Deuteronomy 16:1-17:20 + Luke 9:7-27 + Psalm 72:1-20 + Proverbs 12:8-9
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Old Testament – Deuteronomy chapter 16 verse 18 is of note today: “Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in all the towns the LORD your God is giving you. They will judge the people fairly throughout the land.” After Deuteronomy comes the book of Joshua, which is followed by the book of Judges. And then… Israel won’t be satisfied with just judges. Israel will want a king…
Below is an image for Deuteronomy chapter 17 verses 8 and 9 today: “”Suppose a case arises in a local court that is too hard for you to decide–for instance, whether someone is guilty of murder or only of manslaughter, or a difficult lawsuit, or a case involving different kinds of assault. Take such cases to the place the LORD your God will choose, where the Levitical priests and the judge on duty will hear the case and decide what to do.”
New Testament – In the beginning of Luke chapter 9’s readings today we read in verse 7 – “When reports of Jesus’ miracles reached Herod Antipas, he was worried and puzzled…” This is of note. Herod was running the show in Jerusalem, and Jesus had made him worried and puzzled. Why? Maybe because in part Herod realized that he was not fully in “control” of everything as he thought he was… and I wonder about this today… Does Jesus maybe continue to make people worried and puzzled in our modern world today? Is it perhaps because, like Herod, we get worried and puzzled about Jesus when we start to realize we are not fully in “control” of things… that maybe there is something bigger going on around us. I pray that Jesus continues to make people worried and puzzled today – such that they realize that there is someone who is truly in Control and one to whom we can truly surrender our “control” to. For, in doing so, we will find true peace, joy & happiness for eternity. Have you given the control in your life over to Jesus? If not, is now perhaps a good time for you to hand the “remote control” of your life over to Jesus? Will you?
Verses 23 through 26 are so amazing and I cannot personally read and meditate upon these verses often enough. They are beautifully convicting me once again today… “”If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life. And how do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose or forfeit your own soul in the process? If a person is ashamed of me and my message, I, the Son of Man, will be ashamed of that person when I return in my glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels.” Putting aside our selfish ambition… this is tough folks! I know I am still struggling to do this. I still have so much selfish ambition within me… but, I am thankful that through Christ and through learning to carry our cross each day – slowly though surely it may be – our ambition will be morphed from selfish into godly. We know we are arriving closer and closer to true life when we care about the things God cares about. When we think about the things God thinks about. When we are ambitious for the things God is ambitious about. How are you doing with selfish ambition in your life? Will you drop the things you are carrying so tightly due to your selfish ambition, so that you can instead take up your cross daily?
Verse 13 I found intriguing – “But Jesus said, “You feed them.”” If Jesus said this to his followers 2,000 years ago, think he might say this to us today as well? You feed them. Who might Jesus be calling you to feed in your life? Maybe feeding someone spiritually, mentally, or literally? You feed them…
Bible.org’s commentary on Luke chapter 9’s readings today titled “The Training of the Twelve” is at this link, and another commentary titled “The Cross and Christianity” is at this link.
Psalms – I’ll admit. I pay attention every single time the Bible talks about serving the poor. And it is a lot. And I think it is for a reason. Here it is again in Psalm 72 verses 12 & 13, speaking about Israel’s king – “He will rescue the poor when they cry to him; he will help the oppressed, who have no one to defend them. He feels pity for the weak and the needy, and he will rescue them.”
Verse 20 tells us – “This ends the prayers of David son of Jesse.” And below is a painting of an older King David… perhaps playing a Psalm he wrote…?
Proverbs – Proverbs 12:8 today teaches us: “Everyone admires a person with good sense, but a warped mind is despised.” Let us pray for consistent good sense in our lives! A warped mind is a sad state of affairs indeed…
Worship Video: Our readings in Psalm 72 remind me of the fantastic Third Day song “Revelation:”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6u0P9kwfF4s
Do you need a Revelation from God? Click here for His Revelation!
Please join us in memorizing and meditating on three verses of Scripture today: “Then Jesus said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for you to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit your very self? “ Luke 9:23-25 TNIV
Prayer Point: Pray that you truly want to be a disciple of Jesus. Pray that you will deny yourself, take up your cross daily and follow Jesus. Pray that you will not lose your soul by seeking to gain the whole world.
