values” are the things of life that are the MOST IMPORTANT to us. They are the things in our life that are our HIGHEST PRIORITY. The things in life that make us TICK, they MOTIVATE us, they are a PASSION to us, they are WHAT WE’RE REALLY ALL ABOUT!

In light of what God says to Joshua here, could you honestly say that the word of God is one of your “core values”? Perhaps you’re thinking right now, “Well, how would I know if it was or not?” Actually, Joshua 1:8 lets us know that there are two key “tell-tale” indicators…

1. Our core values are easily identifiable by what we TALK about. Without even trying or consciously recognizing we’re doing it, the truth is, we TALK about what’s IMPORTANT to us! Joshua 1:8 says, “… this book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth…” If the word of God is one of our core values, it will be identifiable in the fact that we are constantly TALKING about it! What would those who know you best say you constantly TALK about?

2. Our core values are easily identifiable by what we THINK about. Again, without even trying or attempting to make it happen, the reality is, we THINK about what’s IMPORTANT to us. Joshua 1:8 goes on to say, “…but thou shalt meditate therein day and night.” Could you honestly say that the word of God is something you constantly find yourself THINKING about?

Oh, that it would be evident to God, to us, and to others, that the word of God is one of our “core values!”

Chapter 2 deals with the Jewish men who were sent to spy out Jericho, and their subsequent covenant with Rahab the harlot. Don’t miss the fact that Rahab’s story graphically pictures the story of every one of us who know Christ!

1. She was a sinner. (Romans 3:23) Joshua 2:1 plainly states that she was a harlot.

2. She was under condemnation. (John 3:18) The city had already been declared condemned by God. Notice, just like with the people of the world today, the people of the city would be destroyed whether they “felt” condemned or not!

3. She heard the word of God. (Romans 10:17) The message she heard was a convicting message of judgment that caused her to recognize that the God of the children of Israel was the one true God and Lord! (Joshua 2:8–11; John 16:8)

4. She believed the word. (Romans 10:9; Ephesians 2:8) Hebrews 11:31 states that Rahab believed and was saved by faith.

5. She sought to win others. (Mark 5:18–20) When a person trusts Christ, their first desire is to share Him with others, especially their own family. Rahab immediately shares her burden to see her family “saved”. (Joshua 2:12–13)

6. She was delivered from judgment. (1^st Thessalonians 4:13–18, 2^nd Thessalonians 1:7–9) Just like Rahab in Joshua 6:22–25, we, too, have been rescued from God’s coming judgment upon this world.

7. She went to a wedding. (Matthew 1:5) Matthew 1:5 lets us know that Rahab married into the royal lineage of the nation of Israel, and, check this out, the Messiah actually came through her family lineage! How gracious is our God to take a harlot and make her the mother of the royal family through which Messiah came?! We, too, have a wedding and a marriage feast to look forward to because of God’s incredible grace! (Revelation 19:7–9, 17–19)

In chapters 3 and 4, Israel follows Joshua and the ark of the covenant across the Jordan River. Note, in Joshua 3:16, that the water that flowed down from the city of Adam stood up and was stopped by the ark. It is a beautiful picture of the fact that the effects of Adam’s sin which flowed from Adam down to us (Romans 5:12, 17), are stopped by Jesus Christ when we “cross over the Jordan” in our lives, and take possession of the life of fullness found in Christ. (Romans 6:14)

In chapter 5, all of the Jewish males were circumcised. Note that circumcision was a mark of a covenant relationship (Genesis 17:9–14) that provided EXTERNAL evidence of an INTERNAL reality. (Deuteronomy 10:16) A perfect and discreet description of circumcision that captures both its physical and spiritual significance is that it is “the cutting away of the flesh that reveals the source of life.” Notice God refers to the covenant relationship of our salvation in Colossians 2:11 as the “true circumcision”. Practically speaking, if the flesh isn’t cut away in our lives, we will not reproduce spiritual life! 

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

Through JOSHUA – Joshua 1 (Note: Joshua’s very name means “Jehovah is salvation.” He is the one who leads us to the “land” that is promised.)

As Rahab’s scarlet thread — Joshua 2:18. (It is a type of the blood of Christ which brings about deliverance from judgment and safety from death.)

