Pete’s Thoughts:

Deuteronomy 33

Just like the patriarchs before him, Moses gives his blessing to the people before he dies.  He blesses each, what is now, tribe of the children of Israel.  Through this, God allows Moses to peel back the mists of time and speak with the prophetic tongue of the Spirit.

Deuteronomy 34

Moses has come to the end of his life.  Many people consider him to be the greatest leader of the nation of Israel and rightly so.  Before he dies on the mountain, God shows him all of the land that He has promised to them.  Moses had seen a lot of things over his 120 years of life – 40 as a child of the daughter of Pharaoh, 40 as a shepherd in the wilderness, and 40 following God and leading the people, but I can imagine thing look so wonderful as seeing the promised land of the Lord.  Moses left a fantastic legacy.  God talked face to face with him, he lead an unrully people, yet still interceded for them before the Lord, he was use of God to preform mighty works of God, God used him to change the shape of history.  What legacy are you leaving?

Pete’s Thoughts:

Deuteronomy 28

Just like any parent, God desires His children to follow Him and be obedient to what He tells them.  God promises blessings for obedience to His commandments.  The amazing thing is that God is capable of fulfilling His blessings.  It’s such a simple thing that sometimes we overlook it – when we follow the Lord in every area of our lives, we will live a healthier, purer, more Christ-like life.  This life will bless those around us as we seek to bring God glory in everything we do.

Deuteronomy 29

Moses calls the people together and reminds them what God did for the in Egypt but also took the time to turn the tables around.  Just as God’s judgment reigned on Pharaoh, if the children of Israel did not follow the Lord, they too would experience His judgment.

Deuteronomy 30

In his last address to the nation he has led for the past forty years, Moses challenges the people.  He lays out both the blessings and the cursing that will occur depending on them following God or not.  After this he encourages them to always take the right path – choose life, that you might life.  The same advice applies to us.  When faced with a decision, our choice should always be to follow God – to choose life and the blessing of God.

Deuteronomy 31

The people would need a reminder of all that Moses had taught them from God.  Thus the Law was to be read completely, before the people every seven years.  Every seven years they would be reminded of all God had done for them.  Every seven years they would reflect on the blessings of the Lord.  Every seven years they would be faced with the curses of disobedience.  It is good to stop occasionally and reflect on the past so you can prepare yourself to the great things God has for you in the future.

Deuteronomy 32

It is very easy to learn something when it is set to music.  Think of all the countless song lyrics you know.  Think of all the simple jingles that stick in your head days and months and even years after you last heard them.  That is why God had Moses write a song for the people.  They would sing it and remember.

Pete’s Thoughts:

Deuteronomy 23

In the midst of this chapter on various laws, the people are reminded again to uphold their vows.  When a man commits his word, he is to stick to it.  Their faithfulness to their word is a reflection on the faithfulness of God to His word.

Deuteronomy 24

God always provides for His people.  We see Him providing for the needy in this chapter.  When a field was harvested, the workers were not allowed to go back and pick up anything they forgot or missed.  This would be left for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow.  These people would not be able to support themselves completely on their own.  God uses this law to make sure that everyone is taken care of with the harvest.  It is through this law that Ruth meets Boaz.

Deuteronomy 25

When punishment was deserving, God wanted to make sure that it was exacted in the proper way.  That is why He told the judges to have the men deserving of a beating to be beaten in their presence.  This would ensure that the count of the beatings would be correct and not too many.

Deuteronomy 26

Here the tithe is discussed again.  Do you think God wanted everyone, including Christians today, to understand the importance of this?

Deuteronomy 27

Look at the curses that are given in this chapter.  At the end of each, the people say “Amen!” or “so be it.”  While some of these seem like huge sins in our eyes, there are a couple that may surprise you.  Do you fall into these categories as one who would be cursed?  What do you need to do to put yourself back in a right standing with God?

Pete’s Thoughts:

Deuteronomy 18

When the people met with God in Horeb they could not stand to hear the voice of the Lord directly.  Thus they told Moses to go up and intercede for them.  God promised a time would come when He would meet with mankind face to face.  He told them there would come a Prophet like Moses who will speak with the power and authority of God Himself because He is God Himself.  God also told the people how to tell if a prophet was from God or not.  The difference is distinct in two ways – 1. The prophet speaks with the authority of other gods/without God’s authority and 2. what the prophet says does not happen.  God will never lie to us because it is not in His character to lie.  Therefore, if He tells us something is about to happen, it will happen just as He says, not so with false prophets.

