SCRIPTURE: DEUTERONOMY 17
BIBLE VERSES:
“Do not sacrifice to the Lord your God an ox or a sheep that has any defect or flaw in it, for that would be detestable to him.” (Deuteronomy 17:1)
“Anyone who shows contempt for the judge or for the priest who stands ministering there to the Lord your God is to be put to death. You must purge the evil from Israel.” (Deuteronomy 17:12)
WORSHIPING OTHER GODS (vs. 1-12)
It is detestable to the Lord if your sacrifice a sheep with defect. Anyone found evil in the eyes of th eLord and violated His covenant and command by worshiping others and bowing to the sun, moon or stars must be put to death with the testimony of two or 3 witnesses. You must purge the evil from among you.
LAW COURTS (vs. 8-13)
Cases that were difficult to judge such as bloodshed, lawsuits or assaults must be taken to the place of the Lord and be judged by the priests and judges. You must act according to the verdict and the decision they gave. The man who showed contempt for the judge or for the priest must be put to death.
THE KING (vs. 14-20)
When you enter the promised land and want to set a king, be sure to appoint the king the Lord your God chooses. Here are the requirements:
- He must be among your brothers and not a foreigner.
- He must not acquire great numbers of houses for himself or make the people return to Egypt.
- He must not take many wives nor accumulate large amount of silver and gold.
- He must have a copy of the law on a scroll taken from the Levite priest.
- He must read God’s law all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the Lord..
If he follow God’s laws and decrees, then he and his descendants will reign a long time on his kingdom in Israel.
THOUGHTS:
God gave the command not to sacrifice animals with defect for him because God deserves the best. Our giving should show our real priorities. If we give God the leftovers, it is obvious that He is not the center of our lives. Give God the best with your money, time and talent.
At least two or three witnesses were required to protect the rights of the accused to avoid false testimonies. The accusers were to throw the first stone to take the responsibility of accusing unjustly.
God wants to make sure that the Israelites choose the right person to be their king. That was why He included the instruction so that the one chosen could lead the nation according to God’s will. This is also true with us today. We should select our country leaders or church leaders that are God fearing and are following God’s laws.
God instructed the king to be a man of God’s word by having a copy of the laws, keeping with him at all times, reading from it every day and obeying it completely. Today, we have His Word – the Bible to know what God wants. We should read it everyday and follow its direction.