Deuteronomy 12-15 Worship God's Way, So Things Go Well With You

Deuteronomy 12-15 Worship God's Way, So Things Go Well With You

Psalm 29:1-2 Worthy Worship

Ps 29:1 Ascribe to Yahweh, you sons of the mighty, ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength. 2 Ascribe to Yahweh the glory due to his name. Worship Yahweh in holy array-adornment/beauty of holiness.

Observations: 29:1 As David witnesses the majesty of a thunderstorm (see rest of the psalm), he calls upon the sons of the mighty to praise God. Ascribe is sometimes translated “give,” but has the connotation of credit or attribute. Glory (power/importance) and might are His.

29:2 "Holy array" is sometimes translated beauty of holiness. Most contexts of worship emphasize the holiness of the worshiper in approaching God (see Leviticus below).

Application: We can't properly worship God dressed in our sins.

Prayer: Glorious God, You are majestic in power and might, nothing can compare to You in heaven or earth. May I give You the glory that comes from a holy life, which You make possible. Amen.

Proverbs 8:1-7 What's the Way to Go? Listen!

8:1 “Doesn't wisdom cry out? Doesn't understanding raise her voice? 2 On the top of high places by the way, where the paths meet, she stands. 3 Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the entry doors, she cries aloud: 4 "To you men, I call! I send my voice to the sons of mankind. 5 You simple/naive, understand prudence. You fools, be of an understanding heart. 6 Hear, for I will speak excellent things. The opening of my lips is for right things. 7 For my mouth speaks truth. Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.”

Observation: “Simple” or naïve comes from the root that means spacious or open, as in open-minded (=empty headed). These are folks who haven't developed Biblical prejudices about what's right and wrong. A “prejudice” is a pre-judging of what you will and won't do, based upon God's revelation of what's wise and foolish. Simple.

Application: God has spoken, not stuttered. Are you listening?

Prayer: Spirit of Truth, thanks that you make Truth accessible. Guide me in the good paths.  Amen.

Deuteronomy 12-15 The next fourteen chapters contain specific stipulations that flow, more or less, from the Ten Commandments. They aren't as directly applicable to the modern audience as were the previous chapters (make sure you didn't miss them), but the principles are still the path to blessing today.

Chapter 12 Worship God's Way, So Things Go Well With You

Asherah

12:1 These are the statutes and the ordinances which you shall observe to do in the land which Yahweh, the God of your fathers, has given you to possess it, all the days that you live on the earth. 2 You shall surely destroy all the places in which the nations that you shall dispossess served their gods, on the high mountains, and on the hills, and under every green tree: 3 and you shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and burn their Asherim with fire; and you shall cut down the engraved images of their gods; and you shall destroy their name out of that place.

Asherah Poles

4 You must not worship Yahweh your God their way. 5 But you are to seek the place which Yahweh your God shall choose, and there you must go 7...rejoice in all...in which Yahweh your God has blessed you. 8 You shall not do...whatever is right in your own eyes; 12 You shall rejoice before Yahweh your God...13 Take heed that you don`t offer your burnt offerings in every place that you see; 14 but in the place which Yahweh shall choose...15 you may kill and eat flesh within all your gates, after all the desire of your soul, according to the blessing of Yahweh 16 Only you shall not eat the blood; you shall pour it out on the earth as water. 17 You may not eat within your gates the tithe...18 but you shall eat them before Yahweh your God in the place which Yahweh your God shall choose...19 Take heed that you don`t forsake the Levite...21 If the place which Yahweh your God shall choose, to put His name there, be too far from you, then you shall kill of your herd and of your flock, which Yahweh has given you, as I have commanded you; and you may eat within your gates, after all the desire of your soul. 25 You shall not eat blood; that it may go well with you, and with your children after you, when you shall do that which is right in the eyes of Yahweh. 26 Only your holy things which you have, and your vows, you shall take, and go to the place which Yahweh shall choose: 28 Observe and hear all these words which I command you, that it may go well with you, and with your children after you forever, when you do that which is good and right in the eyes of Yahweh your God. 30 take heed that you not be ensnared to follow...and do not inquire after their gods, saying, How do these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. 31 You shall not do so to Yahweh your God: for every abomination to Yahweh, which He hates, have they done to their gods; for even their sons and their daughters do they burn in the fire to their gods. 32 Whatever thing I command you, that shall you observe to do: you shall not add to, nor diminish it.

Observations: Having no other gods before Yahweh (first commandment) extends to worshiping Him exclusively in the manner He specified, in the place He chooses (mentioned six times in this chapter).

12:2-3 Pure worship involves destroying all traces of other gods, and not even learning about them, so as not to be ensnared by them (Dt 12:30-31).

12:8 They must not do what's right in their eyes, but only what's right in Yahweh's eyes (12:25).

12:7,15 On the positive side, they could rejoice in what Yahweh had given them, as long as they did it as Yahweh specified, exclude the blood, and include the Levites. From years of eating corn flakes (manna), and only sacrificial meat (apparently), they could now eat meat whenever they wished (repeated three times).

12:21,28 God does care about our desires, and specifies that these commands are given so things will go well with us (2x).

Application: Learn what pleases God, and do it His way if you want to enjoy life.

Prayer: God, thanks for blessing me, and being concerned about my desires, may I be more concerned about pleasing You than myself. Amen.

Chapter 13 False Prophets Encourage False Worship

13:1 If there arise in the midst of you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and he give you a sign or a wonder, 2 and the sign or the wonder happens...saying, Let us go after other gods, which you have not known, and let us serve them; 3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet, or to that dreamer of dreams: for Yahweh your God proves/tests you, to know whether you love Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 You shall walk after Yahweh your God, and fear Him, and keep His commandments, and obey His voice, and you shall serve Him, and cleave to Him. 5 That prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death, because he has spoken rebellion against Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to draw you aside out of the way which Yahweh your God commanded you to walk in. So shall you put away the evil from the midst of you. 6 If your brother, son, daughter, wife or your friend, who is as your own soul, entice you secretly, saying, "Let us go and serve other gods," 7 of the gods of the peoples who are round about you, 8 you shall not consent, nor listen, neither pity him, spare, or conceal him: 9 but you shall surely kill him; your hand shall be first on him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. 11 All Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall not do any more such wickedness as this is in the midst of you.

12 If you hear concerning one of your cities: 13 Certain base fellows/children of Belial, are gone out from the midst of you, and have drawn away the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, 14 then shall you inquire, search, ask diligently; and, if it be truth, and certain, that such abomination is done in the midst of you, 15 you shall surely strike the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, and all that is therein and the cattle of it, with the edge of the sword. 16 You shall gather all the spoil into the midst of the street, and shall burn the city, and all the spoil of it every whit, to Yahweh your God: and it shall be a heap forever; it shall not be built again. 17 There shall cleave nothing of the devoted thing to your hand; that Yahweh may turn from the fierceness of His anger, and show you mercy, and have compassion on you, and multiply you, as He has sworn to your fathers; 18 when you shall listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, to keep all His commandments which I command you this day, to do that which is right in the eyes of Yahweh your God.

Observations: Instructions in this chapter dealing with not bowing down to or serving false gods are somewhat related to the second commandment (Dt 5:8-9), although images are only inferred in burning the spoil of the city, which would have been silver and gold.

13:2-5 False prophets can do signs and wonders to deceive God's people. Any prophecy that isn't in accord with God's word is satanic, and the prophet should be killed (13:5) to remove evil from the midst. Those who seek wonders rather than the word, wander out of the way of God to follow Satan.

