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OceanSide church of Christ
Read devotionals for February 2024
March 1, 2024
Deuteronomy 19:16, 17 – If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong; then both men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days.
Thought: The responsibility of a judge is greater than one can imagine. How does he determine whether a person is a true witness or a false witness? Truly, the judge must possess knowledge, skills, and experience to discern truth from error. Yet, this was one of their responsibilities under the Old Law. The false witness and the one accused were to appear in the presence of the priest and judges. They had to make a honest determination.
I Kings 21:1-13
March 2, 2024
Deuteronomy 19:18, 19 – And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother; then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you.
Thought: We learn that judges were required to “make diligent inquisition.” There was to be much labor and toil in learning the facts of the case. Their desire was supposed to be to come to the truth. If they found the witness in the case to be false, he was to be punished. The verse refers to this individual and his actions as being evil. God is a just God. A false witness is unjust. His evil nature should not be tolerated by God’s people.
II Chronicles 19:5-7
March 3, 2024
Deuteronomy 19:20 – And those which remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you.
Thought: Severe discipline serves a purpose. It is not just to punish the transgressor. It is to instill fear in others. They will see the consequences of evil behavior and will tremble knowing that if they commit the same transgression, they, too, will be punished. Thus, the sins are no longer committed. Respect for God and increased holiness are the outcomes of quick and stern discipline. When punishment is omitted, sin and crime only increase.
Ecclesiastes 8:11
March 4, 2024
Deuteronomy 19:21 – And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
Thought: Moses exhorts the children of Israel not to pity the false witness who is exposed for his lies. Again, this is a weakness that is found in man. He has a tendency to forget the victim and honor the criminal. He forgets the evil that was in the heart of the perpetrator. Under the Law of Moses, this was not to be the reaction of the judges or the people. Whatever had been demanded by the false witness would now be demanded on him.
Leviticus 24:17-21
March 5, 2024
Deuteronomy 20:1 – When thou goest out to make battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the Lord thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
Thought: Fear is based upon a real or perceived threat to one’s well-being. It is common for those in battle to experience fear. The number of the enemy forces and the assets of the enemy can make one believe that defeat is inevitable. Moses warned Israel against such fear. He reminded them of two things. First, “the Lord thy God is with thee.” Second, this is the Lord “which brought them up out of the land of Egypt.” Victory belonged to Israel!
Psalm 118:6
March 6, 2024
Deuteronomy 20:2, 3, 4 – And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people, and shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them; for the Lord your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.
Thought: Moses, the leader of Israel, told Isael not to fear in battle because the Lord was with them. It was also the responsibility of the priests, the religious leaders, to encourage those involved in battle. They were to instruct Israel, saying: “…for the Lord your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you…to save you.” There was no stronger force on the earth than their God. Thus, Israel was not to faint, fear, tremble, or be terrified of their enemies.
I Samuel 30:7-8
March 7, 2024
Deuteronomy 20:5 – And the officers shall speak unto the people, saying, What man is there that hath build a new house, and hath not dedicated it? let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man eat of it.
Thought: Some events freed men from battle. One involved the dedication of a new house. “…it was a custom in Israel to dedicate a new house to God with prayer, praise, and thanksgiving; and this was done in order to secure the Divine presence and blessing…” (e-sword). God’s kindness allowed a man to dedicate his house before possibly dying in battle. This was a unique event that would free soldier from battle only once or twice in a lifetime.
Psalm 127:1
March 8, 2024
Deuteronomy 20:6, 7 – “And what man is he that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not yet eaten of it? let him also go and return unto his house, lest he die in battle, and another man eat of it. And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.
Thought: When battles are fought, the possibility that some will die is great. Thus, God allowed some soldiers to be exempted from battle. One was noted previously. Two more are noted in this verse. If a man had planted a vineyard and had not eaten of it, and if a man was betrothed to a woman. All of these things usually involved young men whose lives were before them. God wanted them to experience these things before dying in battle.
Deuteronomy 24:5
March 9, 2024
Deuteronomy 20:8 – And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted? let him go and return to his house, lest his brethren’s heart faint as well as his own heart.
