Protection – Page 3 – Be Still…

Deuteronomy 20:1-20 – Combat Ready

This was an interesting passage in terms of fighting battles. In general, the people of God, Israel was not a warlike nation; they were rather to avoid warfare and seek peace. We could easily take some of what was said here and apply it to non-combat type battles in life as well. God knew the people were going to face all sorts of battles and combat in overtaking and protecting the land promised to them. They needed to understand the who, the why, and the how. Did anything surprise you in today’s reading?

There were some interesting “outs” listed for those getting ready to fight. Fear was one of them. I had to wonder if there would be any people left willing to fight. But God’s promise was to be with them. Even the priests were to come and address the troops with encouragement, reminding them, “the Lord your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and he will give you victory!”

Deuteronomy 19:14-21 – Concern for Justice

Read Deuteronomy 19:14-21

The Ten Commandments with bibles on a black background

When they say, “Moses gave the law,” it’s true. Here is another fine example of some of the specifics God chose to offer the people. A couple present day examples come to mind. Do you ever notice how the “terms of service” go on and on when you sign up for something? Think of the side effects of a prescription medication or the warnings that come with a new purchase. That’s because the company is covering their tush, or that such things have happened and it’s likely they will happen again. That is especially true with the warning labels on products. Someone has gotten hurt, sued the company, and now the company has to be clear on their packaging to be careful not to be stupid when using the product.

I apologize if I ruffled your feathers here with my bluntness. I suppose after years of being a paralegal I have seen it all. The crazy situations people get themselves into and then want to blame the other person never ceases to amaze me. A good lawyer will look at a situation and assess the negligence in an instant. If a person is wrongfully injured because of the negligence of another, then by all means, justice should be served. Moses is giving more examples of how justice can be served here in the new land.

Deuteronomy 16:9-17 – More Festivals

Read Deuteronomy 16:9-17

In our last reading, we spoke of the Passover, also known as the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The two festivals in today’s reading are also still celebrated today, although there are different names associated with them, too. I’m impressed that these traditions have stood the test of time and people are still serious about honoring God during the festival times. Jewish people take their religion very seriously and are careful to keep the ancient traditions alive.

As Christians, we will soon be celebrating the season of Pentecost in our churches. While this is another name for the Festival of Weeks, in Jewish circles it is now called Shauvot. You may recall, for us, this is when the Holy Spirit filled the disciples after Jesus had ascended. There were a lot of people filling the town of Jerusalem. They were all gathering and bringing their offerings, their “first fruits,” to God for the Festival of Weeks. Fun fact, of the thousands of people who came to the Lord that day were also the “first fruits” of the believers yet to come.

Deuteronomy 4:1-14 – Never Forget

Read Deuteronomy 4:1-14

There have been many things in our lives that we want to forget, particularly bad experiences, hurts, and abuses. But we should always hold dear those memories we have of learning about God, witnessing God in action, and hearing God’s voice. Moses has spent the first 3 chapters of Deuteronomy walking his audience (and now us) down memory lane. As his sermon to the Israelites continues. He is cautioning them in preparation for their new life.

Moses reminds the people of what they have witnessed. I wouldn’t think it would be easy to forget, yet new generations are born and need to be told. Traditions and beliefs have been passed down over the ages. Moses sets it up beautifully by saying, “Obey them completely, and you will display your wisdom and intelligence among the surrounding nations. When they hear all these decrees, they will exclaim, ‘How wise and prudent are the people of this great nation!’ For what great nation has a god as near to them as the Lord our God is near to us whenever we call on him?” Don’t we all want to look wise. Shouldn’t we all want God to get the credit?

Deuteronomy 2:26-37 – Victory!

Read Deuteronomy 2:26-37

I always love to see how God rewards his faithful people and helps them be victorious. Moses’ recollection of these triumphant events gives us reason to cheer! The people trusted. It wasn’t the people’s might that won the battle but God’s hand of guidance and assistance.

Let’s take a closer look. We already know that God had told the people to avoid conflict with Ammonites and Moabites. Those were distant relatives; a people God had chosen to bless and protect. The protection went both ways. Moses reminds them that they were able to pass through these regions in safety because of God’s blessing.