DEUTERONOMY: This book ends with the words, “but since then there has not arisen in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face.” The content of this book is mainly the last words of this greatest of all prophets until Jesus. Think of the wisdom of this man, and of the Lord who inspired him, when you study this book.

June 3 – Deuteronomy 1

Deu 1:39  'Moreover your little ones and your children, who you say will be victims, who today have no knowledge of good and evil, they shall go in there; to them I will give it, and they shall possess it.

I have often been asked, “What is the age of accountability?” I think this verse, coupled with Numbers 14:29, “from 20 years old and above,” gives us a clue. On the other hand, at the other end of the spectrum, we have Jesus, who let His parents know that He was accountable to God at age 12, Lk.2:49. In order to be accountable to God, a person would need to be able to read the Bible (or hear it read) and understand it. This, Jesus proved He was able to do, Lk.2:46-47. God, who knows the hearts, judges righteously in each individual case, but in general, He expects a person, by the age of 20, to be able to understand His word and be strong enough to withstand peer pressure, even parental pressure, and stand for the truth.

Dear Lord, we pray especially today for our young people who are faced with so many temptations and challenges. May we do everything we can to encourage them to read, work to understand, and obey Your word that gives “prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth,” Prov.1:4.

June 4 – Deuteronomy 2

Deu 2:19  And when you come near the people of Ammon, do not harass them or meddle with them, for I will not give you any of the land of the people of Ammon as a possession, because I have given it to the descendants of Lot as a possession.' " 20  (That was also regarded as a land of giants; giants formerly dwelt there. But the Ammonites call them Zamzummim, 21  a people as great and numerous and tall as the Anakim. But the LORD destroyed them before them, and they dispossessed them and dwelt in their place, 22  just as He had done for the descendants of Esau…

History is a great teacher! It is in story form, which makes it memorable. It is about real people, which makes it resonate with us. It is interesting to children and adults alike. And so, hopefully, we LEARN from the past. Although I have read this chapter before, probably several times, I had never “clicked” into the lesson Moses is teaching here. Moses is giving the Israelites a history lesson: God helped the Moabites, Edomites and Ammonites overcome their giants; your parents should not have been afraid of the Anakim giants – and neither should you be!

Lord, to us, our problems are so gigantic, but to You they are so simple. Our problem is that we don’t want to trust in the simple solutions found in Your word. May the “history lessons” found in Your word give us strength to trust in You when facing our “giants,” because, with You, victory is assure

June 5 – Deuteronomy 3

Deu 3:11  "For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of the giants. Indeed his bedstead was an iron bedstead. (Is it not in Rabbah of the people of Ammon?) Nine cubits is its length and four cubits its width, according to the standard cubit.

Speaking of giants…  King Og’s bed was made of iron and was 13 ½ feet long and 6 feet wide. Imagine how heavy it was! Imagine a person approximately twice as tall as the tallest person you know. But he was a dying breed -- the only giant left in that area. Do you know any giants in the faith? The giants in the faith that we know will one day also pass away. We can do nothing about our physical height, but we can certainly work on our spiritual height!

Lord, please help each one of us reading this devotion to work at becoming a spiritual giant in our generation, not for our glory, but to advance Your cause.

June 6 – Deuteronomy 4

Deu 4:6  Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.' … 8  And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day?

The wisdom of God’s statues is most obvious in the effect they have on our families. What wife would not want to be loved the way Christ loved the church? What husband doesn’t desire to be respected as the head of his household? Which of your friends wouldn’t want children who grow up to be stable adults, responsible for taking care of themselves, their children, and even their parents when they get old? No matter how much the world may ridicule us for our faith in God or our belief in traditional family values, they do want the love, joy and peace we experience when we follow God’s laws.

O Lord, how precious are Your statutes to us, especially the ones which guide our family life! May we be diligent to teach them to our children and our grandchildren. May the world see Your wisdom as a light that shines out of our homes, bringing glory to You and encouraging those with good hearts to turn from the shallow wisdom of the world to following You.

June 7 – Deuteronomy 5

Deu 5:29  Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!

This glimpse into the depth of God’s heart is so beautiful! Have you ever cried in anguish, “Oh, if only….!” God agonizes over our disobedience because He so much wants to bless us. Oh what love that He was willing to give His Son as a sacrifice that it might be well with us and our children forever! Oh, if only we would all work hard to “comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height – to know the love of Christ,” so that we can be “filled with all the fullness of God…who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think,” and give to Christ Jesus the glory He deserves in His church to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Eph.3:14-21)

June 8 – Deuteronomy 6

Deu 6:20  "When your son asks you in time to come, saying, 'What is the meaning of the testimonies, the statutes, and the judgments which the LORD our God has commanded you?' 21  then you shall say to your son: 'We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand; …. 24  And the LORD commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is this day.

