Deuteronomy 27:11

Deuteronomy 27:11 says, And Moses charged the people the same day, saying,  Verse twelve adds, These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless the people, when ye are come over Jordan; Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin:  The people of the tribes of Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph and Benjamin were to stand on Mount Gerazim to bless the people when they crossed over the Jordan.  Verse thirteen continues, And these shall stand upon mount Ebal to curse; Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.  The people of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali were to stand on Mount Mount Ebal to pronounce the curse, but not the people of God.  We are blessed when we obey God's commandments today and our actions are cursed when we don't.  Verse fourteen states, And the Levites shall speak, and say unto all the men of Israel with a loud voice,  When they were where God commanded them to be, the Levites were to speak to them.  As Christians, I believe wherever we are that God will always speak to us, but at times we may refuse to hear Him.  Verse fifteen adds, Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen.  The Levites began by telling the people the things that they would be cursed for, beginning with making graven or molten images to worship, since these were an abomination to God, and the people were to say Amen, or agree with God's word to them.  They still are today.  Verse sixteen continues, Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen.  The people of Israel were not to disrespect their parents, and it was a sin to do so, by which their Amen said they agreed.  It still is today.  Verse seventeen says, Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour’s landmark. And all the people shall say, Amen.  The Levites were to pronounce it a sin to move a neighbour’s landmark, which was to attempt to cheat them, and was a curse on those who did.  It still is today.  By their Amen the people agreed. Verse eighteen adds, Cursed be he that maketh the blind to wander out of the way. And all the people shall say, Amen.  The Levites said those who abused the helpless, in this case the blind, were cursed, and by their Amen the people agreed.  It still is today.  Verse nineteen continues, Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say, Amen.  The Levites said that those who perverted justice against the less powerful, the stranger, fatherless, and widow were to be cursed.  The people agreed by saying Amen.  It is still a sin today.  Verse twenty states, Cursed be he that lieth with his father’s wife; because he uncovereth his father’s skirt. And all the people shall say, Amen.  The Levites said it was a sin for a man to have a sexual relationship with his father’s wife, who may or may not have been the man's mother.  Whether she was or not, this still showed a great disrespect for his father.  The people agreed by their Amen.  This is still very wrong today.  Verse twenty-one adds, Cursed be he that lieth with any manner of beast. And all the people shall say, Amen.  The Levites then said it was wrong for a man to have sex with any beast, or animal, and no matter what some people may say today, it still is.  By their Amen the people agreed.  Verse twenty-two continues, Cursed be he that lieth with his sister, the daughter of his father, or the daughter of his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen.  The Levites said that a man would be cursed for having a sexual relationship with his sister or half-sister.  Though some of their ancestors may have done this, it didn't justify it.  This is still a sin today.   Again, the people agreed with this by their Amen.  Verse twenty-three says, Cursed be he that lieth with his mother in law. And all the people shall say, Amen.  The Levites next said anyone having a sexual relationship with his mother-in-law was cursed.  The people agreed by their Amen.  This is still a sin today.  Verse twenty-four adds, Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbour secretly. And all the people shall say, Amen.  The Levites said those who secretly killed their neighbor were cursed, even if no one ever found out about it.  Killing someone is still a sin and a crime today, even if no one ever finds out.  The people said Amen to agree.  Verse twenty-five continues, Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen.  The Levites then said a person who killed someone by murder was cursed, and this still applies today.  The people agreed by their Amen.  Verse twenty-six concludes, Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.  The Levites concluded by saying that anyone who did not affirm these words of the law by doing them was cursed.  Once more, the people were to affirm this by saying Amen, but without actually following the laws, this was not enough.  We today can say Amen to everything said about God's laws, but the truth of our agreement is that we actually do our best to live by God's word.

