Day 84: 1 Samuel 21-24; Psalm 91

There's an event recorded in 1 Samuel 24 which has always interested me. David has been one of the best things that has ever happened to Saul. He is a valiant warrior and a loyal servant of the king. But because of all this, and David's popularity, Saul, in his paranoia, is jealous of him. So, while David continues to fight the Philistines he is also on the run from Saul who is hunting him down and plans to kill him. At one point Saul hears the call of nature and goes into a cave to relieve himself (even kings gotta pee). What he doesn't know is that David and his men are hiding in this same cave. David has the opportunity to kill Saul and end the running and hiding...but, against his men's advice, he doesn't take the opportunity. Instead, after Saul finishes his business and steps out of the cave David reveals himself to Saul with these words:

Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. He said to Saul, “Why do you listen when men say, ‘David is bent on harming you’? This day you have seen with your own eyes how the LORD delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ‘I will not lay my hand on my lord, because he is the LORD’s anointed.’ See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. See that there is nothing in my hand to indicate that I am guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life. May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you. As the old saying goes, ‘From evildoers come evil deeds,’ so my hand will not touch you. (24:8-13)

I don't know if David is really that honorable or if he's simply a political genius...because this whole thing is going to play well with the public opinion of David. I'm inclined to think that David is both. He has already proven himself honorable a number of times...and this is certainly in keeping with David's character as we've come to know him...but no one would have blamed him for killing Saul...except for his own conscience. I'm not sure that even God would hold this against him because He has already declared that He was taking the throne away from Saul and giving it to David. But then again, I'm not as honorable as David so I could be wrong.

Here is Saul's response:

When David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” And he wept aloud. “You are more righteous than I,” he said. “You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly. You have just now told me about the good you did to me; the LORD delivered me into your hands, but you did not kill me. When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the LORD reward you well for the way you treated me today. I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands. Now swear to me by the LORD that you will not kill off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s family.” (24:16-21)

I'm pretty sure that Saul isn't finished trying to kill David...he has proven himself to be paranoid and completely untrustworthy in this regard. But still:

David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold. (24:22)

I believe we will see a time in David's future when this oath will come into play.

Days 82&83: 1 Samuel 13-20

There are some memorable verses in these chapters. Such as:

“Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
   as much as in obeying the LORD?
To obey is better than sacrifice,
   and to heed is better than the fat of rams. (15:22)

And:

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (16:7)

Both are saying of Samuel the priest at a specific time for a specific purpose but they also contain many levels of insight into God and our relationship with Him.

Even though by all outward appearances Saul has been a successful king he has pretty much a disappointment to God. Saul's actions have grieved God to the point that He plans to remove Saul from the throne and choose another king.

Until the day Samuel died, he did not go to see Saul again, though Samuel mourned for him. And the LORD regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel. (15:35)

David is chosen by God as the next king and the way the whole thing plays out is like a soap opera with all the twists and turns, the jealousy and complex web of relationships.

David is an interesting character. He seems to have supreme confidence and complete humility at the same time. Because of his victory over Goliath David is granted the king's daughter in marriage...but he's not so sure he wants to accept:

But David said, “Do you think it is a small matter to become the king’s son-in-law? I’m only a poor man and little known.” (18:23)

This is David's perception of himself even though only a few verses earlier we read:

But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them in their campaigns. (18:16)

David seems to be a great example of a person whose confidence is based on God and God alone and has a very clear understanding that he is nothing but a tool in God's hand.

Confidence and humility...a rare and powerful combination.

Days 80&81: 1 Samuel 4-12

When it comes to raising kids it seems Samuel did about as well as his mentor, Eli:

When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as Israel’s leaders. The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba. But his sons did not follow his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice. (8:1-3)

There's something about raising kids when you're in a position of leadership. I'm not convinced it's always the fault of the parent. It is a very difficult position for the kids. In a way they live in the public eye with a lot of expectations that aren't always fair. It takes a very wise and disciplined parent to raise kids in that situation.

