Continuing a chronological Bible study:
(Deuteronomy 17:1) “You shall not sacrifice to the LORD your God a bull or sheep which has any blemish or defect, for that is an abomination to the LORD your God."
In the book of Deuteronomy Moses had been giving the people a review of God's laws before his death. God had told him he would die before stepping foot into the promised land, so he was preparing the people for life without his leadership. He continued now with the command that no sacrifice of any animal was to be offered that had a blemish or defect in it. The sacrifice was a symbol of the perfect blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot (1 Peter 1:19).
(2) “If there be found among you, within any of your gates which the LORD your God gives you, a man or a woman who has wrought wickedness in the sight of the LORD your God, in transgressing His covenant, (3) And has gone and served other gods and worshiped them, either the sun or moon or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded, (4) And it be told you, and you have heard of it, and enquired diligently, and, behold, it be true and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in Israel-- (5) Then you shall bring forth to your gates that man or that woman who has committed that wicked thing, and shall stone that man or woman with stones till they die."
Moses had previously reviewed the law that it was a capital crime to seduce others to idolatry (ch. 13), and here made the point it was no less a crime to be seduced. Whether he or she initiated the crime or was seduced by it, if any person was found to have gone off and served and worshiped other gods, he or she was guilty of that wicked crime and was to be put to death. Note that it had to be a sure and certain fact. A person who heard the rumor of the crime had to inquire diligently to determine if it was true and certain. When a person was found to be guilty, he or she was to be brought to the gate of the city where there was a public stoning. I believe the reason capital punishment was in the form of stoning was so that all people participated indicating their desire to rid their land of such wickedness. Also most noteworthy in this passage is the commandment against astrology. It is as clear as day that God condemned astrology which is the interpretation of the influence of the heavenly bodies on human affairs. Only God determines the fate of His creation; although they can make poor choices that steer their fate, God knows all and is in total charge of all. Looking to any other source for answers is idolatry and a wicked abomination in His sight.
(6) "At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death."
Time and time again we are told in scripture that a thing is established to be true if it is confirmed by at least two or three witnesses. For all capital crimes, including the aforementioned one, a person was not to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness. How wise this is! When it is a case of "he said, she said", how can one know for certain the truth? Even before I knew this scripture, I recall being on an attempted murder trial jury in my twenties, and how I felt very uncomfortable condemning the defendant based on the word of only the victim, whose back was turned at the time of the attempt. There was really no other corroborating evidence, but there were those on the jury who believed the testimony of the victim was all that was needed. It was a very long deliberation for a week, and we were finally determined a hung jury. I remember being very upset about the whole ordeal because the prosecution never asked the right questions to get the truth! I felt if we the jury had asked some pertinent questions, we might have been able to determine the truth, but that's a whole 'nother story. However, as I type this now, I realize that that could have been intentional by the prosecutor. But why didn't the defense attorney ask those questions to positively clear his client? Either one or both were inept, or one was inept and the other wise to not to bring it up, but either way, I feel confident now in knowing how God would have judged this case, and I did the best I could. However, I do wish I had known scripture enough back then to quote to the Baptist preacher on our jury that we needed more than just the one witness to condemn that man.
(7) “The hands of the witnesses shall be the first upon him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So you shall put the evil away from among you."
In the stoning of the condemned person, the witnesses were to cast the first stones, followed by all the people, signifying the common condemnation of the wickedness against God.
(8) "If there arise a matter too hard for you in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, matters of controversy within your gates, then you shall arise and go up to the place which the LORD your God chooses."
This was spoken about what would be considered lower court judges. If there was a matter too difficult for them to judge, be it a capital case, a civil matter, or a criminal one, or any other matter within their gates or jurisdiction, then they were to bring their case to the place where the Lord would choose for His tabernacle.
(9) “And you shall come to the priests, the Levites, and to the judge who shall be in those days, and enquire; and they shall show you the sentence of judgment."
The case was to be brought to the priests, the Levites, and to the judge who would be there in the day when the Lord had chosen where to place His name and have the cases of the people judged. The inferior judges bringing the cases would seek advice from the priests and the supreme court, if you will, and that court would advise how to sentence according to the law of God.
(10) "And you shall do according to the sentence which they of that place which the LORD shall choose shall show you; and you shall observe to do according to all that they inform you."
The inferior court judges were required to pass sentence according to what the priests and the judge in God's appointed place directed. They were not only to observe what the supreme court said, but were to put it in practice, and not in certain things or circumstances only, but in everything they had told them relating to the case in question.
(11) “According to the sentence of the law in which they shall teach you, and according to the judgment which they shall tell you, you shall do; you shall not decline from the sentence which they shall show you, to the right hand, nor to the left."
The inferior judges were commanded to pronounce the sentence and follow through with what they were advised and taught by the priests and the higher court judge to do. The priests and that superior judge ruled and taught according to the law of God and His will and thus their rulings were to be carefully observed. The lower court judges were not to alter the judgment in preference to either side.
(12) "And the man who will do presumptuously, and will not hearken to the priest who stands to minister there before the LORD your God, or to the judge, even that man shall die; and you shall put away the evil from Israel."
The man who acted presumptuously, the lower court judge, and was conceited in his own opinion and did not listen to the higher court that had been chosen to minister and represent the people's Lord God, that lower court judge was to be put to death to rid Israel of the evil rebellion against the law of God.
(13) “And all the people shall hear and fear, and do no more presumptuously."
All the people would hear what had happened to the presumptuous lower court judge and they would fear and respect the supreme court of God, and would not act as presumptuously.
(14) “When you come to the land which the LORD your God gives you, and shall possess it and shall dwell in it, and shall say, ‘I will set a king over me like all the nations that are around me,’ (15) You shall in any way set him king over you, whom the LORD your God shall choose; one from among your brethren you shall set as king over you; you may not set a foreigner over you, who is not your brother."
When the people had come into their promised land of Canaan and were in full possession of it and dwelling in it, and they decided they wanted a king to rule over them as other nations had, it was permissible by the Lord. However, the Lord was to choose their king from among their brethren; the people were not to have a king who was not from their nation and religion. How wise! It reminds me of our country choosing Muslims to be leaders whose ideals are in direct contrast to the country's laws they are supposed to uphold. I am not being racist against Muslims and suggesting they could never hold office here, but they would have to swear allegiance to our country and our laws; none of this swearing in on a Koran which makes no sense whatsoever. It's no particular prejudice against Muslims; it would be the same with a Communist Chinese or any such foreigner who would not uphold our laws. To be an American, and especially to lead America, one should pledge allegiance to America and denounce previous citizenship. Of course, all are free to practice their chosen religion, but they must assimilate and conform to our country's laws. That flies in the face of the universal one world order that so many desire these days, but that is why it can never work. Too many cultures are in direct conflict with others. God knows that, and the wisdom of the world is foolishness to Him (1 Corinthians 3:19).
(16) “But he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to the end that he should multiply horses, forasmuch as the LORD has said to you, ‘You shall not return that way again.’"
The chosen king was not to multiply horses for himself. It was not that he could not have a few horses, but generally horses were not routinely used for travel or agriculture, but mainly for chariots of war or for pride and grandeur. Neither reason was acceptable to the Lord. Multiplying horses for war might make a king put too much confidence in those outward things, or he might be tempted to use them to tyrannize his subjects. If he multiplied horses for the love of honor and splendor, that was prideful and again putting too much faith in things other than the Lord. Egypt abounded with horses, and was the principle source of them at that time. A king was never to send his people back to Egypt to help him multiply horses, for the Lord had told them they were not to go back to Egypt. It's not that the people were forbidden to ever go back to Egypt; the idea here is that they were not to return to the old pagan ways of Egypt. A regular trade and alliance with Egypt might cause the people to once again be tempted to engage in the idolatries of Egypt.
(17) “Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, that his heart turn not away; neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold."
A king was not to multiply wives as the lust of the flesh and the eye might cause his heart to turn away from God; also the love of money and riches would cause him to put faith in his wealth and might puff himself up with pride in himself.
(18) "And it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites."
When the king was settled on his throne, he was to write for himself a copy of the law in a book, from the original that was kept by the priests, the Levites. If this is to be taken literally, and he was to write it himself and not have a scribe do it, that would better imprint the law on his mind, which would seem the purpose of this instruction.