Deuteronomy 6 is God’s Parenting 101 textbook. 1. Trust the Lord, vv.1-3.   2. Have True love for the Lord, vv.4-5.   3. Target the heart, v.6.   4. Teach, v.7.   5. Talk, v.7.   6.Train, vv.8-9. 7. Test, vv.20-24. 8. Triumph, v.25. To me, the most encouraging thing about this chapter is the knowledge that our children WILL test the teaching and training that we give them – but how to handle that is also given to us: show them the goodness of God!

God, You are so good! Your mercy is everlasting and Your truth endures to all generations. In You we live and move and have our being. Thank you for the precious souls You have entrusted to us. May we prepare them to be Your humble servants.

June 9 – Deuteronomy 7

Deu 7:3  Nor shall you make marriages with them. You shall not give your daughter to their son, nor take their daughter for your son. 4  For they will turn your sons away from following Me, to serve other gods; so the anger of the LORD will be aroused against you and destroy you suddenly.

Yes, this is an OT command, but the principle behind this command is just as applicable today as it was over 3000 years ago.

Today I want us to think of the young people we know. Let’s pray specifically for each one to have the desire and ability to convert their boy/girlfriends, the strength to break off relationships that are going to pull them away from You, and the patience to wait to marry until they can choose someone who will help them get to heaven.

June 10 – Deuteronomy 8

Deu 8:17  then you say in your heart, 'My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.'

Two life-styles are contrasted in this chapter: the lifestyle of hardship and the lifestyle of ease. The blessing of hardship is that it teaches dependency on God and His word. The lifestyle of ease is a blessing, BUT it can lead to pride and disobedience to God’s word. Compared to people in the past, most of us have a life-style of relative ease where we are not persecuted for our faith, and where our children have the privilege of education and opportunities to gain material wealth. When we praise our children and grandchildren for their accomplishments, let’s do it in such a way that they realize their accomplishments were not by their own might, but it is “God who gives you the power to get wealth.”

Lord, thank You for all the blessings of this life. Please help us to teach our children, by instruction and example, to always remember that You are the source of all their blessings. Help us to give them opportunities to share their blessings with others so that they do not become self-centered, but remain focussed on You.

June 11 – Deuteronomy 9

Deu 9:4  "Do not think in your heart, after the LORD your God has cast them out before you, saying, 'Because of my righteousness the LORD has brought me in to possess this land'; but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is driving them out from before you.

In chapter 8 the Israelites were warned not to think that their own ability had gained them the good things of life. In chapter 9 they are warned not to think that their righteousness had motivated God to give them these blessings. No, rather, it was God’s spiritual purposes at work: to teach mankind the consequences of evil by destroying evil nations and to fulfil the promises God gave to their fathers that would culminate in mankind’s eternal salvation. When things go well – when things do not go well – we need to remember, God’s main focus is not on our physical well-being, but our spiritual, eternal well-being.

Dear Lord, truly we do not deserve the many good things that you have abundantly poured out on us and our loved ones. Help us to handle blessings with humility, overcome challenges with wise obedience, and face adversity with trust.

June 12 – Deuteronomy 10

Deu 10:16  Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer. 17  For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe.

We often think of the Law of Moses as being focussed on outward conformity to the law, but God has always wanted obedience from the heart. As parents, when training our children, do we accept outward conformity without taking the extra time and effort needed to find out where our child’s heart really is? Do I try to control my temper and my tongue – or do I work on the attitudes that cause my short fuse and caustic speech?

Awesome God, the One who knows the hearts of all men, it is so difficult to honestly evaluate my own heart. Help us to stop justifying ourselves and humbly work on our heart-sins. Thank you for the opportunity You have given us to be buried with your son in baptism, whereby our hearts were circumcised of all past sin. (Col.2:11-12)

June 13 – Deuteronomy 11

Deu 11:10  For the land that you are entering to take possession of it is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and irrigated it, like a garden of vegetables. 11  But the land that you are going over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water by the rain from heaven(ESV)

Farming in Egypt was able to be done according to man’s ingenuity. Farming in Canaan had to be done by dependence on GOD. Because we live in a world where we enjoy the fruits of man’s ingenuity every day – a world where most of us reading this have never had to wonder where our next meal is coming from – it is easy for us to forget that God is really the One who is in control of all life on earth.