Mt 12:39 "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, but no sign will be given it but the sign of Jonah the prophet.”

13:4 A good description of what it means to walk with God. Use as a checklist for starters.

13:8 Discriminatory allegiance requires not just avoiding evil, but eliminating it, regardless of human relationships. No pity.

13:12-18 God is serious about His people avoiding sources of contamination, to the extent that the entire city, including its stuff must be totally destroyed if the people have turned aside from following Yahweh. 13:13 “base fellows” is equally translated “children of Belial (KJV),” which better fits the context.

Application: Walking with God goes beyond reading His word, it involves obeying it, including identifying and eliminating whatever or whoever would deceive or dissuade us from loyalty to Him.

Prayer: God, protect and deliver me from evil influences by my allegiance and obedience to You. Amen.

Chapter 14 Food For A Holy People

14:1 You are the children of Yahweh your God: you shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead. 2 For you are a holy people to Yahweh your God, and Yahweh has chosen you to be a people for His own possession, above all peoples who are on the face of the earth. 3 You shall not eat any abominable thing. 4 These are the animals which you may eat...6 Every animal that parts the hoof, and has the hoof cloven in two, [and] chews the cud 7 these you shall not eat ...8... doesn`t part the hoof but doesn`t chew the cud, he is unclean to you: of their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch. 9 These you may eat of all that are in the waters: fins and scales you may eat; 19 All winged creeping things are unclean to you: they shall not be eaten. 20 Of all clean birds you may eat. 21 You shall not eat of anything that dies of itself: you may give or sell it to a foreigner: for you are a holy people to Yahweh your God. You shall not boil a kid in its mother`s milk. 22 You shall surely tithe all the increase..23...and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock; that you may learn to fear Yahweh your God always. 24 If...the place is too far from you, which Yahweh your God shall choose, to set His name there, when Yahweh your God shall bless you; 25 then shall you turn it into money, and bind up the money in your hand, and shall go to the place which Yahweh your God shall choose: 26 and you shall bestow the money for whatever your soul desires, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatever your soul asks of you; and you shall eat there before Yahweh your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household. 27 The Levite who is within your gates, you shall not forsake him; for he has no portion nor inheritance with you. 28 At the end of every three years you shall bring forth all the tithe of your increase in the same year, and shall lay it up within your gates: 29 and the Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, and the sojourner, and the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that Yahweh your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.

Observations: This chapter develops the third commandment to not bear the name of Yahweh lightly, or to no effect. God's people should be holy, or separate/distinct from those around them, because of their obedience. In this case the dietary laws separated them from the pagans.

14:22-29 It looks like one tithed (10%) of their increase in a feast at Jerusalem for two years, and then the third year they celebrated God's goodness in their hometown. If Jerusalem was too far to take your animals and stuff, you could sell them in your hometown, and then buy an equivalent amount in Jerusalem.

Application: Being God's holy people should be noticeable in all areas of our life, from eating to giving (haircuts might count as well).

Prayer: God, I recognize that all Your commands are for my benefit, especially in protecting me from self-will. Amen.

Chapter 15 Sabbath Year and Poor Israelites

15:1 At the end of every seven years you shall make a release. 2 This is the manner of the release: every creditor shall release that which he has lent to his neighbor; he shall not exact it of his neighbor and his brother; because Yahweh`s release has been proclaimed. 3 Of a foreigner you may exact it: but whatever of your is with your brother your hand shall release. 4 However there shall be no poor with you; (for Yahweh will surely bless you in the land which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance to possess it;) 5 if only you diligently listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, to observe to do all this commandment which I command you this day. 6 For Yahweh your God will bless you, as he promised you: and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; and you shall rule over many nations, but they shall not rule over you. 7 If there be with you a poor man, one of your brothers, within any of your gates in your land which Yahweh your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart, nor shut your hand from your poor brother; 8 but you shall surely open your hand to him, and shall surely lend him sufficient for his need [in that] which he wants. 9 Beware that there not be a base thought in your heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and your eye be evil against your poor brother, and you give him nothing; and he cry to Yahweh against you, and it be sin to you. 10 You shall surely give him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him; because that for this thing Yahweh your God will bless you in all your work, and in all that you put your hand to. 11 For the poor will never cease out of the land...12 If your brother, a Hebrew man, or woman, be sold to you, and serve you six years; then in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you. 13 When you let him go free from you, you shall not let him go empty: 14 you shall furnish him liberally out of your flock, and out of your threshing floor, and out of your winepress; as Yahweh your God has blessed you, you shall give to him. 15 You shall remember that you were a bondservant in the land of Egypt, and Yahweh your God redeemed you: therefore I command you this thing today. 16 It shall be, if he tell you, I will not go out from you; because he loves you and your house, because he is well with you; 17 then you shall take an awl, and thrust it through his ear to the door, and he shall be your servant forever. Also to your maid-servant you shall do likewise. 18 It shall not seem hard to you, when you let him go free from you; for to the double of the hire of a hireling has he served you six years: and Yahweh your God will bless you in all that you do. 19 All the firstborn males that are born of your herd and of your flock you shall sanctify to Yahweh your God: you shall do no work with the firstborn of your herd, nor shear the firstborn of your flock. 20 You shall eat it before Yahweh your God year by year in the place which Yahweh shall choose, you and your household. 21 If it have any blemish, [as if it be] lame or blind, any ill blemish whatever, you shall not sacrifice it to Yahweh your God. 22 You shall eat it within your gates: the unclean and the clean [shall eat it] alike, as the gazelle, and as the hart. 23 Only you shall not eat its blood; you shall pour it out on the ground as water.

Observations: This chapter, and most of the next, flow indirectly from the fourth commandment, regarding the Sabbath.

15:4 The poor in the Promised Land, and the Sabbath year are Israel specific, although the principles of generosity and stewardship are applicable today; God still loves a cheerful giver.

15:10 God is not just concerned about our doing the right thing, but obeying with the right attitude. That's what merits His blessing.

Application: Do you view material blessings as a stewardship you manage for God, or as your “stuff” for self-gratification?

Prayer: Giver of all good gifts, guide me in using Your resources for Your purposes. Amen.

Digging Deeper:

God in a nutshell: God wants us to worship Him exclusively, in response to His revelation (words and works), which He requires us to know, value and do. He is concerned about us both internally and externally, wanting even sanctified/holy motives in our actions. He wants us to enjoy His blessings, and use them in a way that benefits ourselves, others, and ultimately Him.

Us in a nutshell: We need aggressive discriminatory allegiance to God to please Him and maintain the purity/holiness He requires. Being loyal to Him will result in not being loyal to those who don't worship Him. (He is the better choice.)

