Deuteronomy 21:1

Deuteronomy 21:1 says, If one be found slain in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it, lying in the field, and it be not known who hath slain him:  Moses talked about the situation of a man who no one knew being found slain in a field.  Verse two adds, Then thy elders and thy judges shall come forth, and they shall measure unto the cities which are round about him that is slain:  Moses said in this situation that the elders and judges were to come forth and measure the distance to the cities which were near the person who was slain.  It would be assumed that he had to have been in one of the cities shortly before he was slain.  Though they might not have known who, someone was responsible for the man's death.  Verse three continues, And it shall be, that the city which is next unto the slain man, even the elders of that city shall take an heifer, which hath not been wrought with, and which hath not drawn in the yoke;  Moses then said that the elders of the city closest to the slain man were to take a young heifer that had that had never worked.  Verse four states, And the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer unto a rough valley, which is neither eared nor sown, and shall strike off the heifer’s neck there in the valley:  The elders were to take the heifer into a valley that wasn't cultivated and slay it for a sacrifice for the sin of slaying the man, even if they weren't responsible or didn't know who was.  Jesus Christ is the sacrifice for our sins, even before we commit them and even if no one else knows about them.  Verse five adds, And the priests the sons of Levi shall come near; for them the LORD thy God hath chosen to minister unto him, and to bless in the name of the LORD; and by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be tried:  Moses next said the priests and Levites who represent God were to come near to bless the people of the city and then every one would be freed from the responsibility of the death.  We as Christians will never be held responsible for the sins of others, but no one else can bring us forgiveness of our sins either, except Jesus Christ.  Verse six continues, And all the elders of that city, that are next unto the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the valley:  Moses said that the elders from that city were to wash their hands in the blood of the heifer to bring forgiveness for the people of the city.  We are washed clean of our sins by the blood of Jesus Christ.  Verse seven proclaims, And they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.  Moses said that they were then to say that they had not shed the blood of this man, nor did they know who did.  Of course, there was at least one person who knew who had slain the man, and that was the man who had murdered him, and he would not be held guiltless by God, even if he was never identified as the murderer.  We may commit a sin, or even many sins today, and no one in the world ever know about it, but God will always know, and He is the only one that counts.  Verse eight adds, Be merciful, O LORD, unto thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and lay not innocent blood unto thy people of Israel’s charge. And the blood shall be forgiven them.  They were to ask God to be merciful to them, because they had not shed this innocent blood and for God to not hold them responsible for it.  We can always depend on the fact that God will never hold us responsible for the sins of anyone else, and by His mercy He even sent Jesus Christ to atone for our sins if we will accept Him as our Savior and Lord.  Verse nine continues, So shalt thou put away the guilt of innocent blood from among you, when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the LORD.  Moses said that they could put away the guilt of innocent blood when they did as God instructed them to do. We today can put away the guilt of our sin when we do as God instructs us to and and repent and accept Jesus Christ Who shed His innocent blood for us as our Savior and Lord.  