Thought: This exemption from battle is understandable, but concerning. Warfare is never pretty. A soldier can be wounded, can lose a limb, and can be captured by the enemy. He can die. These consequences can strike fear into the warrior’s heart. Some, however, cannot conquer their fears. Instead of being assets on the battlefield, they become hinderances. Their fear can bring harm to their fellow soldiers. Thus, they did not have to fight.
Judges 7:3
March 10, 2024
Deuteronomy 20:9 – And it shall be, when the officers have made an end of speaking unto the people, that they shall make captains of the armies to lead the people.
Thought: The military of a nation needs strong leaders scattered within the ranks. Some need to be at the top. They need to be above the fray making important decisions. There are some in the middle who need to oversee those at lower levels. They assist those on the field of battle when hard decisions must be made. There are also those who are on the battlefield. They make the day-to-day, moment-by-moment decisions. All leaders are needed.
Joshua 3:1-2
March 11, 2024
Deuteronomy 20:10, 11 – When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it. And it shall be, if it make thee answer of peace, and open unto thee, then it shall be, that all the people that is found therein shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee.
Thought: When individuals think about the overthrow of a hostile enemy by the Israelites, they see them going it and utterly annihilating the inhabitants of the land. Here, we learn that when Israel came against a city, it was to first offer peace to the inhabitants. If those in the city surrendered peaceably, they would become tributaries to the Israelites. Blood did not have to be shed. Physical warfare was the choice of those who opposed God’s people.
2 Samuel 20:17-20
March 12, 2024
Deuteronomy 20:12, 13 – And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it: and when the Lord thy God hath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword.
Thought: Peace was the first option given to the enemies of God’s people. One would think this would be the best option. But, most would not surrender to their enemy without a fight. If the adversaries decided to make war, God authorized Israel to besiege the city. God would bring them victory. Once victorious, the children of Israel were to “smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword.” The strength of a nation is among the men.
Joshua 8:24-29
March 13, 2024
Deuteronomy 20:14, 15 – But the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the spoil thereof, shalt thou take unto thyself; and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, which the Lord thy God hath given thee. Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities which are very far off from thee, which are not of the cities of these nations.
Thought: When Israel conquered her enemies, they were to offer them peace initially. If the city refused, the city was taken and all of the men were put to death. All that remained were the spoils of the Israelites. Battle always produces rewards to the victors. It was the compensation for the blood, sweat, and tears given to bring about the victory. However, Israel was to remember one thing. All they possessed had been given to them by the Lord.
Joshua 11:14-15
March 14, 2024
Deuteronomy 20:16, 17 – But of the cities of these people which the Lord thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth: but thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, as the Lord thy God commanded thee.
Thought: In the previous two verses, God authorized Israel to spare the women, children, and cattle taken in battle. This had to do with “all the cities which are very far off.” This was not true of the nations of the land of Canaan. Verse 16 begins with a word of contrast, “but.” When Israel subdued Canaan, “nothing that breatheth” was to be saved alive. The command was clear: “…but thou shalt utterly destroy them.” If left alive, they would endanger Israel.
Joshua 11:11-12
March 15, 2024
Deuteronomy 20:18 – That they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so should ye sin against the Lord your God.
Thought: In our previous post, we noted that if any of the tribes in the land of Canaan were left alive, they would pose a threat to Israel. Moses spells out that threat in this verse. Evil enjoys teaching its wicked ways to others. Sadly, man is often weak and gives heed to the doctrines of the wicked one. Those who practice the abominations of the heathen cannot be in fellowship with God. Such acts are acts of sin. Sin separates man from the holy God.
Isaiah 59:1-2
March 16, 2024
Deuteronomy 20:19, 20 – When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by forcing an axe against them; for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down (for the tree of the field is man’s life) to employ them in the siege; only the trees which thou knowest that they be not trees for meat, thou shalt destroy and cut them down; and thou shalt build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee, until it be subdued.
Thought: It would seem that all people should have what is referred to as “common sense.” This involves being able to make simple decisions regarding things that are extremely apparent. However, not all possess common sense. In our text today, the Israelites were warned by God not to cut down the trees that would provide sustenance for them when in battle. Only trees that were not good for food were to be cut down. Common sense, right!
