anitasanecdotes

In Deuteronomy 31 and 32 Moses informs the people that he will not be going into the Promised Land with them. He tells them that Joshua will lead them behind God who will go before them and destroy their enemies. He encourages all of them to be strong and bold and to trust in God.

Moses writes down the commandments and gives them to the Levites. He tells them to read them to the people every seventh year so that they will learn them and remember them.

The Lord tells Moses that his death is near. He has Moses and Joshua go into the tent of meeting. God tells Moses that the people will rebel and God will hide His face from the people. He gives Moses a song to teach the people so that they will remember God’s promise. God commissions Joshua and promises to be with him.

Moses finishes the book of the law and has the Levites put it beside the Ark of the Covenant. He addresses all the elders and officials. He tells them that he knows they will be unfaithful. Moses recites the words of the song God gave him to all the people of Israel. The song repeats the story of the people of Israel and warns of their unfaithfulness. It encourages them to return to faithfulness.

God instructs Moses to climb up Mount Nebo to see the Promised Land of Canaan.

Romans 8 is a chapter of hope. It tells us that because of Jesus Christ we do not live with condemnation. We are freed to obey God. We have been adopted as children of God and heirs to God’s kingdom with Christ. Even though we are weak the Spirit dwells within us and helps us in our weakness, praying for us when we do not know how to pray. While we may feel guilt over our sins we are not held guilty by God. He could bring charges against us; Jesus could condemn us, but instead, God is on our side. He has justified us in Christ Jesus. We are being conformed to His image. Jesus stands before God and intercedes for us and NOTHING, let me repeat, NOTHING can separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus our Lord. Nothing we have done, nothing we will do, no circumstance, no power, NOTHING will keep us away from the love of our God.

In Deuteronomy 29 and 30 God establishes an additional covenant with the Israelites. He reminds them of the provision He has provided them in the wilderness and in the conquering of land for the Reubenites, Gadites and part of Manasseh. He reminds them to keep the statutes He has established.

Then God acknowledges that even now there may be some who are turning away from Him. They are already turning toward other gods, but believe they will be safe. God informs them that He will single them out for punishment. Their lands and people will be destroyed. Then all will know that they turned away from God.

They will be taken form their land and sent into slavery in another. When these things happen to them they will remember the blessings and curses to which they agreed in the covenant and they will return to God. God promises to restore their fortunes and gather them together again to the land He has promised. God will move them to love Him with their heart, soul and might and they will again obey His commandments. God will destroy their enemies.

God says that He is setting life and death, blessings and curses before the people. He encourages them to choose life so that they and their descendants may live in love and obedience of the Lord.

These words are particularly poignant given the fact that they were compiled during and immediately after the time of the exile. The people were exiled because of their disobedience; they were restored because they chose life.

Psalm 36 opens with strong words regarding the wicked and their boldness to sin. But God’s steadfast love and faithfulness is over all. God is able to save all those who take refuge in Him. The psalmist ends by asking that God continue to love those who know Him and punish the wicked and arrogant.

In Deuteronomy 27 Moses and the elders give the people instructions to build pillars on which to place the commandments of the Lord when they enter the Promised Land. They are also instructed to build an altar there and make sacrifices of well-being in celebration of God’s deliverance.

Then Moses and the Levites give instructions for the delivery of blessings and curses. The curses are given first. There are 12 curses given. These primarily deal with the treatment of others. If a person mistreats another in the ways described that person will be cursed.

Deuteronomy 28 opens with the blessings the people will receive if they diligently keep the commandments. They will multiply and be prosperous. They will defeat their enemies. They will be God’s holy people. God will make them leaders and not followers or slaves.

If, however, they disobey, the opposite will occur. They will lose their lands. They will meet with disaster. They will be defeated by their enemies. They will be taken into captivity. They will decrease in number.

In Romans 7 Paul discusses the law and its effect on us. He essentially says that since the law highlights those things that are against the law it actually opens the door for us to consider ways to sin. Instead of discouraging us to do those things we shouldn’t, it opens us up to temptation, just as telling children not to do something often entices them to do that very thing.

It is not that the law is causing us to be sinful, but rather that sin takes the law and uses it to entice us to do wrong. We know what we shouldn’t do and do it anyway. We want to do good and yet we don’t do it. Concentrating on the law leads us into perilous territory.

Deuteronomy 25 contains laws that mostly deal with issues of honor. Some of them are about not bringing shame to another. The others are about doing the honorable thing in personal and business affairs. One law of note is regarding if a man dies before he has children. His brother is to marry his wife and have his brother’s sons on his behalf.  This law reminds us of the situation Tamar was in in Genesis.

