Day 078 · March 19 - Through the Bible 2022

Daily reading

Today’s reading is: Deut. 16:18-21:9

(Outline continues from yesterday)

Moses instructed Israel to establish local judges and officers to administer justice locally (Deut. 16:18-17:1).
1. These judges presided over temporal-life legal issues (Deut. 16:18-20).
2. These judges safeguarded spiritual-life idolatry issues (Deut. 16:21,22; 17:1).

Additional judicial instructions and procedures are put in place (Deut. 17:2-13).
1. Reported violations of Commandment #1 must be thoroughly investigated.
2. Confirmed violations of Commandment #1 must be immediately condemned.
3. Any uncertainties in judicial proceedings were to be referred to an appropriate Levitical priest, or judge in office.
Prophetic instructions are also put in place for the time when Israel demands a king (Deut. 17:14-20).
1. God knew that the day would come when Israel would demand a king (Deut. 17:14; 1st Sam. 8:5,19,20).
2. God maintained His Sovereign prerogative to select any king that would sit on the throne of Israel (Deut. 17:15; 1st Sam. 9:16,17; 10:24).
3. The Lord prohibited the king to multiply horses, wives, and treasure (Deut. 17:16,17).
4. The Lord instructed the king to write his own copy of the Law for himself when he assumes office, and to pursue a Daily Scripture Reading program (Deut. 17:18-20).

Moses reminds Israel of the sanctified place of the Levite in their society (Deut. 18:1-8; Ex. 29:9; Lev. 7:32-34; Num. 18:11,12,20).
Moses warns Israel to avoid imitating the Canaanite’s occult practices (Deut. 18:9-14; Lev. 19:26-31).
Moses gives a prophetic announcement of the coming Christ (Deut. 18:15-19).
1. A Prophet like Moses (Deut. 18:15,18; Matt. 13:57; 21:11,46; Lk. 24:19; Jn. 4:19; 9:17).
2. A Mediator between God and man (Deut. 18:16; 1st Tim. 2:5).
3. This Prophet will speak only the words which God (the Father) gives Him (Deut. 18:18; Jn. 7:16,17; 8:28; 12:49,50; 14:10,24).
4. This Prophet will have The Message for which rejection carries eternal condemnation (Deut. 18:19; John 3:18,36; 5:24; Acts 3:23).
Moses also highlights the test for a true prophet (Deut. 18:20-22; 13:1-5).
1. If the prophet has even one unfulfilled prophecy, he is a false prophet, and is to be stoned.
2. If the prophet’s signs and wonders do come true, but his message is contrary to the Word of God, he is to be stoned.

Moses reminds Israel of the law concerning the cities of refuge (Deut. 19:1-13; Num. 35:9-34).
Moses commands Israel to respect the boundary markers, as indicators of the Lord’s inheritance (Deut. 19:14).
Moses reminds Israel of the law concerning the number of witnesses, and how to deal with false witnesses (Deut. 19:15-21; Num. 35:30; Deut. 17:6).

Moses instructs Israel in the Lord’s expectations concerning military service and activity (Deut. 20:1-20).
Military Rule #1: Do not be afraid (Deut. 20:1). Before each battle, the priests were to offer spiritual encouragement for the temporal conflict (Deut. 20:2-4).
Military Rule #2: Exemptions from battle are only acceptable according to the Lord’s standards (Deut. 20:5-8).
1. New home builders are exempt until their home is set in order (Deut. 20:5).
2. New vineyard planters are exempt until their vintage comes in (Deut. 20:6), three years later (Lev. 19:23-25).
3. Engaged men, and newlyweds are exempt until they have been married for one year (Deut. 20:6; 24:5).
4. Cowards are exempt until they can learn to obey Military Rule #1 (Deut. 20:8).
Military Rule #3: appoint a clear chain of command (Deut. 20:9).
Military Rule #4: an offer of peace should be made before each battle against all external nations (Deut. 20:10-15).
Military Rule #5: no peace offer is to be made against all the Canaanite nations within Israel’s inheritance (Deut. 20:16-20).

Moses gives instructions for how city elders might deal with homicide investigations (Deut. 21:1-9).

(Chapter Twenty-One continues tomorrow)