Bible Reading Plan

Category: Deuteronomy

  • Deuteronomy 26

    Deuteronomy 26

    Read Deuteronomy 26

    Firstfruits and Tithes

    26 When you have entered the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance and have taken possession of it and settled in it, 2 take some of the firstfruits of all that you produce from the soil of the land the Lord your God is giving you and put them in a basket. Then go to the place the Lordyour God will choose as a dwelling for his Name 3 and say to the priest in office at the time, “I declare today to the Lord your God that I have come to the land the Lord swore to our ancestors to give us.” 4 The priest shall take the basket from your hands and set it down in front of the altar of the Lordyour God. 5 Then you shall declare before the Lord your God: “My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down into Egypt with a few peopleand lived there and became a great nation, powerful and numerous. 6 But the Egyptians mistreated us and made us suffer, subjecting us to harsh labor. 7 Then we cried out to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our misery, toil and oppression. 8 So the Lordbrought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders. 9 He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey; 10 and now I bring the firstfruits of the soil that you, Lord, have given me.” Place the basket before the Lord your God and bow down before him. 11 Then you and the Levitesand the foreigners residing among you shall rejoice in all the good things the Lord your God has given to you and your household.

    12 When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied. 13 Then say to the Lord your God: “I have removed from my house the sacred portion and have given it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, according to all you commanded. I have not turned aside from your commands nor have I forgotten any of them. 14 I have not eaten any of the sacred portion while I was in mourning, nor have I removed any of it while I was unclean, nor have I offered any of it to the dead. I have obeyed the Lord my God; I have done everything you commanded me. 15 Look down from heaven, your holy dwelling place, and bless your people Israel and the land you have given us as you promised on oath to our ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey.”

    Follow the Lord’s Commands

    16 The Lord your God commands you this day to follow these decrees and laws; carefully observe them with all your heart and with all your soul. 17 You have declared this day that the Lord is your God and that you will walk in obedience to him, that you will keep his decrees, commands and laws—that you will listen to him. 18 And the Lord has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands. 19 He has declared that he will set you in praise, fame and honor high above all the nations he has made and that you will be a people holy to the Lord your God, as he promised.

    Go Deeper

    In the Old Testament, one sheaf of grain was to be brought before the priests as the “first fruits” offering. No other grain could be harvested until the first fruit offering was brought before the Lord (Leviticus 23:9-14). The offering served as a reminder to the Israelites that God delivered them out of slavery, and He blessed them with a land flowing with milk and honey. It was also an expression of trust and faith that the rest of the harvest would come to pass.  

    In the New Testament, instead of a sheath of grain, the first fruits offering is found in Jesus. “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20). Just as the first fruit offering paved the way, through faith, for a plentiful harvest to come, Jesus’ resurrection paved the way, through faith, for our resurrection to come.   

    While we are no longer obliged to tangibly give of our first fruits, we can learn a valuable lesson from the first fruit offering.    

    We like to make sure we take care of ourselves and then give what we have left. It is much more difficult to give first to God. Giving first costs us something. Yet the first fruit offering calls the Israelites to do just that—to give the first of their crop. Imagine how difficult this must have been for the Israelites, who for so long dreamt of dwelling in the Promised Land, free from the hands of the Egyptians. They finally reap a harvest and are commanded to give.      

    The act of giving an offering to God serves as a reminder of His character of deliverance and provision, and as an opportunity to rejoice for all He has done. He wants to be the first place in our hearts. He wants to be before all that we do. He wants our trust and faith to rest in Him. By giving to Him first, we remind ourselves of what He has done for us, what He will do for us, and who He is to us. We express our trust and faith in Him. Everything else we do is just an overflow of our hearts being surrendered to Him. For “everything comes from God; everything exists by His power; and everything is intended for His glory” (Romans 11:36).

    Questions

    1. If you were to answer honestly, does God come first in your life? If not, how can He become first?
    2. What does the first fruit offering reveal to you? 
    3. How can you give generously of your time, talents, and treasures out of the overflow of your heart?

    Keep Digging

    To learn more about the biblical difference between tithes and offerings, check out this article.

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  • Deuteronomy 25

    Deuteronomy 25

    Read Deuteronomy 25

    25 When people have a dispute, they are to take it to court and the judgeswill decide the case, acquitting the innocent and condemning the guilty. 2 If the guilty person deserves to be beaten, the judge shall make them lie down and have them flogged in his presence with the number of lashes the crime deserves, 3 but the judge must not impose more than forty lashes. If the guilty party is flogged more than that, your fellow Israelite will be degraded in your eyes.

    4 Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.

    5 If brothers are living together and one of them dies without a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother shall take her and marry her and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her. 6 The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel.

    7 However, if a man does not want to marry his brother’s wife, she shall go to the elders at the town gate and say, “My husband’s brother refuses to carry on his brother’s name in Israel. He will not fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to me.” 8 Then the elders of his town shall summon him and talk to him. If he persists in saying, “I do not want to marry her,” 9 his brother’s widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, take off one of his sandals, spit in his face and say, “This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother’s family line.” 10 That man’s line shall be known in Israel as The Family of the Unsandaled.

    11 If two men are fighting and the wife of one of them comes to rescue her husband from his assailant, and she reaches out and seizes him by his private parts, 12 you shall cut off her hand. Show her no pity.

    13 Do not have two differing weights in your bag—one heavy, one light. 14 Do not have two differing measures in your house—one large, one small. 15 You must have accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. 16 For the Lord your God detests anyone who does these things, anyone who deals dishonestly.