Dear Father, truly You have satisfied our mouth with good things, physically and spiritually. As we contemplate Your goodness, may our hearts be filled with gratitude and a renewed desire to serve You with gladness. Help me to be especially conscious today of how I can portray Your goodness to my loved ones, colleagues, and even strangers.

June 14 – Deuteronomy 12

Deu 12:13  Take heed to yourself that you do not offer your burnt offerings in every place that you see;

Deu 12:14  but in the place which the LORD chooses, in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I command you.

What is God’s goal in issuing this command? This command is sandwiched in between the commands in 12:1-4 and 12:29-32 – warnings about not worshipping God the way the Canaanites worshipped their gods. Fellowship with other believers would be vital in maintaining separation from the ways of Canaan. So God commanded it, even though it involved, on the part of many, three long and arduous journeys each year. We are so blessed to have an opportunity to be with other believers every week, and sometimes multiple times per week. Since our lives are so much more intertwined with worldly people than theirs were, we especially need this fellowship.

Lord, my heart is pained when I see Your children, especially parents, treat opportunities to be with other believers so lightly. We pray earnestly for them. Help me at worship times to do my part in encouraging those around me by always being there, lifting up my heart and voice joyfully in praise to You, and letting them know what an encouragement their presence at worship is to me.

June 15 – Deuteronomy 13

Deu 13:6  "If your brother, the son of your mother, your son or your daughter, the wife of your bosom, or your friend who is as your own soul, secretly entices you, saying, 'Let us go and serve other gods,' … 8  you shall not consent to him or listen to him, nor shall your eye pity him, nor shall you spare him or conceal him; 9  but you shall surely kill him; your hand shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. … 11  So all Israel shall hear and fear, and not again do such wickedness as this…

The New Testament command for those departing from the faith is given to us in 1 Corinthians 5. As painful as it is to cut oneself off from family, the wonderful thing is that, while there is life, there is hope – hope that our loved one will return to the Lord and to us. The Holy Spirit encourages our obedience by letting us know that, in the case at Corinth, this very hope was realized, 2 Cor.2:3-11.

Dear Lord, today I pray for all of us who face this challenge of loved ones who have departed from You. Help us to be strong to do what You have commanded, knowing that You are just as grieved over their souls as we are.

June 16 – Deuteronomy 14

Deu 14:26  And you shall spend that money for whatever your heart desires: for oxen or sheep, for wine or similar drink, for whatever your heart desires; you shall eat there before the LORD your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household.

Verse 26 is talking about the peace or thank offering which we read about in Lev.7:11-21, and the feasting associated with it. In Num.15:5, the Israelites are told that once they are in the land of Canaan and they have access to wine, they are to offer a “drink offering” of wine with their offerings. This was not consumed, but poured out at the altar. The Hebrew word for “similar drink” or “strong drink” (ASV/ESV) is shekar (from which we get sugar). It seems to have been a sweet intoxicating beverage made from fruit other than grapes, eg. dates. It is condemned in 20-21 of the 23 times it is used in the OT, eg.Pro.20:1, Isa.5:11. In Num.28:7 it is not condemned, but it is also not drunk, but, along with grape wine, could be used as a drink-offering. I believe that is what Moses is referring to here in Dt.14:26. The tithe of grain in Dt.14:22 is a second tithe. In other words, 1/10 of the grain was part of tithing everything. In addition, another 1/10 of grain was tithed for the purpose of simply enjoying the good things God had given them, and sharing that blessing with the Levites and the less fortunate. Having explained that God is not commending the consumption of strongly intoxicating beverages, I do not want to take away from the true meaning of the passage. The Lord loves to bless us and He is happy when we enjoy those blessings in a good way, especially when we share them with others.

Today I want us to think of the wonderful ways in which we have been blessed and the ways in which we can share our enjoyment of those blessings with others, those less-fortunate than we are as well as our friends, perhaps by inviting them into our homes to enjoy a meal or taking them out to eat or to some form of wholesome entertainment. Let us always make plans to share our blessings, praising God for the joy those blessings bring to us!

June 17 – Deuteronomy 15

Deu 15:16  And if it happens that he says to you, 'I will not go away from you,' because he loves you and your house, since he prospers 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.

