1 Samuel 20-24 God's anointed

Ch 20

David's purpose in seeking Jonathan was friendship.  Out of the friendship, numerous benefits arose, but David wasn't in it for the benefits.  Jonathan's only request was that David likewise showed "unfailing kindness" to David.  That should be the hallmark of our friendships.

True, loyal love is love that is 'unfailing' - it is not dependent on circumstances - time, place, attitudes or actions.  

When human need & ceremonial obligations clash, we must remember who God is, but also remember His character in the midst of this.  We need to remember He is Lord over all, including over the law.

Ch 21

I don't see that David was living without God's guidance, although this may be the case.  Either way, we need to ensure that every step we take is taken with God at the helm & free from the fear of men.

"All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered round him, and he became their leader.  About four hundred men were with him."

Christian leadership isn't just about leading the good and the brave, but leading the motley crew who follow.

As Christians, we are called to be zealous without being jealous.  Keeping your eyes fixed on Jesus is the sure way to achieve this.

Ch 23-24

God's hand was on David - Saul could not get to him no matter how much he tried.  The Lord is Sovereignly in control of all things.

David had a sense of God's anointed & would do nothing that would interfere with that.  There is a question of whether I am willing to let God be God and me not!

Real repentance involves a changed heart and life.  Am I willing to be completely transformed?

1 Samuel 16-19:24 The Lord was with him.

Samuel is there to do God's business and not his own.  Several times, he thinks he knows best, but each time, he submits to God's ways.

God teaches Samuel powerfully that He looks at the heart, not at the outward appearances.  Jesus emphasised this in His teaching - helping us see that outward appearances are not everything.

David allowed his outward appearances to speak well of him, but they were not the reason God had chosen him...rather it was that God was with him that was key.

David recognised that the Lord was with him and the disgrace was against God.  As a result, he responded accordingly.  David remembered how God had been with him when he faced lions and bears, and knew that God would be with him again.

We must remember God's presence and prove it in our every day lives.

Saul's reasoning was right humanly speaking, but in terms of God's economy, it was flawed.  He lacked a recognition of who God was and what He would/could do.

Fear and jealousy were cancerous to Saul.  He should have been thrilled at all David was doing, but rather allowed bitterness to overcome him and overrule his actions.  Jonathan & Michal (& Samuel) showed true acts of friendship in the way they responded to David.  They loved him and went out of their way to protect him, even at personal cost.

1 Samuel 13-15 'God of the panic'

The Israelites should have known and learned that they MUST follow the Lord's ways and commands to see victory against the odds.

God took Saul through a testing process to see if his heart would remain true.  It didn't and so the consequences were significant.

Jonathan was courageous because he saw the Lord and wanted to please Him above all else.

Saul was impatient - he wasn't prepared to wait on the Lord.  His self-will still wanted to please the Lord, but wasn't always willing to do it in God's ways.

Saul wasn't prepared to wait on God, which in turn led to partial obedience - partial obedience is tantamount to disobedience.  God demands full obedience to Him from us - no excuses.  We must not pretend we are doing otherwise.

God requires full obedience.

1 Samuel 9:1-12 God's grace in new leadership

9:1-14  God is Sovereignly in control.  He orders our moves and knows each one - He brings about His purposes in His perfect timing.

God is in control through the servant's interaction, the arrival of Samuel at the right moment, and circumstances working out just right.

God is a patient, forebearing God.  He chooses to extend His grace despite it not being His way.  Saul's success comes about because the Spirit of the Lord is upon Him.

Saul exhibits:

Humility
God's working in Him
Discretion
Fear
Circumspect behaviour

Samuel reminds them of what God has done for them and also His grace to them.

The people are reminded that prayer is essential.  Without it, they will fail.  They must keep to their promises and obey God.

1 Samuel 4:1-8:22 God's glory at stake

The right answer to the why of 4:3 is that they had turned from God to sin & were not living to please Him.

The Israelites saw the Ark as a 'good luck charm', rather than a sign of God's glory.  They were more bothered about it than God's glory being at stake.

We need to rightly fear the Lord God, but trust in Him in faith.  When the Ark was taken, it led to judgment on the people.  God is not to be taken lightly.

Samuel reminds the Israelites of the perspective that God is the One who has gone with them, and they should not and need not be afraid of man.

God is a God of grace.  He shows that He is gracious to the Israelites despite their misguided motives.  

