Should Israel ever have an earthly King, trying to be like the nations who surrounded her, God preemptively placed some restrictions on that man, whomever he might be.

One of those “prohibitions” involved horses!

“But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.” Deuteronomy 17:16

Why couldn’t the King “collect” horses?

Because in that long-ago day horses were not used primarily for ploughing, working a field agriculturally. Not for personal enjoyment. Really not even for transportation, traveling.

They were essentially animals of “war!”

And God Himself wanted to be Israel’s DEFENSE!

Her PROTECTOR!

Her “ARMY!”

Read these verses, God’s view of horses.

“Some trust in chariots, and some in HORSES: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.” Psalm 20:7

“There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength. An HORSE is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.” Psalm 33:16-17

God’s longing: “But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by HORSES, nor by HORSEMEN.” Hosea 1:7

Wow!

Furthermore, Egypt is mentioned in our Text verse because that (wicked) nation was the key source for horses in Moses’ time. Remember? “But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to EGYPT, to the end that he should multiply horses.”

Stay away … from that ungodly land, really land of many-gods and goddesses!

A Verse on “separation!”

And though today God certainly does not forbid you owning a horse … HE DOES TAKE OFFENSE WHEN YOU FOLLOW ANOTHER SOURCE OF STRENGTH AND PROTECTION!

Micah 3:8 is a good ending thought. “But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the LORD.”

God, my Fortress!

Not a squadron of F-16 fighters or B-1 bombers!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

God is your Protector, too, dear Christian friend! He is your Safety! Not your bank account! Not your secure job! Not your ____________ whatever else! Only the Lord God Almighty!

 

Good Thursday morning!

In Deuteronomy, the whole Book, God is “rehearsing” the Law (given via Moses on Mt. Sinai nearly years earlier) before the Nation of Israel.

In chapter 17 the subject of a “King” is being discussed. (In reality God Himself wanted to be their “King!” Israel then would have been a true “Theocracy.” Instead, God knew their hearts, their carnal desire to be “like other nations” … so He “allowed” them to become a “Monarchy” instead. Less than God’s best, by the way!)

BUT … certain requirements, restrictions, must apply … when they chose their Leader, their King.

Here’s the first one. With another one following tomorrow morning, the Lord willing.

“Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the LORD thy God shall choose: ONE FROM AMONG THY BRETHREN shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest NOT SET A STRANGER over thee, which is not thy brother.” Deuteronomy 17:15

God’s (reluctant) choice will be a man … who is also a Jew!

“One from among thy brethren!”

That’s the positive way of stating it, a fellow Jew.

Then immediately God continues legislating, but now negatively:

“Not a stranger, which is not thy brother.”

Wow!

So much for “globalism!”

God just cast a vote for “nationalism.”

Or should I say “another vote.”

He is against “one world government,” folks.

Remember the Tower of Babel?

And God’s yet promised judgment on the global kingdom of antichrist?

But more specifically, GOD WANTS ISRAEL’S LEADER, HER KING, TO BE A PERSON FROM HER OWN RANKS. WHO UNDERSTANDS HER PROBELMS. WHO HAS WALKED “IN HER SHOES.” WHO PERSONALLY IDENTIFIES WITH HER!

What’s my “point” today, in this little Lesson?

The best leaders are those who share identity with their subjects, who come from “among” their constituency!

And that reminds me of … JESUS!

He is our (Believers, Christians) future King, you know!

And He is too our great “High Priest!”

Both Offices being possible to Him because … HE IS ONE OF US, FROM THE MIDST OF US!

Yes, He is God made into human flesh!

He is God come to earth.

He is the God-man!

I am not saying He is 50% God and 50% man. I am saying He is 100% God and 100% man!

I am saying He is “touched with the feeling of our infirmities!” See Hebrews 4:15.

I am saying (1 Timothy 3:16) Jesus is God “manifest in the flesh!”

I am saying God (the Word) “was made flesh, and dwelt among us!” See John 1:14.

I am saying Jesus is no “foreigner, stranger” … to the people He serves.

I am saying He is the TRUE King of His domain!

Are you one of His?

If you’re not, He has made it possible (through the Cross of Calvary, His shed Blood there) for you be be “saved,”nationalized, “born again” … into His domain!

Jesus, very God … yet “one of us!”

Hallelujah!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Even before God had specifically appointed Jerusalem to be the site of the Jewish Temple, He had given Israel many instructions regarding their worship of Him there, in that special Place.

