OceanSide church of Christ

Read devotionals for December 2023

January 1, 2024

Deuteronomy 15:15 – And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the Lord thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing today.

Thought: It is easy for us to forget our upbringing. Because we choose to forget it, we often become critical of those who are undergoing hardships like the ones we had long ago. The Israelites had been told to have deep concerns for the poor and for those who were enslaved. One of the reasons they needed to have such care is because there was a time when they were enslaved in Egypt. The old saying is true. Remember where you came from.

Exodus 1:13-14

January 2, 2024

Deuteronomy 15:16, 17 – And it shall be, if he say unto thee, I will not go away from thee; because he loveth thee and thine house, because he is well with thee; then thou shalt take an aul, and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant forever. And also unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise.

Thought: The relationship between a master and slave was often negative in nature. The master was cruel and harsh. He refused to treat the slave as a person. There were times, however, when a slave was under the authority of a kind and caring individual. Because of the positive relationship, some slaves in Israel did not want to be released in the seventh year. Instead, they would have their ear pierced and would continue with their master.

Exodus 21:5-6

January 3, 2024

Deuteronomy 15:18 – It shall not seem hard unto thee, when thou sendest him away free from thee; for he hath been worth a double hired servant to thee, in serving thee six years: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all that thou doest.

Thought: In the seventh year in Israel, slaves were to be set free if they desired to leave their masters. The master’s attitude was to be positive when releasing the slave. This was not easy when a slave was a valuable asset. Thus, the Lord reminds the master that his slave had been “worth a double hired servant.” Hired servants worked shorter hours for a lesser time period. A good slave, therefore, had been a double blessing during those six years.

Isaiah 16:14

January 4, 2024

Deuteronomy 15:19 – All the firstling males that come of thy herd and of thy flock thou shalt sanctify unto the Lord thy God: thou shalt do not work with the firstling of thy bullock, nor shear the firstling of thy sheep.

Thought: The firstlings of the flocks and herds were to be sanctified unto the Lord by the children of Israel. This was a great test of faith. The firstlings were just that, the firstborn. A herdsman would be eagerly anticipating the firstborn. The firstborn were the first profits reaped. This is what the herdman had long desired. But, the firstling males were to be dedicated to God. Israel learned, however, that the firstlings were promise of more to come.

Leviticus 27:26

January 5, 2024

Deuteronomy 15:20 – Thou shalt eat it before the Lord thy God year by year in the place which the Lord God shall choose, thou and thy household.

Thought: Even though the firstlings of the flocks and herds were to be given to God, the worshiper still benefited from the sacrifice. He was to eat the bullock or the sheep “before the Lord year by year in the place which the Lord God shall choose.” It is difficult for us to imagine that a sacrifice could actually become a blessing. Only God could establish such a novel thing. Jesus’ sacrifice became a blessing. Our sacrifices can become blessings too.

II Corinthians 5:21

January 6, 2024

Deuteronomy 15:21 – And if there be any blemish therein, as if it be lame, or blind, or have any ill blemish, thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the Lord thy God.

Thought: The animals that were to be sacrificed to God could not have any type of blemish or defect. They were to be as “perfect” as possible. It was the responsibility of the worshiper to make sure that which was offered was healthy and pure. If the animal did not meet the standard required by God, it was not to be offered. This practice is sometime summarized with these words: “God wants our best.” Let’s always remember: “God deserves our best.”

Malachi 1:7-8

January 7, 2024

Deuteronomy 15:22 – Thou shalt eat it within thy gates: the unclean and the clean person shall eat it alike, as the roebuck, and as the hart.

Thought: In verse 21, the Lord told Israel that the firstborn of their flocks and herd that were lame or had a blemish could not be used in sacrifice to God. These animals, however, still served a function for God’s children. “Thou shalt eat it with thy gates….” The blemish did not take away from the nutritional value of the animal. It just was not worthy of being given to God. Animals were much like people. Different animals served different purposes.

Deuteronomy 12:15

January 8, 2024

Deuteronomy 15:23 – Only thou shalt not eat the blood thereof; thou shalt pour it upon the ground as water.

Thought: God often warned the children of Israel not to eat the blood of an animal. It was to be poured upon the ground. The blood was the life of the animal and was to be respected. The heathen did not respect life. They would drink the blood of animals in an attempt to gain the qualities of the animals. Too, the manner in which the animals were killed and the blood was imbibed was horrendous. God wanted His people separate from such practices.

