Deuteronomy 12
Improper places of worshipverses 1-4
These are the statutes and judgments
which you shall observe to do in the land
which the LORD God of your fathers
gives you to possess it
all the days that you live upon the earth
You shall utterly destroy all the places
wherein the nations which you shall possess
served their gods
on the high mountains – on the hills
under every green tree
You shall overthrow their altars – break their pillars
burn their groves with fire
and you shall hew down the graven images
of their gods
and destroy the names of them out of that place
You shall not do so to the LORD your God
Worship the LORD in HIS chosen locationsverses 5-14
BUT to the place which the LORD your God
shall choose out of all
your tribes to put HIS name there
even unto HIS habitation shall you seek
and thither you shall come
and thither you shall bring your burnt offerings – sacrifices
tithes – heave offerings of your hand – vows
freewill offerings – the firstling of your herds
and of your flocks
and there you shall eat before the LORD your God
and you shall rejoice in all that you put your hand to
you and your households – wherein the
LORD your God has blessed you
You shall not do after all the things that we do here this day
every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes
FOR you are not as yet come to the REST and to the INHERITANCE
which the LORD your God gives you
BUT when ye go over Jordan – and dwell in the land which the
LORD your God gives you to INHERIT
and when HE gives you REST from all your enemies
round about – so that you dwell in safety
THEN there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose
to cause HIS name to dwell there
thither shall you bring all that I command you
your burnt offerings – sacrifices – tithes
heave offering of your hand
and all your choice vows which you vow
to the LORD
And you shall REJOICE before the LORD your God
you- your sons – your daughters – your menservants
your maidservants – the Levite that is within your gates
forasmuch as he has no part
nor inheritance with you
TAKE HEED to yourself that you offer not your burnt offering
in every place that you see – BUT in the place which the
LORD shall choose in one of your tribes
there you shall offer your burnt offerings
there you shall do all that I command you
No blood can be eatenverses 15-16
Notwithstanding – you may kill and eat flesh in all your gates
whatsoever your soul lust after – according to the
blessing of the LORD your God
which HE has given you
the unclean and the clean may eat thereof
as of the roebuck – as of the hart
Only you shall not eat the blood
you shall pour it upon the earth as water
Tithes and offerings go to the Levitesverses 17-19
You may not eat within your gates the TITHE of your
corn – wine – oil – firstling of your herds or of your flock
nor any of your vows which you vow
nor your freewill offerings
or heave offering of your hand
BUT you must EAT them before the LORD your God in the place
which the LORD your God shall choose – you – your son
your daughter – your manservant – your maidservant
the Levite that is within your gates
And you shall REJOICE before the LORD your God
in all that you put your hands to
TAKE HEED to yourself that you forsake not the Levite
as long as you live upon the earth
Repeat of restriction regarding eating bloodverses 20-25
When the LORD your God shall enlarge your border
as HE has promised you – and you shall say
I will eat flesh – because your soul longs to eat flesh
you may eat flesh – whatsoever your soul lust after
IF the place which the LORD your God hath chosen to put HIS name
there be too far from you
THEN you shall kill of your herd and of your flock
which the LORD has given you – as I have commanded you
and you shall eat in your gates
whatsoever your soul lust after
Even as the roebuck and the hart is eaten – so you shall eat them
the unclean and the clean shall eat of them alike
Only be sure that you eat not the blood – for the blood is the life
and you may not eat the life with the flesh
You shall not eat it – you shall pour it on the earth as water
you shall not eat it – that it may go well with you
and with your children after you
when you shall do that which is RIGHT
in the sight of the LORD
Obedience brings blessing to familyverses 26-28
Only your holy things which you have – and your vows – you shall take
and go to the place which the LORD shall choose
and you shall offer your burnt offerings
the flesh and the blood
on the altar of the LORD your God
and the blood of your sacrifices shall be poured out on the
altar of the LORD your God – and you shall eat the flesh
Observe and hear all these words which I command you
that it may go well with you
and with your children after you for ever
when you does that which is GOOD and RIGHT
in the sight of the LORD your God
Worship the LORD HIS wayverses 29-31
When the LORD your God shall cut off the nations from before you
whither you go to possess them – and you succeed them
and dwell in their land
TAKE HEED to yourself that you be not snared by following them
after that they be destroyed from before you
and that you inquire not after their gods
saying
How did these nations serve their gods?
even so will I do likewise
You shall not do so to the LORD your God
FOR every abomination to the LORD – which HE hates
have they done to their gods
FOR even their sons and their daughters they have
burnt in the fire to their gods
Don’t add or subtract from God’s commandsverse 32
What thing soever I command you – observe to do it
you shall not add thereto – nor diminish from it
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 3 And you shall overthrow their affairs and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire: and you shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place. (5422 “overthrow” [nathats] means destroy, cast down, beat down, pull down, to cause to fall or collapse, or demolish)
DEVOTION: The LORD is a jealous God in the right way. HE doesn’t want to share HIS people with any other god. Humans are good at inventing their own gods. They like to worship what they can control.