As Captain of the Host OF THE LORD — Joshua 5:14–15 (Hebrews 2:10)

OVERVIEW:

The transition of leadership to Joshua; the word from the Lord; the song of Moses; Moses’ blessing upon the tribes; the death of Moses; the succession of Joshua.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As we move into Deuteronomy 31 today, one of the greatest men who ever lived is about to die. It’s hard to imagine everything that must have been going through Moses’ mind and heart at this moment. As he reflected on the past 40 years of his life…

1. He, no doubt, had thoughts about WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN.

Certainly, his mind went back to that fateful five seconds when out of frustration with God’s people, rather than simply speaking to the Rock, as God had instructed him to do, he struck it twice. That one impulsive fleshly decision and action is what prompted God’s decision to not allow him to be the human instrument He would use to bring His people into the abundant life He had designed for them in Canaan. From a practical standpoint, may we once again allow the word of God to etch into our minds and hearts that though our God is full of grace, mercy, compassion, and forgiveness (Psalm 86:5,15), it does not negate the fact that our sin always has consequences. (Galatians 6:7) May this tragedy in Moses’ life also etch into our minds and hearts the necessity of always being filled with, controlled by, and walking in the Spirit, not only on a daily basis, and not only on an hourly basis, but a moment by moment basis, even a second by second basis! Moses’ failure teaches us that the entire course and direction of our life can be altered by one momentary impulsive action or reaction of our flesh. God help us!

One day we will all stand at the Judgment Seat of Christ. We will walk back through every day of our lives from the moment we were saved until the moment we entered the Lord’s presence, whether it be by death or by rapture. We will see our lives then, the way our Lord Jesus Christ sees them now. Oh, when the Lord allows us to reflect upon our lives, much like Moses had the opportunity to do in today’s reading, may our minds and hearts, in that day, not be consumed with thoughts about WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN! May we walk each day of our lives in simple obedience, in the filling and power of the Holy Spirit, having no regrets at our final accounting at the Judgment Seat!

But not only must Moses have been reflecting on this day about WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN…

2. He, no doubt, had thoughts about WHAT ACTUALLY WAS.

Though Moses, no doubt, spent countless sleepless nights rehearsing the whole “striking-the-rock-twice incident”, wondering why God seemed to have such a knee-jerk reaction to his knee-jerk reaction, and wondering whether the punishment actually fit the crime, there is certainly none of that now. All of that was water under the bridge at this point.

God’s “Plan A” for Moses, was obviously, for him to FINISH WELL. Finishing well in “Plan A” meant obeying God and being the one to lead God’s people into Canaan, the land of promise. Because of Moses’ failure in Numbers 20:7–13, however, God made clear to him that “Plan A” was an impossibility. It just wasn’t going to happen.

But, in His grace, God also had a “Plan B” for Moses! “Plan B,” was, first and foremost, for Moses to “forget those things which were behind, and press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God!” (Philippians 3:13–14) In other words, to not sit around feeling sorry for himself, pouting about the failures of his past, but to begin from where he was, and seek to obey God in the course God had for him in “Plan B”!

While reading this today, and because of some kind of failure in your past, you very simply may have missed God’s “Plan A” for your life. Okay, so what do you do now? Well, you can do what a lot of people do, and choose to wallow around in self-pity for the rest of your life, rehearsing it all over and over in your mind, wishing you would have done something different, or had made better decisions, forgetting the fact that all of that rehearsing of it won’t do a single thing to change what now is! All it does is bind you to the PAST, causing you to miss the incredible opportunities that are sitting right in front of you in the PRESENT, and insure that you will never tap into the glorious things God has designed for you in the FUTURE! Oh, my brother or sister, learn from the life example of Moses, that God most definitely has a “Plan B” for your life, and there is most definitely a way for you to FINISH WELL in God’s “Plan B”!

In Deuteronomy 31, Moses sees the big-picture. He knows that for him to finish well, the children of Israel didn’t need to get all sentimental and preoccupied with sad emotions concerning his DEATH. I mean, they were on the very brink of entering into the very LIFE God had intended for them when He brought them out of Egypt! (Deuteronomy 6:23) This was to be a time for forward thinking, jubilation, expectation, and faith! Moses could have very easily played on the people’s sympathies and made this whole ordeal of his death the people’s focus, and fail in his responsibility to orchestrate the beautiful transfer of leadership to Joshua by making it all about him. But Moses is too much of a man of God and too much of a man of character for that! Moses realizes that for him to finish well in his “Plan B”, how he prepares the people for entering the land, and how he coordinates the whole transition to Joshua is vital. It is apparent by Moses’ attitude and demeanor that he is going to finish well. Moses’ attitude toward Joshua at this moment is much like John the Baptist’s attitude toward Jesus in John 3:30: “He must INCREASE, but I must DECREASE.” Though God had already made the people aware that Joshua would succeed Moses as Israel’s leader, Moses wanted to make sure that his final action on this planet caused this transfer of leadership to be handled with such grace and dignity that it would please the Lord, and at the same time, generate excitement and expectation in the hearts of God’s people about their future with God in the land that He purposed to give them, under the leadership of Joshua.