This whole "kingship" thing is interesting to me. The people of Israel really want a king to lead them. This desire for a king is considered an evil thing because God's intention was that HE would be their king. I guess they felt they needed a king "with skin on." I'm sympathetic with them. The thing is, while this is not God's ideal, and is, in fact, against the whole idea...and while He warns them through Samuel about all the bad things that will happen to them because of having a king...He lets them have a king. And even chooses one for them.

God, through Samuel, appoints Saul as Israel's first king with these words:

The Spirit of the LORD will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person. Once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God is with you. (10:6-7)

Even though God is against the whole king idea He actually goes along with the plan and even decides to work within it. I'm reminded of the often quoted Romans 8:28 - "...we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

Anointing Saul as king doesn't seem to be a real uplifting experience:

Samuel summoned the people of Israel to the LORD at Mizpah and said to them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I brought Israel up out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the power of Egypt and all the kingdoms that oppressed you.’ But you have now rejected your God, who saves you out of all your disasters and calamities. And you have said, ‘No, appoint a king over us.’ So now present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and clans.” (10:17-19)

 In chapter 12 Samuel is giving a "farewell address." It sounds like he thinks he's going to retire or something. Maybe he thinks that because God is now appointing a king that his work is finished. It isn't. Anyway, as usual in these farewell speeches, the history of Israel from the time of the Exodus is recounted...up until today:

 “But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, ‘No, we want a king to rule over us’—even though the LORD your God was your king. Now here is the king you have chosen, the one you asked for; see, the LORD has set a king over you. If you fear the LORD and serve and obey him and do not rebel against his commands, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the LORD your God—good! But if you do not obey the LORD, and if you rebel against his commands, his hand will be against you, as it was against your ancestors.
     “Now then, stand still and see this great thing the LORD is about to do before your eyes! Is it not wheat harvest now? I will call on the LORD to send thunder and rain. And you will realize what an evil thing you did in the eyes of the LORD when you asked for a king.” (12:12-17)

In other words, "I'll give you what you want...but you're not gonna like it."

I also notice a lot of "ifs" in that speech.

Will the people...and the king...live up to all the "ifs"?

Stay tuned.

Day 79: 1 Samuel 1-3

Eli was a servant of God...a priest. He had two sons, Hophni & Phinehas, who also served as priests. These sons of Eli were pretty bad:

Eli’s sons were scoundrels; they had no regard for the LORD. (2:12)

Now Eli, who was very old, heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they slept with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting. (2:22)

I can't help but think about all the bad press the Catholic church has gotten in recent years because of all the abuse and cover ups that have been going on. However, the other thing that I can't help but consider is the duty of parents to raise their kids in the Lord. Somehow, even though Eli was a man of God and apparently served faithfully, that dedication wasn't passed on to his sons. But it's really even more than that. The truth is that sons (and daughters) make their own choices. As parents we do the best we can but ultimately the choice is theirs. The real problem here is that Eli knew his sons were "scoundrels" but he didn't do anything about it. He allowed them to continue to "serve" even though he knew what was going on. For this, God holds Eli responsible:

Why do you honor your sons more than me? (2:29)

I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God, and he failed to restrain them. (3:13)

The 2:29 verse really jumped out at me. "Why do you honor your sons more than me?" That's really what it comes down to, isn't it?

What, or who, do I honor more than God?

Day 78: Ruth

The book of Judges was an account of the history of the Israelites...the book of Ruth seems to be a glimpse into the life of a particular family during that period. The burdens that the people bore were what you might expect. You get a sense of the violence that surrounded them:

Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It will be good for you, my daughter, to go with the women who work for him, because in someone else’s field you might be harmed.” (2:22)

Naomi is a widow. Not only is she a widow but she has also lost her 2 sons. (1:4) The only people left of her immediate family is her and her 2 daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth, who are also widows. I think I always knew that fact about Naomi but after the events in my own church family so far this year I think I am more sensitive to the grief that these 3 women are carrying around. I'm pretty sure their situation isn't all that uncommon among the Israelite people of the time. After reading of all the bloodshed and death in the book of Judges it comes as no surprise. The book of Ruth sort of points out the effect this period of history has had on the common people.