Today’s Verse proves an example: “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, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles.” Deuteronomy 16:16, “all thy males!”

Remember, many of these people would be living miles away from that Temple. A sizeable number day’s journey, even more for some of the Tribes. And a Psalm of Protection was written for these pilgrims as they trekked toward the Holy City, Psalm 121. Gladly going “into the House of God!”

Yes, every man in the Nation was required to go worship God (“appear” before Him) at least three times a year! A major expectation in those days of primitive transportation, likely all by foot.

What would we do if we only got to attend God’s House thrice a year?

(Incidentally, today we Christians are under mandate to go regularly, every time church “meets” apparently! “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another.” Pretty clear, Hebrews 10:25.)

But back to our verse.

What were the “three times” each year a Jewish mad had to go, under law, Mosaic Law?

During the “Feast of Unleavened Bread,” virtually “Passover.”

Then again during the “Feast of Weeks,” also called “Pentecost.”

Lastly, be there at the “Feast of Tabernacles!”

Passover, Spring of the year.

Pentecost, 50 days later, what I’d call Summer.

Tabernacles, in the Fall, harvest time!

Year round, in other words.

Stop work, you Jews.

Pack your supplies.

Make the trip.

And stay until it’s over! Essentially a week for each Event!

Again, by Law!

Now to the “heart” of the Lesson.

WHY those three times?

I think … because of what they represent.

Passover … Jesus’ Death!

Pentecost … the Descent of the Holy Spirit!

And Tabernacles … Jesus Second Coming, the Millennium and eternal Joy!

Wow!

That’s the whole trajectory of Jesus’ earthly Career, known at the time of Moses, fifteen centuries before the Virgin Birth ever happened!

This surely shows us God the Father’s “Priority List,”

Calvary!

The Upper Room, when the Holy Spirit descended!

And a Dwelling Place (they made “booths” to inhabit) to joyfully worship God for His Goodness!

Hallelujah!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Soon as you’re finished reading … get alone with the Lord if possible and thank Him for these three (two past and one future) Events! Worship Him a while … for the Cross, the Holy Spirit and the Good Things to come! And do it all with a thankful, joyful spirit!

 

 

We are simply taking a “trip” through the Book of Deuteronomy. Basically covering a chapter a day, though occasionally a chapter has required several days to discuss.

Today I have a question.

Can God, does God bless Nations?

Not just individuals or families … but Countries?

Yes, the answer to that question, yes indeed.

Listen to the Lord teach Israel, Deuteronomy 15:6. “For the LORD thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee.”

Wow!

True, Israel’s financial and political health here described was predicated upon her obeying the Word of God … but still, God meant what He said!

Lending, not borrowing!

Let me show you a little vocabulary “nugget” here. The very same verb (in Hebrew “abat”) is used for both “lending” and “borrowing” here! And in the King James Bible “abat” is translated “lend” 2 times. And “borrow” 1 time! And “fetch” 1 more time!

Confusing?

Here’s a case where a translator had to base his work on the “context” of the verb(s) he’s explaining. Is God saying Israel will “borrow from” and never “loan to” to her neighbors? Of course not! The whole chapter (Deuteronomy 15) has been talking about God’s “blessings” on an obedient Israel, a little Nation in the world community.

Plus … the rest of our Text verse sets the “tone” for God’s meaning, God’s promise. Israel … “thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee.” Deuteronomy 15:5b

Very clear now, because here the verbs (though identical) are more dogmatic! “Mashal” always has the idea of “ruling, governing, having power over” someone!

I am saying that God would not (suddenly) “mix” blessings and curses in a paragraph that contains only blessings! So any verbs in question would be expressed as being harmonious with their context!

Thank God for reliable translators!

And thank God even more for His multiple Blessings!

By the way, God has blessed Israel!

Even though her brightest days still are ahead!

“For the LORD thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee.”

Nations!

Psalm 9:17 promises: “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the NATIONS that forget God.”

Again I say, “Nations!”

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

As some of you already know, the Website experienced more technical difficulty early this morning.

The Lord willing, another new Lesson (from the Book of Deuteronomy) will be written and posted tomorrow, fairly early in fact.

I’d write it today, but it’s too near Church time now, the Revival tonight in Loris, South Carolina.

Look where the Church has us staying, our accommodations for the week!

Floor number 12, the corner condominium!

Wow!

Pray for us as we travel and preach week after week.

Thank you sincerely,

Dr. Mike Bagwell