Genesis 1:11-12
March 17, 2024
Deuteronomy 21:1 – If one be found slain in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it, lying in the field, and it be not known who hath slain him.
Thought: Many believe a lot has changed since Bible times. But, the reality is that a lot of things are the same today as they were then. In the past, evil existed. Men often did cruel things to others. In this verse, we read about the discovery of a dead body in a field whose killer was unknown. Just recently in the news, we learned of two college students in Virginia who were killed in their dorm room and the killer was unknown. Not much has changed.
Isaiah 26:21
March 18, 2024
Deuteronomy 21:2, 3 – Then thy elders and thy judges shall come forth, and they shall measure unto the cities which are round about him that is slain; and it shall be, that the city which is next unto the slain man, even the elders of that city shall take a heifer, which hath not been wrought with, and which hath not draw in the yoke.
Thought: In Deuteronomy 21:1, Moses brought up an incident wherein a man was found slain in a field. The one who killed the man was not known. The thought that underlies our verses today is that justice was needed for that man. First, someone needed to be in charge of the investigation. The ones given jurisdiction were the elders of the closest city. Once this was determined, the justice process began by choosing a heifer that had done no work.
Proverbs 21:3
March 19, 2024
Deuteronomy 21:4 – And the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer unto a rough valley, which is neither eared nor sown, and shall strike off the heifer’s neck there in the valley.
Thought: The taking of innocent life was a “high crime” in the sight of God. Innocent blood shed in the holy land of Canaan stained the land. God, therefore, desired cleansing. This cleansing involved the blood of an innocent victim. In this case, it was the blood of a heifer. The heifer was brought into a valley that was rough, that is, not prepared to be farmed and was killed there. The words, “strike off the heifer’s neck,” meant to break the animal’s neck.
Exodus 13:13
March 20, 2024
Deuteronomy 21:5, 6 – And the priests the sons of Levi shall come near; for them the Lord thy God hath chosen to minister unto him, and to bless in the name of the Lord; and by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be tried: and all the elders of that city, that are next unto the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the valley.
Thought: When we think of the priests under the Law, we usually think of their ministering at the temple in Jerusalem. They did more than this. Here, they are involved in the sacrifice of a heifer that was slain because a man had been murdered by an unknown killer. The priests were the authority. The Lord said: “…by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be tried.” Once the heifer was killed, they washed their hands over her.
Malachi 2:7
March 21, 2024
Deuteronomy 21:7, 8 – And they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it. Be merciful, O Lord, unto thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and lay not innocent blood unto thy people of Israel’s charge. And the blood shall be forgiven them.
Thought: When a mysterious death has occurred, someone is guilty of the transgression. Because Canaan was a holy land, the shed blood of an innocent person defiled it. Thus, when such a death was revealed, a sacrifice for sins was made. This involved the killing of a heifer in the closest city to the death. The priests would ask God not to lay this blood to Israel’s charge. In such cases God was merciful. “And the blood shall be forgiven them.”
Numbers 35:33
March 22, 2024
Deuteronomy 21:9 – So shall thou put away the guilt of innocent blood among you, when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the Lord.
Thought: When an innocent person is killed, even though the murderer is not known, someone is guilty of the crime. Words like “innocent,” “guilt,” and “crime” remind us that the systems God gives to men are legal in nature. The Old Law involved a physical kingdom. Under the Law of Christ, the kingdom is spiritual in nature. God is a God of justice. Too, He longs for men to be innocent before Him. We do that by doing what is right in God’s sight.
Psalm 119:1-3
March 23, 2024
Deuteronomy 21:10, 11 – When thou goest forth to war against thine enemies, and the Lord thy God hath delivered them into thine hands, and thou hast taken them captive, and seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast a desire unto her, that thou wouldest have her to thy wife.
Thought: When we study the Old Testament, we often forget two things. First, Israel was a physical nation. As a nation, they had an army and had to fight wars against their enemies. Second, we forget that they lived in a different time and culture than ours. In those days, the spoils of battle went to the victors. Part of the spoils involved the women and children. It was not uncommon for warriors to take women of the conquered nation to be their wives.
