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Joshua’s Parting Challenge: Choose Whom You Will Serve! (Joshua 24)

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Scripture reading – Joshua 24

Our study of the Book of Joshua concludes with today’s Scripture reading. Beginning with the Book of Exodus, our devotions have followed Israel’s forty-year journey through the wilderness. Then, under Joshua’s leadership, we observed the record of Israel’s battles with the Canaanites who inhabited the land the LORD promised Abraham and his heirs (Genesis 12:1).

The Final Call (Joshua 24:1)

With the land conquered and divided among the tribes, Joshua gathered the children of Israel at Shechem (24:1) for a final challenge. Why Shechem? Shechem was where Abraham received the LORD’s promise that his lineage would inherit the land (Genesis 12:6-7).

The Final Challenge (Joshua 24:2-14)

In his final address and challenge to the people, Joshua rehearsed how the LORD had chosen Abraham (24:2-4), delivered Israel out of Egypt (24:5-7), and guided them through the wilderness (24:7-10). Next, he reminded the congregation that God had given them the land as He promised (24:11-13). Finally, he challenged them to revere and serve the LORD (24:14-28).

The Final Charge (Joshua 24:15)

Showing his passion for serving the LORD had not diminished in his old age, Joshua exhorted the nation: “If it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (24:15).

The Covenant Renewed (Joshua 24:16-25)

With one voice, Israel renewed its covenant with the LORD and said, “We will serve the LORD… The Lord our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey.” (24:21, 24).

The Covenant Memorialized (Joshua 24:26-27) 

Joshua then memorialized the nation’s covenant with the LORD “and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak [and said to the people]…Behold, this stone shall be a witness [a memorial; a testament] unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the Lord which he spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God” (24:26-27).

The Conclusion (Joshua 24:28-33)

Three burials conclude our study of the Book of Joshua. First, having inscribed the people’s vow in stone, they then departed. Then, “after these things…Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being an hundred and ten years old. 30And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-serah, which is in Mount Ephraim” (24:29-30). So Joshua, the last of his generation to depart Egypt, was dead.

A second burial fulfilled Joseph’s dying request (Genesis 50:25), and his bones were buried on the land purchased by his father Jacob (24:32).  Lastly, Eleazar, the high priest, the son of Aaron, died and was buried (24:33).

Closing thoughts:

Joshua’s challenge to Israel and his confession should stir our hearts to follow his example (24:15). As it was with Joshua, so it is with every believer. We must individually decide whether or not we will serve the LORD with our whole heart (24:14-24).

Choose this day whom you will serve!

Questions to ponder:

  • Why did Joshua gather “all the tribes of Israel” and rehearse the nation’s history and the providences of God? (Joshua 24:1-13)
  • After reflecting on all the LORD had done for Israel, how did Joshua challenge the people? (Joshua 24:14-15)
  • What did Joshua challenge the people to do if they sincerely desired to worship and serve the LORD? (Joshua 24:22-23)
  • How did Joshua memorialize Israel’s vow to the LORD? (Joshua 24:25-27)

Copyright © 2023 – Travis D. Smith

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A Covenant and a Choice of Two Paths (Deuteronomy 29; Deuteronomy 30)

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Scripture reading – Deuteronomy 29-30

Deuteronomy 29 – Renewing the Covenant

Moses declared and recorded God’s Covenant with Israel in Deuteronomy 5 through Deuteronomy 28. He then challenged the people to reaffirm the covenant they had entered into at Mt Horeb forty years prior (Exodus 24). In doing so, the nation would acknowledge its obligation to obey the LORD’s Laws and Commandments (Deuteronomy 29-30).

The Past (Deuteronomy 29:1-9)

Moses then rehearsed with the people all the LORD had done for them in Egypt. He acknowledged how they had been blind to the ways of the LORD (29:4) and reminded them how God had lovingly sustained and preserved them for forty years in the wilderness (29:5-6). Then, in the place they were that day, the LORD had given them victory over their adversaries and their land on the east side of the Jordan as an inheritance for the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and “the half tribe of Manasseh” (29:7-8).

A Summons to Obey (Deuteronomy 29:10-15)

Reminding the people they were standing “before the LORD,” Moses challenged every member of the nation (its captains, elders, officers, women, children, and servants) to “enter into the covenant with the LORD” (29:10-12). Moses promised the LORD would exalt Israel as a nation and be their God as He was with their forefathers (29:13). The promises of the LORD would not only apply to their generation but to their children and children’s children (29:14-15).

An Admonition (Deuteronomy 29:16-29)

Nevertheless, should a “man, or woman, or family, or tribe” turn from the LORD and worship idols, they would bear the sorrow and bitterness of God’s judgment (29:18). Such might be deluded and believe they might find peace walking after their imaginations. Still, Moses warned, “The Lord will not spare him…and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven” (29:20).

If Israel tolerated wickedness in its midst, Moses warned that the judgment of the LORD would leave the land like the “overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah” (29:23). He prophesied the nations would look upon the desolation of Israel and ask, “Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this land? what meaneth the heat of this great anger?” (29:24). Then, men would answer, “Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord God of their fathers, which he made with them when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt” (29:25).

Deuteronomy 30 – A Promise of Grace and Mercy

An Opportunity of Restoration (Deuteronomy 30:1-10)

Though Israel would reject the LORD and disobey His Law and Commandments, Moses promised He would remember His people and not forget His covenant promises (30:1). While the LORD promised to punish Israel for her disobedience, He also promised to be gracious, merciful, and forgiving if the people would repent of their sins and turn back to Him (30:1-7). Furthermore, should the people repent, God promised to renew His covenant with them and “make [them] plenteous in every work of thine hand…for the Lord will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers” (30:9).

