February 14 - Deuteronomy 14-17
Whether it is during the Old Covenant or the New Covenant, God's people should live by a different set of principles because of our relationship with God. That relationship should effect all we do. Moses reminds the people of many of those things in these chapters. God's people should not mourn for the dead as those who have no hope. We should not disfigure our bodies to show excessive grief. We should eat healthy, because we realize our Father has a design even in the foods we eat. We should rejoice in the Lord as we give our offerings to the Lord. The Lord always loves a cheerful giver. We should remember the poor and those indebted to us, and not act with greed toward them, but with mercy. Other people should be able to see God's people act in love toward everyone around them.
Moses reminds the Israelites about the feasts of the Lord and the importance of worshiping God alone. The emphasis in each feast is on rejoicing before the Lord. It reminds me of Paul's admonition to rejoice always. God called for all Israel to gather before Him three times a year for a time of rejoicing in His goodness. We must constantly count our blessings from the Lord and realize that He is the one who sustains us.
Finally, there are some commands for the kings who would rule them in the future. The one that sticks out to me is the requirement for the king to write out a copy of the Law for himself and to read it all the days of his life. Instead of just reading the Law, he is to copy it word by word with his own hand. That would make a big impression. He would not be able to ignore a single word. Maybe that is what we need to do sometimes. Perhaps, we should copy the word and read it over and over again until we have memorized it. This shows that God knows what it takes for us to have His word in our hearts.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Deuteronomy 18-20.
Moses reminds the Israelites about the feasts of the Lord and the importance of worshiping God alone. The emphasis in each feast is on rejoicing before the Lord. It reminds me of Paul's admonition to rejoice always. God called for all Israel to gather before Him three times a year for a time of rejoicing in His goodness. We must constantly count our blessings from the Lord and realize that He is the one who sustains us.
Finally, there are some commands for the kings who would rule them in the future. The one that sticks out to me is the requirement for the king to write out a copy of the Law for himself and to read it all the days of his life. Instead of just reading the Law, he is to copy it word by word with his own hand. That would make a big impression. He would not be able to ignore a single word. Maybe that is what we need to do sometimes. Perhaps, we should copy the word and read it over and over again until we have memorized it. This shows that God knows what it takes for us to have His word in our hearts.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Deuteronomy 18-20.