    17 Remember what the Amalekites did to you along the way when you came out of Egypt. 18 When you were weary and worn out, they met you on your journey and attacked all who were lagging behind; they had no fear of God.19 When the Lord your God gives you rest from all the enemies around you in the land he is giving you to possess as an inheritance, you shall blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!

    Go Deeper

    As a society, we are familiar with the legal principles of innocence until proven guilty, acquittal of the innocent, and punishment for the guilty. God’s punishment for the guilty described in verse 2 may seem harsh compared to punishments handed down in today’s judicial system, but scripture tells us our God is just and demands action for wrongdoing. This is not the first time we learn of a just God imposing consequences. From the beginning, when God created Adam and Eve in His image and gave them free will, God has imposed consequences and justice for wrongdoing. When the serpent in Genesis 3 deceived Adam and Eve, and they broke the one rule God gave them, God imposed punishment. God does not act out of vindictiveness. Without His justice, evil would prevail and sin would run rampant.

    In his justice, God prescribed appropriate punishment that fit the level of the crime, as verses 2 and 3 illustrate. An individual found guilty was sentenced to a beating, an obsolete punishment absent from our modern correctional justice system.. The number of lashes ordered for the punishment could not exceed 40, and they had to be administered in the presence of the judge. God made this command to prevent excessive punishment, proof of His justice and fairness. 

    We learn in verses 13-16 that God called the Israelites to use the same weights and measures for buying and selling. God calls His people to be fair and honest in business dealings. We, too, are called to be honest and committed to the truth, not only in our business dealings but in our everyday life. We are a sinful people who may at times find ourselves tempted to be dishonest, but with dishonesty comes consequences.  

    Justice for all people was established through the cross. As theologian John Koessler of Moody Bible Institute observes, “This is the peculiar justice of the cross. It is God meeting His own righteous demands through the person and work of God the Son, Jesus Christ.”

    In other words, God pronounced everyone “not guilty” when He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to live a perfect life on earth for 33 years and then be beaten and nailed to a cross to die for our sins in our place. Jesus was buried and raised from the dead so that we may know God, invite Him to dwell in us through the Holy Spirit, and live with Him for eternity. Until the day comes when we join our Father in eternity, though, we continue to live in a broken world where justice is essential.  

    As we go throughout our day, let’s thank God for His Son’s ultimate payment for our sins and let our actions today reflect those of Christ.

    Questions

    1. God forgives our sins. There is nothing He doesn’t know about us, nor any action He won’t forgive. In spite of His omniscience, we are to humble ourselves and confess our sin.  What sin do you need to tell God about?
    2. Do you agree that God is just and fair? Why or why not?
    3. God’s people are called to be honest. What actions can you take to make honesty a character trait in every aspect of your life?

    By the Way

    Another topic that is mentioned in Deut. 25 pertains to Levirate marriage. You can delve into the Messiah’s diverse ancestry by reading Tamar’s story in Genesis 38 and this commentary from GotQuestions.org. 

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  • Deuteronomy 24

    Deuteronomy 24

    Read Deuteronomy 24

    24 If a man marries a woman who becomes displeasing to him because he finds something indecent about her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house, 2 and if after she leaves his house she becomes the wife of another man, 3 and her second husband dislikes her and writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house, or if he dies, 4 then her first husband, who divorced her, is not allowed to marry her again after she has been defiled. That would be detestable in the eyes of the Lord. Do not bring sin upon the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.

    5 If a man has recently married, he must not be sent to war or have any other duty laid on him. For one year he is to be free to stay at home and bring happiness to the wife he has married.

    6 Do not take a pair of millstones—not even the upper one—as security for a debt, because that would be taking a person’s livelihood as security.

    7 If someone is caught kidnapping a fellow Israelite and treating or selling them as a slave, the kidnapper must die. You must purge the evil from among you.

    8 In cases of defiling skin diseases, be very careful to do exactly as the Levitical priests instruct you. You must follow carefully what I have commanded them. 9 Remember what the Lord your God did to Miriam along the way after you came out of Egypt.

    10 When you make a loan of any kind to your neighbor, do not go into their house to get what is offered to you as a pledge. 11 Stay outside and let the neighbor to whom you are making the loan bring the pledge out to you. 12 If the neighbor is poor, do not go to sleep with their pledge in your possession.13 Return their cloak by sunset so that your neighbor may sleep in it. Then they will thank you, and it will be regarded as a righteous act in the sight of the Lord your God.

    14 Do not take advantage of a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether that worker is a fellow Israelite or a foreigner residing in one of your towns.15 Pay them their wages each day before sunset, because they are poor and are counting on it. Otherwise they may cry to the Lord against you, and you will be guilty of sin.

    16 Parents are not to be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin.

    17 Do not deprive the foreigner or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge. 18 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you from there. That is why I command you to do this.

    19 When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. 20 When you beat the olives from your trees, do not go over the branches a second time.Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow. 21 When you harvest the grapes in your vineyard, do not go over the vines again. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow.22 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt. That is why I command you to do this.

    Go Deeper

    Deuteronomy 24 covers laws regarding marriage and divorce, ceremonial laws, and consideration for people in need. God is reminding the Israelites  towards the end of this chapter of the ways that He has been faithful to them, so they are to serve others in the same way.. Verses 19-22 address the idea of not gleaning a field, but leaving it for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow. To glean means to pick up, collect, or gather. This was Israel’s welfare system. They were to leave the edges of their fields unharvested in order to protect and provide for the poor and vulnerable. Leviticus 19:9-10 says, “When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigners. I am the Lord your God.” People would pick up the leftover grain and fallen olives and grapes in order to provide for themselves. 

