Keeping law and order is important in a home, a church and a country. Paul also says to Timothy to let everything be done decently and in order. In today’s reading we consider how the ancient Israelis did it.
Deuteronomy 13:
1 "If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder,
2 and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, 'Let us go after other gods,' which you have not known, 'and let us serve them,'
3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the LORD your God is testing you, to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
4 You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him.
5 But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has taught rebellion against the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house of slavery, to make you leave the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.
6 "If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son or your daughter or the wife you embrace or your friend who is as your own soul entices you secretly, saying, 'Let us go and serve other gods,' which neither you nor your fathers have known,
7 some of the gods of the peoples who are around you, whether near you or far off from you, from the one end of the earth to the other,
8 you shall not yield to him or listen to him, nor shall your eye pity him, nor shall you spare him, nor shall you conceal him.
9 But you shall kill him. Your hand shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people.
10 You shall stone him to death with stones, because he sought to draw you away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
11 And all Israel shall hear and fear and never again do any such wickedness as this among you.
12 "If you hear in one of your cities, which the LORD your God is giving you to dwell there,
13 that certain worthless fellows have gone out among you and have drawn away the inhabitants of their city, saying, 'Let us go and serve other gods,' which you have not known,
14 then you shall inquire and make search and ask diligently. And behold, if it be true and certain that such an abomination has been done among you,
15 you shall surely put the inhabitants of that city to the sword, devoting it to destruction, all who are in it and its cattle, with the edge of the sword.
16 You shall gather all its spoil into the midst of its open square and burn the city and all its spoil with fire, as a whole burnt offering to the LORD your God. It shall be a heap forever. It shall not be built again.
17 None of the devoted things shall stick to your hand, that the LORD may turn from the fierceness of his anger and show you mercy and have compassion on you and multiply you, as he swore to your fathers,
18 if you obey the voice of the LORD your God, keeping all his commandments that I am commanding you today, and doing what is right in the sight of the LORD your God.
Deuteronomy 14: Clean and Unclean Food
1 "You are the sons of the LORD your God. You shall not cut yourselves or make any baldness on your foreheads for the dead.
2 For you are a people holy to the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
3 "You shall not eat any abomination.
4 These are the animals you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat,
5 the deer, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain sheep.
6 Every animal that parts the hoof and has the hoof cloven in two and chews the cud, among the animals, you may eat.
7 Yet of those that chew the cud or have the hoof cloven you shall not eat these: the camel, the hare, and the rock badger, because they chew the cud but do not part the hoof, are unclean for you.
8 And the pig, because it parts the hoof but does not chew the cud, is unclean for you. Their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch.
9 "Of all that are in the waters you may eat these: whatever has fins and scales you may eat.
10 And whatever does not have fins and scales you shall not eat; it is unclean for you.
11 "You may eat all clean birds.
12 But these are the ones that you shall not eat: the eagle, the bearded vulture, the black vulture,
13 the kite, the falcon of any kind;
14 every raven of any kind;
15 the ostrich, the nighthawk, the sea gull, the hawk of any kind;
16 the little owl and the short-eared owl, the barn owl
17 and the tawny owl, the carrion vulture and the cormorant,
18 the stork, the heron of any kind; the hoopoe and the bat.
19 And all winged insects are unclean for you; they shall not be eaten.
20 All clean winged things you may eat.
21 "You shall not eat anything that has died naturally. You may give it to the sojourner who is within your towns, that he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner. For you are a people holy to the LORD your God." You shall not boil a young goat in its mother's milk.
Tithes
22 "You shall tithe all the yield of your seed that comes from the field year by year.
23 And before the LORD your God, in the place that he will choose, to make his name dwell there, you shall eat the tithe of your grain, of your wine, and of your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and flock, that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always.
24 And if the way is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry the tithe, when the LORD your God blesses you, because the place is too far from you, which the LORD your God chooses, to set his name there,
25 then you shall turn it into money and bind up the money in your hand and go to the place that the LORD your God chooses
26 and spend the money for whatever you desire---oxen or sheep or wine or strong drink, whatever your appetite craves. And you shall eat there before the LORD your God and rejoice, you and your household.
27 And you shall not neglect the Levite who is within your towns, for he has no portion or inheritance with you.
28 "At the end of every three years you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in the same year and lay it up within your towns.
29 And the Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance with you, and the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your towns, shall come and eat and be filled, that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands that you do.