Though today’s chapters record Moses’ PHYSICAL DEATH, let us not miss that they also record an even more significant death: his DEATH TO SELF. Oh, that more leaders would learn from Moses’ example, and use their platform of leadership to advance the work of God, and aggrandize the glory of God! By God’s grace, just as Moses did, may we get the focus off ourselves and completely on the Lord Himself, and become passionate about Him receiving from our lives “the glory that is due His name”! (Psalm 29:2; 96:8) Let us make certain, whether we’re living in God’s “Plan A” or “Plan B”, that in every remaining moment and detail of our lives, our passion is for the work of God, and the glory of God!

But not only were Moses’ thoughts at the time of Deuteronomy 31 on WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN, and WHAT ACTUALLY WAS…

3. He, no doubt, had thoughts about WHAT WOULD BE.

Of all people, Moses had a clear understanding of the purposes of God in the exodus. He realized that God was desiring, not first and foremost to RESCUE the children of Israel from their bondage in Egypt, but to RESCUE His own name! Moses understood that everything that had taken place in the preceding 40 years was really all about God’s name being rescued from how it was being polluted on the earth. A key chapter that provides incredible commentary of God’s purpose and intention, from the time of the exodus to their entrance into the land, is found in Ezekiel 20. Several times in this chapter, God makes abundantly clear that the issue was HIM, not THEM (the children of Israel)! Sure, the children of Israel were most definitely the beneficiaries of the wonderful and powerful demonstration of God’s deliverance, but the scripture is clear, God did what He did for His own name not theirs! He says in Ezekiel 20:9, “But I wrought (worked) FOR MY NAME’S SAKE, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, among whom they were, in whose sight I made myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.” (God repeats this same intention in 20:14 and 20:22)

In Deuteronomy 31, even as Moses is hours away from drawing his last breath on this planet, he has no thought whatsoever about his own name. His preoccupation is for the name of the One by whom he was called, and the only name that is worthy of glory!

Let us always remember, that though we are most definitely the beneficiaries of the work of God through Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, God did what He did in delivering us out of the bondage of our sin to rescue His own name from how it was being polluted all over this sinful world! Therefore, like Moses, may our lives reflect that we, too, give no thought whatsoever to our own name but to the name of the One by whom WE were called, and the only name on earth that is worthy of glory!

Note that God summons both Moses and Joshua into His holy presence in the tabernacle before Moses’ death to inform them that despite His incredible grace upon the children of Israel in all that He had done, they would rebel after getting into the land. My, oh my, what a travesty. Let us learn from their horrific mistakes!

God gives Moses “inspiration” in writing a song that would be used for years to come in reminding Israel of their sin. The book ends with Moses lovingly seeking to speak blessing on the tribes of Israel that were about to enter the land that was promised.

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

In JOSHUA – Deuteronomy 31:7 (John 1:17; Romans 3:21–22; Acts 13:39)

In THE ROCK – Deuteronomy 32:4, 31 (Romans 9:33; 1^st Corinthians 10:4; 1^st Peter 2:8)

OVERVIEW:

The altar to be built; blessing and cursing; the new covenant; return to the Lord; the choice set before the children of Israel.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As chapter 27 begins, Moses instructs the children of Israel that when they crossed the Jordan River and entered the land that was promised, the first thing God wanted them to do was to build a memorial of stones covered with plaster, upon which “all the words of this law” (the Ten Commandments) would be written. This instruction will be carried out by Joshua in Joshua 8:30–35. Note that the stones which displayed the “words of the law” was to be set upon Mount Ebal. It is interesting that this is the mountain associated in this passage with “cursing”. God is screaming out the message to all that the law can only bring a curse! Romans 3:20 tells us, “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Paul further clarifies that in Galatians 3:10, “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.”