Deuteronomy 20:10

Deuteronomy 20:10 says, When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it.  Moses said when the came to a city to fight against it, they should first offer them peace.  We as followers of Christ are to first offer peace to those who would fight against us.  Verse eleven adds, And it shall be, if it make thee answer of peace, and open unto thee, then it shall be, that all the people that is found therein shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee.  Moses said if the people there accepted their offering of peace, that they were to be tributaries of the people of Isrwel and serve them.  People that we offer the peace of God to today are not our servants if they accept, but are God's servants and our equals in His kingdom.  Verse twelve continues, And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it:  Moses then said if the people of the city would not make peace with them, then the people of Israel were to besiege them.  As Christians, all we can do is offer others the good news of the gospel, but we cannot force them to accept it.  Verse thirteen states, And when the LORD thy God hath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword:  Moses said when, not if, God delivered them, that they were to slay all the men with the sword.  We today as followers of Christ do not still have this same command, but we are to reach out to our enemies with the love of God, and He will one day determine their fate and not us.  Verse fourteen adds, But the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the spoil thereof, shalt thou take unto thyself; and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, which the LORD thy God hath given thee.  Moses then said that they were to take the women, little children, cattle, and all that was in the city as spoils of war.  We are not to claim the things of this world that belong to our enemies as our own even if God destroys them, because we are not to follow God for material gain.  Verse fifteen continues, Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities which are very far off from thee, which are not of the cities of these nations.  Moses said this applied to cities that were very far off from them, which were not cities in the Promised Land itself.  Matthew Henry said they were to spare the women and children of those that were far off because they were less likely to contaminate the people of Israel with idolatry.  I believe we can say that today we are to be less concerned about those who are far off than we are to be concerned about those who are in our midst who would tempt us to turn away from God.  Verse sixteen says, But of the cities of these people, which the LORD thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth:  Moses said that of the cities that God gave them they were to utterly destroy everything.  Once we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, we are to destroy everything in our life that could lead us away from living by faith.  Verse seventeen adds, But thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee:  Moses then added the names of the people that they were to utterly destroy.   The people of Israel were not to make this determination themselves, but were to act under God's command.  We today are still to follow God's command in the way that we treat the lost, even those who are openly at war with us.  Verse eighteen continues, That they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so should ye sin against the LORD your God.  Moses said they were to utterly destroy these people so that the people of Israel would not be tempted to follow the abominations of these people.  We need to destroy everything in our life once we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord today that would lead us away from God.  Verse nineteen states, When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by forcing an axe against them: for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down (for the tree of the field is man’s life) to employ them in the siege:   Moses said that they were not to destroy the fruit trees around the city.  These would provide food the the people of Israel then and later on.  Verse twenty adds, Only the trees which thou knowest that they be not trees for meat, thou shalt destroy and cut them down; and thou shalt build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee, until it be subdued.  Mose said that they could cut down and use the non fruit bearing trees to use as bulwrks against the city.  Though God had promised them the victory, they were still to follow His guidance in how they fought against their enemies.  As we as Christians fight against the forces of evil in the world today, were are to do so under God's guidance. 

Deuteronomy 20;1

Deuteronomy 20:1 says, When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.  Moses said that when the people of Israel went into battle against a larger, more powerful army that they weren't to be afraid,  because God Who had brought them out of Egypt was with them.  They had already seen His power, and we as followers of Christ today should not be afraid of those who stand against us because we know 5he power of the God we serve.  Verse two adds, And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people,  Moses said that when they were close to the battle that the priest would speak to the people.  We have One greater than a priest, the Holy Spirit, to speak to us as we battle the forces of the world today.  Verse three continues, And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them;  The priest was to tell them to not be afraid nor let their hearts fail.  Too often, we as Christians become fearful and fainthearted when we see all those aligned against us, but we shouldn't.  They will never be more powerful than God.  Verse four concludes, For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.  Just as Moses told the people of Israel that they were not to be afraid because the LORD their God went before them, we today as followers of Christ certainly shouldn't be, because He has already defeated the power of sin and death in the world.  Verse five states, And the officers shall speak unto the people, saying, What man is there that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it? let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it.  Moses said that the officers of the army were to exempt some people from going into battle, beginning with anyone who had built a house and had not dedicated it.  We today do not all go into battle for God at the same time nor in the same way.  Verse six adds, And what man is he that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not yet eaten of it? let him also go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man eat of it.  Next, those who had planted a vineyard and had not yet gotten a harvest from it were exempted.  Verse seven  continues, And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.  Then those who were betrothed but hadn't yet married were exempted.  All of these people were not permanently exempted, but only from certain battles.  We as Christians should not expect to be permanently exempt from the battle against the forces of evil in the world today, even if we may be exempt from certain battles.  We are all a part of the army of God as followers of Christ.  Verse eight says, And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted? let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren’s heart faint as well as his heart.  Moses then said that the officers were to tell those who were fearful and faint hearted were to be exempted and sent home, lest they cause others to be as well.  We need to pray that we will never allow our fear of the world today to cause other Christians to be afraid as well.  Verse nine adds, And it shall be, when the officers have made an end of speaking unto the people, that they shall make captains of the armies to lead the people.  Moses said that once the officers were through speaking and exempting these people, then they were to make captains to lead the armies.  We should pray that we would be one of those leading the army of God into battle today instead of one of those sent home, especially if we are sent home because of our fear of the battle.  Through our faith in Jesus Christ, we have already won, so there is no reason to be afraid. 

