APRIL 3
Deuteronomy
23-25
Deuteronomy 23
V. 1 Somehow this just seems like a
discouraging way to begin today's reading. J Just to put this into perspective, it could
very well have been that both Daniel and Nehemiah were eunuchs. I know. I hate
that thought too. These were two men who are heroes in God's eyes; and Daniel,
if you look at what God says about him, is in God's list of top men of all
time.
Vs. 2-6 This is a hard command to understand,
but linked to v. 3 it makes sense. A
forbidden union was something abhorrent, like incest. These people could
live in Israel, but were not welcome in the courts of the tabernacle or temple
until the 10th generation of living in Israel, following Yahweh. In v. 3 you
have two children and peoples conceived out of incest, Ammon and Moab, the sons
of Lot and his daughters. For these two people, notice, even to the 10th generation they can't enter
the assembly of the Lord. Now, this would assume that someone from these
peoples wanted to give up their gods, join themselves to Israel and worship the
only God, Yahweh. I don't know how often that happened. Usually, Israel was the
one defecting.
To balance this out, Rahab and Ruth are both
examples that God showed mercy and grace to any individuals who came to Him.
Rahab was from Canaan and Ruth was from Moab, and both became part of the
community of faith. Both are related to Jesus.
Vs. 4-5 Notice the bad press that Balaam
gets.
Vs. 7-8 The Edomites are from Esau, the
brother of Jacob, son of Isaac and the grandson of Abe. The Edomites eventually
became absorbed into Israel. The Egyptians have a special place and it is
foretold that in the Millennial Kingdom, they will serve and worship Jesus
(Isaiah 19:19-25).
Vs. 9-14 The camp was to remain couth during
war because God was among them. Living in the presence of God was something
they were to remember at all times.
Vs. 15-16 I take this to mean a slave escaped
from another country. This happened to David in 1 Samuel 30:15 with an Egyptian
slave they found. Israel was to be a safe haven.
Vs. 17-18 The ends do not justify the means.
This covered every kind of prostitution, religious and non-religious. The word
for a male prostitute (usually Baal worship) was "dog." Money earned
from sinfulness was not to justify the existence of sin, even if the money was
given to the tabernacle. I don't think casinos will fare well in the Millennium,
even if people say they do bring in revenue.
Vs. 19-20 This may have had something to do
with the poor, but it was a general rule also. They couldn't exact interest
from their own people. In our movies the poor are always preyed upon by loan
sharks. Not so in Israel.
Vs. 21-23 Notice that v. 21 is used by Jesus
as He taught His disciples in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:33-37. It was
not a sin not to make a vow. Jesus said not to do it.
Vs. 24-25 was a provision of mercy for the
needy. These were crops that were planted in abundance and this provision was
for those who needed daily bread. Just think, this is how the entire nation
would have been during the Sabbatical year, that is, every seventh year. I'm
sure if you were not destitute and had a morning ritual of going into your
neighbor's yard and helping yourself to a handful of his raspberries, the city
fathers would have had words with you.
Deuteronomy 24
Vs. 1-4 Divorce is also mentioned in the
Sermon on the Mount. Although this is where we get some teaching on divorce and
remarriage in the Scriptures, the force of this is directed to prohibit a man
from remarrying a wife due to sexual defilement. This is a law of propriety and
order, for the people of Israel. God was making the point that if a man divorced
his wife, he defiled himself and her in the process. Today, it would be looked
on as a good thing if a divorced couple, even after years and marriages
between, came to Christ and were able to renew their vows in marriage.
V. 5 The marriage year is a great thing. Can
you imagine this? The Lord gave Laura and me two of these.
From v. 6 to the end of this chapter,
everything seems to fit together in terms of poorness and payments and pledges
made for loans.
Vs. 6-7 You couldn't take a person's means of
survival as collateral or payment for a loan. And you couldn't sell him to get
what you wanted from him.
Vs. 8-9 It could have been that people
thought of using leprous people to work or requiring some labor from them for
mercy shown to them in providing food.
Vs. 10-13 You couldn't take a poor man's
cloak to make sure he paid you back. The poor only had the clothes on their
backs and they needed the cloak as a blanket at night. By the way, this helps
define a poor person in the OT. You were not poor if you had more than one
change of clothes.
Vs. 14-15 Another defining feature of the
poor was that they had no money and no food, but for that day. So they needed
to be paid that day.