(19) “And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them, (20) That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment to the right hand, or to the left, to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel."
That copy of the law the king had made for himself was to remain with him always, and he was to read it all the days of his life, that he would know in his heart all the words of the law and perform them. He was to learn to fear and respect his Lord God that his heart not be puffed with pride and he feel superior to his brethren. He was to know the law and the commandments as given by God and he was not to twist them into more severe laws or more lenient ones, in order that he might prolong his days in his kingdom, and his children also, in the midst of Israel. I like the way John Wesley wrote of this in his Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible:
"...the scriptures diligently read, are a powerful means to keep him humble, because they shew him in that, tho' a king, he is subject to an higher monarch, to whom he must give an account of all his administrations, and receive from him his sentence agreeable to their quality, which is sufficient to abate the pride of the haughtiest person in the world."
Wednesday, July 29, 2020
Sunday, July 19, 2020
Moses Reviews Yearly Feasts and Appointment of Judges
Continuing a chronological Bible study:
(Deuteronomy 16:1) “Observe the month of Abib, and keep the Passover to the LORD your God, for in the month of Abib the LORD your God brought you forth out of Egypt by night."
Moses continued his repetition of God's laws. He told the people now to observe the month of Abib, sometimes called Nissan, because it was in that month that the Lord brought them out of bondage from Egypt. Abib translates into something like "new fruits", and was considered the first month of their year. It falls in our March or April. Moses told them to keep the Passover to the Lord which occurred in Abib. The Passover was so called because the destroying angel had passed over the children of Israel who had sprinkled the blood of their sacrifice on their doorposts, and killed only the firstborn of the Egyptians. The commentaries I study pointed out that the Israelites actually did not come out of Egypt at night, but morning, as they had been expressly told not to come out of their doors till morning. However, it was at night that the Lord had done such a wonder that finally made Pharaoh let His people go. Additionally, another meaning of the word that was translated as "night", "layil", is "adversity" or "gloom", and the people were definitely brought out from that.
(2) "You shall therefore sacrifice the Passover to the LORD your God, from the flock and the herd, in the place which the LORD shall choose to place His name there."
The people were to sacrifice their Passover feast animals from their flocks and herds in the place the Lord would later choose to put His name.
(3) “You shall eat no leavened bread with it; seven days you shall eat unleavened bread with it, the bread of affliction (for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste), that you may remember the day when you came out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life."
The people were commanded not to eat leavened bread with their Passover feast. For seven days they were to eat only unleavened bread, called the bread of affliction, a reminder of the time they came out of Egypt in haste and had no time to leaven their dough. This was to be a reminder all the days of their lives.
(4) "And there shall be no leavened bread seen with you in all your borders for seven days; neither shall any of the flesh which you sacrifice the first day at evening remain all night until the morning."
There was to be no leavened bread even among them in their territory for the seven day period. Moses also reminded them of the command that none of the Passover meat that was sacrificed the first evening was to remain all night until morning. Exodus 12:10 told us that if any of it did remain till morning, it must be burned with fire.
(5) “You may not sacrifice the Passover within any of your gates which the LORD your God gives you, (6) But at the place which the LORD your God shall choose to place His name in, there you shall sacrifice the Passover at evening at the going down of the sun, at the season that you came forth out of Egypt."
The Passover sacrifice was not to be sacrificed at home or in private or within any of their cities that the Lord had given them, but was only to be sacrificed in the place the Lord would choose to place His name. Only there would they sacrifice the Passover in the evening, at the going down of the sun, at the same season they had come out of Egypt.
(7) “And you shall roast and eat it in the place which the LORD your God shall choose, and you shall turn in the morning, and go to your tents."
The people were to roast and eat their Passover sacrifices in the place the Lord would choose, but when the solemnity was over, they might turn and go back to their tents.
(8) “Six days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a solemn assembly to the LORD your God; you shall do no work in it."
The meaning must be either six more days, or for six days and also on the seventh day, when there was also a solemn assembly to the Lord. We were told in Exodus 12:15 (and verse 3 above) that the people were to eat unleavened bread for seven days. On the day of the solemn assembly, they were commanded to do no work.
(9) "Seven weeks shall you number to yourself; begin to number the seven weeks from such time as you begin to put the sickle to the corn."
According to Leviticus 23:15, this began the morning after the Passover. The people were to number seven weeks, and that would be the time that they had begun to reap their grains.
(10) "And you shall keep the Feast of Weeks to the LORD your God with a tribute of a freewill offering from your hand, which you shall give as the LORD your God has blessed you."
These seven weeks were called the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost. The people were to keep this feast with freewill offerings from their hands which they were to give as the Lord had blessed them. Although it was called a freewill offering, the people were required to pay this tribute to their Lord God from whom they received all their blessings. However, it was not mandated what they should offer. It was left to each person to determine what to offer in grateful acknowledgment and thanksgiving for that which the Lord had blessed him.
(11) "And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God, you and your son and your daughter, your manservant and your maidservant, and the Levite who is within your gates, and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are among you, in the place where the LORD your God has chosen to place His name there."
The people were to make a liberal feast and cheerfully rejoice before their Lord with their families, their servants, the neighboring Levites, and the poor and needy like orphans and widows, and strangers. They were to celebrate this feast in the place the Lord would choose to place His name.
(12) “And you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and you shall observe and do these statutes."
The people were exhorted to always remember that they had once been slaves in Egypt, and therefore they should observe to cheerfully do these things, first in thanksgiving to their Lord who freed them, and in mercy and love to those less fortunate as they would have surely appreciated having done to them in their bondage.
(13) “You shall observe the Feast of Tabernacles seven days, after you have gathered in your corn and your wine."
The people were also to observe the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days after they had gathered in their corn and wine. We were told in Leviticus 23:34 that was the fifteenth day of the seventh month, Tisri, about our September.
(14) “And you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, and your manservant and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your gates."
Once again the people were told to rejoice and liberally share in their feasts with their families, their servants, Levites, strangers, and the poor and needy.
(15) “Seven days you shall keep a solemn feast to the LORD your God in the place which the LORD shall choose, because the LORD your God shall bless you in all your increase and in all the works of your hands; therefore you shall surely rejoice."
For seven days the people were to keep the Feast of Tabernacles to the Lord in the place He would choose, because their Lord would bless them in the increase of their fields and vineyards, etc., and also in the works of their hands in their trades and occupations, and therefore they should surely, heartily and sincerely, rejoice and celebrate and share with family, servants, friends, and others.
(16) “Three times a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God in the place which He shall choose, at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the LORD empty. (17) Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you."
Three times a year the men were to appear before the Lord for feasts in the place the Lord Himself would designate, at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles. They were not to appear before the Lord empty-handed, but were to bring offerings of whatever they were able, according to the blessings they had received from their Lord.
(18) "Judges and officers shall you make you in all your gates, which the LORD your God gives you, throughout your tribes; and they shall judge the people with just judgment."
During Moses's lifetime, he had been the main judge of the people through inspiration by God, with the help of subordinates, but now Moses was leaving, and instructed the people that they would have to choose their own leaders to maintain order. Throughout all the land the Lord was giving them, in each of their tribes, they were to select judges and officers who would judge the people justly. Judges judged the cases brought before them; officers were akin to our police who moved among the people and brought cases to the judges.
(19) "You shall not wrest judgment; you shall not respect persons, neither take a gift, for a gift blinds the eyes of the wise, and perverts the words of the righteous."
The people were commanded not to twist or pervert justice. They were to judge all people with equal justice, and not consider the statuses of people. They were commanded to never accept gifts or bribes because that biased their minds and therefore perverted righteous judgment.
(20) "That which is altogether just shall you follow, that you may live and inherit the land which the LORD your God gives you."
Moses exhorted the people to do only what was completely just and right that they might live and continue in the land that the Lord was giving them.
(21) "You shall not plant yourself a grove of any trees near to the altar of the LORD your God, which you shall make you."
The word translated as "grove" is "asherah". Groves of trees, or asherah poles, were planted and the trees stripped of their boughs and carved with emblems, in heathen worship of false gods. God commanded no such groves near any altar that was built for Him.
(22) "Neither shall you set you up any image, which the LORD your God hates."
Statues or carved or engraved figures to honor God were forbidden. The Lord hated such things because nothing in man's imagination could come close to God's perfection and glory, and man would be reduced to worshiping worthless idols of his own imagination.