Comments from You & Questions of the Day: Based on Psalm 72 verses 12 & 13, what about us today? Does this Psalm speak to us? Do we rescue the poor when they cry to us? (do we even listen for their cry?) Do we help the oppressed and those who have no one to defend them? Do we feel pity for the weak and needy? Do we rescue them? Do I? Do you? Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
God bless,
Mike
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.
p.s. #2 – Download a schedule of our Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
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BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
(our Group Bible Study is below! : )
======= Ramona:
Deuteronomy 16-17:20
Today a phrase in the first verse of chapter sixteen caught my imagination, “for that was when the LORD your God brought you out of Egypt by night” Something exploded in my spirit, an understanding, a knowing and it gave me great peace.
It is in the deep, in the darkest part of the night when our deliverance comes. When there is false light, dim light, we struggle to make a our way using the five senses. Then when the dimly lit areas of our lives loose all light, it is then and only then that we turn and rely on something other than ourselves because we have exhausted all natural hope. We either turn to God or we continue to believe the lies of the devil and remain in our sin. It was in the darkness of the grave that Jesus secured victory over death and the grave and brought us into freedom. (I Corinthians 15:55-56). It is in the light of God’s Word that we relinquish our fear of death and darkness that is in the grave because Jesus has wrought for us such a great salvation.
Hebrews 2: 14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death–that is, the devil– 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
So when we find ourselves in the dark, when we see the death of our finances, death of relationships, as our lives and social structures we have carved out for ourselves slowly crumble and takes its last gasp of air, be of good cheer because deliverance is near. Weeping may endure for the night but joy comes in the morning light, and that morning light is Jesus.
When the things in my life are falling apart, God is up to something.
Luke 9:7-27
Picking up on Mike’s comments on being in “control,” I think humans feel comfortable and at ease when we think we are in control. It seems that controlling people are out of control in their personal lives and out of control people are controlling. Herod had his little kingdom and he exercised his “control” by taking off John the Baptist head. Now, as far as he knew John might be walking around again. Guilt and his out of control hedonistic behavior, as recorded by historians, tormented him and caused his confusion. This man Herod who could not keep his base appetites under control found out he wasn’t in control of everything in his little kingdom.
Psalm 72:1-20
1 Give justice to the king, O God,
and righteousness to the king’s son.
Since Solomon is listed as the writer of this Psalm, I wonder whom he was writing about? Inspired by the Holy Spirit did he know that this Psalm points to Jesus as the “king” that he wants God to give justice too?
Proverbs 12:8-9
8 Everyone admires a person with good sense,
O, to have good sense! I don’t think it is a bad thing to want to be admired as long as we use the model that used “good sense,” instead of the fleeting fame that comes with having a warped mind. Think dirty mouth comedians.
Grace and peace,
Ramona
======= Caryn:
I seem to consistently be a day behind, which is why you haven’t heard from me in a while, but I really want to share how Psalm 71 (from yesterday) became a reality for me last year.
I work for Social Services (government) visiting disabled people in the community. As always, when working with people, one encounters wonderful people and not-so-nice people. One service user and her husband and daughter became very angry with me for asking questions relating to her disability (I later concluded she had felt intimidated because of an expressive speech deficit that had not been apparent to me, that had frustrated her in trying to answer the very detailed questions I was asking). To cut a long story short, the visit ended badly with the family shouting at me and me having to leave the house. I felt very attacked and distressed by it all.
Then God gave me Psalm 71. I prayed it as my prayer, asking God to be my safe place, to deliver me “from the grasp of … cruel men” and to “let me never be put to shame”. In all honesty, in my raw emotion, I was quite happy to also pray “may those who want to harm me be covered with scorn and disgrace”. And it was quite difficult to praise God in the midst of it all. I wasn’t exactly feeling praisey.
Anyway, God heard, and protected me with a manager who was completely supportive of me (a refuge of sorts), and the “enemy” was completely “covered with scorn and disgrace” and thrown into confusion when two separate family members phoned my manager to complain, swore at her, and each had a different story! My reputation was consequently well preserved as well – my report of the incident was given added credibility as a result of their confusion.
God didn’t leave it there. The slate was completely cleared (by the family) and I had to learn the difficult lesson of forgiveness, and go back, and carry on where I left off, and continue to help the family.
I really am able to praise God for this experience, and “tell of [His] righteous acts”. God is good.