    Moses is reminding the Israelites of these gleaning laws for a few reasons. The first is that God values and blesses generosity towards the poor and defenseless (v. 19). Second, the Israelities are being reminded of how they were once slaves in the land of Egypt (v. 22). They were to care for the oppressed, because they were once oppressed. The Lord commanded them to do this as an act of obedience. Additionally, this command reveals God’s heart for the widow, the orphan, and the helpless. He advocates on our behalf and calls us to do the same for others. This is also symbolic of how we are all helpless in a spiritual sense. Romans 5:6 says, “At just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.” Apart from Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5). We need to turn to Jesus for our help, because He is our only hope. 

    This law is later applied in the book of Ruth and is important in the storyline. Ruth, who was a poor widow, was generously allowed to glean the fields of a Judahite man named Boaz. Boaz was so moved by her loyalty to her mother-in-law that he instructed the harvesters to go beyond the law in order to help her. In Ruth 2:15-16, Boaz says “Let her gather among the sheaves and don’t reprimand her. Even pull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up, and don’t rebuke her.” The reaping in the fields led to romance and redemption for Ruth. Boaz made her his wife, while providentially preserving the Abrahamic line as her Kinsman-Redeemer. 

    A Kinsman-Redeemer was a male relative who had the responsibility to act on behalf of a person who was in danger or in need (Leviticus 25:25). This idea of preserving the family line is outlined in the next chapter (Deuteronomy 25). Ruth, a Gentile, is in the genealogy of Jesus, and Boaz, the Kinsman-Redeemer, points to Christ. To redeem means to “buy out.” Christ is the one who paid the price for our redemption. He paid for our sins on the cross, and as believers we have been redeemed from sin and its eternal consequences. As a result of our redemption and freedom in Christ, we are to live in a way that reflects that. Our actions should evidence the faith we profess. James puts it this way: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27). We are called to serve others with our lives. We serve not to receive something, but because we have already received everything in Christ.  

    Questions

    1. What is something you learned from reading this chapter?
    2. How have you seen God’s redemption in your own life?
    3. What is one way you can serve someone today?

    Keep Digging

    Interested in learning more about the role of the Kinsman-Redeemer throughout scripture? Check out this helpful article from GotQuestions.org.

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  • Deuteronomy 23

    Deuteronomy 23

    Read Deuteronomy 23

    Exclusion From the Assembly

    23 No one who has been emasculated by crushing or cutting may enter the assembly of the Lord.

    2 No one born of a forbidden marriage nor any of their descendants may enter the assembly of the Lord, not even in the tenth generation.

    3 No Ammonite or Moabite or any of their descendants may enter the assembly of the Lord, not even in the tenth generation. 4 For they did not come to meet you with bread and water on your way when you came out of Egypt, and they hired Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in Aram Naharaim to pronounce a curse on you. 5 However, the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam but turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the Lord your God loves you. 6 Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them as long as you live.

    7 Do not despise an Edomite, for the Edomites are related to you. Do not despise an Egyptian, because you resided as foreigners in their country.8 The third generation of children born to them may enter the assembly of the Lord.

    Uncleanness in the Camp

    9 When you are encamped against your enemies, keep away from everything impure. 10 If one of your men is unclean because of a nocturnal emission, he is to go outside the camp and stay there. 11 But as evening approaches he is to wash himself, and at sunset he may return to the camp.

    12 Designate a place outside the camp where you can go to relieve yourself.13 As part of your equipment have something to dig with, and when you relieve yourself, dig a hole and cover up your excrement. 14 For the Lordyour God moves about in your camp to protect you and to deliver your enemies to you. Your camp must be holy, so that he will not see among you anything indecent and turn away from you.

    Miscellaneous Laws

    15 If a slave has taken refuge with you, do not hand them over to their master. 16 Let them live among you wherever they like and in whatever town they choose. Do not oppress them.

    17 No Israelite man or woman is to become a shrine prostitute. 18 You must not bring the earnings of a female prostitute or of a male prostitute into the house of the Lord your God to pay any vow, because the Lord your God detests them both.

    19 Do not charge a fellow Israelite interest, whether on money or food or anything else that may earn interest. 20 You may charge a foreigner interest, but not a fellow Israelite, so that the Lord your God may bless you in everything you put your hand to in the land you are entering to possess.

    21 If you make a vow to the Lord your God, do not be slow to pay it, for the Lord your God will certainly demand it of you and you will be guilty of sin.22 But if you refrain from making a vow, you will not be guilty. 23 Whatever your lips utter you must be sure to do, because you made your vow freely to the Lord your God with your own mouth.

    24 If you enter your neighbor’s vineyard, you may eat all the grapes you want, but do not put any in your basket. 25 If you enter your neighbor’s grainfield, you may pick kernels with your hands, but you must not put a sickle to their standing grain.

    Go Deeper

    Let’s just acknowledge that Deuteronomy 23 is not a pleasant chapter to read! It describes bodily functions and uncomfortable topics that we’d all prefer not to think about, much less read about in the Bible. So why did God put it here, and what are we supposed to learn from it?

    Before we dive into the specifics, let’s remember the context of ancient Israel. These laws were designed to set Israel apart from other societies and to protect them from internal conflict. While some of these laws may seem unfair or unloving to us, they must be viewed through this lens to understand the principles God is teaching us.