Ignorance was Not an Excuse (Deuteronomy 30:11-14)

The will and commandments of the LORD were not mysterious or hidden from Israel (30:11-13). Instead, God’s purpose was established, and His will was revealed by His “Word” (30:14).

Two Paths to Choose: Death or Life (Deuteronomy 30:15-20)

Deuteronomy 30 concluded with a strong challenge to Israel to know the Word of the LORD was sure. While the path of obedience leads to “life and good,” the way of disobedience leads to “death and evil” (30:15). Choose to keep the LORD’s covenant, and He will bless you. However, disobey God’s Law and Commandments, and you invite His judgment (30:17-18).

So then, summoning heaven and earth to be his witness, Moses warned: “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live” (30:19).

Closing thoughts:

I am reminded that every soul faces the spiritual dilemma of choosing between two paths in life. Faith and obedience are the paths of blessing and eternal life. The way of sin inevitably ends in death and hell. As the shepherd of Israel, Moses longed for the people to love and obey the LORD. After all, that path promised the quality and quantity of life that God alone could provide (Deuteronomy 30:20).

What path have you taken? Are you on the path of obedience and life or disobedience and death?

Questions to consider:

1) Why did Israel need to remember “all that the LORD did” in Egypt and the wilderness? (Deuteronomy 29:2-6)

2) What was the key to Israel’s prosperity in the new land? (Deuteronomy 29:9)

3) What was the condition for Israel to be blessed and fruitful? (Deuteronomy 30:8-10)

Copyright © 2023 – Travis D. Smith

* You can subscribe to the Heart of a Shepherd daily devotionals and have them sent directly to your email address. Please enter your email address in the box to the right (if using a computer) or at the bottom (if using a cell phone). You may also email your request to HeartofAShepherdInc@gmail.com

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Choices Always Have Consequences (Deuteronomy 26; Deuteronomy 27)

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Scripture reading – Deuteronomy 26-27

Deuteronomy 26

A Confession of Indebtedness and a Prayer of Thanksgiving (Deuteronomy 26:1-11)

Moses continued his charge to Israel with laws and spiritual principles to guide the people as they became a nation in their land (26:1). Remembering that the blessing of the harvest comes from the LORD (26:1-11), the first-fruits offering was to be taken to the place of worship (Tabernacle). There it was given to the LORD, thus supporting the priests, the Levites, and their households.

Tithes and Offerings for the Poor (Deuteronomy 26:12-15)

A special tithe was given in the third year, coinciding with the tither’s confession that he had honored and obeyed the LORD’s commandments. Rather than taking the tithe of the third year to the Tabernacle, it was used locally to meet the immediate needs of one’s community and to support “the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled” (26:12-15).

The Benefits of Obeying the LORD and Keeping His Commandments (Deuteronomy 26:16-19)

Beginning with Deuteronomy 26:16 and continuing to Deuteronomy 31:13, Moses expounded on the benefits of obeying the LORD and keeping His commandments. He reminded the people that they were to do all that God had commanded with all their hearts and soul (26:16). Israel had been chosen by the LORD “to be His peculiar people,” and He promised “to make [Israel] high above all nations” (26:16-19).

Deuteronomy 27

Renewing the Covenant (Deuteronomy 27:1-10)

Continuing his challenge, Moses was joined by the “elders of Israel,” and he “commanded the people, saying, Keep all the commandments which I command you this day” (Deuteronomy 27:1).

Lest the people forget all the LORD had done for them, the elders of Israel were commanded to build a pillar of uncut stones on the west side of the Jordan River (Deuteronomy 27:2-8). The stones were to be plastered, and engraved upon them were the Commandments of the Lord, serving as a lasting memorial of the LORD’s promises and commandments. Also, an altar was to be built to sanctify the place (Deuteronomy 27:5-8).

A Rehearsal of the Blessings and Curses Sanctioned by the Law (Deuteronomy 27:11-26)

Continuing his speech to Israel and with the elders beside him, Moses reminded the nation that “Choices have Consequences.” He charged the people that by obeying the Law, they would invite the LORD’s blessings (27:11-12); however, disobedience would arouse His judgments (27:14-26). Should the nation disobey the LORD and reject His Law and Commandments, Moses warned that twelve curses would befall the nation (27:15-26). To each pronouncement, the people assented and answered, “Amen.”

The first through fifth curses (Deuteronomy 27:15-19)

The following violations of the Law and commandments invited God’s judgment and would be cursed: 1) Idolatry, a violation of the first and second commandments, was cursed (Deuteronomy 27:15). 2) Dishonoring one’s parents was cursed (27:16), for it is a violation of the fifth commandment (Exodus 20:12). 3) Stealing the property and possessions of another by deceit, a violation of the sixth commandment, was cursed (Deuteronomy 27:17; Exodus 20:15). 4) Taking advantage of one infirmed or disabled was cursed (Deuteronomy 27:18). 5) The fifth curse was upon one who would treat “the stranger, fatherless, and widow” unjustly (Deuteronomy 27:19;Exodus 22:21-24).

Sexual impurity, a violation of the seventh commandment, was addressed by the sixth through ninth curses (Deuteronomy 27:20-23; Ex. 20:14). Specifically addressed and cursed were: 6) Incest with one’s stepmother (Deuteronomy 27:20; Leviticus 18:8-9, 17; Leviticus 20:11); 7) Bestiality (Deuteronomy 27:21; Leviticus 18:23); 8) Incest between siblings and parents (Deuteronomy 27:22); and 9) Incest with one’s mother (Deuteronomy 27:23).

The fifth commandment, “Thou shalt not kill” (Exodus 20:13), was the subject of the tenth and eleventh curses (Deuteronomy 27:24-25): 10) Intentional murder of one’s neighbor (Deuteronomy 27:24), and 11) hiring an assassin to kill another was cursed (Deuteronomy 27:25).