In recent months I've spoken with a woman who, because of the loss in her life, felt like God was angry with her for some reason. Naomi feels the same:

...the LORD’s hand has turned against me! (1:13)

“Don’t call me Naomi,” she told them. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.” (1:20-21)

However, this story does have a more or less happy ending. Ruth finds a good husband (Boaz) who then takes care of her and her family.

The book of Ruth gives us some very interesting insights into daily life during this period of history. There's the custom of gleaning in the fields, the expectations of relatives, the way business transactions were conducted and witnessed. In spite of all the violence around them, daily life went on.

Day 77: Judges 19-21

In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit. (21:25)

So ends the book of Judges. This is a dark period in Israel's history. The book of Judges is bloody. The story is the story of God's people. "God's" in the sense that God has chosen them but they haven't totally chosen Him. The book chronicles their ups and downs...mostly downs to be honest. A judge will rise up and lead the people to repentance...and things start to turn around...but once the dynamic leader dies the people once again fall into all kinds of sin and false religion. They had no king. Actually, I suppose God's intention was that He would be their King...but they never quite got that concept...so, "In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit."

You know what?

The story of Judges is our story.

Day 76: Judges 14-18

Samson is the most famous person in today's reading. His great strength, I suppose, causes him to be so well known. His colorful exploits make him a popular figure in children's lessons and VBS. However, his life is no children's story. It's definitely R-rated. Violence, prostitution, gambling and carousing are all part of Samson's life. All this in the life of a man who had taken the Nazarite vow...to live a life completely dedicated to God.

Once again, I am reminded that everyone sins. I suppose there is comfort in this, though I'm not sure there should be. God worked through Samson because God chose to work through Samson...it was God who was working, not Samson. I think maybe Samson forgot that when he was fooling around with Delilah.

There's a very telling statement in 16:20 where it says: "But he did not know that the LORD had left him."

I want to be used by God, and Samson's example shows me that God can use anyone...even me, I suppose. But I need to make sure that I remain aware of the fact that if any good thing is done by God through me that it's all God.

Days 74&75: Judges 6-13

The spiritual ups and downs of the book of Judges continues.

I've been impressed throughout this reading of the OT with how often the history of the Israelite people is recounted. Whenever God, through a prophet or a judge, challenges His people to live in obedience to His law he bases it on His performance in the past. For example:

When the Israelites cried out to the LORD because of Midian, he sent them a prophet, who said, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. I rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians. And I delivered you from the hand of all your oppressors; I drove them out before you and gave you their land. I said to you, ‘I am the LORD your God; do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live.’ But you have not listened to me.” (6:7-10)

God has proven Himself powerful and trustworthy. Not only does He have the right to demand our allegiance by His very nature, He has also earned that right by demonstrating for generations His incomparable power and faithfulness.

But that faithfulness has not been reciprocated by His people:

No sooner had Gideon died than the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals. They set up Baal-Berith as their god and did not remember the LORD their God, who had rescued them from the hands of all their enemies on every side. They also failed to show any loyalty to the family of Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) in spite of all the good things he had done for them. (8:33-35)

Amazing. It looks like they would learn, doesn't it? But this seems to be the pattern in the book of Judges.

Gideon makes a point in 6:31 when he says: "If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar.”  But for some reason, even though these false gods have demonstrated absolutely NO power or life whatsoever, the Israelites are constantly drawn to them. Jephthah now makes the same point in 11:24 when he says: "Will you not take what your god Chemosh gives you? Likewise, whatever the LORD our God has given us, we will possess." If God is God, He has no need for us to defend Him...yet we have every need to remain in His camp.

I wonder if we spend too much of our time and energy trying to "defend" God...to try to make Him look good? I sometimes get the feeling that some people are trying to be God's PR agent. What do I mean by that? Well, what I DON"T mean is that Christ-followers should just live their lives and be quiet about their faith. I think our faith should be the topic of WAY more conversations than it usually is. But I'm uncomfortable with the attempt to make following Jesus "cool." It's not. If God has power in our lives it will be noticed...and we can talk about it. If He doesn't have power in our lives that, too, will be noticed...no matter how much we talk about it. (I don't think I've done a good job of clearly expressing my thought here but I'm going to leave it for now.)