I Samuel 14:32

January 9, 2024

Deuteronomy 16:1 – Observe the month of Abib, and keep the Passover unto the Lord thy God: for in the month of Abib the Lord thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.

Thought: Abib is the first month of the Jewish calendar. On the fourteenth day of that month, Israel was to celebrate a commemorative feast day called “the Passover.” When Israel was in Egyptian bondage the final plague brought against the land before they were released involved the death of the firstborn. Israel escaped this plague because of the blood of the Passover lamb placed on the doorposts and lintels. It was truly a night to be remembered.

Exodus 12:12-14

January 10, 2024

Deuteronomy 16:2 – Thou shalt therefore sacrifice the passoever unto the Lord thy God, of the flock and of the herd, in the place which the Lord shall choose to place his name there.

Thought: The Passover was one of three required feasts that all Jewish males were to celebrate. However, they could not celebrate the feast at the place of their choosing. It was to be honored “in the place which the Lord shall choose to place his name there.” That place would ultimately be Jerusalem. Thus, every Jewish male was required to make the trek to the Holy City to celebrate the deliverance God gave Israel from Egyptian bondage.

Luke 2:41

January 11, 2024

Deuteronomy 16:3, 4 – Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith, even the bread of affliction; for thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt in haste: that thou mayest remember the day when thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life. And there shall be no leaven bread seen with thee in all thy coast seven days; neither shall there be any thing of the flesh, which thou sacrificedst the first day at even, remain all night until the morning.

Thought: The annual Passover celebrated by the Jews involved no leaven. When God was about to bring the plague of death upon the firstborn, Israel had little time to complete the Passover before the exodus. Thus, no leaven was used in the making of bread that night. God commanded that tradition to continue every year. This component of the Passover was so important that some referred to the week as “The Feast of Unleavened Bread.”

I Corinthians 5:7-8

January 12, 2024

Deuteronomy 16:5, 6 – Thou mayest not sacrifice the Passover within any of thy gates, which the Lord thy God giveth thee: but at the place which the Lord thy God shall choose to place his name in, there thou shalt sacrifice, the passover at even, at the going down of the sun, at the season that thou camest forth out of Egypt.

Thought: Again, God emphasizes the importance of the place where the Passover was to be kept. It was forbidden “within any of thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee.” It was only approved “at the place which the Lord thy God shall choose to place his name in.” We learn from this section of Scripture that where and how things are done are important to God at times. Man is not free to make up his own rules when God clearly defines them.

Colossians 3:17

January 13, 2024

Deuteronomy 16:7 – And thou shalt roast and eat it in the place which the Lord thy God shall choose: and thou shalt turn in the morning, and go unto thy tents.

Thought: There were many elements of the Passover meal that were kept by the Jews that were identical to those kept by their forefathers. One major difference, however, was where they ate the Passover. In the past, the Passover was eaten in the homes of the Israelites. Once they settled in the Promised Land and God selected Jerusalem as their capital, it was to be eaten there by the tabernacle of God. Then, in the morning, they would go to their tents.

Exodus 12:3-4

January 14, 2024

Deuteronomy 16:8 – Six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread: and on the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to the Lord thy God: thou shalt do no work therein.

Thought: When the Lord commemorated an event in the history of Israel, it was not celebrated for just a day. The Feast of Unleavened Bread was celebrated for an entire week. In fact, there were two other required feasts of the Jews that lasted a week. There are some things in our history that are important. We need to reflect upon them in a big way. We do not need to let them slip from our memories. The passover in Egypt was one of those events.

Numbers 28:17-29

January 15, 2024

Deuteronomy 16:9, 10 – Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee: begin to number the seven weeks from such a time as thou beginnest to put sickle to the corn. And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the Lord thy God with a tribute of a freewill offering of thine hand, which thou shalt give unto the Lord thy God, according as the Lord thy God hath blessed thee.

Thought: Moses now sets the time of the second Jewish festival known as “The Feast of Weeks.” This feast was also called Pentecost. The first part of Pentecost, that is, pente,” means “fifty.” The Feast of Weeks began seven weeks and a day after Passover. Some believe it took Israel 50 days to reach Mount Sinai after their exodus from Egypt. At Sinai, God gave Israel the Law. This feast, therefore, commemorates the day Israel became God’s holy nation.