1 Samuel 2:1-4:1a Leading for God's glory

Hannah's tone has changed from dejection to exaltation.  God is her joy & God alone.  She finds no other joy but in Him.

She recognises God's Sovereignty and how it is He who brings death or life.  Those who oppose God will in due course be shattered.

Eli's sons had no regard for the Lord - it is a reminder that if we have no time for God, we will suffer His consequences.  God's ways are the highest and purest.  We must seek to follow Him in them.

Prov 29:17 reminds us we need to discipline our children so that they continue to follow in the ways of God.

Samuel learned obedience to God, even though he didn't understand everything that was going on.  He had to trust.

Israel lacked leadership and needed Samuel to take up the mantle.

Ruth & 1 Samuel 1 God's involvement in the lives of the ordinary

1 Samuel 1

v1-16  Hannah's Distress:

Closed (womb)
Provoked
Irritated
Weeping
Not eating
Downhearted
Bitterness of soul
Misery
Forgotten
Deeply troubled
Great anguish & grief

Hannah does not retaliate against her rival, but rather turns to prayer.

Hannah clearly believed in God and that He would hear and answer her prayer (v18b)

When you make a vow to God, keep it.  Don't fail to keep your promises to Him.  He has never failed with you.

Ruth 1-4

Ruth's decision to follow Naomi was significant and costly.  Ruth's attitude was sacrificial whatever the cost.  It was willing to do whatever came along to be loyal to Naomi and her God.

Chance happenings are God's involvements.  He is active throughout and very present in times of trouble and goodness.

God's loving kindness to those who love Him is amazing and wonderful.  He never fails.

When our decisions affect others, we should be careful and considerate.  Do as God would do to others.

1 Peter 3:13-5:14 Christian living in the midst of suffering

The Christian should face suffering with the realisation that Christ is Lord and that we are to set Him apart as that in our lives.  We explain our faith and hope out of this testimony.

Christ's sufferings were to bring us to God.  We therefore ought to live our lives with the same attitude as Christ's.

Christians should:

Pray
Love
Be hospitable
Use our gifts
Speak the very words of God

Christians should avoid suffering because of our own stupidity or sin.

Christians should rejoice in participating in the sufferings of Christ.  As we endure in it, we know we will be saved by God.

Oversight is to be exercised with real care, with willingness and a servant's heart.  We must be gentle and caring.

God's grace is that He is gentle with us and calls us to be His people who show it to others.  We are to be graceful in our dealings with others.

1 Peter 2:4-3:12 Changed by Christ!

v4-10  Peter uses the following images of the Church - 

living stones

a spiritual house

a holy priesthood

a chosen people

a royal priesthood

a holy nation

a people belonging to God

the people of God

receivers of mercy

God has called us and chosen us and that is how we know if we belong.

v11-17  

Abstain from sinful desires

Live such good lives among pagans

Submit yourselves to every authority instituted among you for the Lord's sake

Live as free men

Show proper respect to everyone

Love the brotherhood of believers

Fear God

Honour the King

Christ suffered leaving us an example.  

He committed no sin

No deceit was in his mouth

He did not retaliate

He made no threats

He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.

Christlike behaviour is to be our pattern.  We must be submissive and considerate.  

Our behaviour should be harmonious - looking out for one another and caring.  Seeking to pass on the blessing we have received.   

Judges 21 Chaos & Carnage, 1 Peter 1:1-2:3 Changed by Christ

Vows should be taken solemnly.  They are not to be taken at a whim.

The chaos and carnage in Israel is because they had no King and everyone did as they pleased with not reference to God.

1 Peter 1-2:3

Salvation is God's rescue out of our helpless and hopeless situation to be God's.

We greatly rejoice because we know God has saved us and will save us.

The Prophets longed to be able to see these things, but were unable to.  Even angels cannot see them.  We must point to the Christ!

God has provided all we need to be saved, but we must behave in a manner that befits what God has done for us.

Judges 17-20 Turning their backs on God

Micah & the Danites did as they saw fit - doing whatever they wanted.

This Levite seemed an opportunist, rather than a man of God.  We need to walk worthily, rather than just taking opportunities that come our way.

Hospitality is a kindness expected of God's people, however, it is a kindness that will be abused.  This man's kindness is abused significantly - by taking the girl, raping her, by killing her, cutting her up & sending her throughout the kingdom.  It is an illustration of the anarchy that comes when we don't follow God's ways.