Deuteronomy 19

As we have looked at before, justice is important to God because He is just.  It is important to Him to have proper witnesses when accusations are brought against people.  It must be by the testimony of two or three people at least, anything else is just hearsay.

Deuteronomy 20

This is an amazing chapter on faith.  Guidelines may seem like an odd section to look at faith but read through it again.  The nation was told not to let their heart faint nor be afraid for God goes to battle with them.  The first verse tells the nation that they will face armies with more men and horses and chariots that the Israelites had.  In face of this, they were told to trust God, a change for their faith to grow.  Verse 13 doesn’t say, “if the Lord delivers the city into your hands,” instead the verse says, “When…”  That is a big difference – faith verses blind-hope.

Deuteronomy 21

The last verse of this chapter is very important for Christians today.  God tells the Israelites not to allow bodies to be left hanging overnight.  This verse is applied to Christ when He paid the penalty for the sins of the world on the cross – “he who is hanged is accursed of God.”

Deuteronomy 22

If our culture today paid lived according to this chapter the graveyards would be filled to over flowing.  God set down strong penalties for sexual impurity because He designed sex to be pure with in marriage, anything else is wrong and defiles what God made to be holy.

Pete’s Thoughts:

Deuteronomy 13

Serving the Lord is the most important this for our lives as well as the lives of the Israelites.  God did not want them to be led astray so He told them what to do when someone tries to lead them away from God.  They were to not listen to the person or persons and then that person or persons was to be put to death.  This may seem like a harsh punishment for what many people see today as “freedom of choice” but when you look at the history of Israel, you will see time and time again that Israel was constantly lead away from God by those people who where close to them.  They should have followed the guidelines that God clearly laid down for them and there would have been much less sorrow.  Now, I am not advocating the killing of people who don’t believe what you believe but we must certainly not have contact with them so they cannot lead us astray.

Deuteronomy 14

This chapter covers the tithe or 10 percent.  While there are many offerings discussed in the law, the tithe was to be give regardless of anything else you gave.  It is to the be base that you start at for your giving.  The tithe is still applicable to Christians today because it transcends the Old Testament Law.  Abraham was the first one recorded in the Bible to give a tithe in honor of the Lord.  Therefore, the tithe was in place before the Law, the Law just clarified what it is in more detail.

Deuteronomy 15

There are many sections to the Law but one of the important threads that runs through out the whole Law is kindness to strangers, widows orphans, and those less fortunate that yourself.  The people were to be generous to God and others because God has been generous to them.  They were to show that they cared for others just as God cared for them.  I think it’s time we get back to the point where we realize that everything that God has blessed us with, He owns.  We need to start using His resources (our money and everything else He has given us) to His glory by helping others.

Deuteronomy 16

Just as God is a just God, the people needed to be judged by a just judge.  Since these judges were an extension of God’s authority, they needed to be just, just as God is just.

Deuteronomy 17

It would be easy to give God the sick and the poor animals in a flock.  It would solve the problem of having to take care of them as well as fill the purpose of sacrificing to God.  But God doesn’t want the left overs.  He wants our best.  Why do we try to give Him just smallest portion we can?  Why do we try to stay so close to the line of what we are supposed to give Him?  After all He has given us, we should be overflowing with joy at the opportunity to give back to Him, not because He needs what we give, but because we love Him.

Pete’s Thoughts:

Deuteronomy 8

It is important for everyone to remember the Lord.  It was important for the Isrealites especially.  They had seen firsthand what God could do for them when they followed Him as well as what He would allow to happen to them when they didn’t follow Him.  As Christians, we too should learn from this and make sure that we focus on not forgetting God and all He has blessed us with.

Deuteronomy 9

Look at the many times that Israel forsook God and sought their own devices.  Time and time again, they did not listen to the word of God and they were not blessed but instead were chastised.  We are no better than they.  They had Moses and the Law, we have the indwelling Holy Spirit.  Just like the Israelites, we are without excuse.

Deuteronomy 10

Moses summarizes the main point of the Law – to focus on God, walk in His ways, fear Him, and keep His commandments.  Everything that is in the Law points us to at least one of these points.