They build gods out of material they find in the world and then bow down and worship what they have made with their hands because they are in control of them. Their false gods couldn’t give them any orders. Their false gods couldn’t hear any of the words that came out of their mouths. Their false gods couldn’t demand a certain amount of money for them to give them.
Now we find that the LORD wants all the false gods destroyed because once the children of Israel started worshiping the false gods, they wouldn’t have time for HIM, the ONLY TRUE GOD.
God gave them special instructions regarding the proper worship HE was to receive and the offerings HE would accept. HE didn’t give them any control over HIS instructions. They were to be obeyed or HE would chasten them.
They had grown up in a world of false gods in Egypt and the LORD had shown them that HE was more powerful than these false gods. Remember all false gods have their base in our enemy the devil.
In essence, every false god human’s worship come from our enemy the devil. He has been allowed to us to think that worshiping him is easier than worshiping the LORD and it is true. His standards are lower because he allows anything that is considered sin by the LORD.
Humans don’t like restrictions. We like what we think is freedom. However, this freedom leads to an eternity in the lake of fire with the devil and his angels. We have the freedom to choose either to follow the LORD’S standard or not. If not, we will be spending eternity away from HIM.
CHALLENGE: Get rid of anything in your life that takes you away from the LORD!!! Ask the LORD if there are any false gods in your life?
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 7 And there you shall eat before the LORD your God, and you shall rejoice in all that you put your hand to, you and your households, wherein the LORD your God has blessed you. (8055 “rejoice” [samach] means glad, be merry, to gladden, to express great joy, or to rejoice religiously)
DEVOTION: Worship is not to be a burden but a pleasure. When the children of Israel came to worship the LORD in his designated place it was to be a time of singing. It was to be a time of celebration of all that the LORD has done for them.
Too often we associate worship with a burden rather than a blessing. It is always good to get together with people who are singing and praising the LORD for all HIS blessings in their life.
The children of Israel would get together for times of celebration of all the past events that stand out in their lives. There were many occasions that the LORD wanted the people to remember what HE had done for them.
At this point the children of Israel had been taken out of slavery and given their own land that was full of milk and honey. They had seen their enemies defeated when they thought it was impossible for them to win. They had seen the LORD provide for their every need while they were in the wilderness. Even their clothes and shoes didn’t wear out.
Our God is an amazing God who is always with us to provide for our needs and give us guidance in our lives as to what is right and wrong for us to do. HE wants our worship not for HIS benefit but for ours.
A proper relationship with the LORD always brings blessing to those who truly show their love for HIM with all of their heart, soul and mind. When you come to worship the LORD can HE see our love for HIM? Can HE hear our love for HIM? Can HE see it in our offerings to HIM?
CHALLENGE: HE wants us to be cheerful givers to HIM. So, we should always come rejoicing to worship HIM in spirit and in truth.
: 15 Notwithstanding you may kill and eat flesh in all your gates, whatsoever your soul lusts after, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which HE hath given you: the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the roebuck, and as of the hart. (2930 “unclean” [tame’] means defile, pollute, become impure, or ceremonially impure)
DEVOTION: The children of Israel were declared clean our impure by their actions. They were unclean if they came near a dead body. They were unclean if they were a leper. These standards were given to those who were bring sacrifices to the Tabernacle or any designated place of worship.
Now these are instructions regarding people who are unclean who are not near a place of worship. If there are people who are unclean because of any reason that they can’t come to worship the LORD their uncleanness doesn’t affect what they can do at home away from a place of worship.
God is giving instructions regarding those who eat meat at home. They can eat it if they clean or unclean but they are not allowed to eat or drink blood from the animals. The blood has to be drained or they are sinning against the LORD.
Remember the LORD taught that life is in the blood and all life belongs to HIM. This was true than and is true now. God doesn’t want us to eat or drink blood.
However, this is not talking about blood transfusions that are used to treat medical issues. A blood transfusion is not worshiping a false god. It is used to save lives.
Too often we can read too much into some of the issues the Old Testament saints faced. There were no blood transfusions given by doctors then. It started later and was used to heal.
The children of Israel were allowed to kill animals that were used for sacrifice and wild game for personal consumption. They were only to eat what was on the clean list. So there were some wild animals that were on the clean list for their diet.
Remember that the LORD protected the health of the children of Israel by HIS list of clean animals. The New Testament saints have no such list of animals but they are still prohibited from eating blood.
CHALLENGE: Understanding the difference between the Old and New Testament is important. However, the prohibition regarding eating blood was continued to today.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 28 Observe and hear all these words which I command you, that it may go well with you, and with your children after you forever, when you do that which is good and right in the sight of the LORD your God. (2895 “well” [tobe] means good, please, goodly, better, to be pleasant, be delightful, glad, be joyful, or to be better)
DEVOTION: Our families depend on how we obey the LORD. It is not just something to help us but it is something to help future generations. We have to be individuals who show that we love the LORD with all our heart. We have to hear what the LORD has say to us through HIS Word and through HIS servants that present the Word to us on a regular basis.
If we set a good example for our children, they might follow the LORD with all their hearts for the rest of their lives. It is not a something that we can count on but there is a better chance if they see us being faithful to the LORD and see all the blessings it brings into our live, they might choose to follow the LORD as well.
However, it shouldn’t matter if our children follow the LORD because we have to make the commitment and allow the LORD to do HIS part in their lives. It would be good that if we are faithful all our children would be faithful as well.
Our prayers have to be that we do well and that our children see how the LORD has blessed us and want to have the same blessings for themselves and their families. It is not easy but it a responsibility that we need to keep.
It is hard to watch any of our children not follow the LORD when we have set an example before them. Our prayers have to be that they can look past our shortcomings and see our hearts.
CHALLENGE: Are we setting a good example for our children to raise their children?
: 32 Whatsoever thing I command you, OBSERVE to do it; you shall not add thereto, nor diminish from it. (8104 “observe” [shamar] means to hedge about, guard, to protect, attend to, be circumspect, look narrowly, preserve, or reserve)
DEVOTION: The word “Deuteronomy” means “second giving of the law.” Moses continues to instruct the people into what actions are acceptable to the LORD when they get into the Promised Land. He leaves nothing out. He repeats all the commands that they have been given before but with a warning of “take heed” three times.
Also in this chapter we find the word “chosen” used five times. God is going to choose a place to put HIS name in the future. Moses knew this and shared it with the children of Israel. He didn’t know where the place was going to be but he knew it would happen. We can see into the future and know that the place was Jerusalem. It was the place where HE placed the Temple. Solomon built it. It was the place HE chose for the children of Israel to worship HIM. It was the place where they were to celebrate the feasts. It was the place where the children of Israel were to bring their tithes and offerings.
Moses is giving final instructions before the LORD takes him to the mount. The children of Israel are warned many times not to do anything the people of the land of Canaan practiced. They were not to worship like they did. They were not to ask them how they worshiped their gods. They were not to offer their children as sacrifices to their gods.
They were to only obey the LORD and HIS commands. The LORD gave the commands and they were not to be added to or diminished.
The Pharisees added to the law of the LORD. They added the traditions of men. They were not following the instructions of the LORD. Jesus taught the people in HIS day to obey the LORD not the commands of the Pharisees.
We need to make sure we are not becoming Pharisees today. We need to study the Word of God with the intention of obeying the LORD and not adding to HIS word. Once we learn what HE wants of us, we need to practice it. Are we practicing the Word today?
What parent’s practice in worship will affect their children tomorrow. Your example counts. God has chosen a place to worship for today: Church. If your children don’t see you in church each Sunday – they will follow your example. If they see you complaining about the church – they will follow your example.
CHALLENGE: Warnings from the LORD are true today!!!