Deuteronomy 26 contains a worship experience. It is a time of thanksgiving for all that God has done for the people of Israel. They are to bring a tithe of the first fruits they receive in the Promised Land. Those tithes are to be used to help those in need and to support those who lead in worship. This is still the purpose for our giving. We give out of gratitude for all that God does for us. The gifts we bring are used to help those in need, both near and far away, and to support the ministries of the church. God has been generous to us so that we can be generous with others.

Romans 6 addresses the issue of whether because we have been forgiven of all of our sins we have been given license to continue to sin. Paul emphatically says, “NO!” As a matter of fact, he says just the opposite. Because we have been forgiven of our sins, we have been given the ability to turn away from sin and toward righteousness. So often we feel helpless to the temptations that plague us. We feel as though we are helpless to turn away from them. But, the reality is that our sins were buried with Christ in his death. He left them in the grave at his resurrection and now we are not under sin’s control. We can overcome. Paul says that we must consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. When we confront temptation we need to remember that Christ has already dealt with it for us. We live in a new reality. Let us remember.

Deuteronomy 23 and 24 are a continuation of a variety of laws. Some deal with those people who should not be allowed to live among the Israelites. Several kinds of people are excluded because of deformity or sin even many generations after the sin is committed. The Edomites are to be allowed in the assembly of the Lord because they are relatives. Can you remember who went to Edom? Interestingly, Egyptians are to be welcome because the Israelites were resident aliens in their land.

Many of the other rules regard proper conduct: personal and in business. Many of them teach about how to deal with the poor: showing them mercy and compassion.

Romans 5 begins with the statement that because we are justified by faith we have peace with God through Jesus. This is the reason for the passing of the peace during worship. We are at peace because we have been forgiven.

Paul acknowledges that even in our forgiven state we may suffer. Most of us these days don’t accept suffering well. We don’t understand why anyone must suffer. But Paul knows that suffering produces endurance and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,and hope does not disappoint us. If we are able to endure through our suffering we become stronger.

We remember that Christ suffered because of our weakness and sin. Even while we were sinners Christ died for us. Even while we were his enemies God reconciled us to himself.

Paul makes the comment that when law came in trespass or sin multiplied. This is an odd statement. Could it be related to the fact that God through the law we recognize when we sin. And when we are made aware of our sin we are then accountable for it and need to atone for it. That atonement has come for us through Jesus Christ. We have been justified before God. It is just as if we have not sinned. Therefore we, who deserve death, now experience eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Deuteronomy 21 and 22 contain a variety of laws governing conduct between neighbors; integrity in dealing with marriage issues, farming, family issues, etc. Of some note is the issue of inheritance when a man marries two women and he dislikes one of them. If she bears the firstborn son, her husband must give him the inheritance of the firstborn and not favor the son from the wife he likes. This is a reminder of Jacob and his dealings with Rachel and Leah.

The other ordinance of note is that of an engaged virgin who is found to have lain with another man. She is to be stoned to death. This is the issue Joseph confronted when he found out that Mary was pregnant. He chose not to have her killed even before the angel of the Lord came and told him that the baby was to be Jesus.

Psalm 35 is a prayer in time of war or attack. David is asking that God let his enemies fall. David is experience persecution from those whom he has loved and prayed for. Now they have turned against him and David is asking God to bring shame and dishonor.

Many of us feel the way David does. We want God to get back at those who are against us. We know now that Jesus would have us love our enemies and pray for those who hate us. This is a much harder task than asking for their punishment.

Deuteronomy 19 opens with a discussion regarding the cities of refuge that God sets up in each region. These are places where those who have killed someone by accident may flee.  Those who commit a wrong intentionally, on the other hand will be put to death.

Deuteronomy 20 deals with battles the Israelites will fight in the future. They should receive a blessing from a priest before entering into battle. If they are distracted by an issue at home they should not engage in battle. If the nation surrenders to them peacefully they are allowed to take the people as slaves. However, if they must fight their enemies they are to kill all the men and take the women and children and all the possessions as the spoils of war. This statute is only pertinent to battles in the future and far away. The Israelites are charged to annihilate the nations they are conquering in the Promised Land so that they will not teach them about things that are abhorrent to God.

