>Deuteronomy 24: 12-13, 19 – Oppressing the Poor

>Throughout the Bible, God talks to us on how we should deal with the poor. God warns us that if we willfully oppress the poor (as well as the fatherless and the widow), He will not allow us to get away with it!

God has shown me great mercy in the past. He has always provided for my needs, and has kept me safe, even during the worst storms I have ever experienced. If I strike out against the poor and needy, wouldn’t I be showing contempt to God for all the times He was merciful to me? God loves for us to show mercy, even when it is within our powers (and rights) to bring judgment and destruction.

 

Deuteronomy 24: 12-13, 19 – Oppressing the Poor

Throughout the Bible, God talks to us on how we should deal with the poor. God warns us that if we willfully oppress the poor (as well as the fatherless and the widow), He will not allow us to get away with it!

God has shown me great mercy in the past. He has always provided for my needs, and has kept me safe, even during the worst storms I have ever experienced. If I strike out against the poor and needy, wouldn’t I be showing contempt to God for all the times He was merciful to me? God loves for us to show mercy, even when it is within our powers (and rights) to bring judgment and destruction.

 

>Deuteronomy 20 – Rules of Engagement

>When I was a young boy, I loved to play certain historic military board games put out by a company called Avalon Hill. These were special games with a lot of rules and thousands of pieces! The players set up the board and pieces, according to the scenario, and for hours we would recreate famous battles or change historic tactics to see if the outcome would change. When I played these as a youth, I learned a fundamental rule: the bigger your forces, the better chance you had at winning! This rule has been fundamental since the beginning of time. Though training and tactics are critical, size really did matter in ancient warfare.

In Deuteronomy 20, God takes this basic rule and throws it right out the window.

When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. – Deuteronomy 20:1

When Israel went to battle, God commanded them not to fear if the enemy was bigger, stronger, or faster. Unlike their opponents, they had an ally that was far greater: the LORD. As long as they had God on their side, the army of Israel didn’t have to worry about the outcome. Granted, some would be wounded and even killed, but in the end God would give them the victory.

It’s the same for the believer. There will be times when your battle will seem to be unbeatable. Your enemies will be bigger, stronger, faster, but if you are trusting Christ as your savior, you can rest in the fact that in the end, when the dust settles, you will be victorious in Christ.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. – Romans 8:28

Will there be casualties? Maybe.

Will you suffer hardships? Possibly.

The one fact that is clear: in the end, you will have victory in Christ, if you are trusting Him and following His commands.

 

Deuteronomy 20 – Rules of Engagement

When I was a young boy, I loved to play certain historic military board games put out by a company called Avalon Hill. These were special games with a lot of rules and thousands of pieces! The players set up the board and pieces, according to the scenario, and for hours we would recreate famous battles or change historic tactics to see if the outcome would change. When I played these as a youth, I learned a fundamental rule: the bigger your forces, the better chance you had at winning! This rule has been fundamental since the beginning of time. Though training and tactics are critical, size really did matter in ancient warfare.

In Deuteronomy 20, God takes this basic rule and throws it right out the window.

When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. – Deuteronomy 20:1

When Israel went to battle, God commanded them not to fear if the enemy was bigger, stronger, or faster. Unlike their opponents, they had an ally that was far greater: the LORD. As long as they had God on their side, the army of Israel didn’t have to worry about the outcome. Granted, some would be wounded and even killed, but in the end God would give them the victory.

It’s the same for the believer. There will be times when your battle will seem to be unbeatable. Your enemies will be bigger, stronger, faster, but if you are trusting Christ as your savior, you can rest in the fact that in the end, when the dust settles, you will be victorious in Christ.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. – Romans 8:28

Will there be casualties? Maybe.

Will you suffer hardships? Possibly.

The one fact that is clear: in the end, you will have victory in Christ, if you are trusting Him and following His commands.

 

>Deuteronomy 17: 14-20 – Rex Lex or Lex Rex?