(Deuteronomy 16:1) “Observe the month of Abib, and keep the Passover to the LORD your God, for in the month of Abib the LORD your God brought you forth out of Egypt by night."
Moses continued his repetition of God's laws. He told the people now to observe the month of Abib, sometimes called Nissan, because it was in that month that the Lord brought them out of bondage from Egypt. Abib translates into something like "new fruits", and was considered the first month of their year. It falls in our March or April. Moses told them to keep the Passover to the Lord which occurred in Abib. The Passover was so called because the destroying angel had passed over the children of Israel who had sprinkled the blood of their sacrifice on their doorposts, and killed only the firstborn of the Egyptians. The commentaries I study pointed out that the Israelites actually did not come out of Egypt at night, but morning, as they had been expressly told not to come out of their doors till morning. However, it was at night that the Lord had done such a wonder that finally made Pharaoh let His people go. Additionally, another meaning of the word that was translated as "night", "layil", is "adversity" or "gloom", and the people were definitely brought out from that.
(2) "You shall therefore sacrifice the Passover to the LORD your God, from the flock and the herd, in the place which the LORD shall choose to place His name there."
The people were to sacrifice their Passover feast animals from their flocks and herds in the place the Lord would later choose to put His name.
(3) “You shall eat no leavened bread with it; seven days you shall eat unleavened bread with it, the bread of affliction (for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste), that you may remember the day when you came out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life."
The people were commanded not to eat leavened bread with their Passover feast. For seven days they were to eat only unleavened bread, called the bread of affliction, a reminder of the time they came out of Egypt in haste and had no time to leaven their dough. This was to be a reminder all the days of their lives.
(4) "And there shall be no leavened bread seen with you in all your borders for seven days; neither shall any of the flesh which you sacrifice the first day at evening remain all night until the morning."
There was to be no leavened bread even among them in their territory for the seven day period. Moses also reminded them of the command that none of the Passover meat that was sacrificed the first evening was to remain all night until morning. Exodus 12:10 told us that if any of it did remain till morning, it must be burned with fire.
(5) “You may not sacrifice the Passover within any of your gates which the LORD your God gives you, (6) But at the place which the LORD your God shall choose to place His name in, there you shall sacrifice the Passover at evening at the going down of the sun, at the season that you came forth out of Egypt."
The Passover sacrifice was not to be sacrificed at home or in private or within any of their cities that the Lord had given them, but was only to be sacrificed in the place the Lord would choose to place His name. Only there would they sacrifice the Passover in the evening, at the going down of the sun, at the same season they had come out of Egypt.
(7) “And you shall roast and eat it in the place which the LORD your God shall choose, and you shall turn in the morning, and go to your tents."
The people were to roast and eat their Passover sacrifices in the place the Lord would choose, but when the solemnity was over, they might turn and go back to their tents.
(8) “Six days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a solemn assembly to the LORD your God; you shall do no work in it."
The meaning must be either six more days, or for six days and also on the seventh day, when there was also a solemn assembly to the Lord. We were told in Exodus 12:15 (and verse 3 above) that the people were to eat unleavened bread for seven days. On the day of the solemn assembly, they were commanded to do no work.
(9) "Seven weeks shall you number to yourself; begin to number the seven weeks from such time as you begin to put the sickle to the corn."
According to Leviticus 23:15, this began the morning after the Passover. The people were to number seven weeks, and that would be the time that they had begun to reap their grains.
(10) "And you shall keep the Feast of Weeks to the LORD your God with a tribute of a freewill offering from your hand, which you shall give as the LORD your God has blessed you."
These seven weeks were called the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost. The people were to keep this feast with freewill offerings from their hands which they were to give as the Lord had blessed them. Although it was called a freewill offering, the people were required to pay this tribute to their Lord God from whom they received all their blessings. However, it was not mandated what they should offer. It was left to each person to determine what to offer in grateful acknowledgment and thanksgiving for that which the Lord had blessed him.
(11) "And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God, you and your son and your daughter, your manservant and your maidservant, and the Levite who is within your gates, and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are among you, in the place where the LORD your God has chosen to place His name there."
The people were to make a liberal feast and cheerfully rejoice before their Lord with their families, their servants, the neighboring Levites, and the poor and needy like orphans and widows, and strangers. They were to celebrate this feast in the place the Lord would choose to place His name.
(12) “And you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and you shall observe and do these statutes."
The people were exhorted to always remember that they had once been slaves in Egypt, and therefore they should observe to cheerfully do these things, first in thanksgiving to their Lord who freed them, and in mercy and love to those less fortunate as they would have surely appreciated having done to them in their bondage.
(13) “You shall observe the Feast of Tabernacles seven days, after you have gathered in your corn and your wine."
The people were also to observe the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days after they had gathered in their corn and wine. We were told in Leviticus 23:34 that was the fifteenth day of the seventh month, Tisri, about our September.
(14) “And you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, and your manservant and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your gates."
Once again the people were told to rejoice and liberally share in their feasts with their families, their servants, Levites, strangers, and the poor and needy.
(15) “Seven days you shall keep a solemn feast to the LORD your God in the place which the LORD shall choose, because the LORD your God shall bless you in all your increase and in all the works of your hands; therefore you shall surely rejoice."
For seven days the people were to keep the Feast of Tabernacles to the Lord in the place He would choose, because their Lord would bless them in the increase of their fields and vineyards, etc., and also in the works of their hands in their trades and occupations, and therefore they should surely, heartily and sincerely, rejoice and celebrate and share with family, servants, friends, and others.
(16) “Three times a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God in the place which He shall choose, at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the LORD empty. (17) Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you."
Three times a year the men were to appear before the Lord for feasts in the place the Lord Himself would designate, at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles. They were not to appear before the Lord empty-handed, but were to bring offerings of whatever they were able, according to the blessings they had received from their Lord.
(18) "Judges and officers shall you make you in all your gates, which the LORD your God gives you, throughout your tribes; and they shall judge the people with just judgment."
During Moses's lifetime, he had been the main judge of the people through inspiration by God, with the help of subordinates, but now Moses was leaving, and instructed the people that they would have to choose their own leaders to maintain order. Throughout all the land the Lord was giving them, in each of their tribes, they were to select judges and officers who would judge the people justly. Judges judged the cases brought before them; officers were akin to our police who moved among the people and brought cases to the judges.
(19) "You shall not wrest judgment; you shall not respect persons, neither take a gift, for a gift blinds the eyes of the wise, and perverts the words of the righteous."
The people were commanded not to twist or pervert justice. They were to judge all people with equal justice, and not consider the statuses of people. They were commanded to never accept gifts or bribes because that biased their minds and therefore perverted righteous judgment.
(20) "That which is altogether just shall you follow, that you may live and inherit the land which the LORD your God gives you."
Moses exhorted the people to do only what was completely just and right that they might live and continue in the land that the Lord was giving them.
(21) "You shall not plant yourself a grove of any trees near to the altar of the LORD your God, which you shall make you."
The word translated as "grove" is "asherah". Groves of trees, or asherah poles, were planted and the trees stripped of their boughs and carved with emblems, in heathen worship of false gods. God commanded no such groves near any altar that was built for Him.
(22) "Neither shall you set you up any image, which the LORD your God hates."
Statues or carved or engraved figures to honor God were forbidden. The Lord hated such things because nothing in man's imagination could come close to God's perfection and glory, and man would be reduced to worshiping worthless idols of his own imagination.
Saturday, July 11, 2020
Year of Release and Sanctifying the Firstborn of Herds and Flocks
Continuing a chronological Bible study:
(Deuteronomy 15:1) “At the end of every seven years you shall make a release."
In the book of Deuteronomy Moses reviewed the laws of God. Here he began the subject of the year of release, which was to occur at the end of every seven years.
(2) "And this is the manner of the release: every creditor who has lent anything to his neighbor shall release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbor or his brother, because it is called the LORD’s release."