Note also that an altar was to be built at the base of this mountain, where both the burnt offering and the peace offering were to be sacrificed. Recognize that both of these Old Testament offerings find their fulfillment in the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. Galatians 3:13 tells us, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.” The picture here, in Deuteronomy 27, is that the law condemns every man, and the ensuing curse of his sinfulness can only be remedied by the substitutionary death of Christ. Only through Christ is the “curse of sin” removed, and only through Christ can a condemned sinner find “peace with God”! Hallelujah! Romans 5:1–2 tells us, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

In 27:11, Moses then instructs that the 12 tribes were to be divided between two mountains (six tribes on each mountain): Gerizim (representing BLESSING—verse 12) and Ebal (representing CURSING—verse 13). The valley between these two mountains forms a natural amphitheater about two miles wide providing a perfect arena for the Levites to be heard as they were commanded by God to speak to Israel (27:14), and the mountains on each side provided a perfect illustration of the message God was about to present to Israel of their choice of BLESSING or CURSING once they entered the land.

Notice that as God begins to speak through the Levites, the next 12 verses all begin with the same exact word: “CURSED!” (27:15–26) The word “bless, blessed, or blessing” is not to be found. Once again, the simple, but abundantly profound truth God is clearly communicating is that all the law is capable of producing is CURSING!

In chapter 28, God tells Israel that once they came into the land, the choice between BLESSING and CURSING would be completely theirs. Quite simply, OBEDIENCE would bring “BLESSING”, and DISOBEDIENCE would bring “CURSING”. Notice that the first word of verses 3, 4, 5, and 6 is “blessed,” and that the promise of “blessing” is found in verses 7–14. Notice also that the first word of verses 16, 17, 18, and 19 is “cursing” and that the promise of “cursing” is found in verses 20–68. That’s 49 straight verses of nothing but the warning of “cursing”! God spells it out very simply: If the children of Israel will diligently hearken to the Lord and do His commandments, the Lord will set them on high (28:1). The Lord will bless them in their home, their work, their nation, and everything that has anything to do with their lives. (28:2–14) But, if they will not hearken (28:15), curses would be certain to come upon them and overtake them. They would be cursed in their body, their work, their home, their land, and their nation. The rain would be dust. (28:24) In verse 30, three of the military exemptions (20:5–7) would be turned into curses.  Without the Lord fighting for them, it was inevitable, they would be conquered.

Note that this chapter is not only a warning to Israel, but also a prophecy of the future of Israel. The blessings of the Lord that He talks about in this chapter will be seen repeatedly in the kingdom as they obey the Lord. The curses will likewise be seen in the conquests, the captivities, and the famines throughout the rest of the Old Testament and beyond.  Jeremiah cries, in the book of Lamentations, as he looks out of his window and sees the people and the city destroyed as these very curses have unfolded.

Practically speaking, what are we to learn from these things? 

Chapters 29 and 30 complete the third message from Moses. He begins chapter 29 with a reminder of the covenant God had made with them in Horeb, and their inability to keep it. Moses reminds them of the provision and protection of the Lord, the wrath of the Lord, and their unique relationship with Him.  Once again, Moses reminds them that if they obey God they will be blessed, and if they disobey Him they will be cursed. God tells them that there are certain secret things that He had not revealed to them, but He lets them know in no uncertain terms that everything He had revealed to them, they were required to obey! (29:29)

As we come into chapter 30, our Lord is revealing that if Israel, after living under the curse of their disobedience, would return to Him, and once again begin to obey the things He had commanded through His word, He would extend His grace and compassion to them, and allow them to live in His blessing. Wow! What a God! (See Psalm 111:4) Notice that this passage is not only another promise to Israel, but also another prophecy of the future of Israel. It looks forward to a time of renewal for the children of Israel in the last days, when they shall return unto the Lord and obey His voice.

In 30:11–20, Moses extends the invitation to the children of Israel. The words have been plain, not hidden, or out of reach. (30:11) It was all really very simple. God concised these four chapters (Deuteronomy 27–30) into two simple verses. The first verse is 30:15: “See, I have set before thee this day LIFE and GOOD, and DEATH and EVIL.” The choice was theirs: LIFE or DEATH…and GOOD or EVIL. Seems like it should have been the biggest no-brainier in the history of earth! The second verse is 30:19, where Moses says to the people: “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you LIFE and DEATH, BLESSING and CURSING: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:” Again, how hard could that decision be?! Don’t miss the fact that God presents that same choice to you and me today, and every day, for the remainder of our lives. (Galatians 6:7–8) It really is that simple!