The twelfth and final curse (Deuteronomy 27:26), a sum of the twelve curses, was addressed to any child of Israel who failed to confirm God’s Law and Commandments.

And so the people affirmed all Moses commanded, and all the people gave their assent and said, “Amen” (Deuteronomy 27:26).

Questions to consider:

1) What was Israel to present to the LORD after they took possession of the land? (Deuteronomy 26:1-2)

2) What was Israel instructed to do with the tithes and offerings in the third year? (Deuteronomy 26:12)

3) What did the LORD promise Israel if they kept His law and commandments? (Deuteronomy 26:17-19)

4) What was the first thing Israel was to set up after they crossed the Jordan River? (Deuteronomy 27:2-3)

5) With what word did the people acknowledge and affirm the curses pronounced by the Levites? (Deuteronomy 27:15-26).

Copyright © 2023 – Travis D. Smith

* You can subscribe to the Heart of a Shepherd daily devotionals and have them sent directly to your email address. Please enter your email address in the box to the right (if using a computer) or at the bottom (if using a cell phone). You may also email your request to HeartofAShepherdInc@gmail.com

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The Support of Ministers and the Character of Unfaithful Ministers (Deuteronomy 18)

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Scripture reading – Deuteronomy 18

Moses’ speech to the congregation continued in Deuteronomy 18, focusing on five concerns.

Provision for Those Who Minister (18:1-5)

Unlike other tribes, the Tribe of Levi had no physical inheritance in Canaan (18:1-2; Numbers 18:20, 23-24). Instead, the birthright of the Levites was a portion of the “offerings of the LORD made by fire” (18:1). The other tribes of Israel toiled in their fields, cared for their flocks and herds, and were enriched by the spoils of war. However, that was not the case with the Levitical tribe. It was the duty of the Levites to labor for the LORD as ministers and representatives of His people.

Therefore, the tribes of Israel were under obligation to not begrudge the Levites their portion of the offerings given to the LORD. It was “the priest’s due from the people, from them that offer a sacrifice” (18:3). Those who labored in ministry were to receive “the first-fruit” (18:4), for the Levite was “chosen…to stand to minister in the name of the Lord” (18:5).

Giving Ministers Their Due (18:6-8)

While the Twelve Tribes were assigned their portion of lands in Canaan, the Levites were allocated forty-eight towns and villages (Numbers 35:1-8; Joshua 21). Though a Levite owned his home and land for the care of his household, his zeal and calling was to minister for the LORD. Thus, a rotation of Levites ministered at the sanctuary and caused them to journey from their homes to the Tabernacle (18:6).

So, what became of a Levite’s home and land when he sojourned to minister at the Tabernacle? First, he was allowed “the sale [literally the leasing] of his patrimony [birthright, meaning his house and land]” (18:8). While the Levites would “have like portions to eat” of the offerings brought by the people to the sanctuary, he was also allowed revenue from leasing his properties to others in his absence.

All Occult Practices Were Condemned (18:9-14)

Idolatry, and practices of the occult observed by the Canaanites, were admonished and forbidden. God’s people were “not to learn to do after the abominations of those nations” (18:9). Moses warned there would be no tolerance of wicked practices, and named among them were human sacrifices (18:10a), divination (soothsaying), fortune telling (“observer of times”), witchcraft (sorcery), casting spells (“charmer”), medium (consulting with spirits), wizardry, and necromancy (seeking to contact the dead, 18:10-11).

Tragically, there is a growing tolerance and embrace of those evil practices in the 21st century. The abortion of the unborn is touted as a right, while witchcraft, black magic, and wizardry have a growing following. Of course, this comes as no surprise, for the Book of Revelation warned that the occult would increase in the last days (Revelation 9:20-21; 18:2), and all who practice such will be cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 21:8; 22:14-15).

The Promise of a Coming Prophet (18:15-19)

Israel did not need soothsayers or fortune tellers, for the LORD had promised to put His Word in the mouth of His Prophet. So, Moses prophesied of the coming of a Prophet, One whom the “Lord thy God [would] raise up” (18:15). This Prophet was to be of Hebrew stock, for He would come “from the midst of thee (Israel), of thy brethren” (18:15).

Who was this Prophet (18:15-19)?

Some supposed it was Elijah. Others thought John the Baptist was the Prophet to come. The Scriptures, however, declare that the long-awaited Prophet was Jesus Christ.

John the Baptist said of Christ, “He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose” (John 1:27). After Jesus performed the miracle of feeding the five thousand, some said of Him, “This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world” (John 6:14). We read again in John 7:40, “Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet” (7:40).

Prophets: True and False (18:20-22)

It was a serious matter when a man proposed to speak as the LORD’s prophet. Should a man prophesy, apart from the revelation of the LORD, we read, “that prophet shall die” (18:20). Some asked, “How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken?” (18:21)

The answer: “When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him” (18:22).

The real test for a prophet was: Did every word of his prophecy come to pass? Because the word of a false prophet would fail, Israel had no reason to fear such a prophet (18:22).

Closing thoughts:

Believers are responsible for discerning whether or not the things taught are from the LORD. So many today propose teaching the Scriptures, but how many believers and ministries take the time and obligation to examine what is spoken?

We should be wary of any who propose a new “word of prophecy” or claim to have received a new revelation. Also, we dare not patronize a man or support a ministry that fails to speak and teach the whole counsel of God. Be forewarned: “If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book” (Revelation 22:18–19).

Believers should demand absolute fidelity to the Scriptures, for the LORD speaks to us through the teaching and preaching of His Word.