V. 16 In this context this command could have
something to do with the debt or crime of a young adult. You couldn't make the
parents responsible for the crime.
Vs. 17-18 These verses restate what has been
said in the context of poorness; and they state the underlying heart of mercy.
The people were always to remember that they were slaves and were redeemed by
the mercy of God.
Vs. 19-22 I wonder how often people in Israel
actually did this. Notice that God's sovereignty also played a role in this. If
they "forgot" a sheaf in
the field they couldn't go back. Sometimes God makes you forget.
V. 22 is the key to them having a heart of
mercy. If you think about it, this is also the reason we are to have a heart of
mercy to reach out to the lost. We too were lost and without hope. By God's
mercy we have received grace and forgiveness and life. Now, it is simply right
that we share this with others who are lost. Ironically, the giving back we do
is following our Lord into the harvest to bear fruit for the Father.
Deuteronomy 25
I think this entire chapter is held together
by the same thoughts of mercy, justice, and compassion.
Vs. 1-3 Maybe the dispute had something to do
with an issue of cheating a widow or the poor. The guilty person was to be
punished, but with mercy, so as not to be degraded
in the sight of others.
V. 4 Even a beast of burden was to be honored
as it served. How much more so a man. This verse is applied to people in
full-time ministry in the NT by Paul in 1 Corinthians 9 and 1 Timothy 5. Paul
says that the application was always for how one treated their servants.
Vs. 5-10 This too was an act of mercy. This
figures into the story of Boaz and Ruth. For a modern-day version of this
practice, check out the Hallmark film, "Loving Leah." It's Hallmark
and it's a "chick flick," but it is very good.
Vs. 11-12 What I get from this is the same as
in vs. 1-3. Even in defeating a person in a fight, you were to do it
respectfully. This is the only time in the Bible a person was to be
"maimed" for an action. If a woman needed to defend her man, she was
to do it with a stick or a frying pan.
Vs. 13-16 Notice how this is linked to them
staying in the land they were about to enter. God hates dishonesty, and
dishonesty damages us and brings God's punishment upon us. This trick was also
played on the poor. In a way, it was like making the poor pay more at
convenience stores, because they didn't have the means or the money to get to a
real store. Like loan sharking, it was another way to prey on the poor.
Vs. 17-19 I think the point here was that in
this fight, Amalek played dirty by attacking the poor and the weak and the
defenseless. God isn't into terrorism. Attacking someone who is defenseless
shows a lack of fear of God. It took hundreds of years (700?) before this took
place. And as suggested in the cases of Rahab and Ruth, if an individual
Amalekite would have turned to Yahweh in faith, he or she would have been
welcomed and saved.
Luke
10:13-37
It seems like a good place to mention that
some of what Jesus said, He said on more than one occasion. Like any good
traveling preacher, He used the same messages and illustrations and used them
in different situations giving the message or application a slightly different
twist from the last time He used it. In this case, if you do a search on Chorazin, you'll see Jesus pronouncing
this punishment on two different occasions.
Vs. 13-16 These verses continue the
"shaking the dust" discourse from yesterday. Jesus denounced these
cities on a couple different occasions. Matthew 11:20 gives you the reason
Jesus used these examples. Notice the warning and the truth of v. 16. That
gives some perspective to our work in the harvest. Ultimately it is not our
message or delivery that gets rejected. He speaks through us.
Vs. 17-24 When these guys returned they were
very joyful and motivated.
V. 18 Satan hasn't gotten tossed out of
heaven yet. That will come during the Tribulation. Satan's power was challenged
and broken. The same must have taken place at the resurrection and coming of
the Spirit to birth the church.
V. 19 The authority Jesus gave them was very
verbal and literal. If you don't hear Him telling you that you have this power,
don't test God by thinking you have it.
V. 20 This is our true source of joy in any
and every situation in this life, on this earth, in this harvest.
Vs. 21-22 Notice Luke's mention of the Holy
Spirit and joy. You can tell Luke was a missionary and rubbed shoulders with
Paul. This also is an assurance we have, working in the harvest. Those who are
open, hear. The Son reveals the Father, not us. I think it is amazing how God
makes sure He can be found by a searching heart regardless of education, status
or privilege. In fact, those who think
they are wise and understanding can't find Him.
Vs. 23-24 This was said privately to the
disciples, probably the Twelve. Jesus was repeating this to the Twelve, having
said it to them before in Matthew 13:16 when He told them the reason for the
parables.
Vs. 25-37 You know this story and it is only
recorded in Luke.