In Romans 4 Paul is dealing with the arguments the Jews have been making that the Gentiles must obey the law, particularly the ordinance that they should be circumcised in order to receive God’s grace. He uses Abraham as his example stating that Abraham was not justified by his works; rather he was reckoned righteous because of his faith. He was reckoned righteous before he was circumcised. He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of righteousness to attest to the faith he had before he was circumcised. Circumcision wasn’t the cause of the righteousness it was given because of the righteousness.  He believed in God and God’s promises even when the physical evidence should have convinced him otherwise.

Deuteronomy 17 deals with legal issues. If someone is caught worshiping other gods and two or three witnesses can attest to it that person is to be stoned to death. While each region has its own judges, if a decision is too difficult to render the parties must come to the place where God is and consult with the priests and judge there. Whatever decision they render is final.

After the people have settled in the land, if they decide that they want a king from their own people they may have one. They are not to have a foreigner as a king. The king must never return to Egypt for any reason. The king will have a copy of the law and read from it every day so he may fear God and observe the statutes.

In Deuteronomy 18 Moses reminds the people that the Levites have been selected by God and are to receive part of the offerings. He continues to warn them against practicing any of the practices of the nations they will enter. They are not to listen to any soothsayers or diviners. The Lord will choose a prophet like Moses to speak for Him to the people. They will know if the prophet is for God by whether his words come true.

In this day and age when people want to listen to all kinds of predictions: from Nostradamus to the Mayans it is important for us to put our trust in the Lord.

Romans 3 posits the thesis of the entire letter. Paul establishes that everyone: Jew or Gentile, sins. While the Jews have the law, it’s purpose is to reveal the knowledge of sin. It shows us that we are sinful. All of us are sinful and fall short of the glory of God. We only stand justified before him because of God’s gift of grace made available to us through redemption in Jesus. We are not justified by our works of righteousness. We are only justified by faith in Christ. Because we have this faith we then can uphold the law.

Deuteronomy 15 includes instructions for every seventh year, which is a year of remission of debt. This includes slavery and those who have been slaves are freed with some compensation. Moses insists that the people practice charity and compassion on those who are in need. They are to do so because when they were in slavery and God took care of them and freed them.

Deuteronomy 16 includes instructions regarding the yearly Passover, weeks and booths festivals. Of note is the fact that these may not be celebrated in the hometowns of the people. They must go to the place where God dwells in order to properly sacrifice and observe the holy days.

Psalm 34 was written about when David feigned madness in front of Achish in 1 Samuel 21, not Abimelech as noted in the scripture. It is an acrostic of the Hebrew alphabet using all but one of the letters. David speaks words of praise to the Lord. He recounts God’s protection and provision in times of need and exhorts the reader to love righteousness and to stay away from evil. Good advice.

Deuteronomy 12 opens with Moses ordering the people to destroy all vestiges of idol worship that they find in the lands they will occupy. He tells them that God will choose the place where He will dwell. Once that is found the people are to bring their offerings and worship.

Up until now the only meat the people are allowed to eat is from the burnt offerings made to God. Now they will be able to eat meat in their own towns. They are to keep the law against eating of the blood and they must not eat animals that are to become an offering. The offerings may not be burnt anywhere except at the place God chooses for His dwelling. All offerings must be brought to this place.

Moses warns the people not to embrace the religious practices of the peoples they conquer. They are not even to wonder about how they practiced their faith.

In Deuteronomy 13 Moses warns against following those who encourage the people to worship other gods. Those who do succumb to that temptation are to be killed along with those who led them astray. The people are told to show then no pity or compassion. If an entire town disobeys, it is to be completely destroyed and never rebuilt. God is testing their faithfulness.

In Deuteronomy 14 Moses reminds the people that they have been chosen to be God’s children and should conduct themselves in a holy manner. He reminds them of the way they should eat in order to remain holy. He reminds them that they are to bring a tithe of their livestock and crops to the Lord. If they live too far from the place that God has chosen for His dwelling they are to sell the tithe and bring the money to God’s place and purchase the offerings there. The people are also reminded to remember to support the Levites in their towns.

In Romans 2 Paul is dealing with those who believe in the law of God. In the last chapter he addressed those who do not know God or His law saying that God has been revealed to everyone and so there is no excuse for not recognizing Him. Now Paul is dealing with Jews who like to judge others and their inability to keep the law without considering that they themselves are just as guilty. He holds those who know God’s law even more accountable for their judgment. God’s law is written on the hearts of everyone, Jew or Gentile, and it is only in the practice of that law that we are judged, not simply by knowledge. If someone is outwardly pious but their heart is impure they may receive praise from others but will receive judgment from God.