Here’s how the study works: Read the chapters mentioned in the heading during the week and share any words, thoughts, verses that stood out to you. Having a week for several chapters creates the opportunity to revisit them and make additional comments as you feel inclined as well as make comments on other people’s insights.
11:18 Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.
The Israelites were exhorted to fix God’s words in their hearts and minds by making visual reminders. If we want to follow God’s ways we have to make a decision as to what we fix our minds on. Whether we use visual reminders or not, the choice is ours as to what we focus on.
11:18 Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.
The Israelites were exhorted to fix God’s words in their hearts and minds by making visual reminders. If we want to follow God’s ways we have to make a decision as to what we fix our minds on. Whether we use visual reminders or not, the choice is ours as to what we focus on.
12:4 You must not worship the Lord your God in their way.
12:31 You must not worship the Lord your God in their way, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the Lord hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods.
Israel was to be different to the other nations. Their worship of God would be different to the way the other nations worship their gods because other nations used sexual symbols and sacrificed their children. God has a better way for people to honour him, and one another.
12:4 You must not worship the Lord your God in their way.
12:31 You must not worship the Lord your God in their way, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the Lord hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods.
Israel was to be different to the other nations. Their worship of God would be different to the way the other nations worship their gods because other nations used sexual symbols and sacrificed their children. God has a better way for people to honour him, and one another.
13:1-3 If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, “Let us follow other gods” (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul.
The Lord already knows whether we love him with all our hearts but we don’t. We think we love him wholeheartedly but then along comes something that leads us astray. The Lord tests us to show us what is in our hearts.
13:1-3 If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, “Let us follow other gods” (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul.
The Lord already knows whether we love him with all our hearts but we don’t. We think we love him wholeheartedly but then along comes something that leads us astray. The Lord tests us to show us what is in our hearts.
14:23 Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you may learn to revere the Lord your God always.
(From Constable’s Commentary) Canaanite cults “try to coerce the deity into blessing them with fertility for the year to come.” But the Israelites were to bring a tithe of what God had already blessed them with, as an act of gratitude.
14:23 Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you may learn to revere the Lord your God always.
(From Constable’s Commentary) Canaanite cults “try to coerce the deity into blessing them with fertility for the year to come.” But the Israelites were to bring a tithe of what God had already blessed them with, as an act of gratitude.
15:4-5 However, there need be no poor people among you, for in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, if only you fully obey the Lord your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today.
15:11 There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.
“There need be no poor people among you” because God “will richly bless you” but “there will always be poor people in the land” because the people did not trust God to provide.
Be openhanded anyway.
15:4-5 However, there need be no poor people among you, for in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, if only you fully obey the Lord your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today.
15:11 There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.
“There need be no poor people among you” because God “will richly bless you” but “there will always be poor people in the land” because the people did not trust God to provide.
Be openhanded anyway.