May 1, 2021
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Deuteronomy? Here’s today’s reading:
Deuteronomy 14 (NIV)
Clean and Unclean Food
1 You are the children of the Lord your God. Do not cut yourselves or shave the front of your heads for the dead, 2 for you are a people holy to the Lord your God. Out of all the peoples on the face of the earth, the Lord has chosen you to be his treasured possession.......Continue Reading
Let me first say thank goodness God doesn’t want us to eat many of the things in these lists because quite frankly I don’t want to!! :)) and that bats were specifically mentioned as not to eat and when I was talking to Trevor about this chapter he quickly noted that the eating of bats was one of the rumors of the start of Coronavirus….things that make you go hmmm!
Tithing is so important to God and I love the reference to using those tithes to care for not just the Levites but the widows and fatherless as it is the church who should be caring for these people.
I can’t help but think of all the protection that is found in these food lists. Some of the animals listed as unclean, are just that, unclean and would be harmful and unhealthy to eat. I also wonder what animals He was trying to protect as well…those bunnies are just too cute to eat…..But mostly it was a way on multi-times a day to be reminded of God. It would be a constant thought…why are we eating this and not eating that…oh that’s right because God told us….
And giving was another thing honoring to God. To sacrifice something valuable to us to God simply reenforces God’s value as well. The building of trust in giving and being appropriately thankful were also important dynamics reenforced in the tithe. The tithe also took care of certain segments of society that needed it: the Levites and others who were economically vulnerable. So many things in Israelite society that caused them to think about God in the way that He structured things. How far have we gotten away from doing things that help us to remember God?
Deuteronomy 14
This passage reminds me of the book I am reminding entitled, “Is God a Moral Monster?” These rules were specifically given to the Israelites only, and only temporarily to.establish God’s relationship with them.
Deuteronomy 13&14
The Lord was very specific in His instructions regarding what to eat and what to avoid. He was very protective of the health of His people. He did not allow them to eat any types of scavengers like Eagles, Vultures, Hawks, or any scavengers in the sea. I’m so impressed with His instructions!
The laws here are a repeat of Leviticus 11, 21. They are repeated most likely because this is a new generation and to remind them of what it means to be God’s children, to be set apart.
Reading this chapter causes me to think of what sets me apart from the ‘other nations’, the world? My choice of clothing or dietary menu does not distinguish me as God’s child. It is choosing to do what God says that distinguishes me as ‘set apart’ from the world. It is choosing to read his word, to seek His face, to worship him in spirit and in truth.
Deuteronomy 14-16
Deuteronomy 16
I’m way behind because of my concussion! I don’t want to break the habit of doing this (almost)every day! I spent a lot of time today studying and listening to sermons on Joshua 13-15 which is the land being granted to the tribes.
22Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year. 23Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you may learn to revere the Lord your God always.