When we are loyal to those around us, our loyalty to God and His commandments comes more naturally.

The situation in the book of Judges is one of a repeated downhill spiral.  If the Lord is not part of the big picture, he will be overlooked in the small details.

Judges 13-16 Samson - a man who should have known better

Samson's Nazirite vow was different to the ordinary one - his mother had to keep it.  She was to be different until she gave birth to him and then he was to be seen as separate.

Manoah sought guidance as to how to bring up the child.  We can learn from looking to God in the bringing up of our children.

Manoah & his wife lived a life of faith.  They looked to God and were willing to be subject to Him in the way that lived.  His wife clearly understood the things of God more clearly than Manoah.

Samson was a man of contrasts - given to God, but enticed by sin.  Devoted, but fixated.  He lived a life that was not entirely given over to God and His ways.  As a result, he sadly plunged into demise.  We must remember to give of ourselves wholeheartedly without compromise to God.

We must remember that God's work done in God's way will never lack His supply.  He will provide at just the right time.

Sin is foolish and will always lead to disastrous consequences.  God will always be merciful to those who cast themselves on Him.

God allowed Samson to live the way he did to ultimately bring glory to God.  We are hopelessly weak and need God to overrule in every way.

Judges 9-12 God at work through the judges

Whatever we do, whenever we do it, if it is offensive to God, it will find us out.

When we assimilate, we compromise.  We are to be separate from those who do not belong to God.  Not by isolating ourselves, but rather keeping separate but connected.

God at first refused to deliver Israel because they had forsaken Him and no longer served Him.

Jephthah showed nobility and faith and piety by recognising if you have abandoned God, you should be looking to them to save you.  You cannot be inconsistent in your unbelief.

Jephthah's vow was one that needed to be fulfilled.  He was to be obedient to God whatever the circustance.  Jephthah clearly had the Spirit of the Lord on him and at work in him.

Judges 6-8 Gideon - lessons in faith

Ch 6 - When the people first cried to the Lord, His first answer was that He had brought them out, saved them and therefore, they must not worship the gods of the Amorites etc.

For a person to be faithful to God, they must first do so in home territory.  You cannot expect to be bold for God elsewhere if you are not with those who know you best and see you most.

Gideon's faith was strengthened by:

Fire from the rock (v21)
The experience of tearing down the Baal (v25-32)
A dry fleece amongst dewy ground.  (v36-40)

Ch 7 seems to be all about getting Gideon and the Israelites to the position where they could not argue their victory was for any other reason other than from God being at work.

Gideon moved from a place where he doubted the place and purpose of God to being used mightily by Him for His purposes.

Gideon shows himself to be hard working, gracious and generous.  He is concerned about the Lord's ways, not his own.

Gideon however failed when he had things going for him.  He should have close to the Lord in good times and bad.

Judges 3:7-5:31 The graciousness of God & the wickedness of humanity

God repeatedly ensured the Israelites were subject to suffering and pain through those who ruled over them, but repeatedly, He also gave them a deliverer.  It shows the justice and grace of God in equal measure.

Othniel had the Spirit of the Lord upon Him, Ehud went and obeyed the Lord.  Both were men were fully committed to obeying the Lord whatever He called for them to do.

We are not told why Barak would not go without Deborah - but he has not been obedient to the Lord in the process.  Again, it was God who provided the victory, not any of the individuals specifically involved.

Ch 5

v6-8  Things were pretty bad - roads were abandoned & village life had ceased.  

However, those who were obedient to God are praised for what they have done.  

Mark 16:9-20, Judges 1:1-3:6 "Pass it on!"

3 appearances of Jesus - to Mary Magdalene, to the two disciples and then to the eleven.

Jesus rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen Him.

We must ensure we do not fall to the same besetting sins - a lack of faith and refusal to believe others.

The Gospel is for all & if Jesus really did live, die, rise, ascend and is coming again, we MUST tell others about Him and of their need for Him.

Judges

When Judah went to take Canaan, they ought to have completed the job - but they failed.  They clearly were not trusting entirely in God and trusted in themselves.  We must obey God fully and trust Him completely.

The more Judah goes on, the less they do what God has told them to do.  Their relationship with Him therefore goes 'South'.

The Angel of the Lord told them that they had not kept God's command, and therefore would suffer a snare from their gods and the thorn of the opposition.

We must never compromise.  God is to be followed fully & obeyed completely.