Our brethren Steve Croft & Matt Bassford have written a beautiful song based on this verse called “Pierce My Ear,” available here: https://www.rjstevensmusic.com/product/pierce-my-ear/ The song is actually a prayer. Today I would encourage each of us to meditate on these words, and search our hearts to see if we can truly pray this prayer.

Verse 1: Pierce my ear, O Lord, my God; Take me to Your door this day. I will serve no other god; O Lord, I’m here to stay. For love. Ever bound by love.
Verse 2: You have paid the price for me; With Your blood You ransomed me. I will serve You eternally; A free man I’ll never be.
Verse 3: Pierce my ear and pierce my heart, Claim me for Your house above; Yours, and never to depart, Forever bound by love.

June 18 – Deuteronomy 16

Deu 16:18  "You shall appoint judges and officers in all your gates, which the LORD your God gives you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with just judgment.

These judges were to be just; they were not to be partial to the poor or to the rich – nor ever take a bribe (and the necessary inference is that the Israelites should not offer one either!) I found it interesting that the people were to choose their judges. If they chose poorly, they had no one to blame but themselves. No matter what the judges and officers did, God held each Israelite responsible to “follow what is altogether just.”

We thank You, Lord, that Your judgments are altogether just. I pray that we will imitate Your justice and make a conscious effort to remove, not only economic prejudice, but every form of prejudice from our hearts.

June 19 – Deuteronomy 17

Deu 17:12  Now the man who acts presumptuously and will not heed the priest who stands to minister there before the LORD your God, or the judge, that man shall die. So you shall put away the evil from Israel.

Deu 17:13  And all the people shall hear and fear, and no longer act presumptuously.

To act presumptuously is to go beyond what is allowed because of pride. The penalty was death, and the purpose of the penalty was to prevent further proud behavior. Pride tops the list of the seven abominations listed in Proverbs 6 and is at the root of the other six. Deciding that any instruction from God is “minor,” and therefore I do not need to be careful to obey it, equals presumption. A humble attitude towards God and His laws should also be evident in the way I treat others. As a citizen, would I try to get away with what I consider to be minor infringements of the law? As a wife, would I ever belittle my husband? Actually, would I ever be disrespectful to anyone? 

O God, Your greatness far exceeds anything we could ever accomplish, and Your wisdom is beyond anything we could ever imagine. Help us to remember what an affront to Your greatness our pride is and repent of all forms of presumption in our lives.

June 20 – Deuteronomy 18

Deu 18:21  …'How shall we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?'- 22  when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.

Deu 13:2  and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which 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 that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

There were many people in the days of Moses who believed that certain people received revelations even though they did not worship the true God. They are listed in Dt.8:9-14. I know many Christians who have grown up in a culture where such people are feared – and I am always greatly encouraged by those whose strong faith in God enable them to break that fear and be willing to suffer persecution for refusing to worship ancestors. Today, even among those who call themselves Christians, there are those who believe that they receive direct revelations from God, even when they do not. This was also the case in the time of the Old Testament. Therefore, God gave the Israelites (and us) two basic tests so that they could distinguish between true and false prophets. One of those tests is given in this chapter; the other in chapter 13. How many who claim to have miraculous power or direct revelations from the Holy Spirit have the ability to make predictions that always come true, or perform signs (such as healing) that always work? How many times do such people teach doctrine that is not according to the doctrine given to us by the true God? According to Acts 3:22, the Prophet like Moses whom God would raise up is Jesus. It is His words that will judge us in the last day, John 12:48.

Dear Lord, thank You for revealing Your will to the apostles and prophets and preserving it in a written form through time so that each of us can read and understand it. Help us to search Your word for Your solutions to every challenge we face. Help us to correctly apply Your word to our lives to gain wisdom for every decision we make. Thus may our lives bring glory to YOU.

June 21 – Deuteronomy 19

Deu 19:10 … lest innocent blood be shed in the midst of your land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, and thus guilt of bloodshed be upon you.

When a nation does not impose the death penalty on premeditated murder, society as a whole bears the guilt of that sin. However, Deuteronomy 19 also makes it clear that the person who accidentally kills someone is innocent of murder. And so provision was made for his life to be spared so that the nation does not bear guilt for his death should a relative of the slain man try to take his own vengeance. Here we see both the righteousness and the mercy of God. We also see the role God expects society to play in administering justice. Serious consequences, yes. Unjust consequences, no.