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Titheverses 6, 17
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Burnt offeringsverses 6, 11, 13, 14, 27
Sacrificesverses 6, 11, 17
Tithesverses 6, 11, 17
Heaven offeringsverses 6, 11, 17
Vowsverse 6, 11, 17, 26
Freewill offeringsverses 6, 17
Firstlings of the herdsverse 6
Eat before the LORDverse 7
Family worshipverse 12
Leviteverses 12, 18, 19
Altar of the LORDverse 27
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Statutesverse 1
Judgmentsverse 1
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD (Jehovah)verses 1, 4, 5, 7, 9-12, 15, 18, 20, 21, 25-29, 31
God (Elohim)verses 1, 4, 5, 7, 9-12, 15, 18, 20, 21, 27-29, 31
LORD God of your fathersverse 1
LORD your Godverses 4-7, 9-12, 15, 18, 20, 21, 27-29, 31
Blessings of the LORD your Godverse 15
Sight of the LORDverses 25, 28
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man,Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Nationsverses 2, 29, 30
Enemiesverse 10
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Worship false godsverses 2, 3, 13, 30, 31
False altars and pillarsverse 3
Doing what is right in your own eyesverse 8
Offer sacrifices every placeverse 13
Eat bloodverses 16, 23-25
Eat tithe any place only chosen placeverse 17
Forsaking the Levitesverse 19
Snared by false worshipverse 30
Praying to false godsverse 30
Abominationverse 31
Burning sons and daughters to false godsverse 31
Adding or subtracting from Word of Godverse 32
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Observeverses 1, 28, 32
Inheritanceverses 1, 5, 9, 10, 12, 29
Overthrow altars of false godsverse 3
Burn grovesverse 3
Hew down graven imagesverse 3
Chosen place to worshipverses 5, 11, 14, 18, 21, 26
Seek the LORDverse 5
Offerings to the LORDverses 6, 11, 14
Titheverses 6, 11, 17
Rejoiceverses 7, 12, 18
Blessedverses 7, 15
Restverses 9, 10
Safetyverse 10
Take heedverses 13, 19, 30
Obedienceverse 14
Promiseverse 20
Right in the sight of the LORDverses 25, 28
Hear the words of the LORDverse 28
Do good in the sight of the LORDverse 28
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Family worshipverse 12
Altar of the LORD your Godverse 27
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
12:15–16. Wild game animals and animals acceptable for sacrifice could be eaten without taking them to the central sanctuary as long as they were not slaughtered for offerings. Since such an animal was not intended for sacrificial worship it did not matter whether the partakers of the meal were ceremonially unclean or clean. (The ceremonial laws, found mainly in Lev., were not of a moral nature, but were designed to teach the people truths about the nature of God, their human natures, and their relationship to God. For example, the ceremonial laws in Lev. 12 regarding childbirth do not imply that the bearing of children is ethically wrong.) The prohibition against eating an animal’s blood, however, was still in force (see comments on Deut. 12:23). (Deere, J. S. (1985). Deuteronomy. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 284). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
12:15 slaughter … within any of your gates. While sacrificial offerings were brought to the appointed centers for worship as well as the central sanctuary, the killing and eating of meat for regular eating could be engaged in anywhere. The only restriction on eating nonsacrificial meat was the prohibition of the blood and the fat. (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Dt 12:15). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
tame˒ (טָמֵא, 2931), “unclean.” This adjective occurs 89 times in the Old Testament. The frequency of the word is high in Leviticus. Its first occurrence is also in Leviticus: “Or if a soul touch any unclean thing, whether it be a carcase of an unclean beast, or a carcase of unclean cattle, or the carcase of unclean creeping things, and if it be hidden from him; he also shall be unclean, and guilty” (5:2).
The usage of tame˒ in the Old Testament resembles that of tahor, “pure.” First, uncleanness is a state of being. The leper was compelled to announce his uncleanness wherever he went (Lev. 13:45); however, even here there is a religious overtone, in that his uncleanness was ritual. Hence, it is more appropriate to recognize that the second usage is most basic. Tame˒ in the religio-cultic sense is a technical term denoting a state of being ceremonially unfit. Animals, carcases, unclean people, and objects conveyed the impurity to those who touched them: “And whatsoever the unclean person toucheth shall be unclean; and the soul that toucheth it shall lie unclean until even” (Num. 19:22). The impurity could also be brought about by a seminal issue (Lev. 15:2) or a menstrual period (Lev. 15:25), and whatever the unclean touched was also rendered “unclean.”
The Septuagint translations are: akathartos (“impure; unclean”) and miaino (“stain; defile”). The kjv gives these translations: “unclean; defiled; polluted.” (Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W., Jr. (1996). Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words. Nashville, TN: T. Nelson.)
FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
The new role of celebrity is not without its religious implications. There can be little doubt that many are turning to celebrities to fill a spiritual void. (p. 163)
The celebrification of culture reflects the deeper needs and longings for that which is transcendent. We are spiritual creatures, and divorced from a relationship with a living God, we will search for something spiritual – no matter how passing or trivial – to attempt to satiate our spiritual cravings. Sadly, our culture has reached the point where we are turning to celebrities to fill our spiritual desire. (p. 163)
Hebrews 1
Because Christ is the Son of God, He is superior to angels in every way.
INSIGHT
Angels do not seem real to us. They are found in fairy tales, and we tell children about them; but we tend not to take them seriously. They are very real, however, and play an important role in ministering to us as believers. Throughout the Bible we only get glimpses of the work of angels in our lives, but one of those glimpses is found in today’s chapter. We read here that they are sent forth to minister to those who will inherit salvation. Perhaps this is the passage from which the idea of a guardian angel has come. Apparently, angels can appear in human form, for some have “entertained angels” without knowing it (Hebrews 13:2). They are also very active in world affairs. At present, they are much greater than men, but one day redeemed men will “judge angels” (1 Corinthians 6:3). (Quiet Walk)
He was an aging military veteran, rough-edged and given to even rougher language. One day a friend cared enough about him to inquire about his spiritual beliefs. The man’s dismissive response came quickly: “God doesn’t have space for someone like me.”
Perhaps that was just part of his “tough-guy” act, but his words couldn’t be further from the truth! God creates space especially for the rough, the guilt-ridden, and the excluded to belong and thrive in His community. This was obvious from the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, when He made some surprising choices for His disciples. First, He chose several fishermen from Galilee—the “wrong side of the tracks” from the perspective of those in Jerusalem. He also selected a tax collector, Matthew, whose profession included extorting from his oppressed countrymen. Then, for good measure, Jesus invited the “other” Simon—“the Zealot” (Mark 3:18).
We don’t know much about this Simon (he isn’t Simon Peter), but we do know about the Zealots. They hated traitors like Matthew, who got rich by collaborating with the despised Romans. Yet with divine irony, Jesus chose Simon along with Matthew, brought them together, and blended them into His team.
Don’t write anyone off as too “bad” for Jesus. After all, He said, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32). He has plenty of space for the tough cases—people like you and me. By Tim Gustafson (Our Daily Bread)
THE SAVIOR
And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.
1 John 4:14
“And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.” The whole gospel in a phrase! This is the only time in which John uses the expression “Savior” in the entire epistle. He gives the same teaching, of course, in other places. He says that our Lord is “the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). There is a sense in which he repeats the thought here, but he does not use this precise phrase but describes Him as “the Savior of the world.”
The word “Savior” does not merely mean helper. We are not told that the Father sent the Son to help mankind; it does not mean that He is just someone who assists. Nor does it mean that He is just one who teaches or indicates to us what we ought to do; He is not merely an instructor. Indeed, I would go further and say that the term “Savior” and its connotation must not be thought of in terms of an example or pattern or encourager. I use these terms because so often people speak about our Lord as Savior, and yet if you ask them to define what they mean by that, they say that Christ as Savior is One who is marching ahead of us and is leading the way.
Now the element that is seen in such ideas is that ultimately you and I have to save ourselves, and what the Lord does is to aid and assist us—to give us encouragement and make it somewhat easier for us to do so. Now that, of course, is clearly a complete denial not only of the biblical teaching, but also of the historic faith and creeds of the Christian church.
A Thought to Ponder
The word “Savior” does not merely mean helper.
(From The Love of God, pp. 132-134, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
Enough for Me
“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past.” (Romans 3:24-25)
Jesus has done all that is necessary to bring us into right standing with a holy God, if we but believe and accept His free gift of salvation. Jesus saves! It is enough! “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7). The second verse of the hymn “My Faith Has Found a Resting Place” further explains this.
Enough for me that Jesus saves, This ends my fear and doubt;
A sinful soul I come to Him, He’ll never cast me out.
I need no other argument, I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died, And that He died for me. Jesus, who loved us, said, “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). There is no fear here, for “there is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear” (1 John 4:18). Nor should there be any doubt in Him or His intentions, “in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him” (Ephesians 3:12). Furthermore, “being confident…that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).
The chorus of the hymn likewise presents a thrilling truth. It paints a picture of a courtroom and the interrogation of a defendant. When asked why one should be forgiven, granted eternal life and entrance into heaven, the argument or legal defense can be given that Jesus has died, and that is enough. No other legal defense or answer need be given. The plea has already been entered, and the court’s findings are guaranteed, “justified freely by his grace.”
(JDM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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