Deuteronomy 11

This chapter reminds us that following God will bring a blessing and disobedience will bring a curse.  I don’t know about you but I would rather have the blessing than the curse.  To this end, I strive to always follow God.  I also strive this way because I want to bring honor and glory to the God that I love.

Deuteronomy 12

Moses tells the people that they are to destroy all the idols and false gods of the land when they enter it.  What strikes me as vastly important is verse 8 – Moses tells them they are not to do what is right in their own eyes, but to do what is right in the eyes of God.  If you are worshiping those false idols that were not destroyed you can’t be doing what is right in God’s eyes.  This is exactly the place that the nation of Israel finds themselves just two books later at the end of Judges, everyone doing what is right in his own eyes.

Pete’s Thoughts:

Deuteronomy 3

Moses pleads with the Lord to let him enter the Promised Land.  We see from his life that while God forgives our sins, we still have to deal with the consequences of them.  Moses struck the rock when God told him to speak to it.  If you commit a murder and are sentences to jail, you may accept Jesus as your Savior while in prison but that doesn’t mean you are going to instantly be let out of jail – you still have the consequences to deal with.

Deuteronomy 4

The first thing that Moses reiterated to the people was their special relationship with God.  He chose them out of all of the nations of the world.  With this in mind, they were to worship Him alone.  This is something Christians need to bear in mind – we have a special relationship – we need to live like it!

Deuteronomy 5

The second item that Moses covered is that which has become the foundation for untold numbers of civilization’s civil code – the 10 Commandments.  They are the foundation of the law.  Every other statute that God gave the Israelites begins with at least one of these.

Deuteronomy 6

Here is the greatest commandment – the love the Lord with all of your heart, soul, and strength.  It is one thing to understand and obey the law it is something else completely to obey the law because you love the Lawmaker – God.  We obey because we want to show our love and devotion to the One who commands us.

Deuteronomy 7

God tells the Israelites that there will be blessings provided if they follow Him but also curses if they turn their backs on Him.

Pete’s Thoughts:

Numbers 34

It is important, when entering a new area, to know the bounds of your habitation.  God took the time to clearly define the area to which He was giving the Israelites.  This would give them an idea of the size and the amount of the blessing that God was giving them as well as tell them where they were to live.  The next item that needed to be covered was the chain of command for the authority to divide the land amongst the tribes.

Numbers 35

There are two special types of cities that God setup.  These were the cities of the Levites, since they didn’t receive an inheritance for their tribe, and the cities of refuge.  The cities of refuge were created in case a person is accidentally killed, the manslayer can flee there and be safe from the retribution of the family.  There were very specific guidelines laid down to make sure the manslayer was safe and to make sure that he truly was not guilty.

Numbers 36

Moses ends the book of Numbers by clearly stating, again, the order and rules for inheritance to be passed to daughters.

Deuteronomy 1

It is almost comical the way Moses points out the irony of the journey so far.  He tells us that the journey from Horeb to Kadesh Barnea takes only eleven days.  The nation of Israel had traveled there once before but they went back into the wilderness because of their not trusting God.  The second time they make the journey back to Kadesh Barnea, instead of taking them only 11 days, it took them 40 years!  What a waste of time and a whole generation just because they feared man more than God.

Deuteronomy 2

Moses continues given a recounting of the journey that has brought them to this point.

Pete’s Thoughts:

Numbers 29

God covers the Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles.  Notice that for the feast of Trumpets and Tabernacles the Lord says, “You shall do no customary work.”  It is only for the Day of Atonement that God tells them not to do any work.  When reading the New Testament, it is easy to assume that God commanded that no work be done on any of the high feast days.  Yet that is not the case, they were not to do their customary work – their daily grind (work).  These days were to be set apart for celebration and worship.

Numbers 30

Vows were an important thing to God.  His word never changes because He never changes.  If He promises us one thing today, He will hold to that promise tomorrow.  God wants us to be like Him.  He wants us to hold fast to our word and to our vows.  To often people make a decision to do one thing but when something better comes along they completely forsake their first vow.  If we do this with the trivial things of life, how much more so we be inclined to forsake our vows to God?

