{"id":21725,"date":"2022-05-27T22:00:41","date_gmt":"2022-05-28T05:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/acts_28_17-31-copy\/"},"modified":"2022-05-17T21:32:20","modified_gmt":"2022-05-18T04:32:20","slug":"deuteronomy_1_1-18","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/deuteronomy_1_1-18\/","title":{"rendered":"Make Time for Both These Things"},"content":{"rendered":"

Deuteronomy 1:1-18\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Click here for Bible Verses<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Hi\u00a0 GAMErs!<\/p>\n

Today we begin the book of Deuteronomy.\u00a0\u00a0You might say that\u00a0Deuteronomy\u00a0was Jesus’ favourite book in the Old Testament.\u00a0 When Jesus was asked what was God’s greatest commandment, Jesus quoted from\u00a0Deuteronomy\u00a06:5.\u00a0 When Jesus was being tempted by the devil, Jesus fought back with quotations from\u00a0Deuteronomy\u00a08:3, 6:16, and 6:13. Since Jesus saw the power and importance of\u00a0Deuteronomy\u00a0and kept this book close to His heart, I pray we would do the same.<\/p>\n

Here is some background information on Deuteronomy that you might find helpful:
\n–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Deuteronomy is the fifth book in the Old Testament.\u00a0 It is also the fifth and final book of the Pentateuch (a name for the first five books in the Bible, also sometimes called the Torah).<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It is widely believed, and with good reason, that Moses was responsible for the writing of the entire Pentateuch including Deuteronomy (other than the last chapter describing Moses\u2019 death).<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0According to some Bible scholars, the writing of Deuteronomy may have taken place as early as the 15th<\/sup>\u00a0century B.C.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0What was the purpose of Deuteronomy?\u00a0 Deuteronomy was written approximately 40 years after the Israelites had left Egypt where they had been slaves.\u00a0 Now the Israelites were getting ready to take possession of the land that God had promised to them, except that most of the Israelites who left Egypt had died and it was a new generation of Israelites that was getting ready to enter this Promised Land.\u00a0 So Deuteronomy is an attempt by Moses to remind this new generation of Israelites about who they were (their identity), where they came from (their roots), and where God was taking them (their destiny).\u00a0 Knowing that he himself would not enter the Promised Land but would die before that, Moses writes Deuteronomy to prepare a new generation of Israelites, to be led by Joshua, for life in the Promised Land.\u00a0 That\u2019s why Moses takes the covenants and laws that God had made with the Israelites over 40 years of journeying with them in the wilderness and expresses them in a way that this new generation could more easily understand and apply to life in the Promised Land.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The English name for this book – \u201cDeuteronomy\u201d – comes from the Latin word Deuteronomium, meaning \u201csecond law\u201d.\u00a0 However, Deuteronomy is not just a restatement of laws contained in earlier books of the Pentateuch.\u00a0 Keep in mind the purpose of Deuteronomy described above.
\nToday\u2019s passage is Deuteronomy 1:1-18 and it is packed with lessons for us.<\/p>\n

Deuteronomy 1:1-5 (NIV)<\/strong>
\n1\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0These are the words Moses spoke to all Israel in the desert east of the Jordan–that is, in the Arabah–opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth and Dizahab.
\n2\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0(It takes eleven days to go from Horeb to Kadesh Barnea by the Mount Seir road.)
\n3\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0In the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses proclaimed to the Israelites all that the\u00a0LORD\u00a0had commanded him concerning them.
\n4\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0This was after he had defeated Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, and at Edrei had defeated Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth.
\n5\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0East of the Jordan in the territory of Moab, Moses began to expound this law, saying:
\n<\/em>
\nOn verse 5:\u00a0 Verse 5 says that Moses begins to \u201cexpound this law\u201d, and yet what we read next is Moses recounting the story of the Israelites\u2019 journey, of how they managed to get from that first year of wandering in the wilderness till now.\u00a0 That\u2019s because Moses is setting the stage and the background for some of the laws that he is going to remind the Israelites of.\u00a0 What\u2019s the lesson here?\u00a0\u00a0Every law has a backstory.<\/strong>\u00a0 No law is ever put in place in a vacuum, with no backstory.\u00a0 To understand the purpose of the law, it helps to understand the backstory that led to the law coming into existence.\u00a0 The Bible, for example, contains God\u2019s laws, but if you want to understand God\u2019s purpose for those laws, you need to understand the backstory that brought those laws into existence.<\/p>\n

Deuteronomy 1:6-8 (NIV)<\/strong>
\n6\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0The\u00a0LORD\u00a0our God said to us at Horeb, “You have stayed long enough at this mountain.
\n7\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Break camp and advance into the hill country of the Amorites; go to all the neighboring peoples in the Arabah, in the mountains, in the western foothills, in the Negev and along the coast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the Euphrates.
\n8\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land that the\u00a0LORD\u00a0swore he would give to your fathers–to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob–and to their descendants after them.”
\n<\/em>
\nOn verses 6-8:\u00a0 Moses recounts from memory how in that first year the Israelites camped at Mount Horeb and experienced much of God\u2019s presence there.\u00a0 But there came a time when God told them it was time to move forward, to take practical steps toward the land He had promised them.\u00a0 Likewise,\u00a0there is a time for being on the mountain of prayer and drawing near to God.\u00a0 But there also comes a time when you need to start taking practical steps forward in dealing with what is in front of you.\u00a0 We need to make time for both.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

In fact, every day can be like that: start the day on the mountain of prayer, even for a moment spending time in God\u2019s presence.\u00a0 Then you come down from that mountain and, with the wisdom and strength you received on that mountain, deal with the things in front of you.\u00a0 That\u2019s how Jesus lived, and we will be more effective if we do the same.<\/p>\n

