November 5, 2014
Deuteronomy 17-Part 1
Do not sacrifice to the LORD your God an ox or sheep that has any defect or flaw in it, for that would be detestable to Him. Deuteronomy 17:1 NIV
LET IT GLOW
Are we giving our best to God today? Or do we offer Him our leftovers after we used it? I realized that I wasn't giving my best to Him. I was in bed all weekend with a headache and a kidney infection. I realized that my drinking sodas instead of water was my cause of the infection. I was not taking care of my body in the best way so it could be an offering to the Lord's use. His grace and mercy are so good and available upon repentance. Now I want to give Him my best. By not drinking sodas, I offer them as a drink offering to the Lord. Is there something you should sacrifice to the Lord? Israel was given instructions concerning their sacrifices. Only the first verse tells us what it was.
Israel was reminded that their sacrifices were to be without blemish, defect, or flaw. Their burnt, sin, or peace offerings were to be without blemish. Exodus 23 gave us more detail.
To bring a defective sacrifice to the Lord was to bring something into the sanctuary that was forbidden. Such a sacrifice was an abomination to the Lord. To offer less than the best to God was to despise His name (Mal. 1:6-8). Offering a less than perfect sacrifice was, in effect, failing to acknowledge God as the ultimate provider of all that was best in life. (MacArthur)
No worthless items, second best, nor cast-off things were acceptable to give as an offering to God.
This perfect sacrificial sheep or ox was symbolic of Christ, the sacrificial Lamb of God, who was without sin, spot, or blemish. He offered Himself to take away the sins of the world.
In 2 Samuel 24:18-25, we read of King David going to Araunah to buy land where his threshing floor was located, as a place to build an altar to the Lord God. Araunah offered it for free, but David refused, saying, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the thressingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.
How can we do less?
Will we give out best to the Lord? He gave His all for us.
LET IT GROW
IN the rest of this chapter, Moses tells about the judicial system for Israel:
- A person guilty of worshiping gods, idolatry, according to 2 or 3 witnesses, was to be stoned outside the city gates. (verse 2-7)
- If local judges had cases too difficult for them to judge, they were to take it before the high court. It was not a court of appeal, but took only cases which the lower court referred to them. (verse 8)
- The Levites were to interpret the Law and the judges were to inquire of them. (verses 9-13)
- The judges were to make their decisions according to the Torah, as taught by the Levites assigned to them. Israel was thus commanded not to act presumptuously, but to hearken unto the priest.
We need to pray for our Supreme Court Judges and the decisions they make for our nation. Pray they will seek the Word of God for their direction.
Do we seek the Word for directions when making our decisions?
LET IT GO
Give my best to the Lord.
Leave earthly knowledge and seek heavenly wisdom in my decision making.
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