I am reminded today of what I would consider one of the saddest and most tragic verses in the entire Bible. Jesus said in John 5:40: “And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” May that not be true of us.

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

As THE PEACE OFFERING — Deuteronomy 27:7 (John 14:27; Romans 5:1; Colossians 1:20)

As THE BLESSING OF GOD — Deuteronomy 28:1–2 (Ephesians 1:3; 1^st Peter 1:3)

As LIFE — Deuteronomy 30:15 (John 11:25; 6:40)

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)

OVERVIEW:

Levites and priests; prophets; cities of refuge; civil statutes; warfare; unknown murders; family statutes; civil statutes; sexual sin.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As Moses continues his second address in chapter 18 of today’s reading, he begins talking about the fact that when they came into the land, there would be no inheritance for those who comprised the Levitical priesthood. That almost sounds inconsiderate, disparaging, offensive and unfair until you find in verse 2, that the Lord had provided an inheritance for the Levites that was a 1000 times more blessed than mere territory on a map! Their inheritance was to be none other than the Lord Himself! Wow! In fact, as we discussed when we were coming through the book of Leviticus, the word “Levite” means “joined to”. The Levites were “joined to” the Lord in a spiritual relationship that was so much more significant and satisfying than any kind of earthly or physical proprietorship.

As you consider the blessings of the Levitical priesthood, keep in mind that they are an Old Testament picture of us! We are now of the ones who are “joined to” the Lord; we are now the ones who comprise His “royal priesthood” (1^st Peter 2:9; Revelation 1:6; 5:10); and we are the ones for which God now intends to find our inheritance solely “in Christ”, not in the things of the earth. Colossians 3:1 and 2 tell us, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”

Verses 15–19 of chapter 18 provide one of the greatest prophecies in the entire Old Testament of our Lord Jesus Christ. God reveals to His people that another “Prophet” like Moses will come! You’ll remember that in the Gospel of John, there were numerous times during Christ’s earthly ministry when He was asked if He was “that Prophet”, or people made reference to the fact that He was, indeed, “that Prophet”. The reality is, they had been anticipating this “Prophet” because of this very prophecy in Deuteronomy 18:15 and 18. In fact, as Peter was preaching in Acts 3:22–23, he quoted this very passage in reference to Christ. As Stephen was preaching his infamous sermon, presenting Christ as the fulfillment of the Old Testament scriptures regarding Israel’s Messiah, to the ruling counsel in Israel in Acts 7:48, he, too, quoted this very passage. Sadly, nearly every person who was aware of this prophecy from Deuteronomy 18 missed Christ’s fulfillment of it, even though it was staring them right in the face!

In 18:20–22, God lets us know that throughout history we will always be able to clearly identify the prophets through whom He is actually speaking. They always have one key distinguishing feature: they are always 100% accurate 100% of the time!

As we come into chapter 19, God through Moses, continues the conversation once again about designating key cities in the new land as cities of refuge. As has been previously discussed, the cities of refuge are a picture of the refuge we have in Christ. In the same way the innocent manslayer would plead his case to the elders of the city, Psalm 62:8 tells us to pour out our heart to God, who is our Refuge. Hallelujah!

Note in 19:13, God begins the biblical teaching concerning the preciousness of the shedding of what He calls “innocent blood”. This phrase is found at least 20 times in Scripture, and is obviously, dear to the heart of God because of His knowledge of the fact that His only Son would one day be the ultimate when it came to “innocent blood” being shed.

Chapter 19 concludes with several civil statutes. God reveals that moving a landmark is actually stealing land from your neighbor. He instructs that matters of law are to be established with a minimum of two witnesses, and preferably three. This principle is repeated in the New Testament in Matthew 18:16; 2^nd Corinthians 13:1; 1^st Timothy 5:19, and Hebrews 10:28. We would do well to consider this principle! How many times have we established something in our own mind on the word of only one person? As God continues revealing His will regarding these practical civil matters, He details that in cases where the person who is suing another person for a specific amount in a false lawsuit, the false accuser would be required to pay that amount to the defendant. Wouldn’t that limit a great number of lawsuits in our 21^st century world?! Note that the commandment concerning fair and just judgments in the last verse of the chapter (an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth) is directed to the civil government, and not to individuals. Sadly, it was soon twisted (as it often is to this day!) to provide an excuse for personal vengeance, vengeance that is always reserved by and for the Lord. (Deuteronomy 32:35; Romans 12:19)

As Moses continues his address in chapter 20, God let’s Israel know that the army that would be utilized in the promised land would be different than any military power in the history of the world. This army would be led by priests who would simply address the children of Israel, reminding them that the strength of their army is found in placing their confidence in the fact that the Lord is with them, that He is the One who will fight the enemy, and that they will see Him grant the victory. (20:4) It is the biblical principle of Zechariah 4:6, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.” It is also a picture of how the New Testament reveals that we are to do battle! Ephesians 6:10 says, “Finally, my brethren, be STRONG IN THE LORD, and in the POWER of HIS MIGHT.”