Deuteronomy 19;14

Deuteronomy 19:14 says, Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour’s landmark, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherit in the land that the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it.  Moses said that when the people of Israel were in the Promised Land that the land would be divided by God, and that they were not to later move their neighbors landmark, or try to claim their neighbors land for their own in other words.  As followers of Christ, we should never attempt to claim what belongs to someone else as our own.  Verse fifteen adds, One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.  Moses said that one person alone should not be able to accuse another of sin, but it would take the witness of two or three to do so.  One person might be trying to get another in trouble unjustly for personal reasons, but two or three most likely would not.  Still, if we see someone doing something immoral or illegal today, I believe we need to address the problem with others and the person themself.   Verse sixteen states, If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong;  Verse seventeen adds, Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days;  Moses said that if only one person had a controversy with another, both people were to appear before God and the priests and judges that would be appointed.  All of these were a part of God's chosen people and should be guided by and subjected to following God's guidance.  If we have a problem with a fellow Christian today, we need to come with them before God and the church, but too often we divide into groups and gossip about one another.  Verse eighteen continues, And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother;  Moses said that the judges were to diligently seek the truth, and determine if the witness was a false witness.  We as Christians today need to diligently seek the truth if one of our fellow believers accuses another of doing something wrong.  Of course, it would be nice if this were the truth in secular cases as well, but too often in those cases today, the object is not to find the truth but to defend one side or the other at all costs.  Verse nineteen concludes, Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you.  Moses said that if they found that the one bearing testimony against another had lied that they should do ro him whatever he wanted done to the other person so that the evil could be put away from them.  We might be less likely to bear false witness today if we thought we would be punished as the one we accused was if he or she had been guilty, but really we should not bear false witness simply because we know it is against God's word.  Verse twenty says, And those which remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you.  Moses said that those who heard what had happened to the false witness would fear that happening to them if they bore false witness against another, and because of this even if they weren't avoiding doing so because it was morally wrong that they would not allow this to happen in the land God gave them.  Sometimes, the fear of the consequences of doing something that is against God's word may be a bigger deterrent than not doing it because it is morally wrong to do so, but this should never be the case.  We as Christians should do or not do things because God's word tells us to or not to.  Verse twenty-one adds, And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.  Moses said their judgments should not be made out of pity for one of the individuals, but judgment should fit the crime.  We should likewise never punish anyone more than their crime calls for. 

Deuteronomy 19:1

Deuteronomy 19:1 says, When the LORD thy God hath cut off the nations, whose land the LORD thy God giveth thee, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their cities, and in their houses;   Verse two adds, Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it.  Moses said after the LORD their God had removed the people from the Promised Land and the people of Israel possessed it, they were to set aside three cities in the midst of the land.  They may have gone in and fought against the people there, but it was God Who gave them the victory, just as He gives us victory over the world today.  Verse three continues, Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide the coasts of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every slayer may flee thither.  Moses said they were to prepare a way and divide the country into three parts, with one of these three sanctuary cities located in each part with easy access to it so that anyone who accidentally killed another person could flee there for safety.  We today, if we have accidentally killed someone, usually have the law to protect us, but even if it doesn't, we have the everlasting sanctuary of our relationship with Jesus Christ to protect us spiritually if we are a Christian.  Verse four states, And this is the case of the slayer, which shall flee thither, that he may live: Whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past;  Moses said that those who had killed someone accidentally without any anger toward them could flee to one of these sanctuary cities and live.  Verse five adds, As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live:  Moses gave the example of a man accidentally hitting his neighbor with an ax when cutting wood and the neighbor dying.  In this case, the man could flee to the sanctuary city and his neighbors family could not seek revenge against him.  Of course, we are not to seek revenge against our neighbors anyway as followers of Christ, nor should they seek revenge against us.  Verse six continues, Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past.  Moses said these cities were to be set in three places so that anyone could get to one of them before he could be overtaken by the avenger while his anger was still hot. This would protect both the one who had accidentally killed the man, and also the avenger who would have killed the man unjustly if he killed him in anger out of revenge.  God's law often protects us when we don't even realize it when we are acting out of anger.  Verse seven concludes,  Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three cities for thee.  Moses said that he, under God's direction and authority, commanded them to separate these three sanctuary cities.  Verse eight declares, And if the LORD thy God enlarge thy coast, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, and give thee all the land which he promised to give unto thy fathers;  Though Moses said if God should enlarge their coast, or land, then it was dependent on the obedience of the people and not on God's faithfulness to fulfill His promise.  God's blessings on us today are never based on God failing to keep His promises, but are based on our obedience to Him after we accept  Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord.  Verse nine adds, If thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them, which I command thee this day, to love the LORD thy God, and to walk ever in his ways; then shalt thou add three cities more for thee, beside these three:  Moses then said that if they obeyed God and kept His commandments and He enlarged their land, then they were to separate three additional sanctuary cities.  Verse ten continues, That innocent blood be not shed in thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be upon thee.  This was to be done so that innocent blood would not be shed in the Promised Land.  As Christians, we should never be guilty of seeking the harm of others because we feel that they have done us wrong.  Verse eleven states, But if any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally that he die, and fleeth into one of these cities:  Verse twelve adds, Then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die.  Moses said that if someone deliberately killed someone else and fled to a sanctuary city that the elders were to turn him over to the avenger.  We cannot expect God to deliver us from the consequences of deliberate sin, even if we are a Christian, even though we are delivered from the everlasting punishment of that sin.  Verse thirteen continues, Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with thee.  Moses said they were not to have pity on the murderer, but should put away the guilt of innocent blood that he had shed by delivering him to the avenger to face the penalty of his sin.  If they did, then it would go well with them.  We cannot act out of pity for the willful sinner, but even if we empathize with them, we must not try to release them from facing the worldly penalty for their sin.  Again, if we have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, the everlasting penalty of sin has already been paid spiritually, but that does not release us from facing the law of man when we break it.

