Pray Thru the Bible

God Speaks

“Never sacrifice sick or defective cattle, sheep, or goats to the Lord your God, for he detests such gifts.

² “When you begin living in the towns the Lord your God is giving you, a man or woman among you might do evil in the sight of the Lord your God and violate the covenant. ³ For instance, they might serve other gods or worship the sun, the moon, or any of the stars—the forces of heaven—which I have strictly forbidden. ⁴ When you hear about it, investigate the matter thoroughly. If it is true that this detestable thing has been done in Israel, ⁵ then the man or woman who has committed such an evil act must be taken to the gates of the town and stoned to death. ⁶ But never put a person to death on the testimony of only one witness. There must always be two or three witnesses. ⁷ The witnesses must throw the first stones, and then all the people may join in. In this way, you will purge the evil from among you.

⁸ “Suppose a case arises in a local court that is too hard for you to decide—for instance, whether someone is guilty of murder or only of manslaughter, or a difficult lawsuit, or a case involving different kinds of assault. Take such legal cases to the place the Lord your God will choose, ⁹ and present them to the Levitical priests or the judge on duty at that time. They will hear the case and declare the verdict. ¹⁰ You must carry out the verdict they announce and the sentence they prescribe at the place the Lord chooses. You must do exactly what they say. ¹¹ After they have interpreted the law and declared their verdict, the sentence they impose must be fully executed; do not modify it in any way. ¹² Anyone arrogant enough to reject the verdict of the judge or of the priest who represents the Lord your God must die. In this way you will purge the evil from Israel. ¹³ Then everyone else will hear about it and be afraid to act so arrogantly.

¹⁴ “You are about to enter the land the Lord your God is giving you. When you take it over and settle there, you may think, ‘We should select a king to rule over us like the other nations around us.’ ¹⁵ If this happens, be sure to select as king the man the Lord your God chooses. You must appoint a fellow Israelite; he may not be a foreigner.

¹⁶ “The king must not build up a large stable of horses for himself or send his people to Egypt to buy horses, for the Lord has told you, ‘You must never return to Egypt.’ ¹⁷ The king must not take many wives for himself, because they will turn his heart away from the Lord. And he must not accumulate large amounts of wealth in silver and gold for himself.

¹⁸ “When he sits on the throne as king, he must copy for himself this body of instruction on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. ¹⁹ He must always keep that copy with him and read it daily as long as he lives. That way he will learn to fear the Lord his God by obeying all the terms of these instructions and decrees. ²⁰ This regular reading will prevent him from becoming proud and acting as if he is above his fellow citizens. It will also prevent him from turning away from these commands in the smallest way. And it will ensure that he and his descendants will reign for many generations in Israel.

Source: New Living Translation: BibleGateway.com

We Respond

Reflection: Consider the following questions regarding Deuteronomy 17:

1. What do these verses tell me about God?

2. What do these verses tell me about the human beings He created?

Here is one possible answer to each of these questions. Ask the Holy Spirit if there are any others for you personally to ponder.  

1. God calls for our best in our offerings, in worshiping Him alone, in our court system, or among our top government officials.

2. People are often tempted to slight God in their offerings, worship other gods, not exercise wisdom or justice in court, and not lead nations righteously. 

Prayer:

3. How might I pray regarding Deuteronomy 17?  

Dear God who is justice and righteousness, I thank You for giving me the ability to earn money and have possessions that I can return to You in thanksgiving. I determine to serve only You, the true and living God, and to stand strongly against those who serve other gods or pervert Your truth. Help me to support (in any way You direct) those who are striving to purge evil from our land. Thank You for giving us godly leaders in the Christian community as well as in various levels of government. As we pray for and You enable these men and women, we will live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. I pray that the people in positions of power (in all of the areas of influence) will be those You choose. Help them to avoid or turn from amassing for themselves weapons, women (or men), and wealth. Instead, may they (do as You instruct the king in Deuteronomy 17) personally write a copy of the book of Deuteronomy, read it daily, and follow its instructions or principles. This kind of leadership will truly make our nation great and bring You glory. AMEN

Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)

4. What action does the LORD want me to take in response to Deuteronomy 17?

• I will give a percentage of my earnings to God and His work before anything else.
• I will strongly resist anyone who tries to get me to follow any god except the God of the Bible.
• I will pray for and support the Justices of the Supreme Court.
• I will do what Deuteronomy 17:18-20 tells Israel’s king to do: personally write a copy of the book of Deuteronomy, read it daily, and follow its instructions.

Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.