From Deuteronomy 14-16
Who or what determines your self identity?
This post is part of my bible in a year series.
Passage and Comments
Its interesting to note some of the laws regarding care of the poor;
4 But there will be no poor among you; for the LORD will bless you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance to possess — 5 if only you will strictly obey the voice of the LORD your God, being careful to do all this commandment that I command you today. 6 For the LORD your God will bless you, as he promised you, and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow, and you shall rule over many nations, but they shall not rule over you. (Dt 15.4-6)
‘There will be no poor among you … if you strictly obey the voice of the LORD’. Well I guess they are going to have poor then, hey? Moses continues reiterating a series of blessings for obedience.
7 “If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, 8 but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be. (Dt 15.7-8)
They are to take special care of their own kin.
11 For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’ (Dt 15.11)
‘There will never cease to be poor in the land’ Hang on, earlier the LORD promised ‘There will be no poor … if you strictly obey the voice of the LORD.’ I guess the LORD is predicting Israel will not strictly obey the voice of the LORD. Or perhaps the earlier promise was for Israel only and there would be poor foreigners for them to care for. But either way, we know Israel did not strictly follow the voice of the LORD.
But jumping back to the first chapter there is something more I would like to finish us off on;
14 “You are the sons of the LORD your God. You shall not cut yourselves or make any baldness on your foreheads for the dead. 2 For you are a people holy to the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. (Dt 14.1-2)
Story of Jesus
Sons of the Lord your God. That expression is repeated several times in the New Testament of the renewed people of God. Paul again, sorry;
3 In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. 4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. (Gal 4.3-7)
and
14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, (Rom 8.14-16)
This is a great thing to remember and a wonderful blessing the LORD has given us. We are sons (and daughters) of the LORD our God. Its an act of grace on the LORD’s behalf to call us this.
Copyright © Joshua Washington and thescripturesays, 2014. All Rights Reserved.