Deuteronomy 27:1

Deuteronomy 27:1 says, And Moses with the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, Keep all the  commandments which I command you this day.  Moses was joined by the elders in issuing this command to the people of Israel.  Moses was not going into the Promised Land with them, so it was important for them to know that God's law was still going to apply.  Christian leaders may leave or die today, but God's word still applies and others will take their place.  Verse two adds, And it shall be on the day when ye shall pass over Jordan unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, that thou shalt set thee up great stones, and plaister them with plaister:  Moses with the elders said the day that they crossed over Jordan, they were to set up great stones and cover them with plaster.  These were not to be polished stones, but simply rough stones covered over with plaster. They weren't to wait until they totally possessd the land, but were to do this immediately.  We as followers of Christ should never wait to start obeying Him as He calls us to do, but should begin to obey Him immediately, even if the world seems overpowering to us.  Verse three continues, And thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law, when thou art passed over, that thou mayest go in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey; as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee.  Moses said that they were to write God's law on these stones, because God had given them the land flowing with milk and honey in accordance with His promise to their fathers.  God's promise to their fathers did not come to pass immediately, but it was now being fulfilled.  God's promises to us today may not come to pass immediately, but they will be fulfilled.  Verse four concludes, Therefore it shall be when ye be gone over Jordan, that ye shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in mount Ebal, and thou shalt plaister them with plaister.  Moses said that they would then see these laws anytime they passed over the Jordan at Mount Ebal, where they were crossing over.  We today as Christians need to keep God's laws written in our heart, beginning from the time we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Verse five states, And there shalt thou build an altar unto the LORD thy God, an altar of stones: thou shalt not lift up any iron tool upon them.  They were also to build an altar to God out of rough stones that had not been reshaped or smoothed out by any tools.  God wasn't looking for a polished altar, because it was the sacrifice and not the altar that was important.  We today need to realize that God isn't looking for us to be perfect before we worship Him, nor does He expect elaborate places for us to worship Him, but He expects us to come to Him as we are, rough and unpolished in our faith.  Verse six adds, Thou shalt build the altar of the LORD thy God of whole stones: and thou shalt offer burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD thy God:  Moses said that they were to build the altar of whole stones and offer offerings to God on them.  Again, God was not demanding a perfectly fit together altar, but simply one made of stones they found, which He had created.  Verse seven continues, And thou shalt offer peace offerings, and shalt eat there, and rejoice before the LORD thy God.  Moses said that they were to offer peace offerings on the altar and eat there and rejoice in the Lord.   They were to do this when they entered the Promised Land, even before they had conquered it.  We today are to sing praises to God as followers of Christ, even though we have yet to reach our heavenly home or conquer all the evil in this world.  Verse eight says, And thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this law very plainly.   Moses said they were to write on the stones all the words of the law.  Matthew Henry says there is debate on whether this was to be just the Ten Commandments or all of the laws of God.  We need to write the Ten Commandments on our heart, but we also must know and keep all of God's law.  Verse nine adds, And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto all Israel, saying, Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the LORD thy God.  Moses and the priests and Levites called on the people of Israel to take heed and hearken to the fact that they became God's people that day.  They were crossing over into the Promised Land by faith finally.  Until we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord by faith, we can never be a part of God's kingdom, and once we do, we must follow Him faithfully.  Verse ten continues, Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the LORD thy God, and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee this day.  As Moses told the people of Israel then, once we become a part of God's kingdom, we must strive to keep His laws and obey His voice.  We not only have the Bible,  God’s written word to guide us, but we have the Holy Spirit to help us understand and follow what the Bible teaches us.  

