Deuteronomy 17:14-20 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 17:14-20. Let’s go!
In Deuteronomy 17:14-20, Moses foresees the day when the Israelites would want to be like other nations and have a king of their own. While God’s original plan was that He alone would be Israel’s king, God was sensitive to Israel’s desire for a human king (see 1 Samuel 8). So in these verses Moses lays out some of the requirements that the king would be expected to meet: 3 things that the king must not do (v14-17), and 3 things that the king must do (v18-20). As we study Deuteronomy 17:14-20, we’ll find that this passage is very much a discipleship passage, one that teaches us how to grow our relationship with God and become Christ-like disciples.
Deuteronomy 17:14-17 (NIV)
14 When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, “Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,”
15 be sure to appoint over you the king the LORD your God chooses. He must be from among your own brothers. Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not a brother Israelite.
16 The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the LORD has told you, “You are not to go back that way again.”
17 He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold.
On verses 14-17: In addition to requiring that the future king of Israel be an Israelite and the one whom God chooses, Moses identifies 3 things that the king must do, or 3 traps that the king must avoid. Since in Christ you and I are members of God’s royal family and priests in God’s kingdom, we need to be careful to avoid these same 3 traps as well:
1. Don’t be power hungry. Just as the king was not to go out of his way to accumulate great numbers of horses for himself (v16), so we need to be focused on serving the needs of people rather than wielding power or making a name for ourselves.
2. Don’t be girl crazy (or boy crazy). Just as the king was not to accumulate many wives for himself (v17a), so we need to keep our hormones, attractions, and infatuations under control, lest they cause our downfall.
3. Don’t be money greedy. Just as the king was not to accumulate much silver and gold for himself (v17b), so we must not allow greed or a love of money dictate our decisions.
It’s not unusual to hear a leader in God’s kingdom be taken down by one or more of these traps. May God give us foresight to recognize these traps ahead of time and the humility and wisdom to avoid falling into them. With God’s grace and power we can.
Deuteronomy 17:18-20 (NIV)
18 When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the priests, who are Levites.
19 It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees
20 and not consider himself better than his brothers and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel.
On verses 18-20: Here Moses identifies 3 things that the king must do. These same 3 things are what you and I must do to grow spiritually.
1. Copy down God’s Word.
The first thing the king must do when he takes the throne is not to throw a party or hold a meeting, but to write down a copy of the law for himself (v18). Why? It’s because by writing down the law with his hand, it helps him get the law into his heart.
In the same way, I encourage you to be not just a priest but a scribe as well. When you see a verse that impacts you, write or type it out. Many have found that by transcribing the verse by hand, or typing it out, somehow God’s Word gets more into their heart.
On a related note, whenever you listen to a sermon, I strongly encourage you to take notes. Even if you never look at those notes again, just the process of taking notes helps you to listen, digest and remember the Word you’re hearing. When I have a pen in my hand or the notes app open on my phone as I’m reading the Bible or listening to a sermon, taking something home with me from the Word of God is inevitable.
2. Carry God’s Word with you.
As the second thing that the king must do, verse 19a says that God’s law “is to be with him”. In other words, the king is to keep God’s Word close to him physically. Why? It’s because the closer something is to you physically the more you’ll be inclined to access it and think about it. What you physically carry with you reflects what’s most important to you.
Likewise, I encourage you to bring your Bible to church and small group. Don’t rely on your neighbour to bring their Bible or the multimedia team to show the Scripture passage on the screen. When a Scripture passage is being talked about, open it up in your own Bible. When you’re standing in line or waiting for an appointment, consider opening up your Bible and reading it. It’s much easier to get God’s Word in your heart when you physically have it near you.
3. Read God’s Word every day.
As a third requirement that the king must do, verse 19b says the king “is to read it [i.e. God’s law] all the days of his life”. Why read God’s Word every day? It’s not just to accumulate knowledge. More importantly, it’s “so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God” (v19b) and “not consider himself better than his brothers” (v20). In other words, reading God’s Word every day is even more for the heart than it is for the head. It’s to keep our hearts soft toward God and humble toward people.
If we would put into practice these 3 habits, it will help us to grow spiritually and to love God’s Word more and more.
Father, I pray that I would not be power hungry, girl crazy or money greedy. I pray that I would keep Your Word close to me wherever I go and serve You and Your people with excellence for the long haul. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