    In verses 1-14, two social settings are called out specifically: the assembly and the camp. Most scholars believe “the assembly” refers to the gathering for religious practice, similar to our practice of gathering for church. But for the Israelites, it was much more than once a week! The assembly would have been the epicenter of social life and community connections. Verses 1-7 bar some groups from the assembly and direct some groups to be welcomed. This may seem unloving to us, but the goal was to prevent the influence of foreign gods and practices of other beliefs from the fledgling nation of Israel. They were so easily influenced (as evidenced in Exodus 32) that God wanted to protect them from anything that could lead them away from Him as they developed their faith. 

    Verses 9-14 refer to appropriate behavior at camps during battle. These were traditionally pits of filth and perversion, focused on enjoying vices prior to battle and enjoying the spoils of war afterwards. But the Israelites’ camp was to be different: “For the Lord your God moves about in your camp…”

    The principles of these laws still apply today. As Christians, we have been called to behave differently from the world. The world often promotes a “whatever you want to do, you deserve to do it” and an “every person for themselves” approach to life. But God calls His people to be different, and His laws are instructions for protection. We guard against influences that distract us from following God’s purposes, Jesus’ example, and the Holy Spirit’s guidance. We should care for those around us in a way that makes others want to know more about our faith. We should conduct ourselves as if God is walking beside us, because He is.

    While specific conduct can be uncomfortable to talk about and may not be appropriate for “polite company,” God knows. He designed humans; Jesus lived as a human; and the Holy Spirit lives within Christians. He already knows what we think, say, and do. The specific examples in Deuteronomy 23 call for us to think, say, and behave differently, and God gives us these principles and His power to do that for our good and His glory.

    Questions

    1. What influence from the world distracts you from following God’s purposes? 
    2. What behavior or habit do you have that reflects the world’s values instead of God’s love?
    3. Confess these to God, ask for forgiveness and guidance to remove them from your life. Share this with your Life Group this week and ask for accountability.

    Did You Know?

    Pastor David Guzik (in his Enduring Word commentary) had this note about the instruction to not despise the Edomites: 

    “Interestingly, one of the most famous Edomites in history was abhorred by Israel – Herod the Great. Many of his spectacular building projects in Judea were intended to not only glorify his own name, but to win the favor of the Jews who despised him as an Edomite.”

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  • Rest Day

    Rest Day

    Rest Day

    Today is a Rest Day. There is no new Bible reading to do. Today, the goal is simple: rest in the presence of God. Maybe you need to use today to get caught up on the reading plan if you’re behind, maybe you want to journal what you’re learning so you don’t forget what God is teaching you, or maybe you want to spend time in concentrated prayer–do that. Above all, just spend time in God’s presence.

    (re)Watch This

    We’re now over halfway through our study of Deuteronomy. For a refresher on the beginning of the book and the key themes of Deuteronomy, watch (or re-watch) this overview from the Bible Project!

    Worship With Us

    Join us in person or online at 9a, 11a, or 7p at harriscreek.org/live. We’d love to worship with you! We also desire to connect everyone with a local church body where they can thrive in community and use their gifts to serve. If you’re following our Bible Reading Plan from outside of Waco and are eager to get connected with a great local church, email us at [email protected].

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  • Deuteronomy 22

    Deuteronomy 22

    Read Deuteronomy 22

    22 If you see your fellow Israelite’s ox or sheep straying, do not ignore it but be sure to take it back to its owner. 2 If they do not live near you or if you do not know who owns it, take it home with you and keep it until they come looking for it. Then give it back. 3 Do the same if you find their donkey or cloak or anything else they have lost. Do not ignore it.

    4 If you see your fellow Israelite’s donkey or ox fallen on the road, do not ignore it. Help the owner get it to its feet.

    5 A woman must not wear men’s clothing, nor a man wear women’s clothing, for the Lord your God detests anyone who does this.

    6 If you come across a bird’s nest beside the road, either in a tree or on the ground, and the mother is sitting on the young or on the eggs, do not take the mother with the young. 7 You may take the young, but be sure to let the mother go, so that it may go well with you and you may have a long life.

    8 When you build a new house, make a parapet around your roof so that you may not bring the guilt of bloodshed on your house if someone falls from the roof.

    9 Do not plant two kinds of seed in your vineyard; if you do, not only the crops you plant but also the fruit of the vineyard will be defiled.

    10 Do not plow with an ox and a donkey yoked together.

    11 Do not wear clothes of wool and linen woven together.

    12 Make tassels on the four corners of the cloak you wear.

    Marriage Violations

    13 If a man takes a wife and, after sleeping with her, dislikes her 14 and slanders her and gives her a bad name, saying, “I married this woman, but when I approached her, I did not find proof of her virginity,” 15 then the young woman’s father and mother shall bring to the town elders at the gate proof that she was a virgin. 16 Her father will say to the elders, “I gave my daughter in marriage to this man, but he dislikes her. 17 Now he has slandered her and said, ‘I did not find your daughter to be a virgin.’ But here is the proof of my daughter’s virginity.” Then her parents shall display the cloth before the elders of the town, 18 and the elders shall take the man and punish him.19 They shall fine him a hundred shekels of silver and give them to the young woman’s father, because this man has given an Israelite virgin a bad name. She shall continue to be his wife; he must not divorce her as long as he lives.

    20 If, however, the charge is true and no proof of the young woman’s virginity can be found, 21 she shall be brought to the door of her father’s house and there the men of her town shall stone her to death. She has done an outrageous thing in Israel by being promiscuous while still in her father’s house. You must purge the evil from among you.

    22 If a man is found sleeping with another man’s wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die. You must purge the evil from Israel.

    23 If a man happens to meet in a town a virgin pledged to be married and he sleeps with her, 24 you shall take both of them to the gate of that town and stone them to death—the young woman because she was in a town and did not scream for help, and the man because he violated another man’s wife. You must purge the evil from among you.