Where to Go for More:

Truthbase.net

Giving God What He Wants (Parts 1&2)

Deuteronomy complete text

Chapter 12

12:1 These are the statutes and the ordinances which you shall observe to do in the land which Yahweh, the God of your fathers, has given you to possess it, all the days that you live on the earth. 2 You shall surely destroy all the places in which the nations that you shall dispossess served their gods, on the high mountains, and on the hills, and under every green tree: 3 and you shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and burn their Asherim with fire; and you shall cut down the engraved images of their gods; and you shall destroy their name out of that place. 4 You shall not do so to Yahweh your God. 5 But to the place which Yahweh your God shall choose out of all your tribes, to put His name there, even to His habitation shall you seek, and there you shall come; 6 and there you shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and the heave-offering of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill-offerings, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock: 7 and there you shall eat before Yahweh your God, and you shall rejoice in all that you put your hand to, you and your households, in which Yahweh your God has blessed you. 8 You shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatever is right in his own eyes; 9 for you haven`t yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which Yahweh your God gives you. 10 But when you go over the Jordan, and dwell in the land which Yahweh your God causes you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all your enemies round about, so that you dwell in safety; 11 then it shall happen that to the place which Yahweh your God shall choose, to cause His name to dwell there, there shall you bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave-offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which you vow to Yahweh. 12 You shall rejoice before Yahweh your God, you, and your sons, and your daughters, and your men-servants, and your maidservants, and the Levite who is within your gates, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you. 13 Take heed to yourself that you don`t offer your burnt offerings in every place that you see; 14 but in the place which Yahweh shall choose in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I command you. 15 Notwithstanding, you may kill and eat flesh within all your gates, after all the desire of your soul, according to the blessing of Yahweh your God which He has given you: the unclean and the clean may eat of it, as of the gazelle, and as of the hart. 16 Only you shall not eat the blood; you shall pour it out on the earth as water. 17 You may not eat within your gates the tithe of your grain, or of your new wine, or of your oil, or the firstborn of your herd or of your flock, nor any of your vows which you vow, nor your freewill-offerings, nor the heave-offering of your hand; 18 but you shall eat them before Yahweh your God in the place which Yahweh your God shall choose, you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maid-servant, and the Levite who is within your gates: and you shall rejoice before Yahweh your God in all that you put your hand to. 19 Take heed to yourself that you don`t forsake the Levite as long as you live in your land. 20 When Yahweh your God shall enlarge your border, as He has promised you, and you shall say, I will eat flesh, because your soul desires to eat flesh; you may eat flesh, after all the desire of your soul. 21 If the place which Yahweh your God shall choose, to put His name there, be too far from you, then you shall kill of your herd and of your flock, which Yahweh has given you, as I have commanded you; and you may eat within your gates, after all the desire of your soul. 22 Even as the gazelle and as the hart is eaten, so you shall eat of it: the unclean and the clean may eat of it alike. 23 Only be sure that you don`t eat the blood: for the blood is the life; and you shall not eat the life with the flesh. 24 You shall not eat it; you shall pour it out on the earth as water. 25 You shall not eat it; that it may go well with you, and with your children after you, when you shall do that which is right in the eyes of Yahweh. 26 Only your holy things which you have, and your vows, you shall take, and go to the place which Yahweh shall choose: 27 and you shall offer your burnt offerings, the flesh and the blood, on the altar of Yahweh your God; and the blood of your sacrifices shall be poured out on the altar of Yahweh your God; and you shall eat the flesh. 28 Observe and hear all these words which I command you, that it may go well with you, and with your children after you forever, when you do that which is good and right in the eyes of Yahweh your God. 29 When Yahweh your God shall cut off the nations from before you, where you go in to dispossess them, and you dispossess them, and dwell in their land; 30 take heed to yourself that you not be ensnared to follow them, after that they are destroyed from before you; and that you not inquire after their gods, saying, How do these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. 31 You shall not do so to Yahweh your God: for every abomination to Yahweh, which He hates, have they done to their gods; for even their sons and their daughters do they burn in the fire to their gods. 32 Whatever thing I command you, that shall you observe to do: you shall not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

Chapter 13

13:1 If there arise in the midst of you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and he give you a sign or a wonder, 2 and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spoke to you, saying, Let us go after other gods, which you have not known, and let us serve them; 3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet, or to that dreamer of dreams: for Yahweh your God proves you, to know whether you love Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 You shall walk after Yahweh your God, and fear Him, and keep His commandments, and obey His voice, and you shall serve Him, and cleave to Him. 5 That prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death, because he has spoken rebellion against Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to draw you aside out of the way which Yahweh your God commanded you to walk in. So shall you put away the evil from the midst of you. 6 If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son, or your daughter, or the wife of your bosom, or your friend, who is as your own soul, entice you secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which you have not known, you, nor your fathers; 7 of the gods of the peoples who are round about you, near to you, or far off from you, from the one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth; 8 you shall not consent to him, nor listen to him; neither shall your eye pity him, neither shall you spare, neither shall you conceal him: 9 but you shall surely kill him; your hand shall be first on him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people. 10 You shall stone him to death with stones, because he has sought to draw you away from Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 11 All Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall not do any more such wickedness as this is in the midst of you. 12 If you shall hear tell concerning one of your cities, which Yahweh your God gives you to dwell there, saying, 13 Certain base fellows are gone out from the midst of you, and have drawn away the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which you have not known; 14 then shall you inquire, and make search, and ask diligently; and, behold, if it be truth, and the thing certain, that such abomination is done in the midst of you, 15 you shall surely strike the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, and all that is therein and the cattle of it, with the edge of the sword. 16 You shall gather all the spoil of it into the midst of the street of it, and shall burn with fire the city, and all the spoil of it every whit, to Yahweh your God: and it shall be a heap forever; it shall not be built again. 17 There shall cleave nothing of the devoted thing to your hand; that Yahweh may turn from the fierceness of His anger, and show you mercy, and have compassion on you, and multiply you, as He has sworn to your fathers; 18 when you shall listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, to keep all His commandments which I command you this day, to do that which is right in the eyes of Yahweh your God.

Chapter 14

14:1 You are the children of Yahweh your God: you shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead. 2 For you are a holy people to Yahweh your God, and Yahweh has chosen you to be a people for His own possession, above all peoples who are on the face of the earth. 3 You shall not eat any abominable thing. 4 These are the animals which you may eat: the ox, the sheep, and the goat, 5 the hart, and the gazelle, and the roebuck, and the wild goat, and the gazelle, and the antelope, and the chamois. 6 Every animal that parts the hoof, and has the hoof cloven in two, [and] chews the cud, among the animals, that may you eat. 7 Nevertheless these you shall not eat of them that chew the cud, or of those who have the hoof cloven: the camel, and the hare, and the rabbit; because they chew the cud but don`t part the hoof, they are unclean to you. 8 The pig, because he doesn`t part the hoof but doesn`t chew the cud, he is unclean to you: of their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch. 9 These you may eat of all that are in the waters: whatever has fins and scales may you eat; 10 and whatever doesn`t have fins and scales you shall not eat; it is unclean to you. 11 Of all clean birds you may eat. 12 But these are they of which you shall not eat: the eagle, and the gier-eagle, and the ospray, 13 and the red kite, and the falcon, and the kite after its kind, 14 and every raven after its kind, 15 and the ostrich, and the night-hawk, and the sea-mew, and the hawk after its kind, 16 the little owl, and the great owl, and the horned owl, 17 and the pelican, and the vulture, and the cormorant, 18 and the stork, and the heron after its kind, and the hoopoe, and the bat. 19 All winged creeping things are unclean to you: they shall not be eaten. 20 Of all clean birds you may eat. 21 You shall not eat of anything that dies of itself: you may give it to the sojourner who is within your gates, that he may eat it; or you may sell it to a foreigner: for you are a holy people to Yahweh your God. You shall not boil a kid in its mother`s milk. 22 You shall surely tithe all the increase of your seed, that which comes forth from the field year by year. 23 You shall eat before Yahweh your God, in the place which he shall choose, to cause his name to dwell there, the tithe of your grain, of your new wine, and of your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock; that you may learn to fear Yahweh your God always. 24 If the way be too long for you, so that you are not able to carry it, because the place is too far from you, which Yahweh your God shall choose, to set His name there, when Yahweh your God shall bless you; 25 then shall you turn it into money, and bind up the money in your hand, and shall go to the place which Yahweh your God shall choose: 26 and you shall bestow the money for whatever your soul desires, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatever your soul asks of you; and you shall eat there before Yahweh your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household. 27 The Levite who is within your gates, you shall not forsake him; for he has no portion nor inheritance with you. 28 At the end of every three years you shall bring forth all the tithe of your increase in the same year, and shall lay it up within your gates: 29 and the Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, and the sojourner, and the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that Yahweh your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.

