“And the LORD hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments; and to make thee high above all nations which he hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honour; and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the LORD thy God, as he hath spoken.” Our Text this morning, Deuteronomy 26:18-19.

God’s promise to Israel, as a nation of holy people.

Well, as an “obedient” people too.

Several words in these verses are of paramount importance.

The verb translated “hath avouched” is simply spelled “amar” in Hebrew. Its meaning … “God has spoken, has said, has uttered.” This refers to the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai. God (historically) spoke then.

A “peculiar” people (“segullah”) means those who are “shut up” unto God, His special possession! His “jewels,” His “treasure,” says the King James Bible.

Wow!

The verb “shouldest keep” is “shamar,” used a total of 468 times in the Old Testament! It means “to heed, preserve, watch,” hence “to obey.”

And here everything does hinge on Israel’s being the kind of people God wanted her to be! Even the noun “people” (“am” in Hebrew) hints at relationship, kinship!

Then watch God bless His little “possession.”

“And to make thee high (elyon) above all nations which he hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honour,” pretty special! (Israel is far from this today, though still God’s little “pet” nation!)

But some day in the future, after Jesus comes again to earth … she will be this and a whole lot more! (I’m preparing a series of Sermons on Isaiah chapter 62 right now. There is described Israel’s future glory, in some detail.)

God’s express “passion” for His people, His followers? “That thou mayest be an holy people unto the LORD thy God.”

Where “holy” (“qadosh”) implies “set apart, consecrated, dedicated, pure.”

What a beautiful Passage about God’s “heart” for Israel.

And our jobs as saved Gentiles?

Pray for these truths to be actualized in the life of God’s “Israel.”

Praying for the salvation of “the Apple of God’s Eye!”

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Zechariah 2:8, God to Israel: “For thus saith the LORD of hosts … he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.”

 

My Dad would have called it just plain old “honesty.”

A “way of life” for him, I might add.

God, through Moses, taught Israel this standard of business practice. “Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small. Thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small. But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the LORD thy God.” Deuteronomy 25:13-16

A Bible believing Hebrew scholar explains the above Text in this manner. It may (or may not) help you to better understand it. “You shall not have in your bag inaccurate weights, a heavy and a light (so you can cheat others). You shall not have in your house inaccurate measures (like yardsticks), a large and a small. You shall have a perfect (full) and just weight, and a perfect and just measure, so that your days may be long in the land which the Lord your God gives you. For everyone who does such things, everyone who acts unjustly (without integrity) is utterly repulsive to the Lord your God.”

The evil practice here being condemned would be like the local gasoline station “tampering” with their pumps so that you THOUGHT you were buying ten gallons of fuel (for which you paid) … but actually the pump only dispensed eight gallons! The “calibration” has been changed, illegally.

God forbids such sales measures.

BE HONEST PEOPLE!

By the way, such deceitful business practices made the rich richer, and the poor poorer!

(There’s nothing wrong with being wealthy IF the profit has been legitimately earned. Nor is there necessarily anything shameful about being poor … IF one has not been lazy in his lifestyle. If one has done his or her best to earn a living.)

But … is this “technicality” that important?

Long life (longevity) may depend on it! Obey these laws … “that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.”

I’d call that important.

Second reason to obey.

Such integrity pleases God! Crookedness does not!  “All that do unrighteously, are an abomination (disgusting, sickening) unto the LORD thy God.”

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

The Text today reminds me of the Book of Ruth!

And of God’s care for the “poor” of the land.

Remember, this is a Law.

For Israel.

“When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands. When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow. When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.” Deuteronomy 24:19-21

Leave something behind, when you are harvesting your crops!

Don’t strip the field, the tree, or the vine bare!

Yes, this involves grain, olives, and grapes.

And presumably every other kind of edible vegetation.

So those who are “needy” will have bread to eat. Oil (from olives) to light their homes. And grapes for both juice and sweetening purposes.

Do notice that these commodities are to be “left” laying in the fields, or  “still growing” on the trees or vines. In other words … do not pick these things for the poor people. Do not be stingy … but they must exert enough effort to come and retrieve what God has provided them!

This discouraged slothfulness!

And did you see that one line about God “blessing” those who are this generous, who obey with a sweet spirit? “That the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands.”

Wow!

But now let’s see who qualifies for this largesse.

King James Version: “for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.”

The noun “stranger” is “ger,” meaning a “foreigner.”

“Fatherless” is “yathom,” meaning “lonely person.” It’s translated “orphan” once in the Bible, but expresses particularly the idea of one having a dead Father, 41 times! (It is only used 42 times, total.)