Questions to consider:

1) How did Israel support the priests and Levites? (18:3-5)

2) What practices did the LORD forbid in the new land? (18:9-12)

3) What were the obligations of a prophet? (18:20)

Copyright © 2023 – Travis D. Smith

* You can subscribe to the Heart of a Shepherd daily devotionals and have them sent directly to your email address. Please enter your email address in the box to the right (if using a computer) or at the bottom (if using a cell phone). You may also email your request to HeartofAShepherdInc@gmail.com

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“If Sinners Entice Thee, Consent Thou Not!” (Deuteronomy 13; Deuteronomy 14)

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Scripture reading – Deuteronomy 13-14

Deuteronomy 13

Deuteronomy 12 concluded with Moses cautioning the people, “What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it” (12:32). That admonition brings to mind a similar warning that is found in the closing words of the New Testament, where we read: “If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life” (Revelation 22:18–19).

The Punishment of Idolaters (Deuteronomy 13:1-5)

Concerning the laws of idolatry, if a man supposed himself a prophet and performed signs and wonders, he was to be rejected if his prophecy was a departure from the revelations of the LORD (13:1-3). Likewise, if a man said, “Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them” (13:2), he was to “be put to death” (13:4-5).

An Intolerance of Idolatry, Even Among One’s Kindred (Deuteronomy 13:6-11)

Not even the bonds of love and family were to obstruct the judgment of the LORD concerning the worship of idols (13:6-7). If a loved one enticed a man and said, “Let us go and serve other gods” (13:6), that man was guilty of a capital offense, and his sin was to be exposed (13:7-8). Because of the grievous sin of idolatry and its judgment, it was never to be concealed. A witness to idolatry was commanded to be the first to cast a stone (13:9). Then the congregation would “stone [the idolater] with stones, that he die” (13:10), thereby sharing in the idolater’s judgment and condemnation.

The Idolatry of a City Called for Complete Destruction (Deuteronomy 13:12-18)

Should a city turn to idolatry, its inhabitants were to be killed, its flocks and herds destroyed, and the spoils of the city burned with fire (13:12-16). Moses promised that if all were destroyed, the “Lord may turn from the fierceness of his anger, and shew thee mercy, and have compassion upon thee, and multiply thee, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers” (13:17).

Deuteronomy 14 – The Children of Israel Were a Unique, Chosen People

Moses began Deuteronomy 14 with a grand declaration concerning Israel:

“1Ye are the children of the Lord your God…an holy people [sanctified, set apart] unto the Lord thy God, and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people [His treasure] unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth” (14:1a, 2).

Israel’s Mourning for Their Dead was Unique (Deuteronomy 14:1-2)

The first implication of Israel’s peculiar nature was how the nation mourned its dead. We read, “Ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead” (14:1b).

Let me explain. The heathen would cut their flesh and shave their heads as outward signs of mourning at funerals. Israel, however, was forbidden to do the same. The heathen mutilated their bodies as a sign of grief, but the people whom the God of heaven had chosen were not to mourn as those without hope! Paul exhorted believers concerning the same hope, writing, “13But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. (1 Thessalonians 4:13–14).

Israel’s Unique Diet (Deuteronomy 14:3-21)

The subject of Deuteronomy 14:3-21 was clean and unclean meats (we have considered that law in earlier devotions, Leviticus 11). The differences between clean beasts and unclean beasts (14:3-8), clean and unclean fish (14:9-10), and clean and unclean birds (14:11-19) were all identified and addressed. The people were also reminded that they were not to eat diseased animals (14:21a), nor cook or boil a “kid” (a baby goat) in its mother’s milk (such would be cruel to the sensitivity of nature, 14:21b).

Israel’s Unique Worship and Memorials to the Lord (Deuteronomy 14:22-29)

The geographical locations of some tribes in Canaan would put them at great distances from the Tabernacle (14:22-24). Therefore, some couldn’t tithe the first fruits of the harvest and offer the firstborn (“firstlings of thy herds”). So, the matter was resolved by permitting the people to “turn it [the tithe and the firstlings] into money” (14:25). Then, by taking the money and going to the Tabernacle, a man could purchase whatever he desired in the meat, meal, and wine as his tithe to the LORD (14:26).

Distances would prevent the practice of tithing as observed in the wilderness. Yet, the people were warned to honor the LORD with their tithe and not forsake the care and maintenance of “the Levite that is within thy gates” and city (14:27). Every three years, one’s tithe was not taken to the Tabernacle (14:28-29). Instead, it was to be laid “up within thy gates” (14:28) and used in one’s town and village to feed the Levite, the alien, the orphan, and the widow among them (14:29). For their faithfulness with the tithes; the LORD promised to bless the labor of his people.

Closing thoughts:

Israel was called to be a unique, peculiar, and holy people to the LORD (Deuteronomy 14:1-2). That exhortation reminds me of two similar ones recorded in the New Testament. First, the apostle Paul wrote that Christ “gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:14). Peter exhorted believers, “ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people” (1 Peter 2:9).

Paul challenged believers “be not conformed to this world” (Romans 12:2). Solomon wrote the same when he challenged his son, “If sinners entice thee, Consent thou not” (Proverbs 1:10).

Questions to consider:

1) How does a believer prove he loves the LORD? (Deuteronomy 13:3-4)

2) What was God’s judgment if a loved one tempted another to worship idols? (Deuteronomy 13:6-10)

3) What two things identified Israel as a unique people and nation? (Deuteronomy 14:1-3)

4) Who was Israel commanded not to neglect? (Deuteronomy 14:27)

Copyright © 2023 – Travis D. Smith

* You can subscribe to the Heart of a Shepherd daily devotionals and have them sent directly to your email address. Please enter your email address in the box to the right (if using a computer) or at the bottom (if using a cell phone). You may also email your request to HeartofAShepherdInc@gmail.com

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Blessings or Curses: It’s Your Choice (Deuteronomy 11; Deuteronomy 12)

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Scripture reading – Deuteronomy 11-12

Moses’ second challenge to Israel began in Deuteronomy 5 and continued in today’s Scripture reading. Moses repeated the LORD’s covenant demand for Israel to “love the Lord thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway” (11:1). The detailed explanation of God’s covenant with Israel will continue to Deuteronomy 26:19.