The Israelites followed a cycle of 'backsliding, judgment, deliverance, renewed backsliding' - throughout, the goodness of God never wavered, whilst the folly of humans was repeated.

Christian example is vital.  Christian teaching is crucial and Christian marriage essential.  Our faith must be carefully passed on.  We cannot expect others to assume it and presume it.

Mark 15:1-16:8 Jesus' death & resurrection

Pilate assumed Jesus would want to speak.  He remained silent.  He also wanted to please the crowd - this seemed of more concern to him than anything else.  We must watch that our desire to please the masses isn't the utmost thought in our minds.

Jesus humbly submitted Himself to death, even death on a cross.  He fulfilled prophecy by being "like a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth".   It was the Lord's will for Him to be punished this way.

The mocking from the crowds and religious leaders showed their lack of understanding of who He was and what He had come to do.  The answer to Jesus' question regarding why He had been forsaken was because He had taken the sin of the world & sin separates us in our relationship with God.  The veil has been torn and the way to God been made available to all.

Joseph deliberately and boldly asks Pilate for Jesus' body.  He deliberately cares for it and wraps it and buries it in a tomb cut out of rock.  He showed faith and care in our Lord that continued even amidst tragedy and the potential for misunderstanding.  He went against the crowd.

The women were given the privilege of telling others, yet chose not to take it and rather, were trembling and bewildered.

Mark 14 Jesus betrayed, arrested, accused and denied

v1-9  Jesus commanded the woman with the alabaster jar because she did what she could and He considered it a beautiful thing. 

Our priorities in Christian service should not be money, but rather doing what we can for Jesus. 

v10-21  Judas’ motivation for betraying Jesus seemed to be money.  Do I see the potential in myself to betray Jesus for ulterior motives?

v22-25  Jesus brings salvation through the shedding of His blood, the giving up of His body and the costly sacrifice He was willing to make. 

v26-31  How much easier it is to see God’s words as appropriate for others & not ourselves – Peter would have done well to see Jesus as speaking directly to himself before considering others. 

v32-50  Jesus’ distress came from knowing what was about to take place – He was overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.  We must remember it was no easy thing for Jesus to go to the cross – He went willingly, but prayed that if it was possible, the Father would remove “this cup” from Him. 

Jesus was ready in a way that His disciples were not, because He had faced the situation with prayer and anticipation. 

v53-65  It was clear that Jesus saw Himself as the Christ (v62) & that they understood His claims to be the Christ (v63).   Jesus explained to them that one day they would see the Son of Man enthroned at the right hand of the Mighty One. 

Peter had been through some evening.  He had sat with Jesus as He had announced someone would betray Him – Peter must have wondered if this was Him.  He was sure it would not be.  He had heard Jesus say they would all fall away & again, He must have been sure this would not include him. 

He boldly stated it would not include him, but also heard Jesus say that he would disown Jesus 3 times that night.  Then, he had seen Jesus betrayed by one of His (& Peter’s) friends.  He had experienced the pain of seeing Jesus betrayed and being falsely accused.  He has been asked if he belongs with Jesus and denied it 3 times.  Peter has been on some journey – we must always remember we are vulnerable to temptation and must never think we are beyond it ourselve

Mark 12:28-13:37 Jesus is coming back - be ready!

12:28-34  Jesus said this teacher of the law was not far from the Kingdom of God – he simply had to apply what he had read & ensure that loving the Lord his God first & his neighbour as himself was part & parcel of his everyday life.

v41-44  Jesus measures our giving not by how much we are giving, but rather what proportion we are giving.  We are to be generous givers.

Jesus used the intellectual mastery of Scripture as a means to condemning the teachers of the law – we can know it, without really knowing Him or its power.  We need to examine ourselves carefully to avoid this.

13:1-13  Jesus takes their ordinary question about the stones and tells them of the end times.  He warns them to be on their guard to ensure no-one deceives them.  We are not to worry about what to say – remember the Spirit will give us the words to say.

v14-23  The abomination that causes desolation will happen.  We should look to the real Jesus for our deliverance – no-one else.  We should look for protection from false prophets. 

We must remember, ultimately, God is Sovereign.  However, we are given responsibility to respond appropriately. 

13:24-37  Facts we can be sure of:

The Son of Man will return in great power & glory

There will be signs this is imminent

God’s words will never pass away

No-one knows the day or hour

We must keep watch

If we are expecting Jesus to return, we should be:

On our guard

Alert

Watching

We must be ready, living holy and godly lives, looking forward to that day.  Make every effort to be spotless!

