Read: Deuteronomy 18:1-20:20; Luke 9:28-50; Psalm 73:1-28; Proverbs 12:10
The Levites were to live off the sacrifices given of the people to the Lord. It was like the Levites represented God on earth. Wherever the Levites were called to go, God would provide for them. We, as overcoming Christians are the Levites of the Old Testament.
Moses prophesied about Jesus when he told them that God would raise up a prophet from among them who would tell the people everything God commanded him to say. In John 1:19-21, the people asked John the Baptist if he was “that prophet”. He told them he was the prophet that Isaiah talked about, not the one Moses predicted. In John 6:14, when Jesus fed the 5,000, the men recognized Jesus as “that prophet”.
Moses explained the cities of refuge for anyone accused of a murder that was not intentional, or if he was falsely accused. As they spread out in the land, they were to add these cities.
If the accuser was found to have brought false charges, then what he had intended for the innocent will be imposed on him. Our accuser is Satan and we need to turn back on him what he has intended toward us.
Moses gave them strategy for war. When they faced an enemy greater than themselves, they were not to panic or be afraid, because God will go with you and fight them and give you the victory. What a promise!!! God will always give us problems that are bigger than us, but the promise still stands. He will get the victory!
The people who were exempt from fighting for the time were people who had just built a house but hadn’t dedicated it yet, those who had just planted a vineyard and not eaten its first fruits and those who had just betrothed themselves to a wife but hadn’t married her yet. These are all pictures of the same thing. It means a person who is not yet born again. People who are not saved will not defeat the devil in warfare. They will be defeated and someone else would have to live out their destiny.
After they had eliminated the unsaved, the officer would ask if any remaining were afraid. The fearful Christian will frighten everyone else, so they don’t need to be a warrior, yet. Those who know their God will do exploits.
How they fought was determined by where they were. If they were in the land God had appointed for them, then they were to destroy everything and take no prisoners. This is a place God has given you to take - your family, your town, etc.
When they met towns outside the promised land, they were to offer peace first. If they chose it, their people would be their slaves, if not, then they would take the town but only kill the men. They could take the plunder, the women and the children and livestock. I’ll leave the interpretation to you.
If the war continues, they were not to cut down fruitful trees. There are fruitful people on the wrong side. They are to be left alone because we need what they produce. The others are to be used as weapons against themselves. Selah!
Jesus took Peter, John and James up on a mountain to pray. Moses and Elijah came and talked with Jesus about his resurrection. Moses stands for the law and Elijah stands for the prophet. They were Jesus’ two witnesses of who he was. Then God spoke and told the disciples that Jesus was his son - the Chosen One and to listen to him. Jesus was the fulfillment of the law and the prophets.
He proved his authority when he cast the demon out of the son and healed him. As the people marveled at God’s power, Jesus tried to tell his disciples what was coming, but all they could think about was who would be the greatest in his kingdom.
It is funny, how we can be just like the disciples and miss the point. In this upheaval the world is going through we have to remember that God is in control and he has power over what Satan is doing. We need to stay focused on the victory.
Lord, help us to walk fearlessly into battle agains a defeated enemy. We will take the ground you have given us to take on the earth. We will see your kingdom come to earth.
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