Deuteronomy 26:12

Deuteronomy 26:12 says, When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third year, which is the year of tithing, and hast given it unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled;  Moses said that after they had given all their tithes of their increase to the Levite the third year, which was the year of tithing was, it was to be used differently.  The first two years it was to be used in celebration, but every third year this tithe was to be used to help the poor.  Verse thirteen adds, Then thou shalt say before the LORD thy God, I have brought away the hallowed things out of mine house, and also have given them unto the Levite, and unto the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all thy commandments which thou hast commanded me: I have not transgressed thy commandments, neither have I forgotten them:  Moses said they were then to appear before God and swear to Him that they had given all their tithes to the Levites.  I believe this was because there might have been a tendency to give less if it was going to the needy instead of to a celebration.  As followers of Christ, we need to make sure that we don't feel inclined to give more to celebrations we can participate in than to the poor which does not benefit us personally.  Verse fourteen continues, I have not eaten thereof in my mourning, neither have I taken away ought thereof for any unclean use, nor given ought thereof for the dead: but I have hearkened to the voice of the LORD my God, and have done according to all that thou hast commanded me.  Moses continued, saying that they were to swear to God that they had not used any of the tithe for their own purposes, but had given it all to God in accordance with His law.  We must give all of our tithes to God and never attempt to keep part of it for our own use.  Verse fifteen concludes, Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people Israel, and the land which thou hast given us, as thou swarest unto our fathers, a land that floweth with milk and honey.  Moses said that after they had given their tithes, they were to ask God to look down on them from His holy habitation in heaven and bless them as He had sworn to do with their fathers.  Though we are forever saved as Christians, we should never think God will bless us materially if we do not obey His commandments concerning our tithes and offerings and helping the needy.  Verse sixteen states, This day the LORD thy God hath commanded thee to do these statutes and judgments: thou shalt therefore keep and do them with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.  Moses reminded them that they were God's commandments, and that they were to keep them with all their heart and soul.  As followers of Christ, we need to know God's commandments today, and keep them with all our heart and all our soul.  Verse seventeen adds, Thou hast avouched the LORD this day to be thy God, and to walk in his ways, and to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and to hearken unto his voice:  Moses said they had vowed that day that the LORD would be their God and that they would follow His commandments.  This was a personal relationship between God and them.  Once we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we enter into a personal relationship with Him, and are then to follow His commandments.  Following God's commandments can not save us, because we will never keep them all, but we are to keep His commandments because He by His mercy has saved us and called us to obey Him.  Verse eighteen continues, And the LORD hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments;  Moses said God had called them that day to be His peculiar people, or people who were different from the rest of the world.  The day that we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, we become a part of His peculiar people, who no longer live only by the laws of man, but also by the laws of God.  If these conflict, we are to follow God's laws.  Verse nineteen concludes,  And to make thee high above all nations which he hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honour; and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the LORD thy God, as he hath spoken.  Moses said when they obeyed God's laws that they would be above all the nations that God had made.  When we become a follower of Christ, we are set high above all other people.  This does not mean that we are to lord it over them, but that we are to be a holy people to God, those who are set aside by doing His will.

Deuteronomy 26:1

Deuteronomy 26:1 says, And it shall be, when thou art come in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and possessest it, and dwellest therein;    Moses then told the people of Israel what God expected them to do when they went in and possessed the land He was giving them.  God has given us something mich greater, everlasting life, if we accept it by putting our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Verse two adds, That thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth, which thou shalt bring of thy land that the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt put it in a basket, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name there.  Moses said that God's command was for them to put the first of all the fruit of the earth in a basket and bring it to the place that God chose to put His name as a place of worship.  Of course, really the whole land belonged to God, just as everything we own as Christians belongs to Him today.  Verse three continues,  And thou shalt go unto the priest that shall be in those days, and say unto him, I profess this day unto the LORD thy God, that I am come unto the country which the LORD sware unto our fathers for to give us.  They were then to go to the priest who was there in that day and profess that they had come into the land that that the LORD the priest’s God had promised to their fathers, both the priests and theirs.  When we first accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, He had been the God of other people, but when we accept Him, He becomes our God as well.  Verse four states, And the priest shall take the basket out of thine hand, and set it down before the altar of the LORD thy God.  Moses then said that the priest was to take the basket and set it before the altar of God.  I believe that we should take all our possessions and place them before God, and dedicate them for His use.  Verse five adds, And thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous:  Moses said that they were then to tell God that they remembered who they were.  They came from a Syrian, Jacob, who was about to perish in a famine until he came to the land of Egypt to survive, and that in Egypt, they became a great and mighty nation, even though they didn't realize it at that time.  Until we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, we are about to die in a spiritual famine, and once we accept Him, we become a part of a great and mighty people, God's people, even if we don't always live as though we believe this.  Verse six continues, And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage:  Moses said they were to tell God that they remembered that even though they were a great and mighty nation that they were enslaved by the Egyptians.  Just because we as followers of Christ are a part of God's great and mighty nation does not mean that we are to always be in power in the world.  Verse seven declares, And when we cried unto the LORD God of our fathers, the LORD heard our voice, and looked on our affliction, and our labour, and our oppression,  Moses said they were to tell God that they remembered how they called out to Him in their oppression and that He remembered them.  We should always remember how we called out to God in our time of oppression, and He remembered us, by sending His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins, and we should always thank Him for doing so.  Verse eight adds, And the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders:  Mose said that they were to remember how God brought them out of Egypt with a mighty hand and many wonders, and we should always remember that as Christians God brought us out of spiritual bondage by His mighty act of allowing Jesus Christ to die in our place to set us free from this bondage.  Verse nine continues, And he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, even a land that floweth with milk and honey.  Moses said they were then acknowledge that God had brought them to this land flowing with milk and honey and gave it to them.  Though they were now a great nation in numbers, they were only mighty when they put their faith in God.  The same is true for us as followers of Christ today.  Verse ten states, And now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land, which thou, O LORD, hast given me. And thou shalt set it before the LORD thy God, and worship before the LORD thy God:  They were to then tell the priest that for all God had done for them they now brought these firstfruits and offered them to God.  We need to offer the best that we have to God as Christians today before anything else.  Verse eleven adds, And thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which the LORD thy God hath given unto thee, and unto thine house, thou, and the Levite, and the stranger that is among you.  Moses then said that they should rejoice for all that God had done for them.  If we are a part of the kingdom of God today, we should always rejoice for all that He has done for us.