Genesis 12:14-15
March 24, 2024
Deuteronomy 21:12, 13 – Then thou shalt bring her home to thine house; and she shall shave her head, and pare her nails; and she shall put the raiment of her captivity from off her, and shall remain in thine house, and bewail her father and her mother a full month: and after that thou shalt go in unto her, and be her husband, and she shall be thy wife.
Thought: One of the spoils of battle involved the women of a foreign land. If a warrior saw a woman he desired to be his wife, he could bring her into his home. However, there were certain things required of her: shave her head, pair her nails, put off the raiment of her captivity. These things indicated a denunciation of her previous religion. She was also allowed to grieve for her father and mother. Then, she could become the man’s wife.
Leviticus 14:8
March 25, 2024
Deuteronomy 21:14 – And it shall be, if thou have no delight in her, then thou shalt let her go whither she will; but thou shalt not sell her at all for money, thou shalt not make merchandise of her, because thou hast humbled her.
Thought: Marriages to captive women were often based up lust and not love. After a man married a captive, the relationship could be fraught with many problems. If this happened and the man ceased to desire the woman, he could let her go. Two regulations were issued regarding her leaving. First, she was free to “go whither she will.’ Second, the man could “not sell her at all for money.” He was responsible for her condition. He had humbled her.
Matthew 19:7-8
March 26, 2024
Deuteronomy 21:15 – If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have born him children, both the beloved and the hated: and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated.
Thought: Polygamy involves a person being married to more than one spouse. In the Old Testament polygamy was tolerated. It isn’t in the New Testament. In this verse, we learn that polygamy comes with problems. When a man has two wives, it is possible for him to love one more than another. This love often causes him to prefer her and her children over the “hated” wife and her children. What happens if the “hated” wife had the firstborn son?
Genesis 29:30
March 27, 2024
Deuteronomy 21:16, 17 – Then it shall be, when he maketh his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, which is indeed the firstborn: but he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his.
Thought: It is easy to “play favorites.” In a polygamous marriage, playing favorites could cause problems. Too, it could cause one to violate the commands of God. Under the Law of Moses, the firstborn had privileges the other children did not. However, if a man had two wives and the one he loved the less had the firstborn, he might be tempted to overlook him and prefer the son of the wife he loves. God forbade this. God is not a respecter of persons.
James 2:2-4
March 28, 2024
Deuteronomy 21:18 – If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them.
Thought: One of the joys found in a home involves respectful, obedient children. One of the heartbreaks of parenting involves “a stubborn and rebellious son.” Sometimes the parents are partly to blame for the son’s rebelliousness. Favoritism, a broken home, harsh discipline, inconsistency, and hypocrisy can create a rebellious heart. However, there are other times when a child simply rebels for no apparent reason. The parents discipline with no results.
Exodus 10:12
March 29, 2024
Deuteronomy 21:19, 20 – Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; and they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.
Thought: Most parents want family matters to remain private in nature. They do not want to air their dirty laundry for all to see. Yet, there are times when there is no other alternative. When a child is stubborn and rebellious and refuses to be changed by the discipline of the parents, more severe actions must be taken. Under the Law of Moses, the child was to be brought “unto the elders of the city.” These sat at the gate and were judges.
Deuteronomy 16:18
March 30, 2024
Deuteronomy 21:21 – And all the men of the city shall stone him with stones, that he die; so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.
Thought: Stubborn and rebellious children were not to be tolerated in Israel. If they could not be disciplined at home, they were to be brought before the elders of his parents’ city of residence. These individuals were commanded to carry out the sentence of stoning. The purpose of stoning was two-fold. First, it would put away the evil from Israel. Second, others in Israel would hear and would fear. Strong, bold discipline creates proper behavior.
Leviticus 20:9
March 31, 2024
Deuteronomy 21:22, 23 – And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: his body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.
Thought: There were several crimes that were punishable by death in the Law of Moses. Once the criminal was put to death, his body was then hung on a tree for the remainder of the daylight hours. This would expose the criminal to shame. It would also be a reminder to Israel of the consequences of evil doing. The body, however, as to be removed and buried at the end of the day. God did not want the horrible actions of the criminal to defile the land.
Joshua 8:29
Read devotionals for April 2024