    25 But if out in the country a man happens to meet a young woman pledged to be married and rapes her, only the man who has done this shall die. 26 Do nothing to the woman; she has committed no sin deserving death. This case is like that of someone who attacks and murders a neighbor, 27 for the man found the young woman out in the country, and though the betrothed woman screamed, there was no one to rescue her.

    28 If a man happens to meet a virgin who is not pledged to be married and rapes her and they are discovered, 29 he shall pay her father fifty shekels of silver. He must marry the young woman, for he has violated her. He can never divorce her as long as he lives.

    30 A man is not to marry his father’s wife; he must not dishonor his father’s bed.

    Go Deeper

    Deuteronomy 22 is an interesting chapter, moving from the treatment of animals to the treatment of women. Some might even feel uncomfortable reading the penalties in the law for the sins discussed in the chapter. There is a lot to consider through all these verses. 

    The first four verses deal with the honest and fair treatment of animals. Animals were extremely valuable in Israelite culture. Their livelihood and provision depended greatly on their livestock, providing wealth and sustenance to families and communities. In this chapter, the command was straightforward. Whether it was livestock or birds, they were to be treated well. Furthermore, any lost animal was commanded to be well cared for and returned to the owner. It makes sense that we are to do the same. No matter the animal, kindness and care reflect our heart for creation and is obviously important to God. 

    Moses now changes the focus to how men treat women in engagement and marriage. The stakes were high, as the law required penalties of heavy fines and even death for the offenses of rape, adultery, or incest. God obviously took engagement, marriage, and sexual purity very seriously. This reflected His heart for relational respect and integrity within the family. As God called the Israelites then, He is calling us now to trust Him because He is faithful. Engagement and marriage must reflect this same trust. Boundaries are set by God for the health and welfare of His people, as the family unit was His creation from the beginning. 

    As followers of Jesus Christ, we are to have the same boundaries in our own lives, which will be for our good and His glory. This is significant to God for three reasons. First, we are His creation made to honor God in every area of our lives. Ephesians 2:10 says, “We are God’s handiwork created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” This is a hopeful, encouraging message for us to keep us from harm while we seek His purpose in our lives. Second, His holiness is His gift to us as we pursue an abiding relationship with God. First Peter 1:16 states clearly, “For it is written, be holy, because I am Holy.” Third, God knows the devastating effect of these sins and clearly defines the law against such behavior. We have either seen or experienced the pain and heartache of sexual sin, and we know this suffering is not God’s best for His people.

    St. Augustine, a famous Catholic bishop living in 400 AD, was open about his struggles with sexual lust and sin in his book Confessions. He wrote his answer to these struggles saying, “I began a search for a means of gaining strength to enjoy you, but I could not find this means until I embraced the mediator between God and men, Jesus Christ.” Embracing Jesus Christ with a sincere heart for His ways will cleanse and strengthen us to pursue purity and holiness. 

    Questions

    1. Why does God care about how we care for creation?

    2. What is God saying about the value of sexual purity?

    3. Is there any sexual sin in your life? If so, first ask God to forgive you. Confess it to your community and help you take the steps necessary for reconciliation for yourself and your family.

    A Quote

    George Williams wrote in his Bible commentary, “God’s prohibitions strike at the heart of idolatry within; spiritual birth introduces the family of God.” 

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  • Deuteronomy 21

    Deuteronomy 21

    Read Deuteronomy 21

    Atonement for an Unsolved Murder

    21 If someone is found slain, lying in a field in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess, and it is not known who the killer was, 2 your elders and judges shall go out and measure the distance from the body to the neighboring towns. 3 Then the elders of the town nearest the body shall take a heifer that has never been worked and has never worn a yoke 4 and lead it down to a valley that has not been plowed or planted and where there is a flowing stream. There in the valley they are to break the heifer’s neck. 5 The Levitical priests shall step forward, for the Lord your God has chosen them to minister and to pronounce blessings in the name of the Lord and to decide all cases of dispute and assault. 6 Then all the elders of the town nearest the body shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley, 7 and they shall declare: “Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it done. 8 Accept this atonement for your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, Lord, and do not hold your people guilty of the blood of an innocent person.” Then the bloodshed will be atoned for,9 and you will have purged from yourselves the guilt of shedding innocent blood, since you have done what is right in the eyes of the Lord.

    Marrying a Captive Woman

    10 When you go to war against your enemies and the Lord your God delivers them into your hands and you take captives, 11 if you notice among the captives a beautiful woman and are attracted to her, you may take her as your wife. 12 Bring her into your home and have her shave her head, trim her nails 13 and put aside the clothes she was wearing when captured. After she has lived in your house and mourned her father and mother for a full month,then you may go to her and be her husband and she shall be your wife. 14 If you are not pleased with her, let her go wherever she wishes. You must not sell her or treat her as a slave, since you have dishonored her.

    The Right of the Firstborn

    15 If a man has two wives, and he loves one but not the other, and both bear him sons but the firstborn is the son of the wife he does not love, 16 when he wills his property to his sons, he must not give the rights of the firstborn to the son of the wife he loves in preference to his actual firstborn, the son of the wife he does not love. 17 He must acknowledge the son of his unloved wife as the firstborn by giving him a double share of all he has. That son is the first sign of his father’s strength. The right of the firstborn belongs to him.

    A Rebellious Son

    18 If someone has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and will not listen to them when they discipline him, 19 his father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his town. 20 They shall say to the elders, “This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey us. He is a glutton and a drunkard.”21 Then all the men of his town are to stone him to death. You must purge the evil from among you. All Israel will hear of it and be afraid.