Numbers 31

The nation sent an army out to attack the Midianites.  After winning the battle, the spoil was divided in two – one half for the nations as a whole and one half for the soldiers who fought in the battle.  I think it is very fitting for the men who actually risked their lives to have a larger part of the spoils.  What I think is even more fitting is that when they counted themselves after the spoils had been dispersed and found that none of them were missing from the battle (i.e. killed), they got together and freely gave an offering to God from their spoils for His good favor in the battle.  It’s amazing what takes place when we follow the commands of God.

Numbers 32

The tribes of Reuben and Gad wanted to split their portions of land – one half on the east-side of the Jordan river and one half on the west-side (the Promised Land-side) of the Jordan river.  Moses allowed this under the condition that these two tribes would continue on to the Promised Land and help fight in the battles there before settling their land.

Numbers 33

This chapter recaps the journey of the nation of Israel from Egypt to the Promised Land.  They are camped near the Jordan river and are about to go over.  It is here that they receive instructions for the conquest and here that they recap their history until now.

Pete’s Thoughts:

Numbers 24

Numbers 25

Numbers 26

Numbers 27

Numbers 28

Pete’s Thoughts:

Numbers 19

Cleanliness is an important thing.  Especially in a group of a million or more that is on the move.  Thus, the nation needed to know what was clean and what was unclean, how to determine the difference and how to make the unclean clean again.

Numbers 20

This is a sad chapter.  Moses was told to speak to the rock and, as before when he hit the rock, water would come out of it for the people.  The sad part is when Moses disobeyed God and struck the rock.  God still provided for the people but Moses would not enter the Promised Land because of it.  It is amazing how the small decisions we make can have profound and lasting impacts on our lives.

Numbers 21

This is one of my favorite sections in Numbers – the Bronze Serpent.  Because the people spoke against God, He sent fiery serpents among the people to punish them.  When the people repented, instead of taking away the consequences of their sin, God provided a way for the people to be saved.  He had Moses craft a serpent out of bronze and then lift that bronze statue on a pole so everyone could see it.  When someone to bitten by a snake, all they had to do was look to the serpent made of bronze to be healed.  What a great picture of our salvation in Christ, just as Christ Himself said it was.  Everyone has sinned against God.  God loves us but instead of taking away the penalty for our sin, He made a way for the penalty to be paid through the death and blood of His Son, Jesus.  He bore our sin.  All we have to do is lift our eyes to the cross and see the Son of Man, Christ, lifted up and we are saved.  Have you looked to Christ for your salvation from sin?

Numbers 22

I have always found it comical that Balaam’s donkey had more common sense that Balaam himself!

Numbers 23

See the amazement in Balaam’s face as when he opens his mouth to curse Israel praises to God and blessings to Israel flow out!  It should never cease to amaze us that God can use even a man like Balaam to receive glory and honor and praise.

Pete’s Thoughts:

Numbers 14

The people rejected the command of the Lord.  They believed what the ten spies said about the inhabitants of the land.  They looked at God as a small God who was not capable of leading them against the giants of the land.  These people saw the 10 plagues in Egypt, they saw the Red Sea split and walked over on dry ground, they ate the manna every day, they drank the water from the rock, they drank the sweet water that was formerly bitter, yet in spite of all of these things, they did not believe God would take care of them.

Numbers 15

We find in the chapter the first person who broke the law of the Sabbath day.  When the people found him they didn’t know what was to be done with him since no one had broken it before.  It may seem like a harsh penalty for simply gathering sticks but it was just.  The law warned not to break the Sabbath.  The man did not show the proper respect to God and God will not be trifled with.

Numbers 16

Korah, Dathan, Abiram wanted more power and authority.  It wasn’t enough that they were sons of Levi and thus priests.  It wasn’t enough that God had specifically separated them from the rest of the nation.  They wanted more.  When they rebelled against Moses and inflamed the hearts of the people against Moses, God killed them.  He caused the ground itself to open up and swallow them.  God will not be mocked.

Numbers 17

This is the famous passage where Aaron’s rod buds.  Imagine carrying a dead stick around for years.  It would be worn and weathered.  Rubbed smooth over the countless times that Aaron leaned on it while traveling.  Yet our amazing God caused it to begin to grow again and bud with new life.  God is the Master of all.

Numbers 18

Since the priests could not tend to the fields to work for their food, seeing that they were working in the Tabernacle (and later the temple), God provided for them through the portions of the offerings that people gave.  It is a great way to allow the men to continue to serve in the Tabernacle and still be provided for.  God thinks of everything.  Nothing escapes Him.