Exodus 23:15-16

January 16, 2024

Deuteronomy 16:11, 12 – And thou shalt rejoice before the Lord thy God, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are among you, in the place which the Lord thy God hath chosen to place his name there. And thou shalt remember that that thou wast a bondmen in Egypt: and thou shalt observe and do these statutes.

Thought: Israel lived a very difficult life in the land of Egypt. They were slaves to the Pharaohs who ruled the land. Their lives were difficult and rigorous. Then, God redeemed the nation. He freed them from the oppressors. The words communicated to Israel in Deuteronomy were spoken just prior to their entering into the Land of Promise. God wanted them to remember their redemption. Their faithfulness depended upon their memory.

Ephesians 2:11-13

January 17, 2024

Deuteronomy 16:13, 14 – Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine: and thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within thy gates.

Thought: The feast of tabernacles was to be celebrated by all in the Land of Promise as well. There was to be no one excluded from it. Even the servants and strangers were included in the celebration. Two things would be on their minds. First, it was a celebration of the completion of the harvest. Second, it was a commemoration Israel’s dwelling in tents in the wilderness. Reminding each generation of the past is important to a successful future.

Leviticus 23:34-36

January 18, 2024

Deuteronomy 16:15 – Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto the Lord thy God in the place which the Lord shall choose: because the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thine increase, and in all the works of thine hands, therefore thou shalt surely rejoice.

Thought: Doing the Lord’s will always brings blessings to man. The feast of tabernacles transpired at the end of the harvest. This festival lasted seven days. Part of the remembrance of this feast involved their harvest. The Lord had blessed them in all their increase and in the work of their hands. Because of their bounty from the Lord, they should rejoice. When God is good to us, we should always take time to celebrate and praise Him.

Psalm 107:35-37

January 19, 2024

Deuteronomy 16:16, 17 – Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the Lord empty: every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee.

Thought: Two commands are set forth is these two verses to the males of the Jewish nation. First, three times a year they were to appear before the Lord where He designated as the place of worship. The three celebrations were the three feast weeks: the feast of unleavened bread, the feast of weeks, and the feast of tabernacles. Second, they were not to appear before the Lord empty. God had blessed them. Their sacrifice should manifest His bounty.

Proverbs 3:9-10

January 20, 2024

Deuteronomy 16:18 – Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment.

Thought: The cities in Canaan had walls around them. In these walls were gates that allowed access into the city. At the city gates, the Lord stationed judges and officers to hear the matters that arose among the people. Everyone knew where to find the judges. These men were to “judge the people with just judgment.” The word “just” means “fair, equitable, impartial, with no respect of persons.” Honesty was to be valued in the judicial process.

Psalm 82:3-4

January 21, 2024

Deuteronomy 16:19 – Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.

Thought: The officers and judges were warned against three things. First, they were not to “wrest” judgment. The word “wrest” means “to bend.” They were not to pervert justice in any way. They were to reward those who did good and punish those who did evil. Too, they were not suppose to respect persons. Every person was a human and deserved the same treatment. Too, they were not to take gifts, bribes, that would blind their eyes to justice.

Exodus 23:7-8

January 22, 2024

Deuteronomy 16:20 – That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

Thought: When God issues a command, He almost always reminds the Jews that there are promises connected with their obedience. The promise that is emphasized the most in the book involves the inheritance of the land of Canaan. This is not surprising when we remember that Israel was sitting near the banks of the Jordan River when they heard these words from Moses. The land of Canaan was not an eternal possession but a conditional one.

Nehemiah 1:7-8

January 23, 2024

Deuteronomy 16:21, 22 – Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the Lord thy God, which thou shalt make thee. Neither shalt thou set thee up any image; which the Lord thy God hateth.

Thought: The Jews were about to enter into a land filled with idol worshipers. These people and their practices were not supposed to influence the Israelites. God, however, knew this could happen. Therefore, He commanded the people not to plant a grove of trees near the altar of the Lord and not to set up any images. He reminds them that this is something that He hates. In fact, the children of God should develop this same righteous indignation.

Exodus 34:12-14

January 24, 2024

Deuteronomy 17:1 – Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the Lord thy God any bullock, or sheep, wherein is blemish or any evilfavoredness: for that is an abomination unto the Lord thy God.

Thought: Worship is a very important element in the life of God’s children. It is a privilege the redeemed should never take lightly. Too, they should never get lackadaisical in how they carry out their worship. It should always be done according to God’s high standards. God reminded Israel that only the “perfect” animals were to offered unto him. Those sacrificed with a blemish or evilfavoredness were an abomination. They stank in the nostrils of God.

Leviticus 22:20-24

January 25, 2024

Deuteronomy 17:2,3 – If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the Lord thy God, in transgressing his covenant, and hath gone and served other gods, and worshiped them, either the sun, or the moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded.

Thought: It is difficult to imagine, but there was a real possibility that some of the Israelites could forsake the true God for other gods. They could even reject the Almighty and become worshipers of the heavenly bodies, the sun, moon, and stars. God refers to this as both “wickedness” and the transgression of his covenant. How could a Jew do such a thing? How could he turn from the God who redeemed him from Israel to a false god or inanimate object?

Jeremiah 7:22-23

January 26, 2024

Deuteronomy 17:4, 5 – And it be told thee, and thou hast heard of it, and inquired diligently, and, behold, it be true, and the thing certain, that such an abomination is wrought in Israel: then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die.

Thought: There would be some within the Israelite nation who would leave God and turn to idols. When this abomination transpired, it was not to be overlooked. The man or woman who committed this wicked action was to be brought to the gates of the city and was to be stoned with stones till they die. Yes, idolatry was a capital offence. The law demanded the death sentence for all idolaters. Here, we learn the heinousness of sin by its consequence.

Hebrews 10:28

January 27, 2024

Deuteronomy 17:6, 7 – At the mouth of two witnesses, or three, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death. The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So thou shalt put the evil away from among you.

Thought: When a person was convicted of idolatry in Israel, there had to be more than one witness to the offence. There were to be two or three witnesses to the sin. Then, if a person was a witness, he had the responsibility of being the first one to cast a stone in order to put the guilty party to death. Moses concludes by telling the purpose of the stoning. “So thou shalt put the evil away from among you.” Evil has a leavening effect. It must be destroyed.

Deuteronomy 19:15

January 28, 2024

Deuteronomy 17:8, 9 – If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within thy gates: then shalt thou arise, and get thee up into the place which the Lord thy God shall choose; and thou shalt come unto the priests and Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days, and inquire; and they shall show thee the sentence of judgment.

Thought: Each city in Israel had judges placed at the gates to decide matters for their citizens. Some matters, however, might be found to be “too hard” for the judges there to decide. These issues could involve families, civil matters, or cases involving bodily injury. In such cases God provided a higher court in “the place which the Lord thy God shall choose. There, the priests, the Levites, and the judges would pronounce a sentence of judgment.

2 Chronicles 19:8-10

January 29, 2024

Deuteronomy 17:10, 11 – And thou shalt do according to the sentence, which they of that place which the Lord shall choose shall show thee; and thou shalt observe to do according to all that they inform thee; according to the sentence of the law which they shall teach thee, and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee, thou shalt do: thou shalt not decline from the sentence which they shall show thee, to the right hand nor to the left.

Thought: God provided Israel with judges for a reason. They were to decide disputes and difficulties that arose between the people. There were judges in the cities. There were the higher officials who were in the place which God chose. When these individuals made a ruling, their ruling was to be accepted. The parties in the judgment were to do the things that the judge required of them. The parties were not free to turn to the right hand or left.

II Chronicles 19:4-6

January 30, 2024

Deuteronomy 17:12 – And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the priest that standeth to minister before the Lord thy God, or unto the judge, even that man shall die: and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel.

Thought: Rebellion against judicial authorities was punished by death. These men were supposed to be men endowed with wisdom. They were supposed to be impartial in their rulings. They were supposed to never be a respecter of persons. They were to hear the cases, look at the evidence and give a fair ruling. When the decision was forthcoming, the parties involved in the case were to accept the finding. Presumptuousness was not tolerated.

Numbers 15:30-31

January 31, 2024

Deuteronomy 17:13 – And all the people shall hear, and fear, and do no more presumptuously.

Thought: Discipline served not only the person who receives the discipline but others who hear of the discipline. When a man rejected the counsel of the judges, he acted presumptuously. The sentence that was carried out was the sentence of death. When others heard of his execution, they would fear. They would develop a deep respect for the rulings of the judges. If they appeared before the magistrates, they would not repeat the same mistake.

Proverbs 21:11

Read devotionals for February 2024