Caryn
======= Luch:
Caryn, what a neat story of how God used Psalm 71 to encourage you. I too prayed through Psalm 71 yesterday, especially focusing on verse 18 “Evne when I am old and gray (I’m ‘only’ 52) do not forsake, O God, till I declare your power to the NEXT GENERATION, your might to all WHO ARE TO COME.” No matter how old we we are God calls us to keep on investing in those younger than us, and that means, for me, being faithful to communicate in practical ways how God has been with me, and how He continues to be with. Isn’t it amazing that God allows us to instruments of hope to those who are fearful of the future!!!
Regarding today’ readings, I couldn’t help but camp out on Deuteronomy 17:18-20 where the king of Israel is given his priority responsibility as he leads the lead and that’s to ‘write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law….It is to be with him, and he is to READ IT ALL THE DAYS OF HIS LIFE SO THAT HE MAY LEARN TO REVERE THE LORD HIS GOD AND FOLOW CAREFULLY ALL THE WORDS OF THIS LAW…AND not consider himself better than his brothers…” Can you imagine if all governmental leaders and spiritual leaders took this teaching to heart. Wow!! Talk about a sweeping renewal across the nations. But alas, we will see later in Kings how solomon violated all of the laws God laid out, and he fell into sin that divided the kingdom, all because he didn’t heed these commandments.
Luch
======= Ramona:
Luch,
You don’t have to go back to Solomon to see which kings violated that law, try Saul and even David before him.
I’m going to try to remember to keep in mind these verse from Deut. when we get into 1st and 2nd Samuel, Kings and Chronicles.
Ramona
======= Peggy:
In Luke 9 verse 7 reading today I realized that, when we are feeling puzzled or worried about a situation or problem we basiclly are saying, “God this problem is too big for you”. We seem to have this false belief that we are in control. It is only when we let go and let God, that we see the truth. We have no conrrol over anything. What peace I feel when I finally let go and let Him do His job. Have a blessed day. Peggy
======= Richard:
Hi Gang. Mike’s point re: how we view the poor is very powerful. I think too often that politics and the “will to do what is right” gets in the way of the holistic rescue of the disadvantaged these days. I love Mathew 9:36 that records…
“Jesus, at the sight of the crowds, was moved with pity”. He was MOVED with pity. How often to we just toss down buck to a needy person and then move on to the “greater task” in our daily routine, forgetting all about this person one minute later. Can we take a moment to be MOVED just as the Teacher was. Can we look into the eyes of this man and see God’s spirit no matter how deep down it may seem. My frustration is walking in a major inter city. Just stepping outside for a coffee can be time consuming if we are to be moved with each person found along the way. This indicates to me that we are helping but not making the issue “go away”. Pope Benedict in his Lenten speach points out that it is no longer right to just “Do” for the poor. Be have lost the ability to “believe” in charity and started to “provide” charity (going through the motions) without thought to a divine authority. If I were a person lacking means and someone had a buck in one hand and “hope” in the other…I know wich one I’d choose. Hey…have a great day!
Richard
======= Laura:
Richard, I must say that the points you expressed were very well said. Most of the poor have no hope. Hope, really is the primary issue here. I live in a town with a high employment rate, lots of welfare, homelessness and poverty. I see panhandlers standing outside my place of employment daily. Handing them money doesn’t really help the situation. I think a better option would be to give them food or take them to lunch. Often times the money is used for drugs, cigarettes and alcohal. Other times panhandlers really are not lacking anything at all but choose not to work.
We have a man that stands on a street corner with his dog to gain sympathy from passers by. I’ve been told by someone in town, that followed him home one day, that he is pretty well off. He ownes a vehicle, a home and doesn’t appear to live in poverty at all. This gentleman even takes breaks and vacations. I’ve heard that the dog has more dog food than he can eat in a life time. As far as emloyment is concerned, others have told me that they have offered him a job and he refused. God has a lot of work to do with those who lack hope and Godly values that He has provided us with according to His word.
I have always had the heart to give and help those in need. One solution is to help out at a local rescue mission where spiritual food is provided as well.
Caryn: Great story of the way that you applied Psalms 71 to your life. Thanks for sharing. I work with the public too, in retail. I have to daily suppress my feelings and apply empathy and understanding to those who are rude, selfish and abrasive. And I am not just talking about the customers either. I have to daily remember to meditate on God’s word and take up my cross. I have to constantly remember to forgive others as He has forgiven me. I’ve learned that there are many more good customers and co-workers than there are bad. I always see the works of God and his will accomplished. I have to hold onto the thought that He will have ultimate victory in the end, it is just up to me to trust Him.
Blessings all, have a great day
Laura
======= Pam:
Also Prov 12:9 speaks to me:
Proverbs 12:9 Better to be a nobody and have a servant then to pretend to be somebody and have no food.