There's one more troubling event in today's reading.

And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD: “If you give the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the LORD’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.” (11:30-31)

As it turns out, Jephthah does return in triumph and the first thing he meets coming out of the door of his house is his daughter.

When he saw her, he tore his clothes and cried, “Oh no, my daughter! You have brought me down and I am devastated. I have made a vow to the LORD that I cannot break.” (11:35)

He ends up following through on his vow to God to sacrifice his daughter as a burnt offering. Human sacrifice is a completely pagan practice that was not uncommon with the people that the Israelites were driving out of Canaan...and one of the reasons that God is using them to destroy these people. Does God now accept Jephthah's sacrifice? What would God have done if Jephthah had not followed through on his vow? What if Jephthah had reasoned that God doesn't ask for human sacrifices so when I said "the first thing coming out the door" it automatically eliminates people and therefore he sacrificed the goat, say, that was following his daughter out the door?

These are questions that have no answers. But I still find this episode extremely troubling.

Day 73: Judges 2-5

It seems as if the period of the Judges was a pretty rocky stretch for the Israelites. It begins with this intro in chapter 2:

After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel. (2:10)

How does that happen? Where did they go wrong that a whole generation grew up without knowing the God of their fathers? I think adults have been worrying about the faith of "the younger generation" forever. I know they did when I was a part of the younger generation and I've spent most of my adult life praying for and concerned about the faith of the next generation and now that I'm a grand-parent I find that the even younger generation is the focus of my concern. They will, of course, all make their own choices but I believe they will know their heritage. I can't understand how an entire generation would grow up "who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel."

Here seems to be an intro and summary of the book of judges:

Whenever the LORD raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the LORD relented because of their groaning under those who oppressed and afflicted them. But when the judge died, the people returned to ways even more corrupt than those of their ancestors, following other gods and serving and worshiping them. They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways. (2:18-19)

It seems as if the book of Judges may be a lesson in the high expectations, yet patience and forgiveness of God.

I've always been a bit fascinated by Deborah:

Now Deborah, a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time. (4:4)

Nowhere (that I know of) does the Bible make a big deal out of the fact that Deborah was a woman and yet it seems to me that it IS a big deal. It just doesn't seem to fit with what I've always been taught about the culture of the day and how women were treated. Apparently, while the "culture" didn't hold women in very high regard, God did...and does.

Day 72: Joshua 23-24, Judges 1

The mantle of leadership is being passed again...but I'm not exactly sure to whom. Joshua dies in chapter 24. I've noticed that these guys always seem to know when they're going to die and are able to give a speech before they do. Joshua gives his final speech to the people and once again he recounts the history of the Israelite nation and how God has provided for them in the past and he exhorts them to faithfulness in order for God to continue to lead, protect and provide.

Here's part of his exhortation:

Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left. Do not associate with these nations that remain among you; do not invoke the names of their gods or swear by them. You must not serve them or bow down to them. But you are to hold fast to the LORD your God, as you have until now. (Josh. 23:6-8)

I've heard people refer to the U.S. as a "Christian" nation. This has never sounded quite right to me. I feel like Christians are instead God's people in a land that isn't really ours. We live among people of all kinds of faith and non-faith, I think Joshua's exhortation to the Israelites is an appropriate one for us Christ-followers who live in a pagan land.

He goes on to say:

But if you turn away and ally yourselves with the survivors of these nations that remain among you and if you intermarry with them and associate with them, then you may be sure that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become snares and traps for you, whips on your backs and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land, which the LORD your God has given you. (Josh 23:12-13)

On the one hand, I believe God expects us to maintain a similar purity. On the other hand, I believe He expects us to be involved in the lives of our neighbors with the goal of bringing them to faith. (Mat. 5:13)

We live on a tight rope.

Days 70&71: Joshua 15-22

To be perfectly honest...I skimmed a lot of today's section of scripture. Joshua is following up on God's challenge to finish the job of taking the land that was promised. Much of the material in these chapters deals with the boundaries of the land, how the land was divided up among the tribes, etc. There are a lot of place names and descriptions of territory that seem to run together in my mind.