Mark 11:1-12:27 Jesus shows His power through words

Jesus is fully in control of His situation.  He is the one who saves & blesses.  He has clear priorities and standards to which we must keep.  He will bring about different responses.

Jesus is ready to proclaim who He is, so that the disciples and crowds get to see what He has come to do. 

11:1-6  The 2 disciples were tested by seeing if they would be obedient to what Jesus asked/commanded, and also in their faith in trusting that things would be as Jesus said. 

The fig tree in v12ff was a picture of Israel.  It was a reminder that although the tree could have borne fruit, it was not the season.  Jesus is teaching the Israelites that God is in charge of what bears fruit and what does not.  God is the One who can bring judgment that lasts upon anything/anyone.

v20-25  Effective prayer is dependent on:

Faith in God – believing you will receive what you ask, forgiving those we have anything against.

Jesus refused to answer the question of the chief priests, teachers of the law and elders because He knew they were trying to trick Him.  His question was to show His authority and wisdom.  The root of the problem was their heart attitude.  He knew what they were trying to do and effectively revealed this in His answer to them.

12:1-12  Jesus’ relation to God and the prophets is that He was the Son of the Father – the prophets bore witness to Him, but ultimately, He came and they killed Him. 

The motives of the tenants was purely about themselves and their own gain.  We must never forget the twisted motives and the heinous behaviour this can lead to. 

v13-17  Jesus’ wisdom was incredible in knowing the questioners’ hypocrisy.  Jesus reminded them of their responsibility within the world – they ‘belong’ to Caesar and so they should give to him, but more importantly, they belong to God and so must give what is His to Him.  Romans 13:1-7 show this clearly.

v18-27  Jesus shows they do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God.  What a telling statement.  Jesus allows the Scriptures to respond to the situation and to reveal the power of God.  

Mark 10 Marriage & children

v1-12  Marriage is God's plan - for 1 man & 1 woman.  Divorce was only permitted because of the hardness of the people's hearts.  But remember, what God has joined together, let no man separate.

v13-16  Jesus was indignant about the children being sent away because His Kingdom of God belongs to children like that.  We must do nothing to hinder those whom Jesus wants in His Kingdom from coming to Him.

v15  There is a simplicity in receiving the Kingdom of God like a child.  There is a humility and innocence.  We must not make it harder than it actually is.

v17ff  The man assumed we could "inherit" eternal life - there were good things we could do that would bring us eternal life.  Not so.

Jesus shows that even though he felt he had kept the law, his heart was not right - he was not willing to have all out sacrifice.

Jesus knew that to follow Him required giving up all - He also knew the man was not willing.  We must be willing to give up all for the sake of Jesus.

To those who are willing to follow Him without reservation, there is much to be received in the present age, but also in the age to come.  v31 is both a warning and a reminder - the current order will not be the new world order!

v32-34, 35  Jesus speaks in detail of all He will suffer - He will be mocked, flogged and spat on.  He will rise.  Jesus is clear about His purpose and His destiny.  He is fully in control of the situation.  We need not fear.

The disciples were afraid as they did not understand why He would allow all this - they failed to see who He was & what He was doing.

James & John's motives were selfish.  They only cared about themselves - they weren't interested in being servants.

If we want to be great, we must be servants & slaves.

Bartimaeus heard Jesus and asked for mercy.  He asked Jesus to help Him and had faith that He would.  As a result, Jesus healed Him.  We need to have faith, then ask Jesus to do things and then see Him answer our prayers.

Deuteronomy 31-34 Not just idle words

Moses & the Israelites had to remember the Lord their God was with them.  This was their cause for being strong and very courageous - nothing else.

The Lord knew the Israelites would still turn away from God - however, to help prevent this, He got Moses to write a song & also take the Book of the Law so it would bear witness to all they believed.  There are memorials that stand out as witnesses to what has gone on in previous generations - we must never forget all that God has done and actively take steps to avoid forgetting.

Ch 31 emphasises we need more than just the Law, but things that aid us in our memory of the Law, so that we get a clear grasp of what it is and all it means.

Ch 32:

God is...