Deuteronomy 1:9-12 (NIV)<\/strong>
\n9\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0At that time I said to you, “You are too heavy a burden for me to carry alone.
\n10\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0The\u00a0LORD\u00a0your God has increased your numbers so that today you are as many as the stars in the sky.
\n11\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0May the\u00a0LORD, the God of your fathers, increase you a thousand times and bless you as he has promised!
\n12\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0But how can I bear your problems and your burdens and your disputes all by myself?
\n<\/em>
\nOn verses 9-12:\u00a0 Moses recounts how the Israelite population had grown immense.\u00a0 God truly fulfilled His promise to Abraham from centuries before when He promised Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky (see v10 and also Genesis 15:5). \u00a0(It shows that\u00a0God is faithful to His promises and He does so in His time<\/strong>.)<\/p>\n

Moses also recounts how as the nation of Israel grew, Moses quickly realized (with the help of his father-in-law Jethro \u2013 see Exodus 18) that he couldn\u2019t singlehandedly help the Israelites with all their issues.\u00a0 Likewise,\u00a0the kingdom of God was never meant to be a one person show.\u00a0 You were made to serve God and people in tandem with others, with a team.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Deuteronomy 1:13-15 (NIV)<\/strong>
\n13\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Choose some wise, understanding and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will set them over you.”
\n14\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0You answered me, “What you propose to do is good.”
\n15\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0So I took the leading men of your tribes, wise and respected men, and appointed them to have authority over you–as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens and as tribal officials.
\n<\/em>
\nOn verses 13-15:\u00a0 Moses recalls how he appointed wise and respected men as commanders, officials and judges to help him govern the Israelites.\u00a0\u00a0Notice the words \u201cwise\u201d and \u201crespected\u201d come up twice in these verses.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0When choosing leaders, look for people whose character you respect and whose wisdom you appreciate.<\/strong>\u00a0 Some may be appropriate for leading tens, some fifties, some hundreds, and some thousands, depending on a variety of factors.<\/p>\n

Deuteronomy 1:16-17a (NIV)<\/strong>
\n16\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0And I charged your judges at that time: Hear the disputes between your brothers and judge fairly, whether the case is between brother Israelites or between one of them and an alien.
\n17\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Do not show partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike\u2026
\n<\/em>
\nOn verses 16-17:\u00a0 Moses recalls how he told his newly appointed judges to hear the people’s disputes, to judge them fairly, and not to show partiality based on any party’s ethnicity, economic condition or social status (v16-17).\u00a0 That’s the heart of God: He is a fair judge who does not show favoritism (Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11).\u00a0\u00a0Whether you\u2019re sitting in an official role as a judge, or you\u2019re informally judging a situation, always do so with an eye toward fairness, being aware of your own biases.\u00a0 Don\u2019t be quick to jump to conclusions but listen carefully to both sides of the argument before thoughtfully reaching a conclusion.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Deuteronomy 1:17b-18 (NIV)<\/strong>
\n17<\/sup>\u2026Do not be afraid of any man, for judgment belongs to God. Bring me any case too hard for you, and I will hear it.
\n18\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0And at that time I told you everything you were to do.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 17b-18:\u00a0 Moses recounts one more instruction he gave his newly appointed judges.\u00a0 He told them:\u00a0“do not be afraid of any man, for judgment belongs to God”.<\/p>\n

What can we learn from this?\u00a0 When living life or carrying out your God-given duties, “do not be afraid of any man”.\u00a0 That is,\u00a0rather than living in fear of people or living for people\u2019s approval, let’s love and fear (i.e. reverently respect and worship) God, our true judge, and live for His approval. \u00a0<\/strong>
\nAs Jesus would say,\u00a0 \u201cDo not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.\u201d (<\/em>Matthew 10:28)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

And David too:<\/p>\n

Psalm 56:4 (NIV)\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>
\n4\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

And finally Paul:<\/p>\n

Romans 8:31b (NIV)\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>
\n31\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>…If God is for us, who can be against us?\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Praise God.\u00a0 Because we fear God, we don’t need to live in fear of anyone or anything else.\u00a0 If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)
\nFather God, thank You that there is a time to draw near to You and pray, and there is a time to take practical steps forward and make decisions.\u00a0 I pray I would make the time to do both effectively.\u00a0 Thank You that I don\u2019t need to fear people and live for their approval, because You are the One I serve and answer to.\u00a0 In Jesus\u2019 name, AMEN!<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hi\u00a0 GAMErs!<\/p>\n

Today we begin the book of Deuteronomy.\u00a0\u00a0You might say that\u00a0Deuteronomy\u00a0was Jesus’ favourite book in the Old Testament.\u00a0 When Jesus was asked what was God’s greatest commandment, Jesus quoted from\u00a0Deuteronomy\u00a06:5.\u00a0 When Jesus was being tempted by the devil, Jesus fought back with quotations from\u00a0Deuteronomy\u00a08:3, 6:16, and 6:13. Since Jesus saw the power and importance of\u00a0Deuteronomy\u00a0and kept this book close to His heart, I pray we would do the same.<\/p>\n

Here is some background information on Deuteronomy that you might find helpful:
\n–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Deuteronomy is the fifth book in the Old Testament.\u00a0 It is also the fifth and final book of the Pentateuch (a name for the first five books in the Bible, also sometimes called the Torah).
\n\u00a0
\n–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It is widely believed, and with good reason, that Moses was responsible for the writing of the entire Pentateuch including Deuteronomy (other than the last chapter describing Moses\u2019 death).\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":21727,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21725","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gametime-sharing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21725","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21725"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21725\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21728,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21725\/revisions\/21728"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21727"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21725"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21725"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21725"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}