It should be noted, however, that even though God intended to grant this army constant victory, God wanted to be certain that they were completely focused and fearless! In 20:5-9, God gives four reasons that young men in Israel could be excused from military duty:

1. If they had recently purchased a new house;
2. If they had recently planted a vineyard;
3. If they had recently taken a wife; and
4. If they were just plain afraid!

God wanted His army free of distractions and deserters! In the warfare we face, may we likewise be focused and fearless!

As the children of Israel were approaching a city to overtake it, God tells them in 20:10–20 that they were to first seek to take it peacefully by allowing the inhabitants of the city to surrender, if they would agree to pay taxes to them, and to become their servants. If the city chose not to surrender, God told them to go into it and wipe out every male, sparing the women, children, and animals, and then to go in and take the spoils of the city for themselves. For the six nations listed in 20:17, however, they were to go in to those places and wipe out anything that moved or breathed! It would appear that these peoples and cities were of such a demonic nature and possession that the only solution was extinction.

As we come into chapter 21, God gives further instruction concerning the shedding of “innocent blood”. Note that there was a ceremonial washing (21:6) that was included in the whole process of being released from the guilt of shedding this “innocent blood”. (21:6–9) In light of the principle established here, it becomes quite interesting to recognize that many centuries later, on the day of Pentecost following the nation of Israel’s guilt in shedding Christ’s “innocent blood” on the cross (Acts 2:36), that when they asked Peter what they should do because of their guilt in shedding the “blood” of the only “innocent” man who ever lived (not to mention their very own promised Messiah!), that Peter’s instruction to them utilizes the principle established here in Deuteronomy 21, and includes the “ceremonial washing” of baptism as a part of their repentance for crucifying the Lord of glory. (Acts 2:37–38) Note, that this baptism that Peter referenced in Acts 2:38 is not for acquiring New Testament salvation, but is exclusively the biblical requirement for removing Israel’s guilt for being the ones responsible for shedding the “innocent blood” of the Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary. (21:8-9)

After providing instructions for taking a wife from the captives of the new land (21:10–14), Moses then gives statutes for families. He lets Israel know that inheritances were to be divided by statutes, not emotions. Next, Moses explains that stubbornness and rebelliousness in a son was an offense worthy of death! Notice that there are three times in this passage where God references a stubborn and rebellious son not obeying or hearkening to the voice of his parents. We must recognize that our goal in bringing up our children is that OUR voice will control and instruct their little mind and body. As our children mature, the control and guidance is to constantly be directed and shifting to the LORD and His WORD. The biblical reality is, if they never learn to respond to the authority of OUR voice when they are children, they will not respond to the authority of GOD’s voice when they are adults.

Chapter 22 gives statutes on many civil and family matters. It covers the whole gamut from taking care of your brother’s belongings, to clothing, construction, plowing, divorce, adultery, rape, and incest. Over, and over again, the statutes and commandments are written to purify and sanctify a land in which the holy God of the universe would dwell with His people. Recognize that this had been a land of transvestites and homosexuals, a land of incest and adultery, and a land of selfishness and self-gratification. The Lord desired a pure and holy nation in a completely undefiled land. It is the Old Testament picture of the New Testament instruction given to us in 2^nd Corinthians 6:17–18: “…come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

As PROPHET – Deuteronomy 18:15 (John 5:46; Acts 3:22–23)

As SIN BEARER – Deuteronomy 21:22–23 (Galatians 3:13; 1^st Peter 2:24)

OVERVIEW:

Warnings against following other gods; clean and unclean animals; seven-year release; bond servants; three feasts; civil judgments; kings.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

If you’ve ever wondered just how JEALOUS our Lord is for the undivided ATTENTION of the MINDS of His people and the undivided AFFECTION of the HEARTS of His people, look no further than Deuteronomy 13! If you’ve ever wondered just how ZEALOUS Satan is to divert the minds and hearts of God’s people away from Him, again, we need not look further than Deuteronomy 13! This chapter lets us know that Satan will go to great lengths to counterfeit and falsify the word of God through his own false prophets in an attempt to move the hearts of God’s people from solely loving, worshipping, and obeying Him. Notice that God warns the children of Israel that this deception can arise from three main sources. (Note, also, that it is precisely these three deceptive sources for which God’s people are vulnerable and need to be warned in the 21^st century!)