Great
the Rock
Perfect
Just
Upright
Your Father
Your Creator
The Most High
The Saviour
Unlike any other

Israel in contrast is completely fickle & failing

v7-14  What God has done for Israel

Gave the nations their inheritance
Set up boundaries for peoples
Allotted Jacob His inheritance
Found him in the desert
Shielded him
Cared for him
Guarded him
Led him
Made him ride on the heights of the land
Fed him with the fruit of the fields
Nourished him with honey & oil, curds & milk etc

Israel abandoned His loving kindness and rejected God

God's ultimate purposes in His judgments are to fulfill His justice and bring His people to Himself.

Ch 33 - The blessing comes from the Lord.  It is He who gives.  It is He who provides.

Moses had been a leader used by God to accomplish great things.  He was not perfect,  but was used mightily.  We should never forget God's call to holiness, our need for His mediation, nor His abundant grace and mercy that abound.  Even in our worst, God shows His best.

Deuteronomy 27-30 Blessing & obedience

Ch 27:

God uses remembrance & reinforcement through visual memory to help the Israelites see how He expects obedience.  It is to be the norm.

The Priests were to be the ones who reinforce the law of God and pronounce judgment on sinners in God's name.  The law would not bring life - when they obeyed these laws, they soon disobeyed others.

Ch 28:

As Christians, we have a similar blessing for obedience - we are called God's people and are called to obey.

The curses are similar in that God will bring about disappointment, disaster and failed dreams.  There will be continuous disappointment as a result of what has happened.

When we seek the Lord, we must continue to seek Him and not turn away.  He calls for faithfulness in the long haul, not part time commitment.

Ch 29:

The Israelites would have had to remembered all that God had done for them & as a result been loyal to God as a result.  However, their sinful hearts showed their potential for leaving Him and going their own way.

God has revealed things so that we can follow His law and our children forever.  He has kept things that are only to be known by Him.

Ch 30:

The law is made to be obeyed...and when we obey, we will receive life.  God's law is perfect - it is for our good.  We must never forget this.

Deuteronomy 22-26 Rules for life!

Ch 22:1-21  Life and property are important- you are not to take them lightly, but rather, see God's ways as crucial to be obeyed.

v13-30  Chastity is important - we are created to be holy and pure, keeping ourselves for God and to be holy for Him.

Ch 23:  Purging yourself is important - keep yourself holy before God.  Don't take sin lightly.

Ch 24:

Equity & honesty:

Be honest in marriage
Don't take advantage of others with loans etc
Don't deprive the foreigner, fatherless or widow

Ch 25:  Paul uses this passage to argue that Christian workers are worthy of wages.  We must never forget to provide for them what they deserve.

Ch 26:1-11

The law required the Israelites to give the best of what they received to God - to recognise what He had done for them and to show their dependance on Him.

The Israelites were to remember all that God had done for them - He was declaring He was their God and they His people.  But, they were to live according to Him & His ways as a result.

Deuteronomy 16-21 Learn to revere the Lord

Ch 16:

2 requirements of the worshiper with regard the Feast of Weeks & Tabernacles:

Rejoice before the Lord
Be joyful!

By being joyful, you make your own joy complete.

Ch 17:

v2-7  There is a need for purity - but the discipline must not simply be on hearsay.  It must be established by several witnesses.

Israel's king was to be an Israelite - He must not acquire many horses or take many wives or accumulate much gold.  He must revere and read the law of the Lord and follow it carefully.

Ch 18:

Special ministries of priests & prophets:  were to stand on behalf of the people, and to speak God's words to them.

The prophet was to replace the sorcerer or diviner.  We can tell a true prophet by the outcome of their words - watch their outcome carefully.

Deut 18:18-19 was finally fulfilled in Jesus.  He was the One raised up by God to speak God's Words to His people.

The cities of refuge rules showed sin was serious, but also showed God's grace was not neglected.  He is God and must be obeyed, but is fully love and demonstrates this ably.

Ch 19:

Emphasies the spirit of "You shall not kill, steal or bear false witness" commands in v1-4, 14 & 15-21.

Ch 20:

Warfare is because of all God is and has done.  He requires wholehearted commitment and nothing less will do.

God is a God of consequence and compassion.  He requires us to live for Him and obedience to Him, but there are results when we don't obey Him.

Jesus took the curse on Himself when He died on the cross b/c 21:22-23 reminds us that "everyone who dies on a tree is cursed."

Deuteronomy 10:12-15 What the Lord requires of you.

The attributes & ways of God (10:12-11:12):

The God who doesn't coerce, who owns all things, who set his affection on you and chose you, the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great God, mighty, awesome, showing no partiality and accepting no bribes.  The one who defends the cause of the fatherless and widow, who loves the foreigner, giving him food and clothing.  The God who performed awesome wonders and cares for you, whose eyes are on you.

The rewards & punishments of God (11:13-32):

The promise of rain and provision or the anger of the Lord and the shutting of the heavens and failure of produce.

Ch 12 is all about having no other gods before God.  We must remember He is the only God and there is no other.

Ch 13 is about ridding ourselves of idols.  Only God is to be worshipped, noone else.

God's will is shown in the long-term, not the immediate.  Don't be swayed by first appearances - God does things in ways that cannot be seen or easily measured.

Ch 14

We are to be different from the rest of the world.  Remember you are children of the Lord.  Those who have died are treated differently.
Food & indulgence are important - you cannot just eat whatever you want.  It matters to God.  Our money and possessions are not our own - they belong to God.

Ch 15

Jesus is the One who cancels debts and sets free - He shows unmerited grace and favour.

This chapter is a reminder of what God wants of us - to put others before ourselves.  Everyone is equal before God - noone is more important.


Be open-handed.

Deuteronomy 7-10:11 A Holy & Treasured People

Ch 7:

Four ways the Israelites were to deal with the idolatrous Canaanites (v1-5):

Destroy them totally
Make no treaty with them
Don't intermarry with them
Break their altars, sacred stones, Asherah poles & idols

We are to completely separate ourselves from the idols of this world - destroying them in our lives, not making any treaty with them, intermarrying or doing anything that unites us with them.

v6-11  The reasons for this are:

They are a holy people to God.  He has chosen them to be His treasured possession.  He loved them and will keep His promises.

Likewise, we are to be a holy people to God.

v12-16  3 blessings God promises will come with the faithful pursuit of this policy:

God will keep His covenant of love
He will bless them and increase their numbers
He will keep them free from every disease

We are called to be separate as believers - we are to be different.

Remember who God is and all that He is capable of - we must remember He alone has the power to help us through things.  We have no power in and of ourselves.

Ch 8:

God's threefold purpose in taking the Israelites through the wilderness:

To humble them
To test them
To teach them

Jesus reminded Satan that man does not live by bread alone - we need the Word of God.

We must remember never to forget - always remind yourselves and remember.  Barnabas reminded them also - we must never forget.

Ch 9:

The Israelites were at risk of thinking it was because of their own self-righteousness that God had won victories.  They had to realise and remember it was only because of God that they won anything.

Moses' example is a reminder of the value of intercessory prayer - it changed things for the Israelites as God worked in response to all that Moses prayed.  The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

Deuteronomy 4-6 God's commands for how we should live

There is no God like our God.  His Words are important - keep them & pass them on.  Don't forget Him.

The Word of God is unique and special.  No other God has chosen to speak like our God.

Obey Him - remember He alone is God, there are no others.

The ten commandments are personal - they are addressed to us as individuals.  We should obey.

In response to the commandments, we are to have an appropriate sense of awe as to who God is and all He has done.

God is a gracious God - One whom listens and is good and gracious to His people.

God gave the law so it could be obeyed and that the people would enjoy long life.

We must never forget God, not even when things are going well for us.  This is a real danger - do not forget God!!

Family is a vital part of all we do and believe.  We live together in community with others and live out our faith in community.

Deuteronomy 1-3 Keep your eyes on God!

Sin described (ch 1):

Rebellion (v26)
Grumbling (v27)
Not trusting in the Lord (v32)

The implication is that the Israelites had been ready, but had turned their backs on God - we must never forget to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, no matter what the circumstances.

Sin is serious (1:40-45) but God is never too far from Salvation.  He will save.  He delights to do so.

We must remember our history & learn from it, rather than condemning ourselves by it.

God decides when and where people should live.  He is intimately involved in the plans and purposes of all people everywhere.

God has proved Himself gracious in sparing Edom, Moab & Ammon - He has His purposes and plans.

God has His purposes, that we are called to obey - however, we must rest in His grace and not neglect these acts of faith.

The conquest of Sihon and Og (in ch 3) reminded that God would accomplish what He wanted, how He wanted.  These were memories that the people of God were to take and to treasure.

3:21-22 is a reminder of the need for mutual encouragement - none of us goes alone.  We all need God and others.  By obeying God, we point others to Jesus!