Deuteronomy 16:16

Deuteronomy 16:16 says, 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: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty:  Moses said that the males of the people of Israel were to appear before God three times a year in the place that He would choose.  This was the feast of unleavened bread, the feast weeks, and the feast of tabernacles.  Moses also said that they were not to appear empty handed.  Though I believe this meant without their tithes and offerings, we should never appear before God empty of faith, and as followers of Christ we are constantly before Him because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  Verse seventeen adds, Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee.  In addition to their tithes, they were to bring offerings as they were able, according to how much God had blessed them.  We should also give according to how God has blessed us and not to satisfy some legalistic requirement.  Verse eighteen states, Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment.  Moses said they were to appoint judges to judge the people in disputes between the people, and they were to judge them with just judgements.  We also need to appoint judges today who will judge fairly, and pray for them as they do so.  We should never seek nor want special favors in judgment between others and us, but should always want fair judgment.  Verse nineteen adds,  Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.  Moses said that the judges should not pass judgment based on who the person was, and that judges should never take gifts, because gifts blinded the eye of the wise and perverted the words of the righteous, We need judges today who are not influenced by who a person is, and we certainly need judges who aren't influenced by gifts.  Verse twenty declares, That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.  Moses said that the people of Israel were to altogether follow that which was just, so that they might inherit the land which God gave them.  Though the land was a free gift from God, their keeping it was based on their keeping their covenant relationship with Him.  Though as Christians, our inheriting our home in heaven is a free gift from God, and we will never lose it, it is still based on putting our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, and we should always do our best to live in accordance with our covenant relationship with Him.  Verse twenty-one adds, Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the LORD thy God, which thou shalt make thee.  Moses said that they were not to plant groves of trees near the altar of the Lord their God.  This was sacred ground and not to be used for material purposes.  We should never allow commercial things to enter into the areas that we set aside to worship God today, namely the church building.   Verse twenty-two continues, Neither shalt thou set thee up any image; which the LORD thy God hateth.  Moses also said they were not to set up any images or idols, which God hated.  This is still true today, and I believe this means even images attempting to represent God.

Deuteronomy 16;9

Deuteronomy 16:9 says, Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee: begin to number the seven weeks from such time as thou beginnest to put the sickle to the corn.  Moses said they were to number seven weeks from the time they harvested the corn.  Verse ten adds, And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the LORD thy God with a tribute of a freewill offering of thine hand, which thou shalt give unto the LORD thy God, according as the LORD thy God hath blessed thee:  Moses said they would celebrate the feast of weeks then, when they would bring a freewill offering according to how God had blessed them.  We today as followers of Christ need to bring our freewill offerings to God in accordance with how He has blessed us.  Verse eleven continues, And thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are among you, in the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen to place his name there.  Moses said that everyone was to rejoice before God in the place that He had chosen.  We as families need to rejoice before the Lord in the place He chooses.  Verse twelve states, And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt: and thou shalt observe and do these statutes.  Moses said that they were to remember that they were bondmen in Egypt before God set them free, and we need to remember that we in bondage to sin until Jesus Christ set us free.  Verse thirteen adds, Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine:  They were then to observe the feast of tabernacles for seven days, after they had gathered their corn and wine.  Verse fourteen continues, And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within thy gates.  Once more, Moses said all within their gates were to rejoice.  It would be a much better world if we could have everyone in our family, community and nation to rejoice in the Lord.  Verse fifteen concludes, Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD shall choose: because the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thine increase, and in all the works of thine hands, therefore thou shalt surely rejoice.  Moses said that they were to keep the feast for seven days in the place God chose, because God would bless them in their increase.  We used to have week long revivals to celebrate how God had blessed us and to call others to worship Him, but now we just don't seem to have the time.  Maybe that is why God doesn't give us an increase in blessings. 