1. From someone performing signs and wonders. Historically and biblically, miracles, signs, and wonders have had a place in the purposes of God. However, in and of themselves, they have never been the ultimate test of truth. (Exodus 7:11, 22; 8:7) Keep in mind that after the rapture of the church, 2^nd Thessalonians 2:9–10 explains that Satan, in the person of the antichrist, will dazzle the world with “all power and signs and lying wonders, and all deceivableness of unrighteousness!” (Also, see Revelation 12:9; 16:14)
2. From someone using the intimacy of their relationship to draw people away from the Lord. (Such as a family member, a relative, or close friend.)
3. From being drawn away by a foreign philosophy of life and/or foreign practices of worship.

Recognize that this isn’t just an Old Testament phenomenon. In the middle of the 1^st century, the Apostle Paul was concerned that the people of the church in Colossae would be deceived by the enticing words and/or empty philosophies of men (Colossians 2:4–8), and that the people of the church in Corinth might likewise be beguiled by the subtlety of Satan through “his ministers”. (2^nd Corinthians 11:3, 15a) Notice, also, that this wasn’t just a 1^st century phenomenon either! Be it known that Satan’s “ministers of righteousness” (2^nd Corinthians 11:15b) are also alive and well in the 21^st century!

Just who might these “false prophets” be in our world today? Just who are these “ministers of Satan” who appear to be speaking for God, but in the process of their “ministry”, are actually turning people to follow and serve other gods? One good place to begin looking are with those who “in the name of God”, are turning people away from Him to serve the god of “money” (1^st Timothy 6:10), the god of “self” (2^nd Timothy 3:2), the god of “pleasure” (2^nd Timothy 3:4), and/or the god of “this present evil world” (2^nd Timothy 4:10; Galatians 1:4)! There’s a bunch of ’em, y’all!

Deuteronomy 13 also lets us know how un-permissive, incompliant, and vengeful God is toward any person Satan is able to use for such purposes, and/or any person who falls prey to their deception! Moses tells them that when they come into the promised land, if there is ever any person who is seeking to turn people away from loving and following the one true God, they are to be immediately killed, regardless of whether it be a family member, or a friend with whom they were joined in the soul! Wow! I’d say God is pretty serious about how He feels about the divided allegiance and affection of His people!

God goes on to explain that once they came into the land, if there ever was a city that had hearkened unto one or more of these Satanic prophets and had begun serving other gods, the children of Israel were to come into that city and completely annihilate every person and every animal, and then gather together all of the contents and goods of the city into a big heap, burn them to the ground along with everything else in the city, and allow the ruins to forever be a reminder that there is one Lord in Israel, and Him only shalt thou serve! (Deuteronomy 5:9) “Behold the…severity of God!” (Romans 11:22)

As we move into chapter 14, Moses reminds the children of Israel that as God’s people, He intends for them to stand out from the other nations of the world because of their relentless surrender to personal holiness. (14:2) He gives clear instruction that they are not to worship like the rest of the world worships (14:1), and that even their dietary practices were to be different (peculiar) from the rest of the world. (14:3–21) The list of clean and unclean animals would separate the children of Israel from the other inhabitants of the land. Because the blood could not be removed from an animal that died of itself, the children of Israel were not to eat an animal that had already died. Notice that others could eat these animals, but not the chosen, separate people of Israel. Once again, remember that they are a picture of the individual believer! We, too, are a chosen people who have been called to be separate and holy (Titus 2:14; 1^st Peter 2:9). There may be practices that are socially and culturally accepted, that have no place in the life of God’s people.

The tithe in 14:22 is the second tithe that is commanded of the people. (Leviticus 27:30; Numbers 18:26) This tithe is a tenth of the yearly increase of their fields. It was to be brought to the place of offering that the Lord had chosen. A portion was to be eaten with rejoicing to be a reminder that everything comes from the blessing of the Lord. Notice, also, that at the end of this chapter, God also established a tithe that was to be collected once every three years to create what might be called a “welfare system” to support the fatherless, the widows, and the “strangers” (foreigners) who had no land upon which to grow food or derive an income.

