Charles (Chuck) Kensinger

Cleanliness is next to godliness is a common saying.  Deuteronomy 14 points out the things that the Israelites are to avoid keeping from being unclean.  The first paragraph deals with activities that are involved in the worship of idols.

From there we look at the animals and fish that are considered clean and unclean.  Simon Peter was presented with some of these unclean animals in the book of Acts.  God tells him not to consider anything that God made, and He made everything, unclean.  That is why many of us Christians have no problems with eating bacon and ham.  I still don’t think I want to eat a camel.

The tithe is another controversial topic with some.  Why does Jehovah need ten percent of everything that the fields and flocks produce?  He doesn’t.  Two-thirds of that is for a party in honor of Jehovah.  The other third is for the Levites and the widows and orphans.  Imagine how simple it would be if everyone gave ten percent of what they earned, and the church used two thirds for their members and staff and the other third for benevolence.  Who would need the government?

The foundation of the American system of bankruptcy is in Deuteronomy 15.  The year of Jubilee is something that no human government has ever done on a regular basis.  Generosity is the foundation of Christianity.  Servants and debtors are to be released from their debt.

The first functional ear piercing is discussed here.  A servant that does not want to be released from their servitude is to allow the master to pierce the ear lobe.  If you men want to claim that your pierced ears are for your service to the Lord, I would like to see the doorpost.

Once again, we come to the clean and unclean as well as the redemption of the first-born sons and the sacrifice of the firstborn animals.  Sacrifice for redemption is established early in the life of the Israelites not because it is to continue through history, but to show why the Savior had to die.  When, where and how it all related to the law of the Jews.

Deuteronomy 16 starts with the celebration of Passover.  The time, the sacrifice, and the unleavened bread are all important.  Remember that Jesus was sacrificed at the exact time that the Passover lambs were being killed.

The Festivals of weeks and Tabernacles are also brought up.  The time, procedures, and reasons for these are given again.  Repetition is the method God tries to use to enable this group to stay faithful.  He also reminds us that no other god should be worshiped.

The government must also maintain justice and honest qualified judges are a necessity.  These must be available in every tribe and city throughout the nation.  Justice for all is an idea that did not originate in our country.

©Copyright 2020 by Charles Kensinger