    Various Laws

    22 If someone guilty of a capital offense is put to death and their body is exposed on a pole, 23 you must not leave the body hanging on the pole overnight. Be sure to bury it that same day, because anyone who is hung on a pole is under God’s curse. You must not desecrate the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.

    Go Deeper

    There is a lot here in this chapter that is hard to read and confusing, but let’s dive into it a little deeper and consider what it shows us about God’s character. When it comes to the laws discussed here in Deuteronomy 21, it’s important for us to remember that God is not condoning these actions; instead, He is meeting His people in their sin and pointing them to a better way. Here on this side of Eden, our world is fallen and broken. God knows this. How kind that rather than leaving us to our own direction, He gives us an honorable way to handle and respond to these situations. It’s not a justification but a redirection.

    Verses 10-14 address the custom of taking females captive as the plunder of war. God’s directive restored some dignity to the captives, allowing them time to grieve their lost family members. This month-long grieving period allowed the master of the household time to cool off and think more clearly before deciding whether or not to marry the woman. God was not condoning this practice but showing His people that these female captives were not mere possessions to be sold.

    Verses 18-21 go to extremes to punish rebellious sons. Parents are to bring their son to the city elders and explain that he is a drunk and a glutton who refuses to listen to them or obey. The men of the city are to stone him to death as a punishment and warning to the community. In a world that debates whether or not capital punishment in response to murder is justified, stoning a rebellious son seems incomprehensible. Let’s look at Matthew Henry’s commentary on rebellion: “Disobedience to a parent’s authority must be very evil, when such a punishment was ordered; nor is it less provoking to God now, though it escapes punishment in this world. But when young people early become slaves to sensual appetites, the heart soon grows hard, and the conscience callous; and we can expect nothing but rebellion and destruction.” GotQuestions.org points out these extreme measures were reserved for ongoing, deep-seated rebellion against parents and God: “The law requiring rebellious children to be stoned to death was meant for extreme cases to protect God’s people. It would have been heartbreaking for parents to bear the responsibility of initiating such severe measures. However, the Bible never records this law being enforced.” 

    In contrast to the unrepentant son of Deuteronomy 21, Jesus offers the rebellious son another path in the New Testament, a chance to choose life rather than death. Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son relates the story of a son who wants to return to his father’s household after a period of off-the-rails rebellion. Instead of stoning him, his father welcomes him with open arms, just as our heavenly Father welcomes us when we repent and return to His household. Verses 22 and 23 are translated in ESV, “a man hanged on a tree is cursed.” In that time period, it was common to crucify a man in a prominent place to amplify the humiliation of the  punishment and deter others from committing a crime. Often our worst thoughts and actions are ones that we want to hide the most from people, so imagine the embarrassment of your transgressions not only being known by everyone but on display for all to see. Upon a closer look, we see, hidden in verse 23, mercy: “his body should not remain all night.” Even the punishment here is not in excess. Adam Clarke says about this verse, “It is worthy of remark that in the infliction of punishment prescribed by the Mosaic law, we find that mercy walks hand in hand with judgment.”

    In Galatians 3:13-14, Paul references these two verses. “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.’ He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.” Christ redeems us. We have been freed of the consequences of our faults and mistakes. We deserve to die and be cursed by God, but Jesus took our place. He traded places with us, taking the cross so that we could be welcomed into His family and forever guided by the Holy Spirit. All we have to do is believe.

    Questions

    1. In Genesis 16 and 25:9, we see God’s treatment of Hagar and her son, Ishmael. Consider the implications Deuteronomy 21:17 has on that situation. What do God’s words reveal about His character?
    2. Read Luke 12:2-3. How does this remind us of the importance of confession?
    3. Where do you see God’s heart for protection in this chapter?

    Pray This

    Father,

    You are a merciful and just God. You see the lost and oppressed. You hear the voices of all who cry out to You. You do not leave us where we are, but rather You have brought us out of the pit and into the light. You take the brokenness of this world and redeem it. You love us too much to leave us where we are. You made a way, sending your own Son to die in our place. We are sinful, broken people in need of Your grace and mercy; let us not forget this truth. May we be a people who fear You, overwhelmed with awe and delight for who you are. All praise be to You, the God who redeems us!

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  • Deuteronomy 20

    Deuteronomy 20

    Read Deuteronomy 20

    Going to War

    20 When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the Lordyour God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you. 2 When you are about to go into battle, the priest shall come forward and address the army.3 He shall say: “Hear, Israel: Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not panic or be terrified by them. 4 For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.”

    5 The officers shall say to the army: “Has anyone built a new house and not yet begun to live in it? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else may begin to live in it. 6 Has anyone planted a vineyard and not begun to enjoy it? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else enjoy it. 7 Has anyone become pledged to a woman and not married her? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else marry her.” 8 Then the officers shall add, “Is anyone afraid or fainthearted? Let him go home so that his fellow soldiers will not become disheartened too.” 9 When the officers have finished speaking to the army, they shall appoint commanders over it.

    10 When you march up to attack a city, make its people an offer of peace.11 If they accept and open their gates, all the people in it shall be subject to forced labor and shall work for you. 12 If they refuse to make peace and they engage you in battle, lay siege to that city. 13 When the Lord your God delivers it into your hand, put to the sword all the men in it. 14 As for the women, the children, the livestock and everything else in the city, you may take these as plunder for yourselves. And you may use the plunder the Lordyour God gives you from your enemies. 15 This is how you are to treat all the cities that are at a distance from you and do not belong to the nations nearby.