However, there are a few verses that sort of stood out as if they were highlighted and in bold print:

They did not dislodge the Canaanites living in Gezer; to this day the Canaanites live among the people of Ephraim but are required to do forced labor. (16:10)

Yet the Manassites were not able to occupy these towns, for the Canaanites were determined to live in that region. However, when the Israelites grew stronger, they subjected the Canaanites to forced labor but did not drive them out completely. (17:12-13)

I'm thinking that these verses describe a job that was not completely finished. I don't know if they thought this was good enough...or maybe they just got tired...or maybe they became impatient...(this sort of sounds like me). And it's not as if it couldn't be done - God had promised them that He would be there to help them. In fact, their experience even proved that it was so:

Not one of their enemies withstood them; the LORD gave all their enemies into their hands. (21:44)

Something tells me that their unwillingness or inability to finish the job will come back to haunt them.

Days 68&69: Joshua 7-14

The Israelites have defeated Jericho and now they are to move on into the land and start taking it over. Not just that, but they were to destroy everything and kill every living thing. These were their instructions. This was the way God was planning to punish the people living there for their evil and barbaric ways. Ok...while it seems sort of savage to me, I get it. But before they really get started we read these words:

But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things; Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the LORD’s anger burned against Israel. (7:1)

Now, God is not only angry at the pagan people the Israelites are supposed to destroy, He's angry at His own people, too. This sin of Achan was costly. According to what we read in the rest of chapter 7 it was holding the entire nation back from being able to accomplish what God had instructed them to do. So after a process of sifting through the entire nation if Israel they finally discover, with God's leading, who the culprit was. God wants this dealt with. The people follow His instructions. What was Achan's punishment? Here  it is:

   Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the gold bar, his sons and daughters, his cattle, donkeys and sheep, his tent and all that he had, to the Valley of Achor. Joshua said, “Why have you brought this trouble on us? The LORD will bring trouble on you today.”
   Then all Israel stoned him, and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them. Over Achan they heaped up a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day. Then the LORD turned from his fierce anger. Therefore that place has been called the Valley of Achor ever since. (7:24-26)

I have to say, if I'm being honest, that this makes me extremely uncomfortable. It raises a lot of questions in my mind. I understand that God expects His people to live exemplary lives...but does this punishment really fit the crime? What did Achan's sons and daughters have to do with it? The cattle and donkeys and sheep...really? And even Achan himself? Doesn't he get a chance to repent and do better next time? Maybe some time banned from the camp or some time in servitude...but death? As far as we know (which I admit, isn't very far) this was a first offense. Were there NO second chances? I accept the fact that God doesn't need to answer to me and my fallen sense of right and wrong but there are times when I realize that I have a lot to learn about God and how He is both a God of justice and grace.

On a completely different subject...I have to say that, over the past couple of years I suppose, I've been trying to deal with the whole concept of getting old...and what that means. It is absolutely true that it isn't until you've lived a LOT of years that you sense how truly brief this life is. The first verse of chapter 13 hit me like a ton of bricks this morning:

When Joshua had grown old, the LORD said to him, “You are now very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over." (13:1)

Wow. When I was younger, that verse sounded different. Then it seemed to speak of a lack of obedience to take all the land. Now it speaks to me of how quickly a life can slip by before we accomplish all that God may have in mind for us. I don't think Joshua really stopped being a faithful and obedient servant of God. I think maybe he just sort of got distracted. They had taken a LOT of the land. The nation was being established and stuff had to be done. Details had to be attended to. But the land was still out there...waiting.

I pray that I keep my mind and heart on the big picture. How sad it would be if one day God said to me, “You are now very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over."

Caleb! Now there's a guy who aged well...and was ready to keep "taking the land":

“Now then, just as the LORD promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. Now give me this hill country that the LORD promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the LORD helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.” (14:10-12)

Days 66&67: Joshua 1-6, Psalm 105

The theme of the first part of Joshua could be summed up in this verse:

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)

I love that verse. How reassuring to know that God is with us no matter what! It makes me think of the promise Jesus makes before he ascends into heaven:

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:19-20)

In each case the promise is given right after the task is assigned. In Joshua the task is to take the land...and obey God's word. In Matthew the task is to make disciples. It sounds to me like the promise is contingent on our faithfulness to the task.