Deuteronomy 18:17

Deuteronomy 18:17 says, And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken.  Moses said God told him that he had spoken well that which he had spoken.  We need God to say the same thing about our speech today, especially when it comes to what we say about Him.  Verse eighteen adds, I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.  God told Moses that He would raise up a Prophet from among the people of Israel.  We know that many prophets followed Moses, but the Prophet referred to is Jesus Christ.  Verse nineteen continues, And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.  God also said that anyone who did not listen to Jesus Christ would be held accountable for their sins.  Verse twenty states, But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.  Now, God was once again speaking of those prophets other than Jesus Christ.  God said that if they presumed to speak in His name things that He had not said or to speak in the name of other gods that they would die.  We cannot follow Christ and claim that anything other than what the Bible says is God's word, nor can we add anything that is taught by false gods to God's word.   Verse twenty-one adds, And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?  Moses said that they might ask how they could know what God had spoken when they heard it.  This is still a valid question today.  Verse twenty-two answers, When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.  Moses said that when a prophet spoke and what he spoke did not come to pass that the prophet had spoken presumptuously, and the people should not listen to him.  We know that everything that the Prophet, Jesus Christ spoke came to pass because He was the true Prophet.  If anyone today claims to be a prophet of God, which I really don't believe there have been any since Jesus Christ came, even if certain things this professed prophet claims were to come to pass, we have the Bible and the Holy Spirit to show us the truth.  Since the Holy Spirit indwells each follwer of Christ, we have no need of prophets to show us God's truth.

Deuteronomy 18:9

Deuteronomy 18:9 says, When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.  Moses said that when the people of Israel came into the Promised Land that they were not to learn to follow after the abominations of the people there.  When we accept Jseus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we should not follow the abominations of the world either.  Verse ten adds, There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,  Verse eleven adds, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.  Moses then listed several practices that they were not to follow, and many of these are still around today.  Some Christians at times get caught up in them.  We don't need to follow horoscopes or Zodiac signs for example.  Verse twelve concludes, For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.  Just as Moses told the people of Israel then, these things are an abomination to God, and because of these abominations He drove the people out of the land before them.  When we enter the kingdom of God, He has already driven all these things out of His kingdom, and we don't need to bring them back in.  Verse thirteen declares, Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.  I believe this means to be perfect in their faith, just as we should be, because we cannot be perfect by our own ability.  Verse fourteen adds, For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.  Moses said that the nations that had been in the land had observed times and diviners, but God had not allowed the people of Israel to do so.  He still doesn't allow us a followers of Christ to do so today.  Verse fifteen continues, The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;  Moses said God would raise up a Prophet like Him, and the people were to listen to him.  We know that God raised up many prophets after Moses, but the one Prophet that this refers to ultimately is Jesus Christ.  He is the only One Who can restore us to right relationship with God, and we must listen to and obey Him.  Verse sixteen concludes, According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.  Moses said this Prophet would not speak with a booming voice out of the fire, as they had requested at Mt. Horeb, or Sinai, because they said they could not stand before this powerful display.  The Prophet, Jesus Christ, came as a humble Servant, and it is up to us to acknowledge Him as the all powerful God.