Chapter 15 provides added instruction to the requirements regarding the infamous “seventh year” described in Exodus 23 and Leviticus 25. Not only was the land to rest in the seventh year, but debts were to be forgiven as well! God wanted to make sure that in this new theocratic nation (a nation whose Supreme Ruler is God), the poor and the needy were never taken advantage of, or brought under the yoke of bondage to others. The Lord reminds the children of Israel of how they were in bondage in Egypt; and how He had released and redeemed them. When Israel came into the land of promise, God wanted to be sure that His treatment of Israel was to become the standard by which they treated others who were being oppressed. In 15:7–15, Moses lays out God’s instruction concerning generosity to the poor. Oh, may we never forget our Lord Jesus Christ’s generosity toward us when we were spiritually poor!

Chapter 15 ends with instruction concerning the consecration of the firstborn males of the herd or flock. Moses tells them that they were to be sanctified, or “set apart”, for the Lord. Note, that if the animal was to be offered as a sacrifice to the Lord, it necessitated that it be completely “without blemish” because it is an obvious picture of our Lord Jesus Christ who was “a lamb without blemish and without spot. (1^st Peter 1:19)

In chapter 16, God reminds the children of Israel to be sure they continued the observance of the passover even after they came in to the land. The passover served as a reminder to Israel that their deliverance from the bondage of Egypt was through the blood of the passover lamb. It is the Old Testament equivalent of the memorial feast our Lord instituted in the upper room with His disciples the night before His death. That memorial feast, that we now refer to as the Lord’s Supper, serves as a reminder to us that our deliverance from the bondage of Egypt (sin and the world) was through the blood of the true Passover lamb, our Lord Jesus Christ! (1^st Corinthians 5:7)

Note that there are actually three feasts that are described in chapter 16. The first is the passover, followed by seven days of the feast of unleavened bread. The second is the feast of weeks (sometimes referred to as the feast of harvest—Exodus 23), later to be known as pentecost. A freewill offering is to be given “according as the Lord thy God hath blessed thee.” (16:10) The third feast is the feast of tabernacles (sometimes referred to as the feast of ingathering, or feast of booths in Exodus 23; Leviticus 23; Numbers 29). This, again, is a time of giving and rejoicing. (16:15)

In 16:18–20, Moses provides instruction concerning the selection of judges and officers. Like God, judges were not to be a “respecter of persons”, nor were they to receive gifts from people. God wanted those holding these positions in Israel to be completely free to “judge righteous judgment”. (John 7:24) The chapter concludes (16:21–22) with a further admonition concerning idolatrous worship, and specifically, taking up the pagan practices of idol worship in groves of trees. God didn’t want any worldly or idolatrous practices anywhere near His altar of sacrifice and worship!

Chapter 17 gives statutes concerning the discovery and investigation of idol worship. (17:2–7) Those who were found guilty of worshipping and/or serving other gods were to be put to death. Implementing the death sentence, however, required the witness of two or more witnesses, and those witnesses must be the first ones to administer the punishment. At the end of 17:7, God explains that the reason for such harsh punishment was to rid Israel of evil.

In 17:14–20, God gives instructions for the selection of and duties of a king. At this time, God alone was Israel’s King, but He knew that in time to come, they would want a physical, tangible king like the other nations of the world. (This prophecy would come to pass some 400 years after being in the land!) God said He would concede to their wishes for a king, but said He wanted to reserve the right to be the One to choose him. God further instructed that a king in Israel must be chosen from among the children of Israel (no foreigners!) He also commanded that kings refuse to multiply to themselves: horses, wives, silver, and gold. To ensure that each king in Israel completely understood what God had written in His law, he was required to write his own copy of the law, and read it every day of his life, so that he would fear the Lord, keep His words, and do them, so that his heart wouldn’t be lifted up, and so his days could be prolonged. Oh, if only Israel’s kings would have heeded these admonitions! As those who have been made “kings” by the Lord Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:6; 5:10), we would do well to carefully consider the spirit of these instructions!

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

As THE UNBLEMISHED SACRIFICE – Deuteronomy 15:21 (1^st Peter 1:19; 2^nd Corinthians 5:21)

As THE PASSOVER LAMB – Deuteronomy 16:1 (John 1:29, 36; Revelation 5:12)

As THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGE – Deuteronomy 16:18; 17:8 (Revelation 19:11; Romans 14:10)