Moses went on to explain the form of the release. Every creditor who had lent anything to his neighbor was to release or forgive the debt, freeing him from any obligation to pay it. The creditor must not demand payment from the debtor or his brother because it was the Lord's release, appointed and commanded by Him, to show mercy to the poor. There is much discussion among the commentaries I study about exactly what this release meant. Some say it was only a release of debts for that seventh year, since it was also a rest for the land and there was no plowing or sowing, and a poor man would have no means to pay. Some said it only referred to loans lent because of poverty. Some said the act of "exacting" meant suing or recovering by law. That was what was forbidden, but if the debtor was able, he was afterwards bound in conscience to repay it. It does seem like debtors could take advantage of this release, knowing that if they wait seven years, they need not pay, but then again, I suppose it's not unlike a statute of limitations on a debt.
(3) “Of a foreigner you may exact it, but that which is yours with your brother your hand shall release."
The children of Israel were allowed to demand payment from foreigners to whom they had made loans, but not from fellow Israelites. Dr. John Gill, in his Exposition of the Entire Bible, pointed out this was illustrative of God's forgiveness of sins to those who are His own, those who have been redeemed by the blood of Christ. Those who reject Christ and are not redeemed have no share in His blessing of grace, and owe their debt for their sins.
(4) "Save when there shall be no poor among you, for the LORD shall greatly bless you in the land which the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance to possess it."
The word translated as "save" here, "ephes", means "cessation" or "end". The verse could therefore read something like, "Except when there are no longer any poor..." The law of release was only meant for the poor who were unable to pay their debts. It was never intended to release a person of means from a debt. Some commentators read it as "To the end that there be no more poor among you..." By observing this law, all debts being released at the end of seven years, it would prevent people from falling into extreme poverty. Either way you understand it, the purpose was to help the poor. Likewise the meaning of the second part of the verse could be either because the Lord would greatly bless them in their promised land, that there would be no poor; or they could so easily afford to release the debts of the poor because they were so greatly blessed in their inherited land.
(5) "Only if you carefully hearken to the voice of the LORD your God, to observe to do all these commandments which I command you this day."
The previous promise that there would either be no more poor or that they were so greatly blessed in their promised land they could generously help the poor, was conditional upon their obedience to the Lord's commandments.
(6) “For the LORD your God blesses you as He promised you; and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; and you shall reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over you."
The previous verse 5 could also serve as a preface to this one, that only if the people obeyed their Lord's commandments, would the Lord so bless them that they would be able to lend to other nations and they would, in fact, reign over many nations, and those nations would not ever reign over them. They could lend, but they could not borrow from other nations. This promise was conditional upon the people holding up their side of the covenant and following their Lord's commandments.
(7) “If there is among you a poor man of one of your brethren within any of your gates in your land which the Lord your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother."
The Israelites were commanded not to harden their hearts nor refuse to lend to their poor brethren. It could be that knowing that debts were forgiven at the end of seven years, they might decide it was better not to lend. However, their Lord commanded them not to forsake the poor. He once again reminded them that He was giving them this great land, and they should be willing to give, as well.
(8) “But you shall open your hand wide to him and shall surely lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he wants."
The people were commanded to give liberally and lend whatever was needed. I can't help but think of lending institutions that often won't lend as much as one needs, ensuring failure. God's people are commanded to give as much as one needs if in his ability to do so.
(9) “Beware that there be not a thought in your wicked 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 the LORD against you, and it be sin to you."
Indeed, the Lord, through Moses, warned the people not to consider the year of release being at hand and refuse to lend because of that. If a person was not compassionate toward his poor brother and refused to give him anything to the point he cried out to the Lord in prayer for his need, that would be considered a sin against the one who refused to lend.
(10) “You shall surely give to him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the LORD your God will bless you in all your works and in all to which you put your hand."
The people were commanded to lend or give to a poor brother, and not be grieved at parting with money they had little hope of seeing again. They were to give liberally and cheerfully, and the Lord would bless them mightily for their acts of generosity.
(11) "For the poor shall never cease out of the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor, and to your needy, in your land.’"
There would always be some need in the land. Some question whether this is a contradiction to verse 4. I don't think so at all, any way you look at verse 4. The law of release was meant for the poor. If there were no poor, it would not be needed. It was not intended for the rich to borrow and then not have to repay. The practice of lending and then releasing a debt to the poor would prevent the poor from falling into extreme poverty. The reason the people were to do this was to strive to prevent poverty in their land of plenty, but there would always be a need. The Lord wanted His people to be proactive in their generosity, giving liberally to the poor or needy in their land. It's like the scripture in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, that "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect..." In perceived contradiction, there are countless verses that suggest no man is perfect or without sin. But perfection in the ways of the Lord is that for which we should always strive, just as the people in this passage in Deuteronomy were to strive to eradicate the poor by always being generous with the blessings that had been given them.
(12) “If your brother, a Hebrew man, or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you and serves you six years, then in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you."
There were three different ways an Israelite could be sold to another. In extreme poverty, he could sell himself; parents in extreme poverty might sell their daughter to be a handmaiden, or because of a criminal activity, one might be sold to pay off his debt. However he or she came to be owned by another, he was only to serve six years, and must be released in the seventh year. There was never to be perpetual slavery.
(13) “And when you send him out free from you, you shall not let him go away empty. (14) You shall furnish him liberally out of your flock, and out of your threshing floor, and out of your winepress; of that which the LORD your God has blessed you, you shall give to him."
Whenever a servant was released, he was not to be sent away empty-handed. The people were commanded to give generously out of what God had blessed them with, from their livestock, from their harvested grains, and from their wine. This was in keeping with giving liberally to the poor. A servant was not to be sent out into extreme poverty, but rather with adequate provisions.
(15) "And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this thing today."
The people were never to forget that they had once been slaves in Egypt, how it had felt to be in terrible bondage and hardship. They were to show compassion to their fellow Israelites because God had shown mercy to them in delivering them out of bondage and bringing them to this land of great promise and blessing; they were likewise to release their brethren from servitude and furnish them with plenty of good things with which to start their lives again.
(16) "And it shall be, if he says to you, ‘I will not go away 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 female servant you shall do likewise."
If at the time of his release, a servant said that he did not want to leave because he had come to love his master and his family and household, and because he was quite content in his position in the household, then his master was to thrust an awl through the servant's ear to the door. According to Exodus 21:6, he was brought to the judges to declare his desire to remain with his master. Boring the ear to the doorpost was a ceremonial symbol of permanent servitude with his intention to always hear his master's orders and obey them forever, that is, for the rest of his life or until the year of Jubilee when all servants were released. Likewise, a maidservant was to be treated in the same way as a manservant.
(18) “It shall not seem hard to you when you send him away free from you, for he has been worth a double hired servant in serving you six years; and the LORD your God will bless you in all that you do."
The people were commanded not to begrudge their servants their liberty when they released them after six years, nor were they to begrudge all with which they sent them away. Their servants had been worth double hired servants because if their servants had been hired, they would have been required to pay them wages, as well as food and housing. Additionally, there is a verse in Isaiah that speaks of the days of a hireling being three years. The meaning in verse 18 might also mean that they had had their servants double the time as usual hired servants. Once again is the promise that the Lord would bless them in all that they did if they would follow His commands, in this instance, treating their servants as He commanded.
(19) “All the firstborn males that come from your herd and your flock you shall sanctify to the LORD your God; you shall do no work with the firstborn of your bulls, nor shear the firstborn of your flock."
Moses reviewed the law concerning the firstborn of the people's herds and flocks. All the firstborn males were to be sanctified to the Lord in remembrance of, and in thankfulness for, sparing the firstborn of Israel, when the firstborn of the Egyptians, both of man and beast, were slain by the destroying angel. No work was to be done with the firstborn male of cattle, and no wool could be sheared from the firstborn of sheep; they were the Lord's.
(20) "You shall eat it before the LORD your God year by year in the place which the LORD chooses, you and your household."
Dr. Gill wrote that if this referred to the firstborn males from verse 19, then only the priests were allowed to eat of those animals sanctified to the Lord. However, if verse 20 referred to all Israelites, then they must be firstborn females or "second" firstlings which the people voluntarily separated every year; they were not to eat them in their own houses, but before the Lord in the place that He would choose to put His name.
(21) "And if there be any blemish in it, if it is lame or blind or has any ill blemish, you shall not sacrifice it to the LORD your God."
However, if there was any blemish or defect in the firstborn, if it was blind or lame or had any other defect, it was not to be sacrificed to their Lord God. It would not be fit to honor God with, nor to typify Christ, who was the perfect Lamb without blemish.
(22) “You shall eat it within your gates; the unclean and the clean alike shall eat it, as the roebuck and as the hart."