Deuteronomy 11 – A Covenant that Promised Blessings and Cursing

The Great Works of the LORD (Deuteronomy 11:2-6)

Why should Israel love and obey the LORD? Because He had demonstrated “His greatness, His mighty hand, and His stretched out arm” (11:2) when He brought the plagues upon Egypt and Pharaoh (11:3). When He parted the Red Sea, He allowed Israel to pass through on dry ground. Then He sent the waters upon the Egyptians, drowning them, their horses, and chariots (11:4).

When “Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab,” rebelled (Numbers 16), the LORD judged them and their followers. “The earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and all the substance that was in their possession, in the midst of all Israel” (11:6).

The Conditions of God’s Blessing and Curses (Deuteronomy 11:7-15)

Moses reasoned that they were compelled to keep His commandments because the people had seen “all the great acts of the Lord which he did” (11:7). They were reminded that their strength, prosperity, and longevity as a nation was directly related to their obedience (11:8). Obey the LORD, keep His commandments, and Israel would inherit “a land that floweth with milk and honey” (11:9).

Nevertheless, the promise of God’s blessing was conditional (11:10-17). Should the people turn from the LORD and worship idols (11:16), His wrath would be kindled against them. He would then “shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit” (11:17).

A Solemn Charge (Deuteronomy 11:18-32)

The people were again reminded that their covenant responsibility was to obey the commandments and teach them to their children (11:18-19). The LORD’s covenant with Israel was a conditional promise of both “a blessing and a curse” (11:26). Obey the LORD’S commandments, and He promised to bless them (11:27). Disobey the LORD, and He would curse them (11:28).

Deuteronomy 12 

It might be argued that Deuteronomy 5-11 was the preface to the “statutes and judgments” recorded in Deuteronomy 12. Having presented to the people the choices and consequences for obeying or disobeying the LORD, Moses revealed the prohibitions and required the Tabernacle would be the central place of worship.

Destroy all Idols and Places of Idol Worship (Deuteronomy 12:1-3)

Israel was commanded to destroy all idols and every place of idol worship and sacrifice (12:1-3). There were no exceptions! Whereas the heathen sacrificed and served “their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree” (12:2), Israel was warned not to follow their ways.

The Tabernacle: Israel’s Central Place of Worship (Deuteronomy 12:5-14)

The people were commanded that only in “the place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation [the Tabernacle] shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come” (12:5). The Tabernacle was the place God chose.

There was one place of sacrifice, and that was the altar in the Tabernacle court (12:6). There was one place the tithes and offerings (above that which was the portion of the Levites) might be eaten, and that was before the Tabernacle (12:7-14).

The Slaughter of Beasts for Meat (Deuteronomy 12:15-25)

Offerings and sacrifices were to be given only at the Tabernacle. Yet, because of the geographical distance of the tribes from the Tabernacle (12:21), animals slaughtered for their meat would no longer be brought to the Tabernacle (12:10-15; Leviticus 17:3-6). Nevertheless, all sacrifices were to be offered at the Tabernacle, which was “the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen” (12:21).

There was also the prohibition on the matter of blood. Unlike the heathen and their sacrifices, Israel was commanded, “Ye shall not eat the blood; ye shall pour it upon the earth as water” (12:17, 23-25; Leviticus 17:10).

Closing thoughts:

Moses warned the people not to adopt the heathen’s ways of worship nor enquire, “How did these nations serve their gods?” (Deuteronomy 12:30b) The forms of worship followed by the wicked were an abomination to God, for in their depravity, they sacrificed “their sons and their daughters…to their gods” (Deuteronomy 12:31). Moses warned that the LORD would accept nothing less than obedience. The people were “not [to] add thereto, nor diminish from” His commandments (Deuteronomy 12:32).

Some today would suggest that the law and commandments of the LORD are unimportant. Yet, the God of the Old Testament is the God of the New, and He continues to command that His people should be holy.

1 Peter 1:15-16 – “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”

Questions to consider:

1) What did the LORD promise Israel if the people would love and obey Him? (Deuteronomy 11:13-15)

2) When and where were parents to teach their children the words of the LORD? (Deuteronomy 11:19)

3) What was Israel commanded to do to the idols and worship places of the heathen? (Deuteronomy 12:2-3)

4) What was the only place Israel could offer sacrifices to the LORD? (Deuteronomy 12:5-7, 11)

Copyright © 2023 – Travis D. Smith

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The God of Creation and Heaven has Revealed Himself (Deuteronomy 10)

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Scripture reading – Deuteronomy 10

Deuteronomy 10

Moses’ second oration to Israel continued in Deuteronomy 10 when he described how the LORD showed the people mercy following their idolatry at Sinai. Again, Moses reminded the people what they already knew; nevertheless, it was essential for them to recollect all that had befallen their forefathers and remember the LORD’s Covenant with them as a nation.

Israel’s Covenant: A Testimony of God’s Favor (Deuteronomy 10:1-5)

Moses recalled how, in anger because of their idolatry, he had broken the first tables of stone upon which were written the Ten Commandments. The LORD then commanded him to hew out two additional tables of stone (10:1), upon which the LORD engraved “the words [the Commandments] that were in the first tables” (10:2). The Commandments were then placed in the Ark, and served as a lasting memorial of God’s covenant with Israel (10:2b-5; Exodus 40:20).