Chapter 15

15:1 At the end of every seven years you shall make a release. 2 This is the manner of the release: every creditor shall release that which he has lent to his neighbor; he shall not exact it of his neighbor and his brother; because Yahweh`s release has been proclaimed. 3 Of a foreigner you may exact it: but whatever of your is with your brother your hand shall release. 4 However there shall be no poor with you; (for Yahweh will surely bless you in the land which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance to possess it;) 5 if only you diligently listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, to observe to do all this commandment which I command you this day. 6 For Yahweh your God will bless you, as He promised you: and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; and you shall rule over many nations, but they shall not rule over you. 7 If there be with you a poor man, one of your brothers, within any of your gates in your land which Yahweh your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart, nor shut your hand from your poor brother; 8 but you shall surely open your hand to him, and shall surely lend him sufficient for his need [in that] which he wants. 9 Beware that there not be a base thought in your heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and your eye be evil against your poor brother, and you give him nothing; and he cry to Yahweh against you, and it be sin to you. 10 You shall surely give him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him; because that for this thing Yahweh your God will bless you in all your work, and in all that you put your hand to. 11 For the poor will never cease out of the land: therefore I command you, saying, You shall surely open your hand to your brother, to your needy, and to your poor, in your land. 12 If your brother, a Hebrew man, or a Hebrew woman, be sold to you, and serve you six years; then in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you. 13 When you let him go free from you, you shall not let him go empty: 14 you shall furnish him liberally out of your flock, and out of your threshing floor, and out of your winepress; as Yahweh your God has blessed you, you shall give to him. 15 You shall remember that you were a bondservant in the land of Egypt, and Yahweh your God redeemed you: therefore I command you this thing today. 16 It shall be, if he tell you, I will not go out from you; because he loves you and your house, because he is well with you; 17 then you shall take an awl, and thrust it through his ear to the door, and he shall be your servant forever. Also to your maid-servant you shall do likewise. 18 It shall not seem hard to you, when you let him go free from you; for to the double of the hire of a hireling has he served you six years: and Yahweh your God will bless you in all that you do. 19 All the firstborn males that are born of your herd and of your flock you shall sanctify to Yahweh your God: you shall do no work with the firstborn of your herd, nor shear the firstborn of your flock. 20 You shall eat it before Yahweh your God year by year in the place which Yahweh shall choose, you and your household. 21 If it have any blemish, [as if it be] lame or blind, any ill blemish whatever, you shall not sacrifice it to Yahweh your God. 22 You shall eat it within your gates: the unclean and the clean [shall eat it] alike, as the gazelle, and as the hart. 23 Only you shall not eat its blood; you shall pour it out on the ground as water.

Deuteronomy 10-11 Give God What He Wants So He Blesses, Which Is What We Want

Deuteronomy 10-11 Give God What He Wants So He Blesses, Which Is What We Want

Psalm 28:1-9 Are You a Good Guy or a Bad Guy?

Ps 28:1 “To you, Yahweh, I call. My rock, don't be deaf to me; lest, if you are silent to me, I would become like those who go down into the pit. 2 Hear the voice of my petitions, when I cry to you, when I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place. 3 Don't draw me away with the wicked, with the workers of iniquity who speak peace with their neighbors, but mischief is in their hearts. 4 Give them according to their work, and according to the wickedness of their doings. Give them according to the operation of their hands. Bring back on them what they deserve. 5 Because they don't respect the works of Yahweh, nor the operation of his hands, he will break them down and not build them up.

6 Blessed be Yahweh, because he has heard the voice of my petitions. 7 Yahweh is my strength and my shield. My heart has trusted in him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart greatly rejoices. With my song I will thank him. 8 Yahweh is their strength. He is a stronghold of salvation to his anointed. 9 Save your people, and bless your inheritance. Be their shepherd also, and bear them up forever.

Observations: 28:1-2 David, trusting in God, calls to Him who resides in the Holy of Holies.

28:3-5 He contrasts the bad guys who get disciplined, with the good guys (28:6-9) who get deliverance.

28:6-9 David gets heard, strengthened, protected, helped, saved/delivered, blessed, and at no extra charge, is Shepherded and receives the opposite of the bad guys' discipline. Such a deal! What's not to like?

Application: Figure out the things the bad guys do, and don't do it. Instead, do what the good guys do, especially trusting and calling on God.

Prayer: My Fortress and Stronghold, who dwells in the center of the praise of His people, hear me, help me, and shepherd me throughout my day. Thanks. Amen.

Proverbs 7:24-27 Path to Death

Pr 7:24 “(23...doesn’t know that it will cost his life.) Now therefore, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to the words of my mouth. 25 Don’t let your heart turn to her ways. Don’t go astray in her paths, 26 for she has thrown down many wounded. Yes, all her slain are a mighty army. 27 Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the rooms of death.“

Observations: 7:24-27 Note the progression: Ears, brain, heart, feet, wounded, dead. The author warns that failure to listen, understand, and align one's heart (values and will) with wisdom, will result in walking down the path to death. If you don't guard and rule your heart, you will follow your unsanctified desires to your doom and destruction. Most immorality and promiscuity isn't about physical pleasure, but about emotional gratification and self-worth validation. The woman to avoid in Proverbs isn't usually some wicked shape-shifting demon, but a human on a quest for worth and value. Attraction is largely a matter of perception. We perceive another to be of worth and value, and we deceive ourselves into thinking that if they find us attractive, we must have worth and value too. But perceptions change. The charade lasts until someone temporarily more attractive comes along, and then worth and value get wounded, and someone usually wants to die. Emotional death is just the beginning; spiritual and physical death are just a little further down the path. The way of wisdom steers clear of such folly.

Application: If you don't teach your heart to value wisdom, it will lead you on a deadly quest for worth and value in all the wrong places.

Prayer: Lord, open my eyes to reality, and train my heart to Your ways, so I am not deceived by the temporal pleasures of life that lead to death. Amen.

Deuteronomy 10-11 These are the summary chapters of the General Stipulations, in which God sets before the generation the option of either being blessed or cursed. He tells them what actions result in what outcomes, so they can choose wisely, and then gives them encouragement to choose blessing.

Chapter 10 So What Does God Want From Us?

10:1 At that time Yahweh said to me, cut two tables of stone like the first, and come up to me onto the mountain, and make an ark of wood. 2 I will write on the tables the words that were on the first tables which you broke, and you shall put them in the ark. 4 He wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten commandments me. 5 I put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there they are as Yahweh commanded me. 8 Yahweh set apart the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, to stand before Yahweh to minister to Him, and to bless in His name, to this day. 9 Therefore Levi has no portion nor inheritance with his brothers; Yahweh is his inheritance 11 Yahweh said to me, "Arise, take your journey before the people; and they shall go in and possess the land, which I swore to their fathers to give to them. 12 Now, Israel, what does Yahweh your God require of you, but to fear Yahweh your God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him, and to serve Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 to keep the commandments of Yahweh, and His statutes, which I command you this day for your good? 14 Behold, to Yahweh your God belongs heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth, with all that is therein. 15 Only Yahweh had a delight in your fathers to love them, and He chose their seed after them, even you above all peoples, as at this day. 16 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff-necked. 17 For Yahweh your God, He is God of gods, and Lord of lords, the great God, the mighty, and the awesome, who doesn`t regard persons, nor takes bribes. 18 He does execute justice for the fatherless and widow, and loves the sojourner, in giving him food and clothing. 19 Love therefore the sojourner; for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. 20 You shall fear Yahweh your God; Him shall you serve; and to Him shall you cleave, and by His name shall you swear. 21 He is your praise, and He is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome things, which your eyes have seen. 22 Your fathers went down into Egypt with seventy persons; and now Yahweh your God has made you as the stars of the sky for multitude.