He remembers his covenant forever,
   the promise he made, for a thousand generations. (Psalm 105:8)

May we be as faithful remembering our part of the covenant.

Days 64&65: Deuteronomy 28-34

In chapter 28 Moses lays out the blessings for obedience and the curses for disobedience. I think it's interesting that there are almost exactly 3 times as many verses devoted to the curses as there are to the blessings. I'm not sure what it means, but I think it's interesting.

I also think it's interesting that when God really wants the people to know and remember something he teaches them a song:

“Now write down this song and teach it to the Israelites and have them sing it, so that it may be a witness for me against them. When I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, the land I promised on oath to their ancestors, and when they eat their fill and thrive, they will turn to other gods and worship them, rejecting me and breaking my covenant. And when many disasters and calamities come on them, this song will testify against them, because it will not be forgotten by their descendants. I know what they are disposed to do, even before I bring them into the land I promised them on oath.” So Moses wrote down this song that day and taught it to the Israelites. (31:19-22)

The text of this song is basically all of chapter 32...and I have to say it's not real catchy. It's a bit of a downer. It starts off ok...

I will proclaim the name of the LORD.
   Oh, praise the greatness of our God!
He is the Rock, his works are perfect,
   and all his ways are just.
A faithful God who does no wrong,
   upright and just is he. (32:3-4)

But the very next 2 verses are...

They are corrupt and not his children;
   to their shame they are a warped and crooked generation.
Is this the way you repay the LORD,
   you foolish and unwise people? (32:5-6)

God's purpose for teaching them this song is intriguing. He says:

Now write down this song and teach it to the Israelites and have them sing it, so that it may be a witness for me against them.(32:19)

Wow. When we sing together in our worship services we do it for the purpose of giving God pleasure...by expressing our heart's adoration and longing for God. I wonder, though...if what we sing is only a show...if we sing of a commitment that isn't real...if our song expresses worship but our lives don't...I wonder...is our song a witness for God or a witness against us?

Deuteronomy closes with the death of Moses. It's very sad to me. He gets to see the beauty of the promised land with his eyes but he doesn't get to go in. However, Moses was indeed a great man. The closing words of Deuteronomy are amazing to me. Consider that this is written in the Bible...handed down for generations and thousands of years..and consider how many millions of people have read and will read this...

Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, who did all those signs and wonders the LORD sent him to do in Egypt—to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel. (34:10-12)

Indeed.

Days 62&63: Deuteronomy 20-27

God, through Moses, gives the people these instructions before they cross the Jordan into the land that has been promised to them since the time of Abraham:

...in the cities of the nations the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes. Completely destroy them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—as the LORD your God has commanded you. Otherwise, they will teach you to follow all the detestable things they do in worshiping their gods, and you will sin against the LORD your God. (20:16-18)

Of course, this is exactly what happens. God is always way more ruthless about getting rid of sin and evil than we are. We even see this in Jesus' teachings when he says that if our eye causes us to sin it would be better to pluck it out.

I was also interested in the instructions God gives concerning the use of the tithe after it was given:

When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied. (26:12)

I had always thought that the tithe was to be used by the Levites (the priests) for their support and for the support and maintenance of the place of worship...but it wasn't just for them...it was for anyone who has need...even the foreigner.

Day 61: Deuteronomy 16-19

These chapters contain more recap of Israelite history, laws and rules for them to follow and exhortation to stay obedient to God. Moses is going over it and over it,

Sandwiched in here, though, is a short section about the possibility of an Israelite king. This subject has never come up before and I'm not exactly sure why it comes up now. If the people have been talking about wanting a king it hasn't come up in the narrative. Later on when the time comes God makes it clear that He didn't want them to have a king...that He was to be their king. Yet here it is in Moses' address to the people. It almost seems prophetic, in a negative way, because all the things that Moses says about what the king should be and do get broken by most of the kings they have. Here's what he says:

When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, “Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,” be sure to appoint over you a king the LORD your God chooses. He must be from among your fellow Israelites. Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not an Israelite. The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the LORD has told you, “You are not to go back that way again.” He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold.
 When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the Levitical priests. It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees and not consider himself better than his fellow Israelites and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel. (17:14-20)

I don't think they ever chose a foreigner for a king but Solomon alone disobeyed most of the rest of this.

Day 60: Deuteronomy 12-15

Moses final speech continues. God seems to be very serious about eliminating the worship of any other god. He expects them to be ruthless about eliminating the source of any temptation along those lines.

If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you love, or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods” (gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known, gods of the peoples around you, whether near or far, from one end of the land to the other), do not yield to them or listen to them. Show them no pity. Do not spare them or shield them. You must certainly put them to death. Your hand must be the first in putting them to death, and then the hands of all the people. Stone them to death, because they tried to turn you away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. Then all Israel will hear and be afraid, and no one among you will do such an evil thing again. (13:6-11)

Zero tolerance. If it's your relative He expects you to be the one to take care of it. I wonder if these verses were ever put into practice at all? I don't recall reading anywhere in scripture about anyone actually doing this. I'm not sure what to make of this.

I'm also not sure what to make of this...

However, there need be no poor people among you, for in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, if only you fully obey the LORD your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today. (15:4-5)

Then just a few verses later he says:

There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land. (15:11)

The first passage does have a conditional statement: "...if only you fully obey the LORD your God..." Is it possible he's simply assuming that isn't going to happen? Maybe there's something else I'm missing here.

One thing is for sure...God expects us to take care of the poor among us.

Days 58&59: Deuteronomy 4-11

Moses continues his final (and lengthy) address to the people. Honestly, it seems a bit repetitious. He hits the same themes so many times I can't help but visualize the people getting a bit impatient (like me), but yet trying not to let it show because they want to give him the respect that his age and experience merit. I suppose it's about time they showed him some respect.

Anyway, what he is saying is obviously important to him...and I would say that it's important to God as well...that's why he keeps harping on it. He wants to make sure they get it. There seem to be 2 main themes:

1. Don't forget what God has done in the past.
2. Don't forget to obey Him now & in the future.

Actually, I suppose there's one more thing that seems to come up a time or two. He wants to make sure they understand that all of the good things God has done for them and will be doing for them are in no way deserved by them. Check these verses:

You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today. (8:17-18)

After the LORD your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, “The LORD has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.” No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is going to drive them out before you...Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the LORD your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people.  (9:4-6)

See what I mean? Sometimes I think this may be our biggest problem today. I think this may be at the root of why Christians have gotten the reputation of being judgmental instead of compassionate. I think it may be a factor in why some people get a little uncomfortable when some of "those" people (whatever their definition of "those" is) start getting involved in "their" church. It may even be at the root of why so few people feel compelled to share the gospel with the lost. We start to think we deserve all the blessings God has bestowed.

I don't think we would ever say that but I admit that sometimes, deep down in my heart of hearts, I think I have a bit of an edge on some people. After all, I've been in some sort of relationship with God and His church for as long as I can remember. I was raised in a Christian home with parents who have been married 59 years as of this year. I, myself have been married to only one woman for almost 37 years. I'm a good guy. I've never smoked, drank (too excess) or chewed or hung around with girls who do. Surely, I deserve God's blessing...right? I won't list my sins here for all the world to see (or the 3 people who might read this blog post) but suffice it to say that they are many. True, they may not be as numerous or as grievous as some other people, but there are plenty. There's no reason for us to think that we deserve anything from God other than condemnation. We don't. I don't.

We should "...understand, then, that it is not because of [our] righteousness that the LORD [our] God is giving [us] this good land to possess, for [we] are a stiff-necked people."

On a completely different note...I am struck with how many times Moses has said something like, "But it was your own eyes that saw all these great things the LORD has done." (11:7) I think Moses must be getting old, or living in the past because if I understand this correctly none of these people saw any of the stuff he's been talking about. That generation is all gone. But they have no doubt heard the stories so much they probably fell like they were there. I'm sure there's a good explanation for this but I find it interesting.