Memorial to Aaron’s Death (Deuteronomy 10:6-7)

Continuing his remembrance of the events that had brought the nation to the edge of the Promised Land, Moses rehearsed how his brother Aaron, the first high priest, had died short of Canaan, and “Eleazar his son ministered in the priest’s office in his stead” (10:6).

The Tribe of Levi (Deuteronomy 10:8-9)

Lest any forget, the people were reminded that the LORD had chosen and “separated the tribe of Levi” to serve Him and “to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD” (10:8). Unlike the other tribes, the Levites would have no inheritance of land assigned to them. Instead, their inheritance was a portion of that which was due the LORD, in the people’s tithes, offerings, and sacrifices (10:8-9).

Five Imperatives (Deuteronomy 10:10-13)

With the urgency of a father who loves his sons and daughters, Moses challenged the people to obey the LORDwith five imperatives (10:12-13).

Deuteronomy 10:12-13 – “And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear [revere]the LORD thy God, to walk [behave] in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, 13 To keep [keep watch; guard] the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?”

Who Is God? (Deuteronomy 10:14-22)

Who is this God who revealed Himself as Creator, chose Israel, and covenanted with them by giving them His Law, Commandments, and Statutes?

He is the Creator and Sovereign of “the heaven of heavens…and the earth also, with all that therein is” (10:14). He is the “God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible [i.e., to be feared].” He is justand not a respecter of persons (10:17). He is merciful and the protector “of the fatherless and widow [the defenseless]” (10:18a). He is tender, and “loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment” (10:18b).

Closing thoughts: What effect should the revelation of God’s nature have had on Israel and you?

The answer to that question is found in the closing verses of Deuteronomy 10 (10:19-22). The children of Israel were to love strangers, for they could identify with the hardships of being a stranger in Egypt (10:19). They were to fear, serve, and cleave to the LORD (10:20). They were to be a people whose word, was their bond (“swear by His name,” 10:20). The hearts, thoughts, and affections of Israel were to be solely directed to the LORD (10:21). God had fulfilled His promises. Israel had increased from seventy souls (the number of Jacob’s family in Egypt, Genesis 46:27), and “the LORD [had] made [them] as the stars of heaven for multitude” (10:22).

Believer, my God is great and mighty. He is the LORD of the Scriptures, the Sovereign of Creation, and the King of heaven and earth!

Is He your God?

Questions to consider:

1) What did the LORD write on the stone tablets? (Deuteronomy 10:4)

2)  Where did Moses place the stone tablets? (Deuteronomy 10:5)

3) What was the Levitical tribe’s ministry? (Deuteronomy 10:8)

4) What did the LORD require of Israel as the nation settled in the new land? (Deuteronomy 10:12-13)

5) How many souls were in Jacob’s family when they settled in Egypt? (Deuteronomy 10:22)

Copyright © 2023 – Travis D. Smith

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Fear, and Obey the LORD, and He Will Prosper You (Deuteronomy 6; Deuteronomy 7)

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Scripture reading – Deuteronomy 6-7

Our chronological Scripture reading brings us to Deuteronomy 6-7, where we find Moses continuing his second oration before the congregation of Israel (which he began in Deuteronomy 5). After stating the Ten Commandments to the people (5:7-21), Moses charged them to keep the covenant by “[walking] in all the ways which the Lord [their] God [had] commanded [them]” (5:33).

Deuteronomy 6 

A Sacred Duty: The Perpetual Responsibility to Instruct Sons and Daughters

The Reward for Obedience (Deuteronomy 6:1-3)

Israel was not only to obey “the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments” which the LORD had given Moses to teach the people (6:1), but they were to “fear the LORD” and teach their “son, and [their] son’s son, all the days of [their] life; and that [their] days may be prolonged” (6:2).

Take a moment and ponder not only the command but also the promise. There was a direct correlation between the quality and length of one’s life and whether or not they have faithfully obeyed the LORD’S commands, feared Him, and instructed their children and grandchildren in His statutes and commandments. One wonders about the number of potentially premature deaths of those who have lived apart from the Lord’s commandments.

Moses continued his appeal to the people and said, “Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey” (6:3). Once again, prosperity was the reward for fearing and revering the LORD.

Principles for Obedience (Deuteronomy 6:4-5)

Known as The Shema among Hebrew people, Deuteronomy 6:4-5 is prayed twice daily by many Jewish people for it summarizes the essence of Israel’s God and that nation’s unique relationship with Him.

Deuteronomy 6:4–5 – 4Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: 5And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

In the New Testament, when a lawyer asked Jesus, “36Master, which is the great commandment in the law?” (Matthew 22:36). Jesus quoted “The Shema” and said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38This is the first and great commandment” (Matthew 22:37-38).

The Means of Obedience (Deuteronomy 6:6-9)

Without exception, each generation was to obey the commandments out of a heart of love and to communicate the commands, statutes, and laws of the LORD “diligently” to their children (6:7-9). The Word of God was to be persistently considered in every household. Its commands, statutes, and laws were the spiritual guide for every area of life and were to be taught when sitting down, walking, lying down at night, or rising at dawn. Even the entrance to one’s home was to be graced with the Law of God (6:9).

An Admonition (Deuteronomy 6:10-18)

Moses then warned the people not to forget the LORD amid their prosperity (6:10-11). They were reminded that “the LORD thy God is a jealous God” (6:15). Also, they were not to “tempt” or test the LORD by failing to obey Him (6:16). The LORD promised if the people would keep His commandments, He would prosper them (6:17). If they would do “right and good in the sight of the LORD,” it would be well with them (6:18).

A Directive for Parental Instructions (Deuteronomy 6:20-24)

Deuteronomy 6:20-23 returned to the privilege and responsibility the people had for instructing their children. Fathers and mothers were to remind their sons and daughters of all the LORD had done for them and to “do all these statutes, to fear the LORD” (6:24). Obey the LORD, and He promised to preserve them as a nation (6:24).