Deuteronomy 25:11

Deuteronomy 25:11 says, When men strive together one with another, and the wife of the one draweth near for to deliver her husband out of the hand of him that smiteth him, and putteth forth her hand, and taketh him by the secrets:  Verse twelve adds, When thou shalt cut off her hand, thine eye shall not pity her.  Moses said if a woman's husband was fighting with another man, and she grabbed the other man's private parts to help her husband, they were to cut off her hand and not pity her.  This would be seen as a sign of being immodest on the woman's part, and was to be taken very seriously.   We should still take modesty seriously today.  Verse thirteen states, Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small.  Moses told the people that they should not have different weights to use with different people when conducting business.  They were to be honest with all people, and so should we today.  Verse fourteen adds, Thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small.  As with the weights, they were not to have different measuring devices in their house, one greater than the other.  These would be used to cheat certain people while treating some, including themselves, fairly.  We cannot have different standards for different people as followers of Christ, but must be honest with everyone, even if we may not like them.  Verse fifteen continues, But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.  Moses said they were to have perfect and just weights so that their days might be lengthened which the LORD their God gave them.  This meant first that they were truly God's people and second that they were obedient to Him.  As Christians, we are first God's people and second we should be obedient to Him, and if we are His by accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, our days will be lengthened to forever spiritually, and this is what really matters.  Verse sixteen concludes, For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the LORD thy God.  Moses said that everyone who cheated others was an abomination toGod.  We cannot follow Christ and believe that our dealings with others do not matter.  God still sees dishonest business dealings, especially by His people, as an abomination.  We cannot think that as followers of Christ our treatment of others does not matter.  Verse seventeen says, Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt;  Moses called on them to remember the actions of Amalek when they came out of Egypt.  This happened to the generation that had died, but was to be remembered by the coming generations as to how they shouldn't behave.  Verse eighteen adds, How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.  Moses reminded them that Amalek met those who had fallen behind, the weakest, who had done him no harm and killed them instead of offering them aid, because he did not fear God.  Verse nineteen continues, Therefore it shall be, when the LORD thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget it.  Moses said when they had achieved peace and secured the Promised Land that they were to then destroy the Amalekites completely, but never forget what he had done.  We today are to completely destroy sinful actions in our lives, but we are also to let God deal with the sins of others.   

Deuteronomy 25:1

Deuteronomy 25:1 says, If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.  Moses said that if two men in a disagreement came before the judges that they should justify the righteous and condemn the wicked.  I believe that the judges would have needed to rely on God to allow them to know which was which.  We need to pray that judges will be able to discern the truth today as well.  Verse two adds, And it shall be, if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to lie down, and to be beaten before his face, according to his fault, by a certain number.  Moses said that if the wicked had done something to deserve it, that He was to lay down and be beaten while he watched, in accordance with how much wickedness he was guilty of.  He would be found guilty, but the punishment would still fit the crime.  This should be the case today, that the punishment fit the crime.  Verse three continues, Forty stripes he may give him, and not exceed: lest, if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should seem vile unto thee.  They were to give the man a maximum of forty stripes, and no more, because if he was given more the one's giving the stripes could seem vile.  This was to happen after the man had been found guilty, and we certainly should never hear of policemen beating suspects at all today, especially excessively, but we are seeing this more and more often.  Verse four states, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.  Moses then addressed the treatment of an ox treading corn, and said that the ox should not be muzzled so that it couldn't eat some of the corn that fell on the floor.  This would be cruel, and God never expects His people to be cruel to animals.  This does not mean that we are not allowed to use them to work, nor even that we are not allowed to kill them to eat.  We are just not to abuse them while they are performing work for us.  Verse five states, If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband’s brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband’s brother unto her.  Moses said if a married man died before he had a child that his brother was to marry the widow and give her a child to carry on the man's name in Israel.  Matthew Henry says this was to be an unmarried brother, and we now have a better understanding that we will not be forgotten in God's everlasting kingdom if we are a Christian, and that is where it really matters.  Verse six adds, And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel.  Moses said her firstborn was to carry on the name of the deceased husband and brother.  It does not specify how the living brother was to carry on his name or lineage in Israel.  Verse seven continues, And if the man like not to take his brother’s wife, then let his brother’s wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband’s brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of my husband’s brother.  If the man refused to carry out this obligation, the widow was to take him before the elders and publicly state this.  In this case, the woman was given the power to demand justice, which they often weren't.  Verse eight says, Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him: and if he stand to it, and say, I like not to take her;  Verse nine adds, Then shall his brother’s wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother’s house.  The man was to be called before the judges and given an opportunity to fulfill his obligation, and if he still refused, the widow was to come and in the presence of the elders pull off the man's shoe and spit in his face, thereby dishonoring him publicly.  Of course, we have no such law today.  Verse ten adds, And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed.  The man would then be known in Isreal for what he had refused to do.  We might have more faithfulness to God today as followers of Christ if we were marked so the world could see when we failed to obey His commandments. 