    16 However, in the cities of the nations the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes. 17 Completely destroythem—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—as the Lord your God has commanded you. 18 Otherwise, they will teach you to follow all the detestable things they do in worshiping their gods, and you will sin against the Lord your God.

    19 When you lay siege to a city for a long time, fighting against it to capture it, do not destroy its trees by putting an ax to them, because you can eat their fruit. Do not cut them down. Are the trees people, that you should besiege them? 20 However, you may cut down trees that you know are not fruit trees and use them to build siege works until the city at war with you falls.

    Go Deeper

    Chapter 20 continues a theme of Moses laying out specifics for the people that align with the original laws given by God in Exodus. These words were given to Israel just before they were to receive the land that had been promised to them. For them to receive the land, through victories over many foes, they needed to prepare their hearts.

    One reminder is for the Israelites to trust in the Lord. “When you go out to battle against your enemies more numerous than you, do not not be afraid for the Lord your God is with you, who brought you up from Egypt” (v. 1). Israel was a small nation and most armies were larger than the army of the Israelites, which could cause concern and fear. But what did the Israelites’ history show? God saved them from a much larger adversary when He delivered them from Pharaoh and Egypt. Paul says it well in Romans 8:31: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Us being one with God makes an unbeatable majority.

    The chapter goes on to remind God’s people to be encouraged in the face of adversity. “Let not your heart be faint or be in dread or your enemies, for the Lord your God goes in to fight for you” (v. 4). When Israel was obedient and trusting in God, they could never lose. But when they were disobedient, or not trusting, they could never win—even if they had superior forces. This plays out every time Israel goes to battle in the Old Testament. Similarly, He fights for us in our everyday battles against temptations and sin. God wants us to trust Him and walk in obedience to His ways. 

    Verses 5-9 remind us that the heart of the army far outweighs its size. God, in His wisdom, already knew that if the heart of the army was right, then the battle would always be won. He did not care about the size of the army. God’s power isn’t dependent on our muscle. God does care about the commitment and the trust of those in the battle. Reread verses 5-9 to see how God instructs the people to give exemptions to some men and why.  

    God wants His people to remember His power, to trust Him, and to obey Him. In Matthew 28:16-20, Jesus gives the disciples what we call the Great Commission. Think about how these words link back to Deuteronomy:

    “Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

    Though our assignment to win souls looks different than that of the Israelites in Deuteronomy 20 who needed to win battles, our command is still the same. God’s people are still called to trust and obey. Our power and authority isn’t found in ourselves, but in our great God who reigns in victory. 

    Questions

    1. What battle are you fighting where you need spiritual victory? What doubts hold you back from believing that God can give you the victory you need?
    2. What are the things you need to do or complete in life to be ready to join God’s army?
    3. Jesus reminds us He is with us as we make disciples. Who in your life has God given you to disciple? Who do you turn to when you have doubts or need help understanding God’s commands? Pray for these people, and ask God to equip you with everything you need to “make disciples” in His power and for His glory. 

    Listen Here

    Check out this podcast reflection on Deuteronomy 20 from pastor and author David Platt.

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  • Deuteronomy 19

    Deuteronomy 19

    Read Deuteronomy 19

    Cities of Refuge

    19 When the Lord your God has destroyed the nations whose land he is giving you, and when you have driven them out and settled in their towns and houses, 2 then set aside for yourselves three cities in the land the Lordyour God is giving you to possess. 3 Determine the distances involved and divide into three parts the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, so that a person who kills someone may flee for refuge to one of these cities.

    4 This is the rule concerning anyone who kills a person and flees there for safety—anyone who kills a neighbor unintentionally, without malice aforethought. 5 For instance, a man may go into the forest with his neighbor to cut wood, and as he swings his ax to fell a tree, the head may fly off and hit his neighbor and kill him. That man may flee to one of these cities and save his life. 6 Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue him in a rage, overtake him if the distance is too great, and kill him even though he is not deserving of death, since he did it to his neighbor without malice aforethought. 7 This is why I command you to set aside for yourselves three cities.

    8 If the Lord your God enlarges your territory, as he promised on oath to your ancestors, and gives you the whole land he promised them, 9 because you carefully follow all these laws I command you today—to love the Lordyour God and to walk always in obedience to him—then you are to set aside three more cities. 10 Do this so that innocent blood will not be shed in your land, which the Lord your God is giving you as your inheritance, and so that you will not be guilty of bloodshed.

    11 But if out of hate someone lies in wait, assaults and kills a neighbor, and then flees to one of these cities, 12 the killer shall be sent for by the town elders, be brought back from the city, and be handed over to the avenger of blood to die. 13 Show no pity. You must purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood, so that it may go well with you.

    14 Do not move your neighbor’s boundary stone set up by your predecessors in the inheritance you receive in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess.

    Witnesses

    15 One witness is not enough to convict anyone accused of any crime or offense they may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

    16 If a malicious witness takes the stand to accuse someone of a crime,17 the two people involved in the dispute must stand in the presence of the Lord before the priests and the judges who are in office at the time. 18 The judges must make a thorough investigation, and if the witness proves to be a liar, giving false testimony against a fellow Israelite, 19 then do to the false witness as that witness intended to do to the other party. You must purge the evil from among you. 20 The rest of the people will hear of this and be afraid, and never again will such an evil thing be done among you. 21 Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

    Go Deeper

    It’s often claimed that the God of the Old Testament is somehow different from the God of the New, that one has a different system of values and a different ethos from the other. But what we find upon close reading of passages like Deuteronomy 19 is that God is the same. He never changed even when we did. In one hand He holds abundant mercy, and in the other He holds justice. The same is true today.  

    As the law is laid out for the Israelites, they must account for every kind of situation, including accidental manslaughter. There is a clear distinction between manslaughter and murder; one is an unintentional killing that is not motivated by malice (think self-defense, or an accidental flying ax handle) (v. 5), while the other is an intentional act of violence meant to end someone’s life. For those in Israel who committed the former, God designated three cities where they could find refuge and be taken in. This was not necessarily to avoid judgment of any kind, but to protect their own lives from the retribution of those who might come looking for them. God also instructed that good roads be made to these cities. They were to exist and be easily accessible. There the accused could wait until the evidence was gathered and the matter was settled justly. And if Israel continued to expand, they were to add additional cities of refuge. 

    We hear this today and shrug it off as sensible. We have bail, juries, and an understanding that everyone will have their day in court. But keep in mind the context of when this passage was written. This kind of commitment to the protection of the guilty is unusual, to say the least. God is for justice. But oftentimes justice is deeply entwined with mercy, even for those who have done something terrible—something they wish could be taken back. 

    If, on the other hand, the act was indeed proven to be murder, the Israelites were instructed to turn that person away from the city of refuge so they might face what was due to them. Deuteronomy 19 ends with further instructions on property lines, but the key takeaway is the foundational system of justice that protects people from false witness. Israel was to be a nation of justice—true justice. 

    For us, Christ is our city of refuge. The guilty flee to Him and find sanctuary. And today, and all days, we thank God for setting Him aside on our behalf. 

    Questions

    1. What does this passage teach you about God? What does it teach you about humanity?
    2. What is God’s stated motivation for setting aside cities of refuge (v. 10)? How does this apply to us today?
    3. Read verses 15-19. How does this system of justice parallel ours today, and how does it differ?

    By the Way

    For a more full picture of what a “city of refuge” is, check out Numbers 35:9-28 and Joshua 20:7-8.

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  • Deuteronomy 18

    Deuteronomy 18

    Read Deuteronomy 18

    Offerings for Priests and Levites

    18 The Levitical priests—indeed, the whole tribe of Levi—are to have no allotment or inheritance with Israel. They shall live on the food offeringspresented to the Lord, for that is their inheritance. 2 They shall have no inheritance among their fellow Israelites; the Lord is their inheritance, as he promised them.

    3 This is the share due the priests from the people who sacrifice a bull or a sheep: the shoulder, the internal organs and the meat from the head. 4 You are to give them the firstfruits of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the first wool from the shearing of your sheep, 5 for the Lord your God has chosen them and their descendants out of all your tribes to stand and minister in the Lord’s name always.

    6 If a Levite moves from one of your towns anywhere in Israel where he is living, and comes in all earnestness to the place the Lord will choose, 7 he may minister in the name of the Lord his God like all his fellow Levites who serve there in the presence of the Lord. 8 He is to share equally in their benefits, even though he has received money from the sale of family possessions.

    Occult Practices

    9 When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. 10 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, 11 or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. 12 Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord; because of these same detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you. 13 You must be blameless before the Lord your God.

    The Prophet

    14 The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the Lord your God has not permitted you to do so.15 The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him. 16 For this is what you asked of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of the Lord our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die.”

    17 The Lord said to me: “What they say is good. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him. 19 I myself will call to account anyone who does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name. 20 But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, is to be put to death.”

    21 You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?” 22 If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed.

    Go Deeper

    The Levites are God’s people specifically set apart as the ministers of Israel. In Numbers 18:6-7 their position is described this way: “and behold I have taken your brothers the Levites from among the people of Israel. They are a gift to you, given to the Lord to do the service of the tent of meeting.” They are instructed not to earn money or seek a fortune for themselves, but instead God takes care of them. They are a gift to Him, set apart to do His work, take care of His temple, offerings, and sacrifices. How great that God has thought about how to provide for them and sets laws in place for His people to be taken care of. Every single person is thought of and taken care of in His plan for His people.

    Verses 9-14 might feel like obvious truths to be warned against, but even today–both inside and outside of the church–people practice this or have similar heart postures and actions. It is popular to be superstitious and to look for answers outside of God. People lean toward curiosity in regards to these behaviors, and the warning is against them. The reason isn’t because He is a selfish God and He wants all the attention to himself. He is a good God who knows these practices are evil, empty, and false. All of these practices are a disgrace to God, diminishing our view of who He is and His plan for us. And there are reasons bigger than what we see, these things are not from Him and thus are not good- they are against His character. He calls us higher, because His judgment is better than our own and what we perceive as being good (Isaiah 55:8-9). Tara-Leigh Cobble (from The Bible Recap) says it this way: “God does not synthesize with anything else.”

    Amidst all these laws, we see the promise of Jesus in the last verses of this chapter. Acts 3:19-26 and 7:37 clearly tell us that the prophet talked about here is Jesus; that he will be a mediator between them and God, and that He will be from them and for them. Though they are seeking guidance in practices that only lead to false words and destruction, God doesn’t leave them without an answer for where true guidance is found. He is the answer, the one we are looking for; nothing in this world completes us in the way that knowing Jesus as our Lord in Savior does!

    Questions

    1. What does this chapter reveal to us about God’s character?
    2. Galatians 5:7-8 describes the life we live as the “good race.” How do these verses fit in with the context of the instructions of this chapter? How does it bring clarity to His character?
    3. Verse 12 says “you must be blameless before the Lord your God.” Why do you think this is?

    Listen Here

    For more on how we should approach the spirituality practices of our culture, listen to episode 172 of Becoming Something titled “Manifestation, Mediums, and Spiritual Things.”

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