Observations: 10:5 We shouldn't need an Ark to remind us of God's laws; they should be written on our heart.

10:12 Does God still require these things of His people? If not, why not?

10:16 A insensitive heart causes us to be calloused toward God. We have the responsibility to circumcise it. We can cultivate a sensitivity toward God by immersing ourselves in His word.

10:17-21 Do you know God as described in these verses?

10:20 “Cleave” was first used in Gen 2:24 to describe the emotional bond of a husband and wife. It is also used of a disease like leprosy permeating the fabric of our beings.

Application: Quick spiritual check-up: do you fear God, walk in His ways, loyally love Him, serve Him (do His will) with all your heart, and joyfully obey Him knowing that all His commands are for your benefit? If so, you should have lots to praise Him for. If not, you don't know the God of the Scriptures.

Prayer: My God, You are the God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God, I want to do all You require; You are worthy of nothing less. Amen.

Chapter 11 Blessing or Curse: Your Choice

11:1 Therefore you shall love Yahweh your God, and keep His charge, and His statutes, and His ordinances, and His commandments, always. 2 Know this day: for I don`t speak with your children who have not known, and who have not seen the chastisement of Yahweh your God, His greatness, His mighty hand, and His outstretched arm, 3 and His signs, and His works, which He did in the midst of Egypt...5 and what He did to you in the wilderness, 6 and what He did to Dathan...how the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up...7 but your eyes have seen all the great work of Yahweh which He did. 8 Therefore shall you keep all the commandment which I command you this day, that you may be strong, and go in and possess the land, where you go over to possess it; 9 and that you may prolong your days in the land, which Yahweh swore to your fathers to give to them and to their seed, a land flowing with milk and honey. 10 it isn`t as the land of Egypt, where you sowed your seed, and watered it with your foot, as a garden of herbs; 11 but it is a land of hills and valleys, drinks water of the rain of the sky 12...a land which Yahweh your God cares for: the eyes of Yahweh your God are always on it...13...if you shall listen diligently to my commandments which I command you this day, to love Yahweh your God, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, 14 I will give the rain..15 I will give grass in your fields for your cattle, and you shall eat and be full. 16 Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; 17 and the anger of Yahweh be kindled against you, and He shut up the sky, so that there shall be no rain, and the land shall not yield its fruit; and you perish quickly from off the good land which Yahweh gives you.

18 Therefore shall you lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul; and you shall bind them for a sign on your hand, and they shall be for symbols between your eyes. 19 You shall teach them your children, talking of them, when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up. 20 You shall write them on the door-posts of your house, and on your gates; 21 that your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers to give them, as the days of the heavens above the earth.

22 For if you shall diligently keep all this commandment which I command you, to do it, to love Yahweh your God, to walk in all His ways, and to cleave to Him; 23 then will Yahweh drive out all these nations from before you, and you shall dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourselves. 24 Every place whereon the sole of your foot shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness, and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even to the hinder sea shall be your border.

26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse: 27 the blessing, if you shall listen to the commandments of Yahweh your God, which I command you this day; 28 and the curse, if you shall not listen to the commandments of Yahweh your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which you have not known. 31 For you are to pass over the Jordan to go in to possess the land which Yahweh your God gives you, and you shall possess it, and dwell therein. 32 You shall observe to do all the statutes and the ordinances which I set before you this day.

Observations: 11:7 God doesn't ask for blind faith. Faith is not a leap in the dark, but a step into the light of God's revelation. God first revealed Himself through His works, (which they saw), and then called for belief and obedience. Those who take a leap in the dark are still stumbling around there rather than walking with God.

11:13 You might have noticed how important it is to listen to God; here the Hebrew says “listen to listen” for emphasis, which is appropriately translated “diligently listen.”

11:16 If we saw things as they really are, we wouldn't be tempted to sin. But Satan deceives with the promise of something better than God. As usual, he lies.

11:19-21 These verses were written on the phylacteries/tephillin. Duet 10:12-13, bolded in the previous chapter, would be better verses to use, since they emphasize the heart of the law rather than the external ritual. God specified the external rite to get their heart right. It doesn't do any good to tie Scripture to your head or hand, put it on your refrigerator, or even memorize it, if it isn't on your heart, controlling your values and decisions, and is part of your everyday life. Then you can pass it on to others so they too can benefit. (Cf The Great Shema of Duet 6.)

11:24 The land matches that promised to Abe in Gen 15:18.

11:26 A mini summary of the General Stipulations. Blessing or Curse: your choice.

Application: How does God's word get into your heart and values, leading to obedience and blessing? If God's words aren't on your heart, what is?

Prayer: My God, I cling to You more than life itself; may I love and serve You all my days; and may I accomplish the purposes for which You placed me on this planet. Amen.

Digging Deeper:

God in a nutshell: God reveals Himself as desirous of blessing His people, but will do so only under the terms He specifies, hearing and obeying (who knew?). He bases His call for total allegiance on what they have seen and know, giving a rational basis for their trust in Him. He promises just blessing and cursing, and the blessings sounds like the better choice.

Us in a nutshell: God doesn't paint a pretty picture of His people: stubborn, rebellious, insensitive, fearful, disobedient, and dressed oddly. Yet He chose to love us, so we have potential, especially if we do what He requires: fear, loyally love, wholeheartedly serve, cleave to Him, walk in His ways, watch out that we're not deceived, and pass all of the above on to others. Oh, yeah, then there's fight giants, exterminate idolaters, and dwell contentedly in the land. Doing all that doesn't leave us much time to get into trouble, but some will manage to get themselves cursed rather than blessed. Silly humans.

Where to Go for More:

Truthbase.net

Deuteronomy complete text

Chapter 10

10:1 At that time Yahweh said to me, Hew you two tables of stone like the first, and come up to me onto the mountain, and make an ark of wood. 2 I will write on the tables the words that were on the first tables which you broke, and you shall put them in the ark. 3 So I made an ark of acacia wood, and hewed two tables of stone like the first, and went up onto the mountain, having the two tables in my hand. 4 He wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which Yahweh spoke to you on the mountain out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly: and Yahweh gave them to me. 5 I turned and came down from the mountain, and put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there they are as Yahweh commanded me. 6 (The children of Israel journeyed from Beeroth Bene-jaakan to Moserah. There Aaron died, and there he was buried; and Eleazar his son ministered in the priest`s office in his place. 7 From there they journeyed to Gudgodah; and from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, a land of brooks of water. 8 At that time Yahweh set apart the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, to stand before Yahweh to minister to him, and to bless in his name, to this day. 9 Therefore Levi has no portion nor inheritance with his brothers; Yahweh is his inheritance, according as Yahweh your God spoke to him.) 10 I stayed on the mountain, as at the first time, forty days and forty nights: and Yahweh listened to me that time also; Yahweh would not destroy you. 11 Yahweh said to me, Arise, take your journey before the people; and they shall go in and possess the land, which I swore to their fathers to give to them. 12 Now, Israel, what does Yahweh your God require of you, but to fear Yahweh your God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 to keep the commandments of Yahweh, and his statutes, which I command you this day for your good? 14 Behold, to Yahweh your God belongs heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth, with all that is therein. 15 Only Yahweh had a delight in your fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all peoples, as at this day. 16 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff-necked. 17 For Yahweh your God, he is God of gods, and Lord of lords, the great God, the mighty, and the awesome, who doesn`t regard persons, nor takes reward. 18 He does execute justice for the fatherless and widow, and loves the sojourner, in giving him food and clothing. 19 Love you therefore the sojourner; for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. 20 You shall fear Yahweh your God; him shall you serve; and to him shall you cleave, and by his name shall you swear. 21 He is your praise, and he is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome things, which your eyes have seen. 22 Your fathers went down into Egypt with seventy persons; and now Yahweh your God has made you as the stars of the sky for multitude.