Deuteronomy 16:1

Deuteronomy 16:1 says, Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the LORD thy God: for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.  Moses said that they were to observe the passover in the month of Abib.  Matthew Henry says this was the month of March or the beginning of April.  This was the month that God delivered them out of bondage in Egypt.  When we observe the Passover today, it is to commerate when Jesus died in our place.  Verse two adds, Thou shalt therefore sacrifice the passover unto the LORD thy God, of the flock and the herd, in the place which the LORD shall choose to place his name there.  Moses said that they were to sacrifice of their flock and herd in the place that God specified, a place where He had placed His name.  We today need to observe the Passover in a place where God has designated and placed His name, the place where we gather together to worship Him.  Verse three continues, Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith, even the bread of affliction; for thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt in haste: that thou mayest remember the day when thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life.  Moses said that they were to eat unleavened bread for a week, and that leavened bread was not to even be allowed within their borders.  This was to remind them of the time when they came out of Egypt by the power of God.  Matthew Henry says that even though the Passover lasted all month, that the people were only required to eat the unleavened bread for a week.  We need to celebrate the Passover for what God did for the people of Israel, but more importantly what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross.  Verse four concludes, And there shall be no leavened bread seen with thee in all thy coast seven days; neither shall there any thing of the flesh, which thou sacrificedst the first day at even, remain all night until the morning.  As just discussed, there was to be no unleavened bread within their coasts, and none of the flesh of the sacrificial animals to remain over night.  Verse five states, Thou mayest not sacrifice the passover within any of thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee:  Verse six adds, But at the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name in, there thou shalt sacrifice the passover at even, at the going down of the sun, at the season that thou camest forth out of Egypt.  Moses once again told them that they could not sacrifice the Passover wherever they were, but were to sacrifice it where God had chosen to place His name as the place of worship.  We today should likewise observe the Passover in a place that God has chosen for us to gather together to worship Him.  Verse seven continues, And thou shalt roast and eat it in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose: and thou shalt turn in the morning, and go unto thy tents.  Moses said that they were to roast and eat the passover sacrifice in the place God designated and the next morning they eould be free to return to their tents.  After we gather together to observe the Passover today, we are free to return to our homes, and should have a renewed commitment to serve God faithfully.  Verse eight concludes. Six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread: and on the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to the LORD thy God: thou shalt do no work therein.  Moses said that they were to eat unleavened bread for six days, and the seventh day they to have a holy convocation, or assembly, unto the LORD. 