Vs. 25-28 The entire context of the story is
that this lawyer/scribe wanted to put Jesus on the spot. Jesus answered the
question by asking the scribe a question. The very intelligent scribe was only
too happy to show everyone how smart he was. It seems that when Jesus told him
to go and do what he had just said, the scribe felt he needed to get Jesus to
talk more to get Him to say something wrong. He might have felt he needed to
show the people that Jesus was a fraud and that he was smarter than Jesus. So
far it hadn't worked well.
Vs. 29-37 Since we have read Leviticus and
know what God has said about touching dead things, we can understand some of
what is going on in this story. Just remember though, this guy was still alive,
and if a priest or Levite became unclean, there were ways of being restored.
V. 31 I think it is funny that Jesus says, Now by chance….
Both the priest and the Levite failed to show
compassion to their fellow Jew.
Vs. 33-34 Look at how Jesus described this
lavish attention and compassion.
V. 35 A denarius was a day's pay at minimum
wage. What if every state had a minimum wage of $10.00 per hour? For an
eight-hour day that would be $80.00. This guy left twice that, so about $160.00.
Now that might not seem like much money in the West, but in some countries,
$160.00 will feed someone for months. The point is that this despised Samaritan
was very generous.
Vs. 36-37 This story has a special meaning
for us as disciples. We are left here to go back into the harvest and show
compassion on those who are still lost as we once were. It is amazing to me
that people who are saved can forget the mercy they were shown.
As disciples, we can't afford to ever forget
the grace, by which we are saved. His love and grace is the only thing we need
to be known by. His Word and our following in the harvest keep this fresh for
us.
Psalm
75
V. 1 In keeping with the story of the Good
Samaritan and our need to go back into the harvest and show the mercy shown to
us, look at this verse. We are to recount the wonderful deeds of the Lord. And
those deeds begin with the love and grace we were shown in Jesus. He died for
us while we were still enemies.
Vs. 2-8 It is out of mercy and love that
people need to be warned that judgment will come, but we have something to
offer that allows people to escape that judgment.
Vs. 9-10 God's love and His Savior are hidden
from the wise and understanding. The horns are a symbol for pride and power.
And for the righteous, Let the one who
boasts, boast in the Lord. (1 Cor. 1:31)
Proverbs
12:12-14
V. 12 Fruit comes from a heart set on God,
looking to Him. The wicked emulate the wicked and covet.
V. 13 Living free of trouble comes from a
heart secure in God. The wicked are enamored with their word skills.
V. 14 What we do returns to us, so we seek
that which satisfies our Lord. You reap what you sow.
If you’re reading along
and don’t have a One Year Bible, click on this link http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/every-day-in-the-word/. If that doesn't work, go to http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/ and click on “Every Day in the Word.”
I'm writing these
comments to and for those who are following a One Year Bible and interested in
growing deeper as a disciple, following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see
the growth of a discipleship culture in the church. Groups of 3-4 disciples, meeting
weekly, encouraging each other to follow Christ and work to reach out and make
disciples who make disciples. The Bible itself is the most universal manual we
have and key to our growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us more focused
on why we are here or what we are to be doing. My comments are only meant to
provide some explanation of the events or to show the flow of God's plan of
redemption. My comments are in no way exhaustive, but are designed to keep us
focused on Christ and our role in His harvest. My hope is that the people in
these groups will grow in Christ and be willing, after a year, to find 3 others
to meet with and encourage in their growth as disciples, disciples making
disciples in the harvest.
If you would like a
complete description of this model of being and making disciples you can find
it in my book: Simply Disciples*Making Disciples.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011WJIDQA?*Version*=1&*entries*=0
If you would like a more
descriptive commentary that is still readable and concise, I'd recommend the
Bible Knowledge Commentary. It's keyed to the NIV, so the result is the
commentators are constantly telling you what the Greek or Hebrew is. That never
hurts.
I am not endorsing any
particular One Year Bible; in fact, I read something you don't, die revidierte
Lutherbibel 1984.
Anyone reading along with
us is welcome to do so and is encouraged to take their own notes and make their
own observations. If the comments made do not agree with your particular
tradition or understanding, that's OK. Nothing I've written is meant to
criticize any point of view, but only to express the truth of what God has
written to us, as I understand it. Send comments or feedback to dgkachikis@gmail.com.
If you would like
documents containing an entire month of the Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes. You can download these to use on your computer or to
print.
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