Dear Lord, many times we are hurt by others in a much less serious manner, and most times it is accidental. Help me to view others’ actions in the proper perspective and react accordingly, following Your example of righteousness in dealing with matters of deliberate sin against me and mercy in the case of unintended hurt.

June 22 – Deuteronomy 20

Deu 20:8  "The officers shall speak further to the people, and say, 'What man is there who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go and return to his house, lest the heart of his brethren faint like his heart.'

Emotions are “catching.” Today’s challenge is to think about the emotions I am portraying as I interact with others, and to change negatives to positives. I am not talking about times when we need to grieve, but about how we generally face each day. Yes, with God’s help we CAN choose faith over fear, peace over worry, patience over impatience, love over self-centeredness, thankfulness over complaining. Yes, with God’s help, we can all be lights that make a difference!

June 23 – Deuteronomy 21

Deu 21:23  his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God.

Gal 3:10  For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT CONTINUE IN ALL THINGS WHICH ARE WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO DO THEM." [Dt.27:26] … 13  Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE"),

Jesus didn’t just die for our sins – He died accursed of God. This Hebrew word for curse means “to be lightly esteemed, insignificant, to treat with contempt, to dishonor.” “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? … I am…a reproach of men and despised by the people. All those who see Me ridicule Me … they shake the head, saying, ‘He trusted in the LORD, let Him rescue Him; Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!’"  (Ps.22:1,6,7,8) Why did God allow His beloved Son, Deity, to be shamed and dishonored in such a terrible way? Since we could not save ourselves from being accursed of God due to our own sins, the perfect Lamb had to take upon Himself OUR curse. His shameful death also graphically brings home to us the shamefulness and contemptibleness of our sins.

Dear Father, I can never thank You and Your Son enough for what You have done for me! May these words of Deuteronomy 21 and Galatians 3 strike my heart and deepen my horror at the thought of sinning against You. May it also deepen my love for You and for Jesus so that I serve You willingly, joyfully, and completely.

Monday, June 24 – Deuteronomy 22

Deu 22:21 … So you shall put away the evil from among you.  22 … so you shall put away the evil from Israel.

24… so you shall put away the evil from among you.

When we lived in Africa, everywhere I taught, women were most worried about lack of sexual purity among their young people, and asked for lessons on that topic. However, in one very remote village, they said they had no problem at all! All young women above the age of puberty were subjected to a physical examination each month, and if they were found not to be virgins, they had in place a law similar to verses 28-29. This caused parents to have strict rules regarding their daughters, eg. to be inside the homestead before dark, never walk anywhere alone, dress modestly, etc. The point is that if virginity is truly valued, it is possible for young women to remain pure. And if all the young women remain pure, so do the young men! Here in Deuteronomy 22 we see the value that God places on sexual purity, both before and after marriage. Sex is God’s gift to marriages to keep husbands and wives happily glued to each other. It is God’s gift to the home – a two-parent, stable, nurturing environment for the development of emotionally healthy children. And it IS possible to achieve.

Today, I encourage us to pray for parents – that they will not only teach their children God’s standard of sexual morality, but also wise strategies to help them stay sexually pure and enjoy the special blessings and joys that God wants them to experience when they do marry.

Tuesday, June 25 – Deuteronomy 23

Deu 23:1  "He who is emasculated by crushing or mutilation shall not enter the assembly of the LORD.

Deu 23:2  "One of illegitimate birth shall not enter the assembly of the LORD…

Deu 23:3  "An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter the assembly of the LORD… 4  because they did not meet you with bread and water on the road when you came out of Egypt…

Because we do not know the Law of Moses very well, I think we miss the significance of the conversion of the Eunuch – a man who was excluded from the assembly under the Law of Moses. Isaiah gave such a beautiful prophecy that, under the Messiah, all “walls” separating people from complete fellowship with God and with each other would be removed.

Isa 56:4  "To the eunuchs  … 5  Even to them I will give in My house And within My walls a place and a name Better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name That shall not be cut off.           6  "Also the sons of the foreigner … 7  Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, And make them joyful in My house of prayer. … For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations."

I imagine Daniel and his three friends got a lot of comfort from Isaiah 56, and we should too. No matter what happens to my body, no matter the sins of my parents, no matter my nation, no matter the sins of my nation – nothing can keep me from fellowship with God – except my own refusal to repent.

Today, Lord, we just want to give You heartfelt thanks and praise that we of all nations enjoy all the blessings of fellowship with You, Your Son, Your Holy Spirit, and other Christians.

