Deuteronomy 16:13-22
Today's Passage: Deuteronomy 16:13-22
God is a God of rules and order; which is comical considering the fact that we are a people who by nature don’t like either of those two things. The rebel in us wants to be free from rules and outside the bondage of order where we can roam free and throw caution to the wind. This is exactly why we need rules and order, and God gave it to the Israelites in the book of Deuteronomy.
None of it is without reason. Let’s consider Deuteronomy 16:13-22 and find the reasons for rules and order.
THE RULE: keep the Feast of Weeks (v. 13)
THE REASON: because the LORD will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you will be altogether joyful (v. 17)
Rules exist because so does freedom. God is so gracious that He attaches a promise of prosperity to the keeping of this Feast. As one who is cynical of ‘prosperity theology’, there are times when God seems to make it clear that He will richly bless obedience. It’s not our job to figure our God’s benevolence here; it’s our job to believe it.
THE ORDER: appoint judges and officers in your towns (v. 18)
THE REASON: We are prone to “pervert justice, show partiality, and accept bribes.’ We aren’t the best at following justice and need some Divine aid in this matter (v. 19-20)
Order exists because so does selfishness, which is often the root cause of oppression and injustice done to one another. God places judges and officers so that we don’t create anarchy as an overflow of the selfishness that exists inside our hearts. Order is good, and needed, in the hopes that all people are treated fairly and with justice. Since God Himself is just, we are called to the be the same.
Like it or not, we all benefit greatly from rules and order. It keeps our rebellious natures in check, and in doing so ensures we are better equipped for the heart of all that God is instructing the Israelites to do: to love God and love people. These boundaries only serve for our good and for the glory of God.
Question to ponder: do you balk at certain rules from God as if they are designed to rob you, or do you see them as divine guardrails that are designed to bless you?
Written By: Drew Dukes
God is a God of rules and order; which is comical considering the fact that we are a people who by nature don’t like either of those two things. The rebel in us wants to be free from rules and outside the bondage of order where we can roam free and throw caution to the wind. This is exactly why we need rules and order, and God gave it to the Israelites in the book of Deuteronomy.
None of it is without reason. Let’s consider Deuteronomy 16:13-22 and find the reasons for rules and order.
THE RULE: keep the Feast of Weeks (v. 13)
THE REASON: because the LORD will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you will be altogether joyful (v. 17)
Rules exist because so does freedom. God is so gracious that He attaches a promise of prosperity to the keeping of this Feast. As one who is cynical of ‘prosperity theology’, there are times when God seems to make it clear that He will richly bless obedience. It’s not our job to figure our God’s benevolence here; it’s our job to believe it.
THE ORDER: appoint judges and officers in your towns (v. 18)
THE REASON: We are prone to “pervert justice, show partiality, and accept bribes.’ We aren’t the best at following justice and need some Divine aid in this matter (v. 19-20)
Order exists because so does selfishness, which is often the root cause of oppression and injustice done to one another. God places judges and officers so that we don’t create anarchy as an overflow of the selfishness that exists inside our hearts. Order is good, and needed, in the hopes that all people are treated fairly and with justice. Since God Himself is just, we are called to the be the same.
Like it or not, we all benefit greatly from rules and order. It keeps our rebellious natures in check, and in doing so ensures we are better equipped for the heart of all that God is instructing the Israelites to do: to love God and love people. These boundaries only serve for our good and for the glory of God.
Question to ponder: do you balk at certain rules from God as if they are designed to rob you, or do you see them as divine guardrails that are designed to bless you?
Written By: Drew Dukes
No Comments