Deuteronomy – Page 6

Deuteronomy 19:1-13 – Safe Haven

Oops! There are no do-overs where death is concerned. When you’re dead, you’re dead. We hear often of people cleaning their guns and accidentally killing themselves or others. Or hunting accidents with some mishap where a friend is killed instead of the coveted deer. In times like those, there is not only guilt and anguish, but often times jail time or a tarnished record to deal with. Today’s passage has a solution for those situations where no malice or evil intent is present.

God wanted three cities in a “district” or region to be set aside as safe havens for those types of offenders. God did not see these people as guilty of murder, and he wanted to provide the a refuge of safety. You can imagine the loved ones of those killed would not be so full of grace and mercy. By protecting the “not guilty” one, he was also protecting others from acting in a fury of revenge which would make them guilty of murder.

Deuteronomy 18:15-22 – True or False?

Read Deuteronomy 18:15-22

I love the picture here of God giving the people what they asked for. They wanted to hear from God, but they didn’t want to hear his message directly again. It had really scared them in the wilderness. They thought they were going to die. Moses had become that spokesperson, but he wasn’t making the trek into the promised land with them. God would raise up another prophet or many others.

How would they know if it was a true prophet or just a false imposter? This is the answer. “If the prophet speaks in the Lord’s name but his prediction does not happen or come true, you will know that the Lord did not give that message.” Depending on the prophecy, it might take days, months, or years to know if a prophecy was from God. That could seem like a lifetime to be following the wrong message.

Deuteronomy 18:9-14 – Holy Living

Read Deuteronomy 18:9-14

What God wants more than anything is for us to stay focused on him. Period. God knew the people were going to cross into the promised land and be surrounded by all kinds of evil. He had to call it out here in this passage. When we don’t know something is bad for us, we can get into trouble. I think of the child burning his hand on the stove because his mom didn’t warn him it was going to be hot.

The word “detestable” is pretty strong. In the King James and the ESV the word is “abomination.” According to the Google dictionary, the Biblical meaning of detestable is synonymous to abomination or “exceptionally loathsome, hateful, sinful, wicked, or vile.” Do you think this will stop the people or will that make it even more of an enticement?

Deuteronomy 18:1-8 – Take Care of Your Priests

Read Deuteronomy 18:1-8

I wonder why God chose the Levites to be tribe appointed as priests. Levi wasn’t the first born of Jacob but the third to Leah. And interesting that the Levites received no land as the other descendants did. Instead, their inheritance was much richer. “The Lord himself is their special possession, just as he promised them.” That is a precious inheritance to be sure. God’s hand of protection was upon them.

I wonder if that’s why some churches moved to having parsonages for pastors. That is, a home provided by the church. It makes perfect sense to me. If those men of God are leading the church, similar to the Levites they would be cared for by the people. Having lived in a parsonage, I know the honor I felt for having that provided for us.

Deuteronomy 17:14-20 – If You Want To Be A King

Read Deuteronomy 17:14-20

It is clear that God intends for the king to be a godly man. There are expectations set in place that will set him apart, but at the same time keep him humble. Does that make sense? No multiple wives, no excessive riches, no stables full of horses. The job description of king doesn’t sound all that appealing if you are someone who is arrogant and seeking power to move ahead your own agenda.

God intends for the kings to stay true to their heritage of faith. To be a good king, then, they should be in direct communication with God every day, reading God’s instruction daily so he doesn’t go astray. Note the passage says the king “must copy for himself this body of instruction on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests.” It’s not just reading the law, it’s writing it down, in your own hand. There’s something powerful that happens when you rewrite words. It’s a “brain hack” you might say.