The firstborn animals with defects were allowed to be eaten within their own households, and the ceremonially clean and unclean alike might eat of them, just as was allowed with the roebuck and the hart, which were not offered as sacrifices, but were clean animals that were allowed to be eaten.
(23) “Only you shall not eat its blood; you shall pour it on the ground as water."
The only prohibition was that the people not eat the blood of the firstborn animal that had a defect; they were to pour its blood out on the ground. Matthew Henry, in his Commentary on the Whole Bible, commented that although we were no longer under this law of the firstborn, making no difference between a first calf or lamb or whether or not it had a defect, we should be mindful that it is all God's. We owe Him the first of our time and strength, "as a kind of first-fruits of his creatures, and using all our comforts and enjoyments to his praise and under the direction of his law, as we have them all by his gift."
(Deuteronomy 15:1) “At the end of every seven years you shall make a release."
In the book of Deuteronomy Moses reviewed the laws of God. Here he began the subject of the year of release, which was to occur at the end of every seven years.
(2) "And this is the manner of the release: every creditor who has lent anything to his neighbor shall release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbor or his brother, because it is called the LORD’s release."
Moses went on to explain the form of the release. Every creditor who had lent anything to his neighbor was to release or forgive the debt, freeing him from any obligation to pay it. The creditor must not demand payment from the debtor or his brother because it was the Lord's release, appointed and commanded by Him, to show mercy to the poor. There is much discussion among the commentaries I study about exactly what this release meant. Some say it was only a release of debts for that seventh year, since it was also a rest for the land and there was no plowing or sowing, and a poor man would have no means to pay. Some said it only referred to loans lent because of poverty. Some said the act of "exacting" meant suing or recovering by law. That was what was forbidden, but if the debtor was able, he was afterwards bound in conscience to repay it. It does seem like debtors could take advantage of this release, knowing that if they wait seven years, they need not pay, but then again, I suppose it's not unlike a statute of limitations on a debt.
(3) “Of a foreigner you may exact it, but that which is yours with your brother your hand shall release."
The children of Israel were allowed to demand payment from foreigners to whom they had made loans, but not from fellow Israelites. Dr. John Gill, in his Exposition of the Entire Bible, pointed out this was illustrative of God's forgiveness of sins to those who are His own, those who have been redeemed by the blood of Christ. Those who reject Christ and are not redeemed have no share in His blessing of grace, and owe their debt for their sins.
(4) "Save when there shall be no poor among you, for the LORD shall greatly bless you in the land which the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance to possess it."
The word translated as "save" here, "ephes", means "cessation" or "end". The verse could therefore read something like, "Except when there are no longer any poor..." The law of release was only meant for the poor who were unable to pay their debts. It was never intended to release a person of means from a debt. Some commentators read it as "To the end that there be no more poor among you..." By observing this law, all debts being released at the end of seven years, it would prevent people from falling into extreme poverty. Either way you understand it, the purpose was to help the poor. Likewise the meaning of the second part of the verse could be either because the Lord would greatly bless them in their promised land, that there would be no poor; or they could so easily afford to release the debts of the poor because they were so greatly blessed in their inherited land.
(5) "Only if you carefully hearken to the voice of the LORD your God, to observe to do all these commandments which I command you this day."
The previous promise that there would either be no more poor or that they were so greatly blessed in their promised land they could generously help the poor, was conditional upon their obedience to the Lord's commandments.
(6) “For the LORD your God blesses you as He promised you; and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; and you shall reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over you."
The previous verse 5 could also serve as a preface to this one, that only if the people obeyed their Lord's commandments, would the Lord so bless them that they would be able to lend to other nations and they would, in fact, reign over many nations, and those nations would not ever reign over them. They could lend, but they could not borrow from other nations. This promise was conditional upon the people holding up their side of the covenant and following their Lord's commandments.
(7) “If there is among you a poor man of one of your brethren within any of your gates in your land which the Lord your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother."
The Israelites were commanded not to harden their hearts nor refuse to lend to their poor brethren. It could be that knowing that debts were forgiven at the end of seven years, they might decide it was better not to lend. However, their Lord commanded them not to forsake the poor. He once again reminded them that He was giving them this great land, and they should be willing to give, as well.
(8) “But you shall open your hand wide to him and shall surely lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he wants."
The people were commanded to give liberally and lend whatever was needed. I can't help but think of lending institutions that often won't lend as much as one needs, ensuring failure. God's people are commanded to give as much as one needs if in his ability to do so.
(9) “Beware that there be not a thought in your wicked 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 the LORD against you, and it be sin to you."
Indeed, the Lord, through Moses, warned the people not to consider the year of release being at hand and refuse to lend because of that. If a person was not compassionate toward his poor brother and refused to give him anything to the point he cried out to the Lord in prayer for his need, that would be considered a sin against the one who refused to lend.
(10) “You shall surely give to him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the LORD your God will bless you in all your works and in all to which you put your hand."
The people were commanded to lend or give to a poor brother, and not be grieved at parting with money they had little hope of seeing again. They were to give liberally and cheerfully, and the Lord would bless them mightily for their acts of generosity.
(11) "For the poor shall never cease out of the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor, and to your needy, in your land.’"
There would always be some need in the land. Some question whether this is a contradiction to verse 4. I don't think so at all, any way you look at verse 4. The law of release was meant for the poor. If there were no poor, it would not be needed. It was not intended for the rich to borrow and then not have to repay. The practice of lending and then releasing a debt to the poor would prevent the poor from falling into extreme poverty. The reason the people were to do this was to strive to prevent poverty in their land of plenty, but there would always be a need. The Lord wanted His people to be proactive in their generosity, giving liberally to the poor or needy in their land. It's like the scripture in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, that "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect..." In perceived contradiction, there are countless verses that suggest no man is perfect or without sin. But perfection in the ways of the Lord is that for which we should always strive, just as the people in this passage in Deuteronomy were to strive to eradicate the poor by always being generous with the blessings that had been given them.
(12) “If your brother, a Hebrew man, or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you and serves you six years, then in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you."
There were three different ways an Israelite could be sold to another. In extreme poverty, he could sell himself; parents in extreme poverty might sell their daughter to be a handmaiden, or because of a criminal activity, one might be sold to pay off his debt. However he or she came to be owned by another, he was only to serve six years, and must be released in the seventh year. There was never to be perpetual slavery.
(13) “And when you send him out free from you, you shall not let him go away empty. (14) You shall furnish him liberally out of your flock, and out of your threshing floor, and out of your winepress; of that which the LORD your God has blessed you, you shall give to him."
Whenever a servant was released, he was not to be sent away empty-handed. The people were commanded to give generously out of what God had blessed them with, from their livestock, from their harvested grains, and from their wine. This was in keeping with giving liberally to the poor. A servant was not to be sent out into extreme poverty, but rather with adequate provisions.
(15) "And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this thing today."
The people were never to forget that they had once been slaves in Egypt, how it had felt to be in terrible bondage and hardship. They were to show compassion to their fellow Israelites because God had shown mercy to them in delivering them out of bondage and bringing them to this land of great promise and blessing; they were likewise to release their brethren from servitude and furnish them with plenty of good things with which to start their lives again.
(16) "And it shall be, if he says to you, ‘I will not go away 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 female servant you shall do likewise."
If at the time of his release, a servant said that he did not want to leave because he had come to love his master and his family and household, and because he was quite content in his position in the household, then his master was to thrust an awl through the servant's ear to the door. According to Exodus 21:6, he was brought to the judges to declare his desire to remain with his master. Boring the ear to the doorpost was a ceremonial symbol of permanent servitude with his intention to always hear his master's orders and obey them forever, that is, for the rest of his life or until the year of Jubilee when all servants were released. Likewise, a maidservant was to be treated in the same way as a manservant.
(18) “It shall not seem hard to you when you send him away free from you, for he has been worth a double hired servant in serving you six years; and the LORD your God will bless you in all that you do."
The people were commanded not to begrudge their servants their liberty when they released them after six years, nor were they to begrudge all with which they sent them away. Their servants had been worth double hired servants because if their servants had been hired, they would have been required to pay them wages, as well as food and housing. Additionally, there is a verse in Isaiah that speaks of the days of a hireling being three years. The meaning in verse 18 might also mean that they had had their servants double the time as usual hired servants. Once again is the promise that the Lord would bless them in all that they did if they would follow His commands, in this instance, treating their servants as He commanded.