Deuteronomy 7 – Why did the LORD Choose Israel?

After challenging Israel to remember the providences and promises of the LORD, to obey His commandments, and teach them to their sons and daughters: Moses challenged Israel to utterly destroy the nations in the land He had promised them for an inheritance (Deuteronomy 7).

A Call for Separation (Deuteronomy 7:2-11)

The nation was to make no covenant of peace with the heathen, nor allow their sons and daughters to intermarry with them (7:2-4). Every idol and every place of idolatry was to be cut down (7:5).

Then Moses reminded the people that the LORD had chosen Israel to be a “holy people” (7:6). Israel was not chosen because the nation was significant in number nor a powerful people (7:7). God chose Israel because He “loved [them], and because He would keep the oath [covenant] which He had sworn unto [their] fathers [i.e., Abraham, Issac, and Jacob]” (7:8).

A Promise of Blessings for Obedience (Deuteronomy 7:12-26)

Deuteronomy 7 revealed much concerning the nature of God and His relationship with Israel. I look forward to considering those verses in a future devotion. But, for now, read the balance of chapter 7 and meditate on God’s grace, longsuffering, and holiness. After all, the LORD is “immutable,” and He has not changed!

Questions to consider:

1) What was Moses commanded to teach Israel? (Deuteronomy 6:1)

2) What did God promise if Israel kept His commandments and taught their children? (Deuteronomy 6:2-3)

3) How were parents to teach their children? (Deuteronomy 6:7)

4) Why were the sons and daughters of Israel forbidden to marry heathen spouses? (Deuteronomy 7:3-4)

Copyright © 2023 – Travis D. Smith

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Sacrificial Offerings and Feast Days to the LORD (Numbers 28)

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Scripture Reading – Numbers 28

Today’s Scripture reading is the first of two chapters that reviewed the Law of Offerings. Given the context, a review of sacrifices seemed out of place; after all, the tribal census had numbered the men of war age (and would also serve as the basis for assigning tribal lands). One would think it was time to go to war! Instead, lest the people forget to honor the LORD with offerings, a review of the sacrifices began, and the people were reminded that the LORD is the Commander and Chief of Israel!

Numbers 28

Four Types of Sacrificial Offerings

Daily Offerings, known as the Burnt Offering (Numbers 28:1-8)

The daily offerings consisted of two lambs to be “of the first year without spot” (28:3). The first lamb was to be offered and sacrificed in the morning. The second was offered in the evening (28:4). The lamb offered in the evening was accompanied by a drink offering of the best wine (described as “strong wine”) and flour or grain (defined as a meat or meal offering, 28:4-6). The morning and evening offerings were sacrifices offered by the priests on behalf of the nation and were a daily reminder of Israel’s dependence on God’s grace.

Weekly Sabbath Day Offerings (Numbers 28:9-10)

In addition to the daily offerings, weekly Sabbath day offerings were described (28:9-10). Israel was to offer them on the Sabbath, and they were a time to reflect on the Creator Who rested on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2).

Monthly New Moon Offerings (Numbers 28:11-15)

As the name implies, the “New Moon Offerings” were to be observed “in the beginnings of your months” (28:11) and was a “burnt offering unto the Lord; [and consisted of] two young bullocks, and one ram, seven lambs of the first year without spot” (28:11). The New Moon Offering sanctified the month that was ahead and served as a reminder that the LORD is both the Creator and Sustainer of His creation.

Annual Passover and Pentecost Offering (Numbers 28:16-31)

Israel was to observe several festivals, referred to as the Feasts of the LORD (28:16-29:40). The Passover was celebrated on “the fourteenth day of the first month” (28:16). The week following the Passover meal was identified as the Feast of Unleavened Bread (28:17-25). Lasting for seven days, in addition to the daily offerings, the days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread required an additional sabbath of rest (28:18) and the same sacrifices as the New Moon Offering on each of the seven days (28:19-22).

Pentecost, identified as the fiftieth day after the Passover, was known as the Feast of Weeks, or the Harvest Feast (28:26-31), and was the day the “firstfruits” were offered to the LORD (the first fruits were the first to ripen and be harvested). Burnt offerings also accompanied the “firstfruits” (28:27-31).

Closing thoughts:

The sacrifices required, and the number of sacrifices commanded by the LORD, may surprise believers unfamiliar with the Old Testament Scriptures. Nevertheless, all the sacrifices reminded Israel of that nation’s dependence on God’s grace, mercy, and forgiveness.

Is Jesus Christ Your Sacrifice and Savior?

If you have trusted Jesus Christ as Savior, you are not required to offer sacrifices for sin because the ultimate and final sacrifice – Jesus Christ, was offered for the sins of the world. The author of Hebrews observed that the high priests offered daily sacrifices for their sins and the nation’s sins; however, Christ “did once, when he offered up himself” (Hebrews 7:27). He “once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit” (1 Peter 3:18, 20).

Knowing the “wages of sin is death,” we who trust Christ as Savior have the promise that “the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our LORD” (Romans 6:23). Instead of sacrificial offerings, we are to offer sacrifices of prayer and praise to the LORD, and our “bodies [i.e., lives] a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God” (Romans 12:1).

Will you accept Christ as your substitutionary sacrifice and Savior?

Questions to consider:

1) What daily sacrifice did the LORD require of Israel? (Numbers 28:3-4)

2) What was the Sabbath Day offering? (Numbers 28:9)

3) What was forbidden on the first day of the Passover feast? (Numbers 28:18)

Copyright © 2023 – Travis D. Smith

* You can subscribe to the Heart of a Shepherd daily devotionals and have them sent directly to your email address. Please enter your email address in the box to the right (if using a computer) or at the bottom (if using a cell phone). You may also email your request to HeartofAShepherdInc@gmail.com

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The Work of the Priest and the Cleansing from Sin (Numbers 18; Numbers 19)

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Scripture Reading – Numbers 18-19

Numbers 18

The Work of the Priest and the Assistance of the Levites (Numbers 18:1-7)

The rebellion of Korah and the men who followed him was still fresh (Numbers 16). It was, therefore, prudent for the LORD to address Aaron regarding the sins of his “father’s house” (remembering that Korah was of the tribe of Levi, Numbers 18:1). The honor of the priesthood, and the sins committed by the tribe of Levi, were to weigh upon Aaron and his sons (Numbers 18:1; Leviticus 16).

We are reminded that the LORD had chosen the tribe of Levi to assist the priests in their duties; however, they were not to usurp the priest’s authority nor approach the “vessels of the sanctuary and the altar” lest they die (Numbers 18:2-3). Furthermore, no “stranger” (meaning a non-Levite person) was to assist the priests in their “service of the Tabernacle” (Numbers 18:4). To serve as God’s ministers was a gift from the LORD, and a sacred privilege (Numbers 18:5-7).

The Wages and Support of the Priests and Levites (Numbers 18:8-20)

You will notice the mention of “heave offerings” throughout this passage. What were they? They were a portion of the sacrifices the LORD commanded the people to bring and set aside for the priests and the tribe of Levi (Exodus 29:27-28).

The heave offering was explicitly the right shoulder of an offered cow, ram, or goat (Leviticus 7:34; Numbers 6:20). Also, the harvest’s first fruits were designated heave offerings (Numbers 15:20-21). Because the tribe of Levi did not have an inheritance in the land (for the LORD was their inheritance and provider), the “heave offerings” served to meet the needs of the priests and their households (Numbers 18:9, 11-13). There were also offerings designated to be eaten “in the most holy place,” and only males of the priest’s families were to eat of them in the court of the Tabernacle (Numbers 18:9-10).

The Provision for the Levites (Numbers 18:21-24)

Like the priests they served, the Levites would not have an inheritance in the Promised Land (Numbers 18:21). Rather than being engaged in securing and tilling the land, the focus of the Levites was on “the service of the Tabernacle of the congregation” (Numbers 18:21). While the tribes of Israel were occupied tilling their lands and caring for their flocks and herds, the Levites were supported by “the tenth (or the tithe) in Israel” (Numbers 18:21), that was “given to the Levites to inherit” (Numbers 18:24).

The Levites Supported the Priests with a Tithe of the Tithe. (Numbers 18:25-32)

Lest any should think those in ministry do not have an obligation to tithe, we find the Levites, after receiving the tithes of the congregation, were to give the “tenth part of the tithe” (Numbers 18:26). In other words, the tithe of the tithe, was “the LORD’s heave offering to Aaron the priest” (Numbers 18:28). What did the LORD require to be given as the tithe? “The best thereof” (Numbers 18:29).

Numbers 19 – Purification Offering for Uncleanness Caused by Death

The Offering of a Red Heifer (Numbers 19:1-10)

The offering of a red heifer (a female cow) was commanded to be brought by those deemed unclean by reason of coming into contact with death (Numbers 19:11). Death, being the consequence of sin (Romans 6:23a), demanded sacrifice, and the shedding of blood (Hebrews 9:22).

The Ritual for Cleansing (Numbers 19:11-23)

For example, a man who touched the dead body of a man (necessitated by the preparation of a body for burial) was deemed unclean for seven days, as well as everything he touched (Numbers 19:11; Leviticus 15). Why? Because the LORD knew what men of that day did not: The pollution caused by a dead body was not only a spiritual lesson (“For the wages of sin is death,” Romans 6:23) but also a practical one.

Even the tent where a man died was considered unclean for seven days (Numbers 19:14). Any open vessels in the tent of a dead man were considered unclean (Numbers 19:15). What an amazing revelation! Before microscopes revealed the dangers of harmful bacteria, the LORD protected His people from contamination.

Because the sacrifice of the heifer was for “uncleanness,” the law required the heifer to be led outside the camp of Israel, where it was sacrificed and burned (Numbers 19:5). Also, the priest that offered the heifer, and the Levite that burned it, were to wash their clothes and bathe, and were deemed unclean until even (Numbers 19:7-10). In more severe cases, the exclusion from the camp would be seven days (Numbers 19:11-19).

Closing thoughts:

Death is an ever-present, inescapable sorrow (Hebrews 9:27). Yet, we who have trusted Christ as our Savior have eternal hope. Like the red heifer that was led out of the camp of Israel and offered as a sacrifice for sin, Christ was led out of Jerusalem and put to death outside the walls of that city. He has borne the curse and burden of our sins by His death on the Cross and His resurrection from the dead. He Lives! John reminded believers, “The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin… 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:7b, 9).

Questions to consider:

1) Whose iniquity were Aaron and his sons to bear? (Numbers 18:1)

2) What tribe was commanded to assist the priests? (Numbers 18:2)

3) What inheritance was designated for Aaron and his sons? (Numbers 18:20)

4) What were the consequences of touching a dead body? (Numbers 19:11-12)

Copyright © 2023 – Travis D. Smith

* You can subscribe to the Heart of a Shepherd daily devotionals and have them sent directly to your email address. Please enter your email address in the box to the right (if using a computer) or at the bottom (if using a cell phone). You may also email your request to HeartofAShepherdInc@gmail.com

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Mailing Address:
Heart of A Shepherd Inc
7853 Gunn Hwy
#131
Tampa, FL 33626-1611

You can email HeartofAShepherdInc@gmail.com for more information on this daily devotional ministry.