Deuteronomy 24:10

Deuteronomy 24:10 says, When thou dost lend thy brother any thing, thou shalt not go into his house to fetch his pledge.  Verse eleven adds, Thou shalt stand abroad, and the man to whom thou dost lend shall bring out the pledge abroad unto thee. Moses said when obtaining a pledge from their brother that they were not to go into his house to obtain it, but were to allow him to bring it out.  They were still to treat him with respect and not as someone that they now controlled.  We should always treat others with respect, even if they owe us something.  Verse twelve continues, And if the man be poor, thou shalt not sleep with his pledge:  There was also a law concerning the pledge of a poor person, and that was that the person obtaining the pledge should not keep it overnight.  Verse thirteen concludes, In any case thou shalt deliver him the pledge again when the sun goeth down, that he may sleep in his own raiment, and bless thee: and it shall be righteousness unto thee before the LORD thy God.  The one with the pledge was to return it by nightfall so that the one who had pledged it could sleep in his own garment and bless the lender.  Too often today, the attitude of the lender is that he will not release a person from their debt until every bit is paid, no matter how much the one with the debt may suffer for it.  Moses said that if the one holding the pledge did this, it would go well with them,  I believe in the eyes of God, we today should be more concerned with what is right with God than with how much we can gain materially.  Verse fourteen states, Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates:  Moses said they were not to oppress the poor, whether they were Israelites or not.  We could learn from this today.  Verse fifteen adds, At his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the LORD, and it be sin unto thee.  Moses said they were to pay the hired man daily, especially the poor, so that he did not cry against him to God and God count it as a sin.  God has always said that His people need to be mindful of the poor and do all that they can to help them.  Verse sixteen says, The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.  Moses said that no one, even a father or son, should be put to death for the sins of others, but everyone should be put to death for their own sins.  This is still true, with one exception.  Jesus Christ was put to death for our sins, but this still does not exempt us from the earthly consequences of our sin.  Verse seventeen says, Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the fatherless; nor take a widow’s raiment to pledge:  Moses said they were not to pervert the judgment of a stranger nor the fatherless, nor take a widow’s raiment for a pledge.  God always has and always will expect His people to be fair in their treatment of all people, especially the less fortunate.  Verse eighteen adds, But thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee thence: therefore I command thee to do this thing.  Moses said they were to remember that they had been bondsmen in Egypt until God freed them, just as we are to remember that we were in bondage to sin until God freed us by sending His only begotten Son to die for us.  Verse nineteen states, When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands.  Moses said when they were harvesting a field and realized they had forgotten a sheaf that they were not to go back and get it, but were to leave it for the stranger, the fatherless and the widow.  We need to have this same attitude of compassion today.  Verse twenty continues, When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow. Verse twenty-one concludes, When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.  Moses said that when the harvested olives or grapes that they were not to go over the trees again, but were to leave them for those in need.  We need to be willing to share part of what God has blessed us with with the less fortunate.  Verse twenty-two declares, And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt: therefore I command thee to do this thing.  God through Moses said that they were to remember that they had been bondmen in Egypt before He set them free and that He commanded them to do these things.  Once we are set free by putting our faith in Jesus Christ, we are to do the things that God commands us to do.