(19) “All the firstborn males that come from your herd and your flock you shall sanctify to the LORD your God; you shall do no work with the firstborn of your bulls, nor shear the firstborn of your flock."
Moses reviewed the law concerning the firstborn of the people's herds and flocks. All the firstborn males were to be sanctified to the Lord in remembrance of, and in thankfulness for, sparing the firstborn of Israel, when the firstborn of the Egyptians, both of man and beast, were slain by the destroying angel. No work was to be done with the firstborn male of cattle, and no wool could be sheared from the firstborn of sheep; they were the Lord's.
(20) "You shall eat it before the LORD your God year by year in the place which the LORD chooses, you and your household."
Dr. Gill wrote that if this referred to the firstborn males from verse 19, then only the priests were allowed to eat of those animals sanctified to the Lord. However, if verse 20 referred to all Israelites, then they must be firstborn females or "second" firstlings which the people voluntarily separated every year; they were not to eat them in their own houses, but before the Lord in the place that He would choose to put His name.
(21) "And if there be any blemish in it, if it is lame or blind or has any ill blemish, you shall not sacrifice it to the LORD your God."
However, if there was any blemish or defect in the firstborn, if it was blind or lame or had any other defect, it was not to be sacrificed to their Lord God. It would not be fit to honor God with, nor to typify Christ, who was the perfect Lamb without blemish.
(22) “You shall eat it within your gates; the unclean and the clean alike shall eat it, as the roebuck and as the hart."
The firstborn animals with defects were allowed to be eaten within their own households, and the ceremonially clean and unclean alike might eat of them, just as was allowed with the roebuck and the hart, which were not offered as sacrifices, but were clean animals that were allowed to be eaten.
(23) “Only you shall not eat its blood; you shall pour it on the ground as water."
The only prohibition was that the people not eat the blood of the firstborn animal that had a defect; they were to pour its blood out on the ground. Matthew Henry, in his Commentary on the Whole Bible, commented that although we were no longer under this law of the firstborn, making no difference between a first calf or lamb or whether or not it had a defect, we should be mindful that it is all God's. We owe Him the first of our time and strength, "as a kind of first-fruits of his creatures, and using all our comforts and enjoyments to his praise and under the direction of his law, as we have them all by his gift."
Saturday, July 4, 2020
Clean and Unclean Meats, and Tithes Eaten Before the Lord
Continuing a chronological Bible study:
(Deuteronomy 14:1) “You are the children of the LORD your God; you shall not cut yourselves nor shave the front of your head for the dead."
In the last chapter and post, Moses gave the people dire warnings against idolatry. Now he began describing some of the customs of the pagans that would be around them. There was a practice among them of cutting themselves or shaving the front of their heads in lamentations for their dead. These same practices were performed for their deities, consecrating their hair for them, or making incisions in their flesh to honor their gods. The children of Israel were children of the one true God of the universe, and He was not to be disparaged by the common and grotesque practices the heathens performed for their worthless idols.
(2) “For you are a holy people to the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you to be a treasured people to Himself, above all the nations that are on the earth."
The children of Israel were a holy people, set apart by the Lord from all other people, chosen by Him to be His special treasure, to be His special servants and worshipers, above all the other nations on the earth.
(3) "You shall not eat any abominable thing."
The children of Israel were not to eat anything unclean and forbidden by the Lord, which would therefore be abominable to Him, so should be likewise to His people.
(4) "These are the beasts which you shall eat: the ox, the sheep, and the goat, (5) The hart, the roebuck, the fallow deer, the wild goat, the pygarg, the wild ox, and the chamois."
Moses then gave the people a list of the animals whose flesh they were allowed to eat per their Lord. I did not try to translate or alter the names of these animals as given in the King James Version. The first three are obvious, then there are any of a number of deer varieties, wild goats and wild oxen, and there are various opinions on what is meant by the pygarg and the chamois. I don't see that it really matters; we know they were clean animals. Additionally, the next verse tells us how to distinguish a clean animal from an unclean one.
(6) "And every beast that parts the hoof, and cleaves the cleft into two claws, and chews the cud among the beasts, that you shall eat."
Every animal with cloven hooves and that chewed the cud were allowed to be eaten. It must be stressed that it had to be both. Camels apparently chewed the cud, but did not have cloven hooves, and therefore could not be eaten. Swine have cloven hooves, but do not chew the cud, so they were considered unclean and not to be eaten.
(7) "Nevertheless, these you shall not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the cloven hoof: the camel, the hare, and the coney, for they chew the cud, but do not divide the hoof, they are unclean to you. (8) And the swine, because it divides the hoof, yet does not chew the cud, is unclean to you; you shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcasses."
Indeed, Moses did go on to explain that the animals had to have both cloven hooves and the practice of chewing the cud. Those that had just one or the other trait were considered unclean. The people were not to eat of their flesh, nor even touch their dead carcasses. As always, God's laws are not arbitrary and tyrannical, but are made for our good. Animals that chew the cud, ruminants, have multiple stomachs and digest their food in stages. The more fibrous portion of their food, the cud, is regurgitated and chewed again. This mixes the cud with saliva and continues to break it down into more easily absorbed nutrients. This method of nutrient absorption extracts the ultimate benefit from nutrient-poor vegetation like grass and leaves. Animals that chew the cud have better nutrition! Additionally, the unclean animals include all scavengers that eat decaying flesh. Even the animals that are predatory generally prey on the weakest animals, which can often be because they are diseased. Likewise, the sea creatures that do not have fins and scales, described as the unclean of the species, such as lobsters and crabs and shellfish, scavenge for dead animals and decaying matter (including waste) on the sea floor. These unclean animals routinely eat what would sicken or even kill humans.
(9) “These you may eat of all that are in the waters: you shall eat all that have fins and scales. (10) And whatever does not have fins and scales you may not eat; it is unclean to you."
Indeed, Moses went on to describe what fishes could be eaten, only those with fins and scales.
(11) “All clean birds you shall eat."
Moses then went to the subject of fowl. The people were allowed to eat all clean birds.
(12) “But these you shall not eat: the eagle, the ossifrage, and the ospray, (13) And the glede, the kite, and the vulture after its kind, (14) And every raven after its kind, (15) And the owl, the night hawk, the cuckow, and the hawk after its kind, (16) The little owl, the great owl, and the swan, (17) And the pelican, the gier eagle, and the cormorant, (18) And the stork, the heron after its kind, the lapwing, and the bat."
Once again we have a list of animals with the meaning of many names in dispute. I listed them just as the KJV did. Since there was no general rule given as with the cud-chewing cloven hoofed animals and the fish with fins and scales, one would assume that all birds could be eaten that were not on the list of forbidden ones. That makes that list and its correct translation more important. The original word for "ossifrage" was "peres" from a word meaning "claw", so it appears to be a bird of prey. The meaning of "ospray" is unknown. "Glede" means "sharp sight" so is thought to be a bird of prey. I believe the same rule about animals could be applied to birds; scavengers like vultures eat dead flesh; birds of prey like hawks and eagles could prey on slower diseased animals; and some of the birds that appear to just eat fish like the pelican, the cormorant, the heron, the lapwing, and I believe would include the seagull, are sea birds of prey.
(19) "And every creeping thing that flies is unclean to you; they shall not be eaten. (20) All clean fowls you may eat."
The original word translated as "creeping things", "sherets", comes from a word meaning "wriggle" or "swarm", indicating insects. The point in verse 19 is that even though some insects fly as birds do, they are considered unclean. However, clean birds that fly may be eaten.
(21) “You shall not eat anything that dies of itself; you shall give it to the stranger who is within your gates, that he may eat it, or you may sell it to an alien, for you are a holy people to the LORD your God. You shall not boil a kid in its mother’s milk."
God's people were forbidden to eat the flesh of any animal that had died on its own. However, they were allowed to give it to the stranger within their gates, which would have been someone not of their Jewish religion, or they might even sell it to a foreigner. Albert Barnes, in his Notes on the Bible, gave a good explanation for this, and pointed out something I had not before realized. Although this law was repeated from Leviticus, the permissions now granted were only at this time being granted. To have forbidden the people to allow to be eaten what had died among their herds would have involved loss of property. In the wilderness, they had had little opportunity to sell any animal that had died on its own. Now there was opportunity, so the people could remain a holy people to the Lord and not eat an animal that had died on its own or had been killed by wild beasts (Leviticus 22:8), but could give it to a guest or sell it to a foreigner.