Wednesday, June 26 – Deuteronomy 24

Deu 24:5  "When a man has taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war or be charged with any business; he shall be free at home one year, and bring happiness to his wife whom he has taken.

I think most of us enter marriage because we think our mate will make us happy. God’s way is for us to focus on making our mate happy. If a husband is totally focussed on making his wife happy, how do you think she is going to respond? We women often feel like we are the ones who are stuck with the “sacrifice” part of marriage because the Lord commands us to submit to our husbands. But the Lord also commands husbands to sacrifice: to love their wives “as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her,” Eph.5:25. God’s plan in this constant sacrificing of myself for the good of my mate is for us to have a marriage that will bless the home with a vibrant happiness and produce children who grow up emotionally healthy, learning by example that “it is more blessed to give than to receive,” Acts 20:35.

Today, I challenge each of us who are married to try extra hard to make our mate happy. For those who are not married, I challenge you to find a way to brighten the day of someone you know. It IS more blessed to give than to receive.

Thursday, June 27 – Deuteronomy 25

Deu 25:6  And it shall be that the firstborn son which she bears will succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel.

This law was a protection for the widow as well as a protection of the family's property rights. “Treading” on property was symbolic of possession, Gen.13:17, Jos.1:3; and that is why the shoe was removed. This law was something evidently practiced before in Gen.38, not only with Jacob, but, according to archaeological discoveries, generally among people of that time. Preserving a man’s seed was crucial to keeping his inheritance intact and within his tribe – and that kept the nation stable. When we see the importance God placed on the preservation of the physical nation of Israel, we should think then how much more importance God would place on the preservation and advancement of His spiritual Israel!

O Lord, You have entrusted us with both physical and spiritual seed. Give us wisdom. Help us to not be complacent, but do all in our power to preserve the precious souls that are invaluable to the continuance of Your kingdom.

Friday, June 28 – Deuteronomy 26

Deu 26:18  Also today the LORD has proclaimed you to be His special people, just as He promised you, that you should keep all His commandments, 19  and that He will set you high above all nations which He has made, in praise, in name, and in honor, and that you may be a holy people to the LORD your God, just as He has spoken."

Today we are the holy people of God, 1Pet.2:9. What a privilege! When God has set us so high above all nations, why is it that we are so ashamed to be different, so shy to let others know of the great blessings which keeping God’s commandments brings to us, and so quick to allow worldly activities to supersede times of worship?

Dear Father, Your amazing love and care for us is so clearly evident in our lives. May such awesome love touch my heart and embolden me to proclaim Your praises, and the wisdom of Your commandments, to all I come in contact with.

Saturday, June 29 – Deuteronomy 27

Deu 27:8  And you shall write very plainly on the stones all the words of this law."

Keeping the Law was a very serious business, as we shall see in the next chapter. God, in His justice, did not want the Israelites to be ignorant of the Law and the penalties for breaking it. He had special times set aside for all the people to gather and listen to the law, (Dt.31:10). He had Levites scattered throughout the land, supported by the tithes, (Dt.19:1), so that they had opportunity to teach the people the Law, Dt.33:10, 2 Chr.30:22. Even so today, the Lord has by His providence preserved His word so that too have no reason to be ignorant.

Dear Father, today we give special thanks for all those who suffered persecution, even to the point of death, so that we now have access to Your wonderful words of life. We also thank You for those who have given their lives to discover and study the ancient texts, endeavouring to bring us a pure, properly translated text. I pray for us that we will not take Your words lightly nor be satisfied with watered-down versions of Your word, but exercise our minds so that we can understand and keep Your blessed commands.

Sunday, June 30 – Deuteronomy 28

Courtesy of HolyLandPhotos.org

[Gerizim on the left and Ebal (=evil) on the right, with the city of Shechem between them.]

It is perhaps amazing to us that the Israelites never made much of an effort to reap the blessings or avoid the curses in this chapter. What about us? As wonderful as the blessings are in verses 1-13, we are told in Heb.8:6 that we have “better” promises. And as horrific as the curses are in the rest of the chapter, they are not as bad as eternal punishment in the lake of fire, Rev.21:8.

Awesome God, we know that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that will be revealed in us. Truly, we are not worthy to inherit any of the joys You have in store for us; but I pray that Your grace will inspire us and free us to live a life without fear, a life full of joy that is evident to all who know us, a life that is eager to share what we have because of You.