Mon.’s Devo - God’s Laws are Good

Read: Deuteronomy 23:1-25:19; Luke 10:13-37; Psalm 75:1-10; Proverbs 12:12-14 Part of worshiping false gods had to do with castration so God wouldn’t allow anyone who had done this to themselves or had it done by their parents into his presence. If a person was illegitimate which means he had a Jewish father and a heathen mother, he was not allowed into the assembly for ten generations. The Ammonite or Moabite was not allowed into God’s presence for ten generations because they didn’t welcome Israel with food and water when they came out of Egypt and because they hired Balaam to curse them. Because of this, they were never to promote the welfare or prosperity of the Ammonites and the Moabites. *** The Edomites were not to be detested because they were relatives. They were to be allowed into God’s presence in their third generation. *** All unclean emissions must be taken outside the camp. They were to take in refugees that escaped their masters. *** Fellow Israelites must be treated kindly and fairly. They were not to charge one another interest on loans. Once you make a vow, you must keep it. *** Divorce was allowed if a man wrote a writ of divorcement and made it legal. She was free to marry again. If she was divorced the second time she could not go back with the first man. *** Kidnappers who trafficked people must die. The poor must be treated with respect and honor. They were not to be taken advantage of but given justice and charity. They were to be paid daily for their work. The farmer was not to glean his field twice but leave the ungleaned for the poor. *** If two brothers lived together on the same property and one brother died without an heir, the living brother was to take his widow and have a child with her, who would bear the name of the dead husband. If he refused to do this then the widow would take him to court. She would take his sandal off and spit in his face and declare before the elders that this is what happens to a man who refused to provide his brother with children. Then he would be known for that. *** They were to be honest in all their business dealings. They were never to forget what the Amelekites did to them when they came out of Egypt. They attacked Israel when they were exhausted and weary. They had no fear of God so their name would be erased from the earth. *** In Luke, Jesus said the same of the people living in Korazin and Bethsaida. Jesus had done many miracles there and yet they had hard hearts. Their names would also be erased at the judgment. *** Jesus told his disciples that anyone who accepted them, accepted him and anyone who rejected his disciples rejected him. (That is a good reminder for us.) *** The seventy-two Jesus had sent out came back so excited that the demons obeyed them. Jesus told them that they should rejoice more that their names were registered in heaven. Jesus was so filled with joy hearing their reports. He realized the wisdom of God to put his power inside these people who the world didn’t esteem highly. *** Jesus told his disciples that they were blessed because God had given them eyes to see and ears to hear. *** One of the experts in religious law came to test Jesus. He asked him what he should do to inherit eternal life. Jesus asked him what the scriptures said. He replied to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, strength and mind. and love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus agreed. The man pushed further and asked him who his neighbor was. Jesus told him the story of the good Samaritan. Then Jesus asked him which one was his neighbor. The manned replied, “The one how showed him mercy.” Jesus told him to go and do the same. *** I would have loved to see this man’s face while he was listening to his story. Who knows his heart, but he got an answer he would have to contemplate for a while. Lord, help us to think out of our religious boxes and see the Kingdom you were trying to introduce. May we learn to love what you love and hate what you hate.