This is the third time that the prohibition against boiling a kid in its mother's milk had been given. The reasons for the prohibition have been unclear. It could have been seen as cruel to take a baby before its time when it was supposed to be left with its mother and then boil it in its own mother's milk which was designed for its life and nourishment. Apparently, there was also a heathen custom at the time of boiling a kid in its mother's milk at the end of harvest and sprinkling that milk on the fields to make them more fruitful the next year. For the first time, I saw a simple reason given in the 1599 Geneva Bible Translation Notes, "Because their blood was not shed, but remains in them." Whatever the reason, it had been given three times, surely indicating how important it was, if only for the reason that God said.
(22) “You shall truly tithe all the increase of your grain that the field brings forth year by year."
All the commentaries I study say this is speaking of a second tithe. The first tenth or tithe was given wholly to the Levites who had no inheritance in the land. However, as this tithe was eaten by the owners themselves, as we'll see in the following verses, it must be a second tithe. Matthew Henry, in his Commentary on the Whole Bible, pointed out that although the people's produce was tithed twice, meaning 20% instead of only 10%, the second could hardly be seen as a hardship, since they themselves would receive the benefit of it. It surely would have been a reminder that all belonged to the Lord, as they brought their tithe as recognition of God's blessings and in thanksgiving to Him. The people were instructed to separate the tithes themselves and were to do so truly and honestly, taking care that God's part might not be diminished either by design or by oversight.
(23) “And you shall eat before the LORD your God, in the place where He shall choose to place His name there, the tithe of your corn, of your wine, and of your oil, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks; that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always."
The people would be allowed to eat of those tithes before the Lord in the place where He would later choose to place His name, the tithe of their grains, of their wine, of their oil, and of the firstborn of their herds and flocks. This was said to be done so that they might learn to fear their Lord God always. As was stated before, the people learned to be mindful that everything they had was given them by their Lord God, and without Him, they might have nothing.
(24) "And if the way be too long for you, so that you are not able to carry it, if the place is too far from you, where the LORD your God shall choose to put His name, when the LORD your God has blessed you, (25) Then shall you turn it into money, take the money in your hand, and go to the place which the LORD your God shall choose."
If the place where the Lord was going to choose to be His place where He would have His name, was too far that the people were not able to carry their tithes of all with which the Lord had blessed them, then they were allowed to turn it into money, the value of their tithes, and take that to the Lord's place of His choosing.
(26) “And you shall bestow that money for whatever your heart desires, for oxen or sheep, for wine or strong drink, for whatever your heart desires; and you shall eat there before the LORD your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household."
Just as the people who brought their tithes would be allowed to feast upon them before the Lord, so would the people who brought money be allowed to buy whatever they desired with regard to food or drink to feast before the Lord. And yes, it does appear that strong drink was allowed. I get amused at all the commentators who go to great links to suggest this passage does not mean what it says. "Strong drink" would have meant any fermented beverage, as wine was fermented grape juice. It is very clear that the Bible condemns drunkenness, but it is equally clear that wine and other fermented drinks were allowed. Psalm 104:15 considers wine a gift from God that gladdens the heart. There is a huge difference in having a glass of wine or even beer with a meal that lightened the heart and allowed more rejoicing before the Lord, or going into a bar and getting drunk, or even getting drunk at home, although done privately, is certainly not healthy or edifying before the Lord. I believe we all know in our hearts, and isn't that what God judges, when we are rejoicing in God's gifts, or indulging to excess. That would include all manner of activities, including the eating of food. God's gifts that He wished people to enjoy in His presence included all manner of food which when taken to the extreme of gluttony is certainly condemned (Proverbs 23:20-21).
(27) "And the Levite who is within your gates, you shall not forsake him, for he has no part nor inheritance with you."
Once again is the reminder to never forget the Levites, and always include them in their feasts before the Lord, as they did not have their own part in the inheritance of the other tribes.
(28) "At the end of three years you shall bring forth the tithe of your increase the same year, and shall lay it up within your gates."
Every third year the tithe of the increase from that same year was to be stored up for the poor.
(29) “And the Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are within your gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied, that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do."
Once again, the Levites who had no other portion in the inheritance of God's people, could come, eat, and be satisfied, as well as the poor and needy (strangers, orphans, widows, etc.). Their Lord God would bless them in all the work of their hands, when His commands, including this one respecting the tithes were obeyed.
Once again, we can marvel at the wise laws of God that provide for all. If we would only adhere to these laws! It's not for government to provide all the needs of the poor (unless it would be a Godly government), for government requires we taxpayers pay for many ungodly things. If the churches and ministries for the poor and needy were their only providers, the poor would receive a much more Godly message than the one given by the government. Unfortunately, government gives the message that it is the only provider of needs and makes people dependent on it, and believe that only by more government, can they survive. Our current laws encourage laziness and broken families. They are completely antithetical to God's word, which says that an idle hand becomes poor, but a diligent hand gets rich (Proverbs 10:4). For those who cannot work, God provides for them through the promises of blessings to those who generously support them. He even encourages that His very tithes be given to their support. Oh, that we would totally trust God for our needs! "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want..." and His grace is sufficient for me (2 Corinthians 12:9)!
(Deuteronomy 14:1) “You are the children of the LORD your God; you shall not cut yourselves nor shave the front of your head for the dead."
In the last chapter and post, Moses gave the people dire warnings against idolatry. Now he began describing some of the customs of the pagans that would be around them. There was a practice among them of cutting themselves or shaving the front of their heads in lamentations for their dead. These same practices were performed for their deities, consecrating their hair for them, or making incisions in their flesh to honor their gods. The children of Israel were children of the one true God of the universe, and He was not to be disparaged by the common and grotesque practices the heathens performed for their worthless idols.
(2) “For you are a holy people to the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you to be a treasured people to Himself, above all the nations that are on the earth."
The children of Israel were a holy people, set apart by the Lord from all other people, chosen by Him to be His special treasure, to be His special servants and worshipers, above all the other nations on the earth.
(3) "You shall not eat any abominable thing."
The children of Israel were not to eat anything unclean and forbidden by the Lord, which would therefore be abominable to Him, so should be likewise to His people.
(4) "These are the beasts which you shall eat: the ox, the sheep, and the goat, (5) The hart, the roebuck, the fallow deer, the wild goat, the pygarg, the wild ox, and the chamois."
Moses then gave the people a list of the animals whose flesh they were allowed to eat per their Lord. I did not try to translate or alter the names of these animals as given in the King James Version. The first three are obvious, then there are any of a number of deer varieties, wild goats and wild oxen, and there are various opinions on what is meant by the pygarg and the chamois. I don't see that it really matters; we know they were clean animals. Additionally, the next verse tells us how to distinguish a clean animal from an unclean one.
(6) "And every beast that parts the hoof, and cleaves the cleft into two claws, and chews the cud among the beasts, that you shall eat."
Every animal with cloven hooves and that chewed the cud were allowed to be eaten. It must be stressed that it had to be both. Camels apparently chewed the cud, but did not have cloven hooves, and therefore could not be eaten. Swine have cloven hooves, but do not chew the cud, so they were considered unclean and not to be eaten.
(7) "Nevertheless, these you shall not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the cloven hoof: the camel, the hare, and the coney, for they chew the cud, but do not divide the hoof, they are unclean to you. (8) And the swine, because it divides the hoof, yet does not chew the cud, is unclean to you; you shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcasses."
Indeed, Moses did go on to explain that the animals had to have both cloven hooves and the practice of chewing the cud. Those that had just one or the other trait were considered unclean. The people were not to eat of their flesh, nor even touch their dead carcasses. As always, God's laws are not arbitrary and tyrannical, but are made for our good. Animals that chew the cud, ruminants, have multiple stomachs and digest their food in stages. The more fibrous portion of their food, the cud, is regurgitated and chewed again. This mixes the cud with saliva and continues to break it down into more easily absorbed nutrients. This method of nutrient absorption extracts the ultimate benefit from nutrient-poor vegetation like grass and leaves. Animals that chew the cud have better nutrition! Additionally, the unclean animals include all scavengers that eat decaying flesh. Even the animals that are predatory generally prey on the weakest animals, which can often be because they are diseased. Likewise, the sea creatures that do not have fins and scales, described as the unclean of the species, such as lobsters and crabs and shellfish, scavenge for dead animals and decaying matter (including waste) on the sea floor. These unclean animals routinely eat what would sicken or even kill humans.