Pete’s Thoughts:

Numbers 4

Among the Levites, there was a second census taken – that of the sons of Kohath.  It was important to know the numbers of these men because it was their specific duty to move the Tabernacle when every the Israelites moved camp.  This was a vastly important duty since the people could not worship and the priests could not preform their duties until the sons of Kohath had finished setting everything up.  One small problem with this group could lead to a major problem for the rest of the nation, just as one small sin in our life often leads to major problems down the road.

Numbers 5

This chapter gives instructions of what to do with an unfaithful wife.  While the procedure may sound like something out of the witch trials, we know that God supernaturally worked in this case to give supreme witness to the woman’s guilt or innocence.

Numbers 6

I think the priestly blessing that the Lord gives to Aaron and his sons is one of the most beautiful sections of scripture.  The best part about it is the focus on God’s involvement in every area of your life.  That is what God tells Moses, when He gives him this blessing – “So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them.”  This was not a blessing from a priest, this was God promising to partake in the blessing and see that it is fulfilled.

Numbers 7

The consecration of the Tabernacle involved the entire nation.  Each day of the dedication ceremony, one of the leaders brought their offerings and gave it to the Lord.  It was a corporate dedication that allowed everyone to be involved, just as they were to be involved with the worship in the completed Tabernacle on a regular basis.

Numbers 8

Now that the Tabernacle was finished and dedicated, the priests needed to be cleansed and dedicated as well.

Pete’s Thoughts:

Leviticus 26

Look at the promises that God makes in this chapter.  Promises of blessings and safety and a prosperous land.  All of this comes from following the Lord.  The other side, however, the curses and the judgment come from disobedience to the commandments of the Lord.  It is our choice – to follow God and be blessed or to turn from Him and be an enemy of God.  What choice are you making today?

Leviticus 27

This chapter deals with things that people dedicate to the Lord.  One of the most important things to consider in this chapter is the Year of Jubilee when all land and property would be returned to their original owner.  This was a unique characteristic of the law.  Every 50 years, the records would be erased and everyone would start back anew.  Isn’t it about time that we had our own “Year of Jubilee” and start fresh with the Lord?  To lay down the sins we are holding on to so tightly and dedicate ourselves anew to God.

Numbers 1

The book of Numbers is so called due to the census that was taken of the people.  The only tribe that did not have to report their numbers was the tribe of Levi due to their working in the Tabernacle as the Lord had directed them.

Numbers 2

I find it interesting that the tribes are organized in a military format and grouped according to their family armies.  This is most likely due to a couple of reasons: 1. It would be the most efficient and orderly way to organize them.  If everyone follows the pattern there is no confusion as to where you should be.  2. If they were attacked, they would be ready to fight immediately.  No time would have to be spent gathering your armies together for battle, instead they could turn instantly to face the enemy and begin the attack.

Numbers 3

While the Levites did not have to initially partake of the census, here they do report their numbers according to their families.

Pete’s Thoughts:

Leviticus 16

This chapter covers the Day of Atonement – the one day out of the year that the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies and offer sacrifices of atonement before God.  This was a solemn act and not one to be taken lightly.

Leviticus 17

The life of all flesh is in the blood.  This is the reason that God did not want the Isarelites to eat the blood of animals.  This is also why they blood of the sacrifices had to be shed and sprinkled on the altar the people.  Thus, then, the reason that Christ had to come and shed His precious blood for all mankind.

Leviticus 18

There are two major issues in this chapter: 1. Intermarriage and 2. Homosexuality.  Up until this point, there were no guidelines about intermarriage but after this chapter, there is the clear limit of who you were allowed to marry.  Many people like to skip this chapter to say that homosexuality is ok with the Bible.  God clearly gives us His thoughts on it when He calls it an abomination.  These were the types of things the nations of Canaan were practicing and God was using the Israelites to pronounce judgment on them.  He warns them not to repeat these things or they, too, will be judged.

Leviticus 19

God gives the Israelites their standard for living – to be holy as God is holy.  There is no unholiness in God, He is completely, 100%, perfectly holy.  That is how the Israelites were to live and that is how we are to live as Christians today.

Leviticus 20

God place a very strong emphasis on the Law and He was right to.  It showed the people how to live a holy life and what they must do to please God.  If anyone broke the law, there were to be consequences, sometimes even death.