Deuteronomy 15:12

Deuteronomy 15:12 says, And if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee.  Moses said that if a Hebrew man or woman had sold themselves into slavery to another Hebrew, then on the seventh year thay they were to be set free.  For some, this might have meant that they had only served for a year or so.  Verse thirteen adds, And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty:  Verse fourteen adds, Thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy winepress: of that wherewith the LORD thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him.  Moses said that when the person was released from bondage, he or she was not to be sent away empty handed, but was to be given liberally of the possessions that God had blessed the man freeing them with.  We today, even if God has richly blessed us, too often do not want to share those blessings of material things with others, and especially not liberally. Verse fifteen concludes, And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing to day.  Moses said that they were to remember that God had freed them when they were bondsmen in Egypt, and that He didn't send them away empty handed.  As followers of Christ, God has freed us from the bondage of sin, and He liberally provides for our needs afterwards, if we put our faith in Him to do so.  Verse sixteen states, And it shall be, if he say unto thee, I will not go away from thee; because he loveth thee and thine house, because he is well with thee;  Moses then told them that a person under bondage to them might not want to leave, because the man had been so good to them.  After God frees us from sin and we begin to faithfully serve Him, we should never want to leave Him.  Verse seventeen adds, Then thou shalt take an aul, and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise.  Moses said that if the man or woman didn't want to leave, the master was to run an awl through their ear into the door of his house, and this would be a sign that he or she had willingly bonded themselves to him from then on.  We don't have a physical sign of being a servant of God today, but once we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, we are bonded to Him forever.  Verse eighteen continues, It shall not seem hard unto thee, when thou sendest him away free from thee; for he hath been worth a double hired servant to thee, in serving thee six years: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all that thou doest.  I believe this referred to those who wanted to be set free, and not to those who wanted to stay.  Those that the man released he was to release freely without it feeling like a burden to him.  I believe we can apply this to forgiving others today, which we should never feel is a burden to us, but is done freely.  Verse nineteen declares, All the firstling males that come of thy herd and of thy flock thou shalt sanctify unto the LORD thy God: thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thy bullock, nor shear the firstling of thy sheep.  Moses reminded them once again that the first born of their flocks belonged to God, and they were to not use them for their own benefit in any way.  What we dedicate to God today, His tithes and our offerings, we should never attempt to then use for our own purposes.  Verse twenty adds, Thou shalt eat it before the LORD thy God year by year in the place which the LORD shall choose, thou and thy household.  Moses said that they could eat of the sacrifice after it had been offered to God at the place He specified.  They were to do this perpetually.  Verse twenty-one says, And if there be any blemish therein, as if it be lame, or blind, or have any ill blemish, thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the LORD thy God.  Any firstborn with a blemish or physical defect was not to be sacrificed to God.  God wants the best, and if we accept Jesus Christ, we become spiritually perfect to God, and as long as we live by the direction of the Holy Spirit, we remain that way.  Verse twenty-two adds, Thou shalt eat it within thy gates: the unclean and the clean person shall eat it alike, as the roebuck, and as the hart. Verse twenty-three continues, Only thou shalt not eat the blood thereof; thou shalt pour it upon the ground as water.  Though they were not to bring the first born that had some defect to the altar, they weren't to keep it either.  They were to kill it and eat where they were, just as would have happened if they had sacrificed it on the altar.  The first born still belonged to God and was not theirs to keep.  We as Christians belong to God, and everything that we have is His.  Moses also again reminded them that they were not to eat the blood of the sacrifice.  This represented the life of the animal. 

Deuteronomy 15:7

Deuteronomy 15:7 says, If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:  Moses said if there was a poor man who was Israelite with the land that God had given them that the other people of Israel were not to harden their hearts against him.  We also should never harden our hearts against our fellow Christians if God has richly blessed us.  Verse eight adds, But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth.  Moses said they should open their hand and loan him what he needed. They were not to just open their heart, or empathize with him, but were to open their hand and actually do something to physically or materially help him.  We today as followers of Christ are to do the same.  Verse nine continues, Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the LORD against thee, and it be sin unto thee.  Moses warned them against thinking that the seventh year, the year of release, was near and allowing this to keep them from helping the person.  We today should never allow whether a person, especially a fellow Christian, will be able to repay us to keep us from helping them.  God has told us that we can never out give Him, so we need to live as though we believe it.  Verse ten states, Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.  Moses said no matter how close it was to the year of release that their heart should not be grieved because they were loaning the man something that he would never have to repay, because God would bless all that they did because of it.  We may miss the blessings of God today because we refuse to help those in need if we figure that they can never repay us.  Verse eleven adds, For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.  Moses said that the poor would never cease to exist in the land of Israel, and those who had the ability to help them should never cease to do so.  We might think that since they were all Israelites that God would bless them all materially the same, but this was not the case, just as it isn't today.  As followers of Christ, we should see everything that we have as a blessing from God, not something that we somehow deserve more than other Christians.  

Deuteronomy 15:1

Deuteronomy 15:1 says, At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release.  Ever seven years, the people of Israel were to make a release.  Verse two adds, And this is the manner of the release: Every creditor that lendeth ought unto his neighbour shall release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbour, or of his brother; because it is called the LORD’s release.  This release was for every creditor to release the debtor from his debt.  He was not to seek repayment from the man's brother, neighbor, or anyone else, because the release was God's release, meaning that God had commanded it.  As followers of Christ, we are forgiven of our sins every day and not just every seven years, but we are also called on to forgive the debts of others, just as God forgives our debts.  Verse three continues, Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again: but that which is thine with thy brother thine hand shall release;  This release did not apply to those who were not Israelites, but to their people of Israel only.  They could reapply, or not release, the debt of strangers, or none Israelites.  We can make this apply to release from the penalty of sin only for those who accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, but I believe it also tells us that how we treat our Christian brothers and sisters in financial matters should be different than the world would treat them.  Matthew Henry points out that the seventh year was the year that the Israelites were to do no planting and harvesting, so there really would be no way for those who were already barely surviving to repay any debt, and says that this applied to debts to maintain daily needs and not to business debts.  Of course, the Bible really doesn't specify if this applied to some specific debts and not others.  Verse four states, Save when there shall be no poor among you; for the LORD shall greatly bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it:  Moses said that this would not apply when there were no needy among the people of Israel because of God's great blessings.  If the people of Israel lived by God's guidance, there should be no group that had more than they needed while others didn't even have enough to survive.  If we put our faith in God, and He richly blesses us, we should not leave our fellow Christians to suffer without even enough to meet their basic needs.  Verse five adds, Only if thou carefully hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all these commandments which I command thee this day.  Moses said these things would only be true if they obeyed God's commandments.  When it comes to how we treat our fellow Christians, we must obey God's laws if we expect His continued blessings.   Verse six continues, 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.  Moses said if they obeyed God's commandments, that they would lend to many nations, but  not borrow from them, and then they could reign over many nations, but none could reign over them because of debts to these nations.  They needed to put their faith in God alone, and so must we today.  

Deuteronomy 14:22

Deuteronomy 14:22 says, Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year.  Moses told the Israelites that they were to tithe on all the increase that their crops brought forth.  We sometimes seem to want to figure out the least that we can tithe, but I believe that God wants us to tithe on everything, and even give above that.  We may receive less of a blessing from God because of our unwillingness to give generously to Him.  Verse twenty-three adds, And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always.  Moses said they were to eat before their God in the place He had chosen and that they were to bring all their tithes to Him there, so that they could learn to fear Him, or hold Him in the highest respect.  We as followers of Christ, His people by our faith in Him as our Savior and Lord, need to bring our tithes and offerings to Him wherever He leads us to worship Him today.  We are to hold God in awesome respect, but I do not believe we are to fear Him if that implies to be afraid of Him.  God will always want what is best for us.  Verse twenty-four states, And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it; or if the place be too far from thee, which the LORD thy God shall choose to set his name there, when the LORD thy God hath blessed thee:  Moses then addressed what they were to do if they were too far away from the place that God designated for them to gather and worship Him and to bring everything to Him there.  As Christians today, we are seldom to far away from a place of worship to bring our tithes and offerings to God there.  Verse twenty-five adds, Then shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose:  Moses said if they were too far away to bring all the literal tithes of their crops and livestock to God at the place He designated as the central place of worship, that they were to sell the crops and livestock and bind the money they received for them to their hand and bring it to a place that God designated.  God was still in charge.  We generally are already being paid our increase in money, and all we need to do is bring our tithes and offerings to God at the place He designates.  Verse twenty-six continues, And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household,  This money was to then be used to buy food and drink to celebrate the goodness of God.  Verse twenty-seven says, And the Levite that is within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee. This was after the Levites received their portion.  We must always remember to take care of those who serve God as ministers and any other area of service today with our tithes and offerings first.  Then, the rest is to be used in a way that honors God and celebrates His goodness to us.  Verse twenty-eight adds, At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates:  Moses said that every third year they were to bring all the increase before God and lay it up within the gates of the place of worship that God had designated.  Verse twenty-nine continues, And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest.  Moses said that they were to do this so that the Levites, the strangers, the fatherless and the widows within the gates would have enough to eat and be satisfied.  Then, the LORD would bless them.  We today need to do all that we can to provide for those in full-time ministry and for widows and orphans, even if they are strangers to us.  Then, God will richly bless us.