(9) “These you may eat of all that are in the waters: you shall eat all that have fins and scales. (10) And whatever does not have fins and scales you may not eat; it is unclean to you."
Indeed, Moses went on to describe what fishes could be eaten, only those with fins and scales.
(11) “All clean birds you shall eat."
Moses then went to the subject of fowl. The people were allowed to eat all clean birds.
(12) “But these you shall not eat: the eagle, the ossifrage, and the ospray, (13) And the glede, the kite, and the vulture after its kind, (14) And every raven after its kind, (15) And the owl, the night hawk, the cuckow, and the hawk after its kind, (16) The little owl, the great owl, and the swan, (17) And the pelican, the gier eagle, and the cormorant, (18) And the stork, the heron after its kind, the lapwing, and the bat."
Once again we have a list of animals with the meaning of many names in dispute. I listed them just as the KJV did. Since there was no general rule given as with the cud-chewing cloven hoofed animals and the fish with fins and scales, one would assume that all birds could be eaten that were not on the list of forbidden ones. That makes that list and its correct translation more important. The original word for "ossifrage" was "peres" from a word meaning "claw", so it appears to be a bird of prey. The meaning of "ospray" is unknown. "Glede" means "sharp sight" so is thought to be a bird of prey. I believe the same rule about animals could be applied to birds; scavengers like vultures eat dead flesh; birds of prey like hawks and eagles could prey on slower diseased animals; and some of the birds that appear to just eat fish like the pelican, the cormorant, the heron, the lapwing, and I believe would include the seagull, are sea birds of prey.
(19) "And every creeping thing that flies is unclean to you; they shall not be eaten. (20) All clean fowls you may eat."
The original word translated as "creeping things", "sherets", comes from a word meaning "wriggle" or "swarm", indicating insects. The point in verse 19 is that even though some insects fly as birds do, they are considered unclean. However, clean birds that fly may be eaten.
(21) “You shall not eat anything that dies of itself; you shall give it to the stranger who is within your gates, that he may eat it, or you may sell it to an alien, for you are a holy people to the LORD your God. You shall not boil a kid in its mother’s milk."
God's people were forbidden to eat the flesh of any animal that had died on its own. However, they were allowed to give it to the stranger within their gates, which would have been someone not of their Jewish religion, or they might even sell it to a foreigner. Albert Barnes, in his Notes on the Bible, gave a good explanation for this, and pointed out something I had not before realized. Although this law was repeated from Leviticus, the permissions now granted were only at this time being granted. To have forbidden the people to allow to be eaten what had died among their herds would have involved loss of property. In the wilderness, they had had little opportunity to sell any animal that had died on its own. Now there was opportunity, so the people could remain a holy people to the Lord and not eat an animal that had died on its own or had been killed by wild beasts (Leviticus 22:8), but could give it to a guest or sell it to a foreigner.
This is the third time that the prohibition against boiling a kid in its mother's milk had been given. The reasons for the prohibition have been unclear. It could have been seen as cruel to take a baby before its time when it was supposed to be left with its mother and then boil it in its own mother's milk which was designed for its life and nourishment. Apparently, there was also a heathen custom at the time of boiling a kid in its mother's milk at the end of harvest and sprinkling that milk on the fields to make them more fruitful the next year. For the first time, I saw a simple reason given in the 1599 Geneva Bible Translation Notes, "Because their blood was not shed, but remains in them." Whatever the reason, it had been given three times, surely indicating how important it was, if only for the reason that God said.
(22) “You shall truly tithe all the increase of your grain that the field brings forth year by year."
All the commentaries I study say this is speaking of a second tithe. The first tenth or tithe was given wholly to the Levites who had no inheritance in the land. However, as this tithe was eaten by the owners themselves, as we'll see in the following verses, it must be a second tithe. Matthew Henry, in his Commentary on the Whole Bible, pointed out that although the people's produce was tithed twice, meaning 20% instead of only 10%, the second could hardly be seen as a hardship, since they themselves would receive the benefit of it. It surely would have been a reminder that all belonged to the Lord, as they brought their tithe as recognition of God's blessings and in thanksgiving to Him. The people were instructed to separate the tithes themselves and were to do so truly and honestly, taking care that God's part might not be diminished either by design or by oversight.
(23) “And you shall eat before the LORD your God, in the place where He shall choose to place His name there, the tithe of your corn, of your wine, and of your oil, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks; that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always."
The people would be allowed to eat of those tithes before the Lord in the place where He would later choose to place His name, the tithe of their grains, of their wine, of their oil, and of the firstborn of their herds and flocks. This was said to be done so that they might learn to fear their Lord God always. As was stated before, the people learned to be mindful that everything they had was given them by their Lord God, and without Him, they might have nothing.
(24) "And if the way be too long for you, so that you are not able to carry it, if the place is too far from you, where the LORD your God shall choose to put His name, when the LORD your God has blessed you, (25) Then shall you turn it into money, take the money in your hand, and go to the place which the LORD your God shall choose."
If the place where the Lord was going to choose to be His place where He would have His name, was too far that the people were not able to carry their tithes of all with which the Lord had blessed them, then they were allowed to turn it into money, the value of their tithes, and take that to the Lord's place of His choosing.
(26) “And you shall bestow that money for whatever your heart desires, for oxen or sheep, for wine or strong drink, for whatever your heart desires; and you shall eat there before the LORD your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household."
Just as the people who brought their tithes would be allowed to feast upon them before the Lord, so would the people who brought money be allowed to buy whatever they desired with regard to food or drink to feast before the Lord. And yes, it does appear that strong drink was allowed. I get amused at all the commentators who go to great links to suggest this passage does not mean what it says. "Strong drink" would have meant any fermented beverage, as wine was fermented grape juice. It is very clear that the Bible condemns drunkenness, but it is equally clear that wine and other fermented drinks were allowed. Psalm 104:15 considers wine a gift from God that gladdens the heart. There is a huge difference in having a glass of wine or even beer with a meal that lightened the heart and allowed more rejoicing before the Lord, or going into a bar and getting drunk, or even getting drunk at home, although done privately, is certainly not healthy or edifying before the Lord. I believe we all know in our hearts, and isn't that what God judges, when we are rejoicing in God's gifts, or indulging to excess. That would include all manner of activities, including the eating of food. God's gifts that He wished people to enjoy in His presence included all manner of food which when taken to the extreme of gluttony is certainly condemned (Proverbs 23:20-21).
(27) "And the Levite who is within your gates, you shall not forsake him, for he has no part nor inheritance with you."
Once again is the reminder to never forget the Levites, and always include them in their feasts before the Lord, as they did not have their own part in the inheritance of the other tribes.
(28) "At the end of three years you shall bring forth the tithe of your increase the same year, and shall lay it up within your gates."
Every third year the tithe of the increase from that same year was to be stored up for the poor.
(29) “And the Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are within your gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied, that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do."
Once again, the Levites who had no other portion in the inheritance of God's people, could come, eat, and be satisfied, as well as the poor and needy (strangers, orphans, widows, etc.). Their Lord God would bless them in all the work of their hands, when His commands, including this one respecting the tithes were obeyed.
Once again, we can marvel at the wise laws of God that provide for all. If we would only adhere to these laws! It's not for government to provide all the needs of the poor (unless it would be a Godly government), for government requires we taxpayers pay for many ungodly things. If the churches and ministries for the poor and needy were their only providers, the poor would receive a much more Godly message than the one given by the government. Unfortunately, government gives the message that it is the only provider of needs and makes people dependent on it, and believe that only by more government, can they survive. Our current laws encourage laziness and broken families. They are completely antithetical to God's word, which says that an idle hand becomes poor, but a diligent hand gets rich (Proverbs 10:4). For those who cannot work, God provides for them through the promises of blessings to those who generously support them. He even encourages that His very tithes be given to their support. Oh, that we would totally trust God for our needs! "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want..." and His grace is sufficient for me (2 Corinthians 12:9)!
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