Chapter 11

11:1 Therefore you shall love Yahweh your God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his ordinances, and his commandments, always. 2 Know you this day: for I don`t speak with your children who have not known, and who have not seen the chastisement of Yahweh your God, his greatness, his mighty hand, and his outstretched arm, 3 and his signs, and his works, which he did in the midst of Egypt to Pharaoh the king of Egypt, and to all his land; 4 and what he did to the army of Egypt, to their horses, and to their chariots; how he made the water of the Red Sea to overflow them as they pursued after you, and how Yahweh has destroyed them to this day; 5 and what he did to you in the wilderness, until you came to this place; 6 and what he did to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben; how the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and every living thing that followed them, in the midst of all Israel: 7 but your eyes have seen all the great work of Yahweh which he did. 8 Therefore shall you keep all the commandment which I command you this day, that you may be strong, and go in and possess the land, where you go over to possess it; 9 and that you may prolong your days in the land, which Yahweh swore to your fathers to give to them and to their seed, a land flowing with milk and honey. 10 For the land, where you go in to possess it, isn`t as the land of Egypt, from whence you came out, where you sowed your seed, and watered it with your foot, as a garden of herbs; 11 but the land, where you go over to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, [and] drinks water of the rain of the sky, 12 a land which Yahweh your God cares for: the eyes of Yahweh your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year even to the end of the year. 13 It shall happen, if you shall listen diligently to my commandments which I command you this day, to love Yahweh your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, 14 that I will give the rain of your land in its season, the former rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, and your new wine, and your oil. 15 I will give grass in your fields for your cattle, and you shall eat and be full. 16 Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; 17 and the anger of Yahweh be kindled against you, and he shut up the sky, so that there shall be no rain, and the land shall not yield its fruit; and you perish quickly from off the good land which Yahweh gives you. 18 Therefore shall you lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul; and you shall bind them for a sign on your hand, and they shall be for symbols between your eyes. 19 You shall teach them your children, talking of them, when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up. 20 You shall write them on the door-posts of your house, and on your gates; 21 that your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers to give them, as the days of the heavens above the earth. 22 For if you shall diligently keep all this commandment which I command you, to do it, to love Yahweh your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave to him; 23 then will Yahweh drive out all these nations from before you, and you shall dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourselves. 24 Every place whereon the sole of your foot shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness, and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even to the hinder sea shall be your border. 25 There shall no man be able to stand before you: Yahweh your God shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you on all the land that you shall tread on, as he has spoken to you. 26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse: 27 the blessing, if you shall listen to the commandments of Yahweh your God, which I command you this day; 28 and the curse, if you shall not listen to the commandments of Yahweh your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which you have not known. 29 It shall happen, when Yahweh your God shall bring you into the land where you go to possess it, that you shall set the blessing on Mount Gerizim, and the curse on Mount Ebal. 30 Aren`t they beyond the Jordan, behind the way of the going down of the sun, in the land of the Canaanites who dwell in the Arabah, over against Gilgal, beside the oaks of Moreh? 31 For you are to pass over the Jordan to go in to possess the land which Yahweh your God gives you, and you shall possess it, and dwell therein. 32 You shall observe to do all the statutes and the ordinances which I set before you this day.

Numbers 18-20 Mighty Moses Strikes Out

Numbers 18-20 Mighty Moses Strikes Out

Psalm 24:1-6 Who Gets Blessed and Intimate with God?

Ps 24:1 “The earth is Yahweh's, with its fullness; the world, and those who dwell therein. 2 For he has founded it on the seas, and established it on the floods. 3 Who may ascend to Yahweh's hill? Who may stand in his holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood, and has not sworn deceitfully. 5 He shall receive a blessing from Yahweh, righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 This is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek your face --- even Jacob. Selah.

Observations: 24:4 We sacrifice integrity in taking short-cuts to temporal blessings.

24:5 The blessing mentioned is conditional.

24:6 Seeking His face goes beyond seeking His blessing.

Application: Integrity is necessary for intimacy with God and blessing.

Prayer: Holy God of my salvation, may I live righteously as I seek you. Amen.

Proverbs 6:23-29 Getting Burned

Pr 6:23 “For the commandment is a lamp, and the law is light. Reproofs of instruction are the way of life, 24 to keep you from the immoral woman, from the flattery of the wayward wife’s tongue. 25 Don’t lust after her beauty in your heart, neither let her captivate you with her eyelids. 26 For a prostitute reduces you to a piece of bread. The adulteress hunts for your precious life. 27 Can a man scoop fire into his lap, and his clothes not be burned? 28 Or can one walk on hot coals, and his feet not be scorched? 29 So is he who sleeps with his neighbor’s wife. Whoever touches her will not be free from punishment.“

Observations: 6:23-29 God's word guides us in the paths that are pleasant, and which avoid pain. When the word reproves us, bringing to light our wrong values and actions, we can be instructed in the way to life and happily ever after. Proverbs warns against the illegitimate pleasures of the immoral woman who hunts her prey with flattery and cunning. Painful consequences, which will totally wipe out any memory of pleasure await those who allow themselves to be captivated. It's not worth it. See last post on Proverbs 5 for a little preventative maintenance for married guys. See Deadly Desires on Truthbase.net for both married and single guys.

Application: Those who live for the passing illegitimate pleasures of this world, will not only not be satisfied, but will suffer pain.

Prayer: Lord, help me keep Your perspective on life, and what's worth doing and worth not doing; protect me from deadly desires, and let me find my greatest pleasure in following You. Amen.

Numbers 18-20

Numbers 18 Levite Reward and Inheritance for Service Rendered

18:1 Yahweh said to Aaron...6 I, behold, I have taken your brothers the Levites from among the children of Israel: to you they are a gift, given to Yahweh, to do the service of the tent of meeting. 7 You and your sons with you shall keep your priesthood for everything of the altar, and for that within the veil; and you shall serve: I give you the service of the priesthood as a gift: and the stranger who comes near shall be put to death. 12 All the best of the oil, and all the best of the vintage, and of the grain, the first-fruits of them which they give to Yahweh, to you have I given them. 20 Yahweh said to Aaron, You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them: I am your portion and your inheritance among the children of Israel. 21 To the children of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service which they serve, even the service of the tent of meeting. 22 Henceforth the children of Israel shall not come near the tent of meeting, lest they bear sin, and die. 29 Out of all your gifts you shall offer every heave-offering of Yahweh, of all the best of it, even the holy part of it out of it. 30 Therefore you shall tell them, When you heave the best of it from it, then it shall be reckoned to the Levites as the increase of the threshing floor, and as the increase of the wine-press. 31 You shall eat it in every place, you and your households: for it is your reward in return for your service in the tent of meeting. 32 You shall bear no sin by reason of it, when you have heaved from it the best of it: and you shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, that you not die.

