Deuteronomy 14 places two things side by side that at first glance feel unrelated: instructions about how Israel was to mourn the dead and a detailed list of what they could and could not eat. The organizing idea that ties these commands together is holiness — being set apart to the Lord. The laws are…
Tag: jesus
Psalm 68 — The Victory of the Ascended King
Introduction: Why this psalm still matters Psalm 68 is not a gentle hymn about personal comfort. It is a battle song and a coronation hymn. It celebrates a God who scatters his enemies, gathers his people, and installs his king in triumph. Read as prophecy, it points beyond the ark and the tabernacle to the…
Deuteronomy 13 — God’s Case Law Against the Family
Deuteronomy 13:5-8 Outline What this passage is about and why it matters Deuteronomy 13:5-8 is not a quirky antiquated law about domestic cruelty. It is a case law designed to teach a single, urgent principle: when someone seeks to turn your heart away from the one true God, that effort is idolatry, and idolatry is…
Deuteronomy 13 — Case Law Against an Apostate City
Introduction: Harsh Law, Greater Mercy Deuteronomy 13 confronts a hard truth: idolatry is not a private matter. When a whole city turns from Yahweh, the problem is systemic. The law Moses gives for that circumstance—utter destruction—sounds brutal until we see its purpose. It is designed to stop treason in its tracks and to prevent the…