Wed.’s Devo - God’s Laws

Read: Deuteronomy 21:1-22:30; Luke 9:51-10:12; Psalm 74:1-23; Proverbs 12:11 Today’s reading is so full of details there is no way I can address them all, but I will deal with a few of them. *** First, it was the Levitical priests that God had chosen to decide all legal and criminal cases. Christians are the ones who are to judge over the people. God never separated the church from the state. The church was to rule the state. The heifer that atoned for the unsolved murder is Christ. He allowed his will to be broken to die for all of our sins. *** In verse 15-17 we see the description of Jacob with Leah and Rachel. Jacob was tricked into marrying Leah, but she had his first born son, Reuben. Jacob honored him as the first born until he slept with Jacob’s concubine and lost his position. *** A stubborn and rebellious son was to be brought to the elders of the city and all the men were to stone him. When the parents had done all they could do to discipline the son and he still didn’t repent, they did not try to cover for him but took him to the elders to be judged. All of the elders then used their words (stones) to bring the son to repentance. Another way of looking at this is that we bring our rebellious children to the throne of grace and fast and pray for them. We speak God’s Word over them and let his Word kill the old man in our children’s hearts. We continue to pray until they repent and turn to the Lord. We never give up on our children. *** We are to take responsibility for things that happen around us. There is a reason we see the things we see. *** God hates mixture. He is pure and holy and the things he made are pure and holy also. He does not want us mixing seed and creating cross-breeds in people, animals or food. *** They were to be honest in everything. They could not accuse their partners of things they didn’t do just to get out of the marriage. If a man defiled a woman outside of marriage, he had to marry her. If we did that today, I think boys would think twice before having sex with any girl they met. Marriage would become honored and holy again. *** In Luke, Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem for the last time. He sent messengers to prepare for his arrival in a Samaritan village, but because they knew he was on his way to Jerusalem for the Jewish Passover, they refused to welcome him. The disciples wanted to call down fire from heaven and burn them up but Jesus rebuked them. Instead, they stayed at another village. *** As they were traveling, Jesus met people who said they wanted to follow him but when it came down to following through on the promise they all had excuses. Jesus concluded with telling them that anyone who started their walk with him and then looked back at what they were missing was not fit for the kingdom of God. (Remember Lot’s wife.) *** Jesus sent 72 other disciples out to prepare for his arrival at those towns. They were to tell them that the kingdom of God was very near. They were to allow the people to take care of them and provide their needs. What they were bringing them was worth all their expenses. If they refused to welcome them, they were to wipe all offenses off their shoulders and abandon them to their fate. *** It is not our job to save people, it is our job to tell them about Christ. It is their job to receive the good news. We will get the same reward whether they receive or not. We are God’s servants in the field. We cannot determine the harvest. *** Lord, may we be diligent to share your good news and prepare the way for others to find your Kingdom.