Observations: God rewards His servants with an inheritance. Since the Levites did not get a portion of land, they got the best portion of the tithes and offerings. Aaron himself got God. Despite the consecrated privileged position, profaning (treating as common or unholy) the holy things resulted in death.

Numbers 19 Red Heifer Remedy

19:1 Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 2 This is the statute of the law which Yahweh has commanded, saying, Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring you a red heifer without spot, in which is no blemish, [and] on which never came yoke. 3 You shall give her to Eleazar the priest, and he shall bring her outside of the camp, and kill her...4 and Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle her blood toward the front of the tent of meeting seven times. 5 One shall burn the heifer in his sight; her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn: 6 and the priest shall take cedar-wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer. 9 A man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up outside of the camp in a clean place; and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water for cleansing: it is a purification for sin. 13 Whoever touches a dead person, and doesn`t purify himself, defiles the tent of Yahweh; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water for impurity was not sprinkled on him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet on him.

Observations: The red heifer, burned with cedar, hyssop and scarlet was a means of cleansing from defilement resulting from contact with a dead body. It was not an atoning sacrifice. Failure to avail oneself of God's remedy resulted in being cut off. See Digging Deeper for more.

Numbers 20 Miriam and Aaron Die, Moses Gets DQ'd

20:1 The children of Israel, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month: and the people stayed in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there. 2 There was no water for the congregation: and they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. 3 The people strove with Moses, and spoke, saying, Would that we had died when our brothers died before Yahweh! 4 Why have you brought the assembly of Yahweh into this wilderness, that we should die there, we and our animals? 5 Why have you made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in to this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink.

6 Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the tent of meeting, and fell on their faces: and the glory of Yahweh appeared to them. 7 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 8 Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, you, and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes, that it give forth its water; and you shall bring forth to them water out of the rock; so you shall give the congregation and their cattle drink. 9 Moses took the rod from before Yahweh, as he commanded him. 10 Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, Hear now, you rebels; shall we bring you forth water out of this rock? 11 Moses lifted up his hand, and struck the rock with his rod twice: and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their cattle. 12 Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron, Because you didn`t believe in me, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them. 13 These are the waters of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with Yahweh, and he was sanctified in them.

14 Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, Thus says your brother Israel, You know all the travail that has befallen us: 15 how our fathers went down into Egypt, and we lived in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians dealt ill with us, and our fathers: 16 and when we cried to Yahweh, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and brought us forth out of Egypt: and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of your border. 17 Please let us pass through your land: we will not pass through field or through vineyard, neither will we drink of the water of the wells: we will go along the king`s highway; we will not turn aside to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed your border. 21 Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border: Israel turned away from him.

23 Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor, by the border of the land of Edom, saying, 24 Aaron shall be gathered to his people; for he shall not enter into the land which I have given to the children of Israel, because you (both NIV) rebelled against my word at the waters of Meribah. 25 Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up to Mount Hor; 26 and strip Aaron of his garments, and put them on Eleazar his son: and Aaron shall be gathered [to his people], and shall die there. 27 Moses did as Yahweh commanded: and they went up into Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation. 28 Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them on Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there on the top of the mountain: and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain. 29 When all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they wept for Aaron thirty days.

Observations: All three "heroes" fail to make it into the Promised Land.
20:3 No water, and the people blame Moses, using the same satanic lies of previous murmurings. This goes beyond “slow to learn” to “extreme stupidity”. No trust, no value change. They don't incur additional penalty, but Moses does.

20:8-12 Moses was told to speak to the rock. He strikes the rock, twice. Striking is not speaking, and is disobedience. It wasn't out of anger nor frustration, but rather doubt or trusting in past experience. God said Moses didn't believe. Previously Moses was told to strike the rock at Horeb (Ex 17:5). Surprisingly the water gushes out and God is seen as sanctified or holy. Three quick lessons: God expects us to listen carefully and obey precisely; there are always consequences for failing to obey what He said; God holds leaders to a higher standard (James 3:1).  While Moses lost out on the Promised Land, he will enjoy the Promised Kingdom (Mt 17:4; Mk 9:4).
20:14-21 Edom refuses passage, and will get paid back.
20:24 Aaron also gets disqualified, possibly for failing to stop Moses from striking the rock (???), and the High Priest job gets passed to his son.

Application: God requires exact and specific obedience to enjoy His blessings. Listen carefully.

Prayer: Holy God, help me listen accurately and loyally obey all that You want me to do. Amen.

Digging Deeper:

Numbers 19 The Red Heifer Cleansing

Most ancient (and even modern) cultures have taboos against touching dead bodies, to prevent physical and spiritual contamination. Since death was the result of sin, demonic (sinning) spirits might be connected with the dead.

The ashes and added ingredients (which were used in cleansing lepers Lev 14:4) would provide ritual/symbolic cleansing, through obedience. The red heifer, a young female cow, was a symbol of life (not only by virtue of fertility, but also thru the blood red color); cedar wood has a reddish tint (and is an enduring preservative); some varieties of hyssop (which was first used to apply the Passover blood, and later in the sanctuary for sprinkling blood on cleansed lepers) have purplish red berries; and the scarlet/red cloth or wool was also a symbol of blood. Moses also used hyssop to sprinkle blood upon the redeemed people (Heb 9:19) when they accepted the terms of the covenant (Ex 24:8).

So it seems that the the Red Heifer is not related to atonement for sin, but cleansing from sin, and is ritual, deriving its power from obedience.

Ps 51:6 Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts. You teach me wisdom in the inmost place. 7 Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

God in a nutshell: God requires precise faithful obedience, cleansed lives, and rewards to those who serve Him as He's specified. He deprives the disobedient doubters of blessings and rewards. God holds greater servants to greater accountability, because they should know better (Lk 12:48). However, He doesn't totally reject His doubting people, nor undo their forgiveness, but instead calls them to holiness. Those who proudly sin are cut off. God will glorify Himself regardless of our doubt and disobedience.

Us in a nutshell: We can begin our relationship with God having good intentions, but lose focus on God's will, then doubt, disobey, and be disinherited. If we avail ourselves of God's provisions for getting back in fellowship, we can minimize the damage; but still damage is done.