It is a shame to pretend to be important, running up debt to: drive the best ride, wear the best clothes, have the coolest new phone/mp3 player or charge up meals out on a card – then have not enough money to pay a tenth of your income to the Lord – who owns it all to begin with. From my personal experience, I have had plenty, I have had nothing, I have built up a great debt, lost a small fortune, even been told I had it all. Nothing compares with living humbly before God and serving Him!
Pam
====== Margaret:
The thing that struck me today in the NT is that Jesus “blessed the food” before he fed the 5000. Perhaps that act is how we get our tradition of praying before the meals.
I title 12% and give some to my local church and some to other Christian organizations that help with feeding as well as other physical needs of people.
Margaret
======== Elizabeth:
Hello Everyone,
Thinking about Deuteronomy today, I find it interesting that the witnesses are the first to physically have a hand in putting the accused to death:
“At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death. The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So thou shalt put the evil away from among you.” -Deuteronomy 17: 6-7
There is a sense of things coming full circle with this type of system–it’s a fair system but also intensely personal. I can’t help think about how different things are in our culture, where everything is handled by the state so impersonally. I’m not drawing any conclusions here—just noticing the difference,
Elizabeth
====== Eric:
I really liked the ending of this Psalm. especially the phrase “may the whole earth be filled with his glory.” What a great statement. This does seem some to be a key reason for why we all are here.
Eric
======= David:
Hi,
This is David.
Sorry I could not comment on all who wrote about my vision of Demons. I was a bit tied up. Thanks to those who prayed for my family and myself. I do appreciate the prayers. Thanks Deedee.
To Raeann,
I don’t know if your comment about faith was addressed to me but in case it was, seeing Demons or Angels have nothing to do with faith. The only thing I could say is that I used to be skeptical,I am not anymore. Seeing demons give new meaning to “blessed are those do not see but yet believe”.
To Melanie,
Do not pray that anyone should be challenged by Demons. It did not scare me to be a better Christian or anything like that. The first thing I tried to do was to pray and fast, which is usually easy for me, some how became quite difficult, I was not able to fast and I still have trouble up to now. Then the more serious attacks came.
Maybe all of us are being challenged by these forces but for some reason they decided to tell me first. The only true weapon against them is to cling to Jesus.
David
======= Dee:
Amen, Amen, and thanks David for your comments! I do pray that you are clinging and having a clearer vision of what God is showing you and eventually with all devils/demons, it says in the Bible, Resist the Devil and He will flee you! James 4:7
On Todays Deuteronomy, I liked first of all the opening line in my Life Application NLT Bible: of Ch 16: “In honor of the Lord your God, the Passover each year in the early spring, in the month of Abib, for that was the month in which the Lord your God brought you out of Egypt by night. I liked it first because it parellels with the time of season we are in now and the timeframes are always so neat how God works out our bible lessons to fit into our very “season” we are living in our lives, plus it being resurrection week, Passion Week, Good Friday..that sort of thing, it is a great remembrance to us God’s Children of what He has done in our lives and blessed us so, from our own bondages of guilt, shame, misery and we are no longer under the influence and captivity of the devil, but are freed because of the cross, because of Jesus! That is a shout of victory indeed! : )
I also liked the ending notes of todays Ch 17:19-20, “He must always keep that copy with him and read it daily as long as he lives. That way he will learn to fear the Lord his God by obeying all the terms of these instructions and decrees. This regular reading will prevent him from becoming proud and acting as if he is above his fellow citizens. It will prevent him from turning away from these commands in the smallest way.”
I know that the verses above were talking about the time and place when Israelites will elect a king amongst them. They will become suspicious and want what other nations have when they have the one and true King of Kings among them now, but anyway, I look at our lives and think that this read is quite essential for the average “Joe” today! We should read the Bible daily lest we slip and fall and become proud or arrogant and when we read the Bible daily it humbles us and lets us see that Without God we can do nothing, but with Him all things are possible to him that believe. “Mark 9:23
Commenting on Mikes subject of serving the poor, and do we help or feel a need to help the poor in our community, Yesterdays reading in Chapter 15 of Deuteronomy which I didn’t get a chance to post, has in it, verse 11 and it speaks about: “There will always be some in the land who are poor. That is why I am commanding you to share freely with the poor and with other Israelites in need.” In my foot notes, its speaks that God told the Israelites to help the poor among them when they arrived in the Promised Land. This was an important part of possessing the land. Many people conclude that people are poor through some fault of their own. This kind of reasoning makes it easy to close their hearts and hands to the needy. But we are not to invent reasons for ignoring the poor. We are to respond to their needs no matter who or what was responsible for their condition.
We have a ministry at our church, and we call it “Deuteronomy 15:11” because like the verses say, there will always be poor people amongst us and though the needs are great and sometimes its just not talking about no food, it is talking about spiritual, mental, emotional food also..we are supposed to support them and help them and show the Love of Christ. Before doing this ministry I was oblivious to the ones in my own community who were dirt poor, selling theirselves on the street, selling what little clothes they had for food and sometimes drugs too, but I truly believe that is the kind of people Jesus ministered to, the druggies, prostitutes, blind, lame, demon-possessed, the “fleshly” diseases that eat away at us..and yes I have been faced with some that need help so bad but pride gets in the way of their getting help and that to is something we have to face, but when we do our part no matter how little it may seem, God will do a mighty work in the one who is doing the giving and that is what I get the greatest satisfaction of, knowing I was a blessing and the reciprocal affect of Have a need, sow a seed, principle! Try it, you will be suprised at how much joy you recieve because of it.
Dee
======= Raeann:
This is a TEMPORARY farewell, I am in the process of moving. I will be off of ONE YEAR BIBLE regretably for at least a week, hopefully not to much longer then this, I will miss everyone on ONE YEAR BIBLE. Have a WONDERFUL HOLY week everyone.
Raeann
======= Ramona:
Deuteronomy 16:1-17:20
I’m trying to make out, if anything, the significance of the three festivals that ALL men in Israel were commanded to celebrate in the place that God designates, Passover (Pesach), Festival of Harvest (Shavu’ot), and the Festival of Shelters (Sukkot). The last two, Shavu’ot and Sukkot, the two Harvest Festivals, were celebrations AFTER the Harvest was taken in. I’ve noticed that there is nothing mentioned to celebrate the seeds being planted, unless it is there and I’ve just overlooked it, but there is celebration when the crops are brought in. Mike made mentioned on the 27th of March regarding Deut. 8:10, “When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you.” That here, the blessing or grace was given after not before the meal. We by tradition ask God’s blessing and grace on the food we are about to eat; however, both in the tenth verse, in the eighth chapter of Deut and here in the 16th verse, the food, the volume of the harvest is guaranteed if they keep God’s commands. The results, the fruit from the sowing, is where our thanks and celebrations belongs.
In wondering why this is, I’m thinking is there a potential for us to try and manipulate God to do what we want if we hold a prayer meeting when we are putting the seeds in the ground? If out “steps” are ordered by God, then the starting is not as important to us as the completion. When we follow God ordered steps to completion and we celebrate, that is our witness to the Word that there is a God. Are we negating God’s benevolence toward us if we fuss and fret about the “seeds” we sow? I am not putting forth a Doctrine, but I am thinking about what I do as a matter of habit without thinking, “What does God want me to do based on His Word?”
For all Believers, we have become heirs, adopted into the Family of God. As a parent, what I do for my children in raising them up in the way that they should go is not a privilege to them but an obligation. The children didn’t ask to be born, the parents gave birth to them out of the consequence of their actions. It now becomes the role of the parent, once their children our conceived, to provide food, clothing and shelter as well as guidance. The gratitude of the children comes AFTER the meal is provided, while living in the shelter that is over their head, after investing in the children’s future and sending them on their way into the world—etc. God is our Father and thus He is obligated to feed and clothe us, and we are obligated to Thank Him for doing it so well.
Grace and peace,
Ramona
======= Bobbie:
I pray , O, God that when I’m out of Control situation please control me. Thank you once again for the great message you have delivered to us. A Great reminder for me to go on the ambition of God than to my ambition. I have so much ambition that made arrived to frustration, but I thank God, because He do not allow me to go on my selfish ambition.
Bobbie
======= Robert:
Luke 9: 20
I always love this scripture because Jesus must always be our own personal discovery and Peter answers perfectly:
“But what about you? Jesus asked. Who do you say I am?
Peter answered, “The Christ of God”. “
This stirs up memories of my personal confession and belief that I was brought up in the Lutheran Church that is said every Sunday.
The Apostles Creed.
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again
to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen
Robert
======= Nancy:
Selfish ambition reminds me of a cartoon skit possibly on Electric Company years ago. It was a child that kept holding on to things, saying “my radio, my… fill in the blank. She was so weighted down she fell thru the floor & proceeded to say, “my furnace, my….
Sadly we can be so weighted done by our stuff.
Nancy
======= John:
Psalm 72
At first I thought this was just a grandiose exaggerated psalm to express the great hopes and desires for Solomon’s reign. Something that you might expect coming out of other major World powers back in the day (Egypt,Persia,Greece, Rome, etc.)
It is my understanding that out of 260+ citings of Old Testament in the New Testament, around 120 were from the Psalms. Psalm 72 is not cited in the New Testament.
Yet if we look at how John MacArthur (in his Bible Commentary) breaks down the Psalm – you have:
Just Reign (v. 1-4)
Universal Reign (v. 5-11)
Compassionate Reign (v. 12-14)
Prosperous Reign (v. 15-17)
Glorious Reign (v. 18-20)
That would be pretty lofty aspirations for any earthly King. Let alone the flawed characters we see (and will see) in the Bible. Yet, it would be perfectly compatible with Jesus’ reign as the fulfillment of the Davidic covenant.
Perhaps, as so often happens in the Messianic Psalms, the writer goes from earthly references to Messianic references. Or at least the two are interchangeable.
V. 20
“This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse.”
Some commentators say this is a closing for the Second book of Psalms. Yet, while the other four closing Psalms to a Book of Psalms all end with a doxology (praise of God), none of the other four have anything like verse 20.
(Closing Psalms of each Book of Psalms: 41,72,89,106,and 150).
One way of looking at verse 20:
If it is visionary -The King’s reign described above when fulfilled by Christ would answer the prayers of David. The Reign of Christ would fulfill the Davidic Covenant, and provide reconciliation and restoration to the World. In the sense that David sees this vision of the “King” the prayers are not needed anymore and are concluded.
John
======= John:
Deut
Slavery
http://www.carm.org/questions/slavery.htm
My thoughts:
Secular people love to point out that the God of the Bible condoned slavery.
In the perfect world that God had started there would be no war, slavery, murder, rape, etc. But this is an imperfect world – and God allows mankind free will to run their lives. So, working within mankind’s framework – God set up some rules regarding slavery.
Slavery in biblical times was nothing like the concept of slavery over the last few hundred years. Slavery back then was overwhelmingly “voluntary”.
It was utilized by the poor, for families to survive. Every seventh year, the Hebrew slaves are freed. The work was not onerous, and the slaves rested on the Sabbath like the master.
What was not voluntary involved remains of a people conquered in war.
1)If the men were wiped out – what was a country to do – leave the women and children in the desert to die or be taken over by merciless people who would not treat them as well as the Jews did their slaves.
2) If remnants of men were still alive – would you leave them to grow in population and hate and come after you at a later date? Or take them as slaves that you treat humanely.
Not one person that you talk to that objects to slavery in the OT understands what God’s wishes are in the matter, nor understands the culture of the time regarding slavery, treatment of slaves, and alternatives to slavery.
If you feel like researching this more – or just want a link to send people with “slavery/Bible issues – try this one. WARNING: It is a loooong article.
http://www.christian-thinktank.com/qnoslave.html
John
======= Vance:
Deuteronomy 16 (NKJV)
5
“You may not sacrifice the Passover within any of your gates which the LORD your God gives you;
6
but at the place where the LORD your God chooses to make His name abide, there you shall sacrifice the Passover at twilight, at the going down of the sun, at the time you came out of Egypt.
~~~
It strikes me, once again, how prophetic about the Perfect Lamb of God the historical account of the Passover is. Thus, also prophetic are the celebrations of the historical Passover.
verse 5
“You may not sacrifice the Passover within any of your gates…”
MAN MAY NOT PICK the place of the passover offering. In like manner, man could not pick the place of the Perfect, Complete Passover.
THE CHOSEN PLACE BY GOD: Outside the city — rejected, despised, and alone.
Rejected, despised, and alone AS OUR SUBSTITUTE.
Then, in the Lord Jesus we are accepted, rejoiced in, and in fellowship AS HE IS OUR REPRESENTATIVE.
verse 6
“but at the place where the LORD your God chooses to make His name abide, there you shall sacrifice the Passover at twilight…”
GOD HAS CHOSEN TO PLACE HIS NAME IN JESUS – IN THE CROSS AND RESURRECTION.
Jesus said, “When I am lifted up, I will draw all men to myself.”
Vance
