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Today's Bible Reading...
March 6 - Deuteronomy 14-16
In chapters 14 and 15 we have various ordinances. In chapter 16 the feasts
are set.
14:3-21 The Israelite people were forbidden to eat certain foods for several
reasons. (1) Health reasons - predatory animals ate the blood of other animals,
and scavengers ate dead animals. (2) Some animals may have had bad associations
in the culture such as bats, snakes, spiders do in ours. Some may have been used
in pagan practice (Isaiah 66:17) It is important to note that eating unclean
animals would have represented sin as well as unhealthy habits. (3) The people
of Israel were set aside, different from other people. This distinction carried
over into the food they ate. We don't need to follow these laws today (Acts
10:9-16) - still we need to take care of our bodies and make healthy choices in
our food.
14:22-23 Deals with tithing - put God first in your life. Give God the first and
the best. Regular tithing keeps God at the top of our priority list and gives us
a proper perspective of everything else in our lives.
14:28-29 It's everyone's responsibility to take care of the poor.
15 - Who are the poor in our community? What can we do to help them?
16 - Three times a year all males were required to appear before God.
1. Feast of Passover (Feast of Unleavened Bread) - spring - 15th day of the 1st
month, lasted 7 days - celebrated deliverance out of Egypt
2. Pentecost (Feast of Weeks, of Harvest or First Tabernacles) 50th day after
Passover, lasted 1 day - celebration of thanksgiving for harvest (Pentecost is a
Greek word - it means 50 days)
3. Tabernacles (Feast of Ingathering) 15th day of 7th month, 5 days after
Atonement lasted 7 days (celebrated God's protection as they wandered in dessert
before entering promised land. Purpose was to renew commitment to God. In II
Chron. it coincided with the dedication of the temple.
In addition to these were the Feasts of Trumpets and Day of Atonement. Feast of
Trumpets - 1st day of the 7th month - ushered in Civil Year (Numbers 28) Day of
Atonement - 10th day of 7th month (Leviticus 16)
These feasts kept God in the thoughts and minds of the people and also were used
as community builders. They promoted National Unity. (For more on the feasts see
Exodus 23, Leviticus 15, Leviticus 23)
God, help me to please you in every area of my life. May not not strive to just
give you first place, but may I give you all of my life. In the name of Jesus I
pray. Amen.
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