>During the feudal period of Briton, an issue rose up among the people that threatened to tear the island nation apart. The king would set laws, but then would ignore them himself. The king placed himself above the law, which the latin term Rex Lex came to signify (lit. King is Law). Open rebellion ensued and a revolution began. In the end, King John was forced to sign the Magna Carta, thus placing himself under the law: Lex Rex (meaning Law is King).

Deuteronomy 17 is clear: when God appoints a king over His people, that individual must be in submission to God’s laws. Matter of fact, the king is ordered to have his own copy of the law and to read them every day (vss18-20). This doesn’t sound very special in today’s day and age, only because we usually have several copies ourselves, but keep in mind: printing was not invented yet, and to own your own book was a big matter.

The king is not above the law, but instead the Law (God’s Word) is above the king!

 

Deuteronomy 17: 14-20 – Rex Lex or Lex Rex?

During the feudal period of Briton, an issue rose up among the people that threatened to tear the island nation apart. The king would set laws, but then would ignore them himself. The king placed himself above the law, which the latin term Rex Lex came to signify (lit. King is Law). Open rebellion ensued and a revolution began. In the end, King John was forced to sign the Magna Carta, thus placing himself under the law: Lex Rex (meaning Law is King).

Deuteronomy 17 is clear: when God appoints a king over His people, that individual must be in submission to God’s laws. Matter of fact, the king is ordered to have his own copy of the law and to read them every day (vss18-20). This doesn’t sound very special in today’s day and age, only because we usually have several copies ourselves, but keep in mind: printing was not invented yet, and to own your own book was a big matter.

The king is not above the law, but instead the Law (God’s Word) is above the king!

 

>Deuteronomy 15: 1-11 – Caring for the Poor

>I find it interesting how God commands us to care for the poor in our communities. The people of Israel was commanded not to ignore the poor in their neighborhoods. God promised to bless them if they follow His Word, and in the midst of their prosperity, the people were not to harden their hearts against the poor, even if it means taking a financial loss.

I think God is looking for heart attitude more than you being a good steward of your money.

 

Deuteronomy 15: 1-11 – Caring for the Poor

I find it interesting how God commands us to care for the poor in our communities. The people of Israel was commanded not to ignore the poor in their neighborhoods. God promised to bless them if they follow His Word, and in the midst of their prosperity, the people were not to harden their hearts against the poor, even if it means taking a financial loss.

I think God is looking for heart attitude more than you being a good steward of your money.

 

>Deuteronomy 13 – Destroying Apostasy

>There are times when our enemy will rush in and attempt to batter down the gates of our defenses. We clearly see his plan of attack, and with the strength of God, we can easily ward off such assaults. There are other times when the enemy comes in quietly and with stealth. He will have one of your friends, or even a family member introduce him t you as a person to be trusted. This is the most insidious attack because we don’t always know when these strikes will come, nor are we always prepared when the devil sneaks in the back way.

Be extremely careful child of the Living God! Examine every spirit that comes your way.

There was a story I once heard how people who work with money are trained how to identify counterfeit currency. It’s not that they are shown all the different fraudulent bills, but instead they are continually working with the real bills. The tenders are so familiar with the “real thing” that when a fake comes along, it is easily and quickly detected. We need to be the same way. Our walk with God must be so constant that when a fake attempts to creep into our lives, they are quickly identified and arrested!

 

Deuteronomy 13 – Destroying Apostasy

There are times when our enemy will rush in and attempt to batter down the gates of our defenses. We clearly see his plan of attack, and with the strength of God, we can easily ward off such assaults. There are other times when the enemy comes in quietly and with stealth. He will have one of your friends, or even a family member introduce him t you as a person to be trusted. This is the most insidious attack because we don’t always know when these strikes will come, nor are we always prepared when the devil sneaks in the back way.

Be extremely careful child of the Living God! Examine every spirit that comes your way.

There was a story I once heard how people who work with money are trained how to identify counterfeit currency. It’s not that they are shown all the different fraudulent bills, but instead they are continually working with the real bills. The tenders are so familiar with the “real thing” that when a fake comes along, it is easily and quickly detected. We need to be the same way. Our walk with God must be so constant that when a fake attempts to creep into our lives, they are quickly identified and arrested!