Then “widow” is “almanah,” meaning “one who is desolate,” thus a woman who has lost her husband, often her sole provider back in those days.

Yes, God loves the needy!

Listen to Solomon in Proverbs concerning the “poor.” By the way, that word (“poor”) is used nearly 40 times in the Book of Proverbs! “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.” Proverbs 19:17

Wow, there’s that idea of “reward, blessing” again!

Folks, if society functioned like this yet today, bathed in such prevalent generosity, the so-called “entitlement” programs of a country’s budget could be greatly reduced, or maybe even eliminated!

But alas, even Israel does not obey such a command any more.

Still, the principle remains.

Be generous to those who have valid issues of “poverty.”

After all, God sure has been gracious to us!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

In fact, after giving today’s legislation (Deuteronomy 24:19-21) … look what God said next. “Thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman (slave) in the land of Egypt: therefore I command thee to do this thing.” To give to the poor!

Wow!

 

I’m taking sort of an indirect approach to the Text today.

Observing perhaps an “incidental” fact imbedded in its main story, plot, thrust, trajectory.

Another of God’s “Laws” for Israel, in conducting her everyday life.

“Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates. At his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the LORD, and it be sin unto thee.” Deuteronomy 24:14-15

The noun “servant” means “worker,” in this context.  And “his day” means at the end of his eight or ten or twelve (whatever) hour shift. Imagine he’s working for YOU, one of your hires.

God in essence says: “Pay him daily, he’s abjectly poor.”

If not, you could get “in trouble” with God … IF that man prays to God for his lost (withheld) wages!

Once again, a recap …

Don’t take advantage of any poor man, especially in business ventures.

If he works for you a single day … pay him by sunset.

He needs the money that much!

Children to feed, urgent bills to pay … those kind of things.

God’s great love and care are (again) here on display. In Deuteronomy … one of the so-called harshest Books in all the Bible!

But, what if a farmer does NOT pay his day laborers promptly. According to the admonition God just gave?

Then, that poor man has at least one option.

He could “cry out to God” … telling the Almighty about the wrong just done! About his unpaid wages for (usually) back-breaking, hard work.

And if he does so?

God will hear him.

And the selfish (or careless) landowner will be found “in sin” because of his callousness.

Pay him … “lest he cry against thee unto the LORD, and it be sin unto thee.”

Wow!

Wow!

Wow!

I just learned that (instead of taking matters into my own hands) when I am wronged … I can “tell on” the offender! I can tell Jesus about the injustice I have suffered.

Yes, God’s Ear is always open to the meek, lowly, sufferer.

And that (wicked) man will be found sinful in God’s Economy!

I’ll have to mentally and spiritually sort through these thoughts one more time.

Then I think I’ll go pray a while!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

My King James Version “Scofield Reference Bible” labels Deuteronomy chapter 23 like this, “Divers (diverse) Regulations.”

Indeed it is, sets of rules and warnings (prohibitions and instructions) concerning many areas of life. Yes, the great Creator (and potential Redeemer) of humankind plans to be “Lord” of all!

Including daily life!

So … here are rules (in context particularly applying to soldiers who are encamped against an enemy) about “cleanliness.” About hygiene, literally about “using the bathroom!”

Let me explain, better yet, let the Bible explain.  Let God speak:

“Thou shalt have a place also without the camp, whither thou shalt go forth abroad: and thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon; and it shall be, when thou wilt EASE THYSELF abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt TURN BACK AND COVER that which cometh from thee: for the LORD thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore shall thy camp be HOLY: that he see no unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee.” Deuteronomy 23:12-14, wow!

Maybe Grandma was right! About “cleanliness” being next to “godliness!”

How to properly … use the bathroom … in today’s terminology.

This three verse unit is loaded with instruction!

Practically, disease will be (by obeying God) kept in check, potentially so anyway.

Noxious odors will be removed as well.

“Common sense,” which God gave us all, is being utilized here.

Laziness is also outlawed!

This gives the idea of “going” to the bathroom new meaning.

Even here we have “thinking of others” emphasized rather than a man following the immediate desires of his own heart.

BUT do note. God is looking!

And God has standards of holiness, purity … that must be observed!

Plus this … allow filth into the camp … and God just might … “turn away from thee.”

Resulting in untold loss of life, I suspect! In the next skirmish, battle!

Amazing!

Then too, Paul’s advice from 1st Thessalonians 5:22 comes to  mind. “Abstain from all appearance of evil.”

Now in principle, think of some ways you can lead a cleaner life for Jesus.

I mean today.

Do keep in mind, as I said, GOD IS WATCHING!

“The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” Proverbs 15:3

— Dr. Mike Bagwell