Where to Go for More:

Truthbase.net

Numbers Complete Text

Chapter 18

18:1 Yahweh said to Aaron, You and your sons and your fathers` house with you shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary; and you and your sons with you shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood. 2 Your brothers also, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, bring you near with you, that they may be joined to you, and minister to you: but you and your sons with you shall be before the tent of the testimony. 3 They shall keep your charge, and the charge of all the Tent: only they shall not come near to the vessels of the sanctuary and to the altar, that they not die, neither they, nor you. 4 They shall be joined to you, and keep the charge of the tent of meeting, for all the service of the Tent: and a stranger shall not come near to you. 5 You shall keep the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the altar; that there be wrath no more on the children of Israel. 6 I, behold, I have taken your brothers the Levites from among the children of Israel: to you they are a gift, given to Yahweh, to do the service of the tent of meeting. 7 You and your sons with you shall keep your priesthood for everything of the altar, and for that within the veil; and you shall serve: I give you the priesthood as a service of gift: and the stranger who comes near shall be put to death. 8 Yahweh spoke to Aaron, I, behold, I have given you the charge of my heave-offerings, even all the holy things of the children of Israel; to you have I given them by reason of the anointing, and to your sons, as a portion forever. 9 This shall be your of the most holy things, [reserved] from the fire: every offering of theirs, even every meal-offering of theirs, and every sin-offering of theirs, and every trespass-offering of theirs, which they shall render to me, shall be most holy for you and for your sons. 10 As the most holy things shall you eat of it; every male shall eat of it: it shall be holy to you. 11 This is your: the heave-offering of their gift, even all the wave-offerings of the children of Israel; I have given them to you, and to your sons and to your daughters with you, as a portion forever; everyone who is clean in your house shall eat of it. 12 All the best of the oil, and all the best of the vintage, and of the grain, the first-fruits of them which they give to Yahweh, to you have I given them. 13 The first-ripe fruits of all that is in their land, which they bring to Yahweh, shall be yours; everyone who is clean in your house shall eat of it. 14 Everything devoted in Israel shall be yours. 15 Everything that opens the womb, of all flesh which they offer to Yahweh, both of man and animal shall be yours: nevertheless the firstborn of man shall you surely redeem, and the firstborn of unclean animals shall you redeem. 16 Those who are to be redeemed of them from a month old shall you redeem, according to your estimation, for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary (the same is twenty gerahs). 17 But the firstborn of a cow, or the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat, you shall not redeem; they are holy: you shall sprinkle their blood on the altar, and shall burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savor to Yahweh. 18 The flesh of them shall be your, as the wave-breast and as the right thigh, it shall be your. 19 All the heave-offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer to Yahweh, have I given you, and your sons and your daughters with you, as a portion forever: it is a covenant of salt forever before Yahweh to you and to your seed with you. 20 Yahweh said to Aaron, You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them: I am your portion and your inheritance among the children of Israel. 21 To the children of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service which they serve, even the service of the tent of meeting. 22 Henceforth the children of Israel shall not come near the tent of meeting, lest they bear sin, and die. 23 But the Levites shall do the service of the tent of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations; and among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance. 24 For the tithe of the children of Israel, which they offer as a heave-offering to Yahweh, I have given to the Levites for an inheritance: therefore I have said to them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance. 25 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 26 Moreover you shall speak to the Levites, and tell them, When you take of the children of Israel the tithe which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then you shall offer up a heave-offering of it for Yahweh, a tithe of the tithe. 27 Your heave-offering shall be reckoned to you, as though it were the grain of the threshing floor, and as the fullness of the winepress. 28 Thus you also shall offer a heaveoffering to Yahweh of all your tithes, which you receive of the children of Israel; and of it you shall give Yahweh`s heave-offering to Aaron the priest. 29 Out of all your gifts you shall offer every heave-offering of Yahweh, of all the best of it, even the holy part of it out of it. 30 Therefore you shall tell them, When you heave the best of it from it, then it shall be reckoned to the Levites as the increase of the threshing floor, and as the increase of the wine-press. 31 You shall eat it in every place, you and your households: for it is your reward in return for your service in the tent of meeting. 32 You shall bear no sin by reason of it, when you have heaved from it the best of it: and you shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, that you not die.

Chapter 19

19:1 Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 2 This is the statute of the law which Yahweh has commanded, saying, Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring you a red heifer without spot, in which is no blemish, [and] on which never came yoke. 3 You shall give her to Eleazar the priest, and he shall bring her forth outside of the camp, and one shall kill her before his face: 4 and Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle her blood toward the front of the tent of meeting seven times. 5 One shall burn the heifer in his sight; her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn: 6 and the priest shall take cedar-wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer. 7 Then the priest shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp, and the priest shall be unclean until the even. 8 He who burns her shall wash his clothes in water, and bathe his flesh in water, and shall be unclean until the even. 9 A man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up outside of the camp in a clean place; and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water for impurity: it is a sin-offering. 10 He who gathers the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: and it shall be to the children of Israel, and to the stranger who sojourns among them, for a statute forever. 11 He who touches the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days: 12 the same shall purify himself therewith on the third day, and on the seventh day he shall be clean: but if he doesn`t purify himself the third day, then the seventh day he shall not be clean. 13 Whoever touches a dead person, the body of a man who has died, and doesn`t purifies himself, defiles the tent of Yahweh; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water for impurity was not sprinkled on him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet on him. 14 This is the law when a man dies in a tent: everyone who comes into the tent, and everyone who is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days. 15 Every open vessel, which has no covering bound on it, is unclean. 16 Whoever in the open field touches one who is slain with a sword, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days. 17 For the unclean they shall take of the ashes of the burning of the sinoffering; and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel: 18 and a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it on the tent, and on all the vessels, and on the persons who were there, and on him who touched the bone, or the slain, or the dead, or the grave: 19 and the clean person shall sprinkle on the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day: and on the seventh day he shall purify him; and he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at even. 20 But the man who shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from the midst of the assembly, because he has defiled the sanctuary of Yahweh: the water for impurity has not been sprinkled on him; he is unclean. 21 It shall be a perpetual statute to them: and he who sprinkles the water for impurity shall wash his clothes, and he who touches the water for impurity shall be unclean until even. 22 Whatever the unclean person touches shall be unclean; and the soul that touches it shall be unclean until even.

Chapter 20

1 The children of Israel, even the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there. 2 There was no water for the congregation: and they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. 3 The people strove with Moses, and spoke, saying, Would that we had died when our brothers died before Yahweh! 4 Why have you brought the assembly of Yahweh into this wilderness, that we should die there, we and our animals? 5 Why have you made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in to this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink. 6 Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the tent of meeting, and fell on their faces: and the glory of Yahweh appeared to them. 7 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 8 Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, you, and Aaron your brother, and speak you to the rock before their eyes, that it give forth its water; and you shall bring forth to them water out of the rock; so you shall give the congregation and their cattle drink. 9 Moses took the rod from before Yahweh, as he commanded him. 10 Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, Hear now, you rebels; shall we bring you forth water out of this rock? 11 Moses lifted up his hand, and struck the rock with his rod twice: and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their cattle. 12 Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron, Because you didn`t believe in Me, to sanctify Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them. 13 These are the waters of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with Yahweh, and he was sanctified in them. 14 Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, Thus says your brother Israel, You know all the travail that has befallen us: 15 how our fathers went down into Egypt, and we lived in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians dealt ill with us, and our fathers: 16 and when we cried to Yahweh, He heard our voice, and sent an angel, and brought us forth out of Egypt: and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of your border. 17 Please let us pass through your land: we will not pass through field or through vineyard, neither will we drink of the water of the wells: we will go along the king`s highway; we will not turn aside to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed your border. 18 Edom said to him, You shall not pass through me, lest I come out with the sword against you. 19 The children of Israel said to him, We will go up by the highway; and if we drink of your water, I and my cattle, then will I give the price of it: let me only, without [doing] anything [else], pass through on my feet. 20 He said, You shall not pass through. Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand. 21 Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border: why Israel turned away from him. 22 They journeyed from Kadesh: and the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, came to Mount Hor. 23 Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor, by the border of the land of Edom, saying, 24 Aaron shall be gathered to his people; for he shall not enter into the land which I have given to the children of Israel, because you rebelled against My word at the waters of Meribah. 25 Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up to Mount Hor; 26 and strip Aaron of his garments, and put them on Eleazar his son: and Aaron shall be gathered [to his people], and shall die there. 27 Moses did as Yahweh commanded: and they went up into Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation. 28 Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them on Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there on the top of the mountain: and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain. 29 When all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they wept for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel.