BobCaldwell: REMEMBER GOD IN ALL THAT HE GIVES

 

REMEMBER GOD IN ALL THAT HE GIVES

(DEUTERONOMY 26:1-27:26)

  "And now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land which you, O LORD, have given me. 'Then you shall set it before the LORD your God, and worship before the LORD your God.'" -Deuteronomy 26:10

Before they entered the Land of Promise, Moses instructed this new nation on how to approach the many blessings this land of milk and honey would give them. They were commanded to give to God as a gift of thanksgiving the "first fruits" of their crops. They were to remember God as the source of their blessings before they began to reap the full harvest and sell it. This commandment was to be made clear to them before one seed was planted or one inch of land was possessed. God was not be forgotten as the source of the many blessings that awaited them.

This principle still remains a vital foundation for His church and Bride. We, like ancient Israel, often have our eyes on the prize, on the "milk and honey." We use God as a means to that end. But when God and life are approached that way, it results in the destruction and loss of the "milk and honey." We make idols out of our blessings and then reshape our concept of God to fit our warped and corrupted hearts. It is only when the essence of God's law, to love God and people, is leading our lives that we can live a life that capable of divine blessing. Secondly, it is only when we free ourselves from the idolatry of material things by giving the "first fruits" of all God gives that our hearts are pointed in the right direction. Material blessings are a gift of God's love toward us but are never intended to be the purpose of our lives. To honor God in love and to live life directed by God's law is the only way to find a life capable of sustained blessings. Anything else is to call a curse upon ourselves.

Moses went on in chapter 27 to force this new nation to take personal responsibility for the future, whether they would be blessed or cursed. They were to proclaim, as one people, the curses and blessings that hung over them in their calling as a nation that loved and glorified God in the eyes of the nations. Living under God's blessing or curse was done in a way never to be forgotten. Hundreds of thousands stood on Mount Ebal, and hundreds of thousands stood on Mount Gerizim, with a valley between them. The people on Ebal shouted the curses; the people on Mount Gerizim shouted the blessings. We, too, choose each day whether God's blessings or curse will be upon us. Therefore, choose Him and enjoy the blessings that will follow.

NKJV BIBLE TEXT

Deuteronomy 26:1-27:26

  Offerings of Firstfruits and Tithes

1 "And it shall be, when you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, and you possess it and dwell in it, 2 that you shall take some of the first of all the produce of the ground, which you shall bring from your land that the LORD your God is giving you, and put it in a basket and go to the place where the LORD your God chooses to make His name abide. 3 And you shall go to the one who is priest in those days, and say to him, 'I declare today to the LORD your God that I have come to the country which the LORD swore to our fathers to give us.'

4 "Then the priest shall take the basket out of your hand and set it down before the altar of the LORD your God. 5 And you shall answer and say before the LORD your God: 'My father was a Syrian, about to perish, and he went down to Egypt and dwelt there, few in number; and there he became a nation, great, mighty, and populous. 6 But the Egyptians mistreated us, afflicted us, and laid hard bondage on us. 7 Then we cried out to the LORD God of our fathers, and the LORD heard our voice and looked on our affliction and our labor and our oppression. 8 So the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders. 9 He has brought us to this place and has given us this land, "a land flowing with milk and honey"; 10 and now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land which you, O LORD, have given me.'

"Then you shall set it before the LORD your God, and worship before the LORD your God. 11 So you shall rejoice in every good thing which the LORD your God has given to you and your house, you and the Levite and the stranger who is among you.

Offerings of Firstfruits and Tithes v. 1 as an inheritance – The land of Canaan, which they were about to enter, later became known as Israel. The word "inheritance" here reinforces the idea that they were about to receive land not because of any personal merit in and of themselves, but only as a gift from God. However, they would have responsibilities to keep the land that God had blessed them with. In much of the Law, God has been teaching the Israelites how to prosper in that land. And, more importantly, He had been ensuring that they would follow Him and remain in a condition where they would be blessed. In this chapter, the ordinances revolved mainly around the practice of giving of their tithes and firstfruits to God in order to ensure that their hearts remained free from the wealth they were to inherit, that the poor of the nation would be cared for, and that the work of the ministry in the Tabernacle would be funded. v. 2 first of all the produce of the ground – This was the institution of the practice of "first fruits." Whenever there was a harvest in the land of Israel, the people of God were to consider the first portion of their produce as God's. As Jewish tradition later developed, whenever a man entered into his field and found, for example, the first ripened figs, he bound a cloth around them and preserved them as the first fruits of his harvest. He kept them aside to take to the Tabernacle as an offering. It was important that they considered the very first portion as God's portion, so that they remembered that the land was a gift to them from Him and that everything they had belonged to Him in truth. chooses to make His name abode – They did not know it at this time, but that place eventually became the city of Jerusalem, the location of the Tabernacle and later the Temple. v. 3 the Lord swore – This declaration of remembrance called to mind the faithfulness of the Lord in leading the Israelites into the land which God promised to their father, Abraham.

v. 5 my father was a Syrian – This is a rare reference to the fact that Abraham's grandson Jacob later married Leah and Rachel, who were both Syrians. Jacob later resided in the land of Canaan for a time in Genesis, but not as a king or even a landowner. Rather, he languished away in a time of famine, about to lose everything he had including his life when God called him through his son Joseph to leave Canaan and build a home in Egypt as a safe place for his family to grow into a mighty nation. The following few verses recounted the story of their oppression in Egypt and how God faithfully led them out again to freedom to inherit the land of Canaan. v. 9 milk and honey – This was the usual description of Canaan from God's perspective because of its abundance of natural resources. It is difficult to understand this description today because the land of Canaan was much different topographically in that day than it is today. This is somewhat because of the wars and destruction that lay waste the land over the past 2,500 years, but more likely because of the backsliding of the nation of Israel and the resulting curses as warned about in Deuteronomy 28. v. 10 worship the Lord your God – The word worship means "to bow down or to prostrate one's self before God, honoring Him in humility." Here, God viewed the practice of offering tithes and first fruits to Him as part of worship. v. 11 rejoice – Again, the act of worshipful giving is to be a joyful time because it is focused on the goodness of God in giving His people all that they have. This idea is reflected in the 2 Corinthians 9:7 passage, which tells us that God loves a cheerful, or literally "hilarious," giver.

12 "When you have finished laying aside all the tithe of your increase in the third year—the year of tithing—and have given it to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, so that they may eat within your gates and be filled, 13 then you shall say before the LORD your God: 'I have removed the holy tithe from my house, and also have given them to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, according to all Your commandments which You have commanded me; I have not transgressed Your commandments, nor have I forgotten them. 14 I have not eaten any of it when in mourning, nor have I removed any of it for an unclean use, nor given any of it for the dead. I have obeyed the voice of the LORD my God, and have done according to all that You have commanded me. 15 Look down from Your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless Your people Israel and the land which You have given us, just as You swore to our fathers, "a land flowing with milk and honey."'

v. 12 the third year, the year of tithing – Every year a tithe (ten percent of their produce) was paid to the Levites as their support. Also, every year the worshipper brought a second tithe to Jerusalem and ate it there. Every third year, however, they were to eat the tithe in their hometowns along with the Levites, the poor, and strangers. That tithe was called "the tithe of the poor." v. 13 the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow – God has a special place in His heart for those who cannot support themselves, usually categorized in the Old Testament as "the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow." The Levites also could not support themselves because they were fully set aside for the Lord's work. They were not to own land and had no other means to feed their families than to rely on the giving of God's people. Therefore, it was very important to God that His people cultivate giving hearts. Therefore, He ordained that they give in this manner in order to always keep in mind those that depended on them for charity. v. 14 I have not eaten any of it in mourning – Deuteronomy 16:11 instructed the Israelites to eat of their offerings to the Lord only when glad in heart. Therefore, if a worshipper was mourning the loss of a family member, he was excluded from eating the tithe described here. Again, God desires to see His people bring offerings before Him with cheerful hearts. They should enjoy their giving.

an unclean use – The word "unclean" can also be understood as "common" or "apart from its intended use." Because the system of tithes and first fruits depended on the honesty of the giver, Moses expressed here his sincere commitment to bring to the Lord all that God's Law required of him. As well, he declared that none of his offering was going to be used to support a practice that was condemned as "unclean" under Old Testament Law. nor given any of it for the dead – This is a difficult passage, and the interpretations are varied. Some commentators suggest that the offerer was expressing that none of the offering he had brought to the Lord wou.d be used to provide for expenses surrounding anyone's death (i.e. funeral expenses or grave clothes). This would relate, again, to the desire of God to see the offerings of His people used in joyous occasions. Others suggest the intention that no part of the offering was to be used in honor of idols, the objects of worship for those who are "spiritually dead."

A Special People of God

16 "This day the LORD your God commands you to observe these statutes and judgments; therefore you shall be careful to observe them with all your heart and with all your soul. 17 Today you have proclaimed the LORD to be your God, and that you will walk in His ways and keep His statutes, His commandments, and His judgments, and that you will obey His voice. 18 Also today the LORD has proclaimed you to be His special people, just as He promised you, that you should keep all His commandments, 19 and that He will set you high above all nations which He has made, in praise, in name, and in honor, and that you may be a holy people to the LORD your God, just as He has spoken."

A Special People of God v. 16 all your heart and all your soul – God has always desired for His people to serve and obey Him from our hearts and our minds, not merely with our outward actions. It was not enough for the children of Israel to go through the motions of obeying God's Law on the outside, if their hearts were not moved in accordance with love and devotion to the Lord. God said to them in Deuteronomy 6:5 that they were to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength." Jesus picked up on this in Matthew 22:37, when asked by a scribe about what He saw as the most important commandment in the Law. It is worthy to remember that God wants us to, above all else, walk with Him in a loving relationship.

v. 18 claimed you to be His own special people – The Lord proclaims that His people are "special," a word that denotes ownership and possession, or even the idea of being owned as a prized treasure. The word occurs eight times in the Old Testament, five of which declare Israel to be God's own special people. The other three speak of the prized treasure belonging to kings. The last reference is in Malachi 3:17, in which God describes His people as His "jewels." This is the relationship God is promising to those who walk in His ways and love Him with all their hearts, minds, souls, and strength.

DEUTERONOMY 27

The Law Inscribed on Stones

1 Now Moses, with the elders of Israel, commanded the people, saying: "Keep all the commandments which I command you today. 2 And it shall be, on the day when you cross over the Jordan to the land which the LORD your God is giving you, that you shall set up for yourselves large stones, and whitewash them with lime. 3 You shall write on them all the words of this law, when you have crossed over, that you may enter the land which the LORD your God is giving you, 'a land flowing with milk and honey,' just as the LORD God of your fathers promised you. 4 Therefore it shall be, when you have crossed over the Jordan, that on Mount Ebal you shall set up these stones, which I command you today, and you shall whitewash them with lime. 5 And there you shall build an altar to the LORD your God, an altar of stones; you shall not use an iron tool on them. 6 You shall build with whole stones the altar of the LORD your God, and offer burnt offerings on it to the LORD your God. 7 You shall offer peace offerings, and shall eat there, and rejoice before the LORD your God. 8 And you shall write very plainly on the stones all the words of this law."

9 Then Moses and the priests, the Levites, spoke to all Israel, saying, "Take heed and listen, O Israel: This day you have become the people of the LORD your God. 10 Therefore you shall obey the voice of the LORD your God, and observe His commandments and His statutes which I command you today."

Chapter 27 The Law Inscribed On Stones v. 1 Moses, with the elders of Israel – Moses and the 70 elders whom he had appointed were the first version of what would later become known as Israel's "Sanhedrin," or ruling council. This was an unusual address, as Moses typically spoke to the people by himself. However, he was about to die and pass the leadership responsibilities to these others, and he desires to impress upon the elders their responsibility as the leaders of God's people. v. 2 large stones whitewashed with lime – They were to cover the stones with lime in order to make them easier to write on, and to make the writing legible for future generations. These stones served as both a reminder to the nation of the faithfulness of God in leading them into the Promised Land and of the glorious Law that the Lord had given them. v. 3 write on them all the words of this law – Commentators vary on their interpretations of this verse. The entire book of Deuteronomy was not to be written on those stones, and so it was most likely either a summary of God's Law or simply the Ten Commandments that were written on them. milk and honey – Again, the frequently used description of the beauty and fruitfulness of the Promised Land, this term is so often used as a reminder to them of the goodness of God in leading them into a Land they could not deserve on their own. v. 4 upon Mount Ebal – Ebal is a name meaning "bald or bare," given to this mountain because it was completely devoid of trees. Mount Ebal was located about 30 miles from Jerusalem and was significant to the Israelites because there Abraham built an altar and worshiped the Lord and where God gave him a promise that his descendants would inherit and dwell in the Promised Land. Here in this visible place, they were to set up the stones as a memorial for the nation to see and remember.

v. 5 an altar of stones – Exodus 20:25 expresses God's desire that Israel build Him altars made of whole, uncut stones shaped by the efforts of man. The effects of this ordinance were that they did not imitate the ornate altars of the pagans in Canaan, and that their focus when worshiping was not on the beauty of the altar but on the beauty of the Lord and the sacrifice. v. 6 burnt offerings – Leviticus Chapters 1-7 describe five different types of offerings that were available to God's people in order to express their hearts' desire to the Lord. The burnt offering, described in chapter one, was an offering that communicated to God the desire of the offerer to be wholeheartedly dedicated to the Lord. The entire sacrifice was burned up, leaving nothing for the offerer to consume. Romans 12:1 picks up on that theme and reminds us today that we may still offer ourselves to God wholeheartedly, but we must do so as living sacrifices, entirely devoted to Him. v. 7 peace offering – Described in Leviticus 3, this was a voluntary offering given to the Lord to express a heart that desired to experience deeper fellowship with God. Part was offered to the Lord, part eaten by the priests, and the rest eaten by the offerer. It symbolizes the deep fellowship we can have with God and with His people. It is specifically mentioned in Leviticus as being a "sweet smelling aroma to the Lord." v. 9 people of the Lord – God had already chosen Israel as His people and set them apart, as evidenced by His deliverance of them from Egypt. However, on this day there was a very solemn and formal ceremony meant to remind them of their special status with God. They heard from God that He had chosen them. They vowed to Him that they would follow Him as their God and King, thus entering into a covenant with Him.

Curses Pronounced from Mount Ebal

11 And Moses commanded the people on the same day, saying, 12 "These shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people, when you have crossed over the Jordan: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin; 13 and these shall stand on Mount Ebal to curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.

14 "And the Levites shall speak with a loud voice and say to all the men of Israel: 15 'Cursed is the one who makes a carved or molded image, an abomination to the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret.'

v. 12 Mount Gerazim – A mountain opposite Mount Ebal, its name means "rocky." Those two mountains became significant in Israel's typology, standing for either blessing or cursing. In the following verses, God ordered some of the tribes of Israel to stand on Mount Ebal and pronounce the curses that would result if His people disobeyed and forsook His Word. Others stood on Mount Gerazim and pronounced the promised blessings that resulted from obedience to the Word. This mountain, Gerazim, was located within the territory of what would later become Samaria. Because of the blessings pronounced from there, the Samaritans changed the wording of the Law to attempt to elevate Gerazim above all other mountains in Israel, thus adding to the enmity between Israel and Samaria.

Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph and Benjamin – This referred to all tribes descending from Jacob's relations with his two wives Rachel and Leah, rather than of the bondwomen as were the others. They were the tribes to stand on Mount Gerazim and pronounce blessings. The symbolism here points to the freedom and bondage that are both potential in each of our lives, depending on how closely we obey God's Word. v. 15 a carved or a molded image – The second of the Ten Commandments prohibited Israel from carving out an image of a god, even of the true and living God, in order to aid in worship. The pagans around them all had visible, tangible images of their gods, but Jehovah desired and continues to desire for His people to worship Him by faith and not by sight. Here, God prohibited even the secret worship of such idols.

"And all the people shall answer and say, 'Amen!'

16 'Cursed is the one who treats his father or his mother with contempt.'
"And all the people shall say, 'Amen!'

17 'Cursed is the one who moves his neighbor's landmark.'
"And all the people shall say, 'Amen!'

18 'Cursed is the one who makes the blind to wander off the road.'
"And all the people shall say, 'Amen!'

19 'Cursed is the one who perverts the justice due the stranger, the fatherless, and widow.'
"And all the people shall say, 'Amen!'

20 'Cursed is the one who lies with his father's wife, because he has uncovered his father's bed.'
"And all the people shall say, 'Amen!'

21 'Cursed is the one who lies with any kind of animal.'
"And all the people shall say, 'Amen!'

22 'Cursed is the one who lies with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.'
"And all the people shall say, 'Amen!'

23 'Cursed is the one who lies with his mother-in-law.'
"And all the people shall say, 'Amen!'

24 'Cursed is the one who attacks his neighbor secretly.'
"And all the people shall say, 'Amen!'

25 'Cursed is the one who takes a bribe to slay an innocent person.'
"And all the people shall say, 'Amen!'

26 'Cursed is the one who does not confirm all the words of this law by observing them.'
"And all the people shall say, 'Amen!'"

Amen – a word of agreement, meaning, "I agree to what is being spoken, that it is true, and that I desire for it to be applied to my life" v. 16 treats his father or his mother with contempt – The Fifth of the Ten Commandments states that children should always honor their father and mother so that their days may be long on the earth. God's desire in this is reflected in the New Testament, as well as in passages such as Matthew 15:3-6, Ephesians 6:1-3 and 1 Timothy 5:8-16. v. 17 the one who moves his neighbor's landmark – This marker designated the boundaries of a person's property. Moving it backward was the equivalent to stealing a person's land (Prov. 22:28). v. 20 lies with his father's wife – to lie sexually with one's mother or step-mother. (See 1 Corinthians 5:1-8 for a New Testament reflection of this commandment.)

v. 22 lies with his sister – Leviticus 18 is the first extensive list of physical relations that were prohibited among God's people. In the days of Genesis, it was acceptable for one to mate with close family, out of necessity at the beginning, but also probably due to the purity of the gene pool in the early history of humanity. However, by this point in our development as a race, it was not only unnecessary but had become a dangerous practice because of resulting birth defects. v. 24 who attacks his neighbor secretly – This phrase refers to one who murders his neighbor in secret, where there are no witnesses. The murderer may believe that he has escaped justice, but God sees everything done in secret and reveals that the curse of the Law will follow and eventually overtake him. This is reminiscent of Numbers 32:23, "...be sure your sin will find you out." v. 25 who takes a bribe to slay an innocent person – an assassin, mercenary or any other hired killer — This could also refer to a judge who accepts a bribe to condemn to death an innocent person.