Things to think about…
1. It is fairly clear what the Lord’s position is regarding false prophets – kill them Dt 13:1-5. There are so many false words that are given by people in the modern church I wonder how the Lord would take these false words over people’s lives. Remember the Lord is the same yesterday, today and forever. I think we know what He thinks on the issue. This also extends to family members who would entice us away. Our hand should be the first to rise up against them, Dt 13:6-8. Not that we would pick up stones, but remember we are called to test the spirits. Even the counsel of a close friend was not to be put before the Word of God. Remember Jesus said to Peter, “Get behind me Satan”, Mt 16:23, when he offered false counsel regarding the true ministry of Jesus. If a word doesn’t match with the Spirit and truth of His word, it is false and should be exposed as such. Continue to hold me and all those who preach at CBC’s pulpit accountable in this regard as we are speaking on the Lord’s behalf. James 3:1 says teachers will also be judged more strictly – a very sobering thought.
2. This law against apostasy extended to the cities that had been swayed by false teaching after the Israelites had cleansed the land after they had taken over. In these verses, Dt 13:12-18 if an Israelite town is swayed by others to follow false gods, all in that city should be destroyed? The land was to be cleansed from all idolatry regardless of whether the inhabitants were Jews or Gentiles. Jesus calls the church to be holy as He is holy.
3. Look at these laws in Dt 14:1-12 regarding what may be eaten and what may not. Remember the Apostle Peter with his vision of all the unclean animals - he as a Jew was not allowed to eat anything unclean and yet the Lord had said they were now clean. How do we discern what parts of the OT law are still applicable today and what are not? I like my bacon and shellfish, what about you? Even though we may be able to eat these things now because all food is clean, what about other parts of the OT – such as the Ten Commandments. What do you think? How much freedom does the Lord Jesus give here? Christ is the fulfilment of the law. But we must still be holy as He is holy. The test is in the word. While there are principles given in the text, like bats being unclean – with current ideologies being pushed in society we would have to agree with the Lord’s counsel on this, but the NT says all food is now clean, Mk 7:19, Acts 10:9-16, Rom 14. Christ is the One who makes us clean, when He is honoured and acknowledged in our lives He purifies all.
4. Consider the OT laws of tithing. We know the Lord spoke to Peter about unclean foods, did He speak to the church about tithing? If not, is tithing still applicable? I believe it is as Jesus said, that tithing should be done in conjunction with the weightier matters of the law - justice, mercy and faith, Mt 23:23. If tithing is done without these then our worship is hypocritical to Him, just as it was with respect to the Pharisees. The Father gave His Son for us, our tithe is the least we can offer as thanks and worship in return.
5. The Levites were to teach and maintain the law in the land of promise. As such their inheritance was from the Lord and they were sustained by the tithes and offerings of the other 11 tribes, DT 14:27-29. Ministers and missionaries today survive by the giving of others – tithes and offerings. I praise the Lord for those who faithfully give to the Lord’s work at CBC. As such my prayer is that the Lord would bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you and give you peace. Amen.
Vision statement for CBC
CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.
Cell groups are encouraged to do alpha at church on Wednesday night 6:30pm at church. Be encouraged and join us.
Prayer Points
1. Pray for Tad and family as they continue life after Andy. The comfort is they know where he is.
2. Pray for the Kids Klub advertising through Chaplain and RI this week. Pray this ministry builds in our community.
3. Pray for alpha course session Wed 6:30pm at Church. Invite non-Christians.
4. Pray about Sunday’s message that it would change lives.
5. That those who are new to the church are encouraged and settle in well into the church.
6. That we be bold in our witnessing for Christ. Pray for a heart to see those around you saved.
7. Pray for Rosie and Kids@church.
8. Growth, conversions, joy in the Word and Spirit to remain and increase.
Praise Points
1. Praise God for Andrew Otte’s message. Continue to pray the word of God influences people by the Holy Spirit.
2. Praise God for new life! Jennifer has been blessed with 2 more grandchildren. Twin girls – Aurelia Rose Blackwood and Callista Lily Blackwood – 2kg each. Both healthy and mum as well. Praise the name of the Lord!
3. God for the start of the first alpha course and Kids Klub last week.
4. Give thanks for Sally who has consistently been able to come to church with Richard.
5. Some encouraging signs of those wanting to consider who Jesus was. People asking about baptism.
6. Joy, peace and grace we see at CBC. Thankyou Lord
Announcements
1. Alpha Course 2nd session on Wed 2nd Aug – 6:30pm – invite non Christians to this course.
