1) We ought to celebrate Jesus like the Israelites did in the Old Testament! Even though they didn't know about Jesus, they celebrated Him in all their festivals. In Chapter 16, Moses reminds Israel to "celebrate" God! He begins with the Passover which represents Jesus as the passover lamb who shed His blood so that we could escape spiritual death in Hell. Moses tells them to eat bread for seven days without any leaven in it. Leaven, in the bible, represents sin. And the bread represents the body of Jesus Christ who was without sin! Remember what Jesus said in John 6:58, "I am the true bread that came down from Heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will never die..."
The next festival Moses mentioned was the festival of harvests. Its purpose was to celebrate "the blessings you have received from Him." When's the last time you created a celebration to thank the Lord for the blessings you've received from Him? This is certainly the purpose of our national holiday of Thanksgiving which was reflective of America's first pilgrims who celebrated the harvest God blessed them with after coming to the New World.
Another celebration mentioned by Moses in chapter 16 was the festival of shelters. It was to be a "time of great joy for all." It was another time of celebrating God's goodness!
2) God wants nothing less than your best! In chapter 17:1, Moses warns the Israelites about giving God less than their best. He warns them not to be tempted with sacrificing animals that are defective. This is yet another verse telling us of God's desire to receive our very best!
3) Leaders are to read the Bible every day! Did you notice in 17:16-20 what God said the requirements were for the king of Israel? Among a list of things he was NOT to do, he was to do 2 critically important things:
A) Make handwritten copies of the Scriptures in the presence of Levitical priests!
B) He was to read Scripture every day of his life!
God says He was to read the Bible every day due to 5 VERY IMPORTANT REASONS:
1) To fear the Lord (vs.19)
2) To obey the Lord in all the terms God describes in Scripture (vs.19)
3) To prevent him from becoming too proud and to think himself above others! (vs.20)
4) To keep from turning away from the Lord even in the smallest way! (vs.20)
5) To ensure Israel's longevity as a blessed nation! (vs.20)
4) King Solomon obviously NEVER read Deuteronomy 17! In verses 16-17, God warns every King of Israel to refrain from 3 things - all of which King Solomon was guilty of!!!
- A large stable of horses!
- Marrying many wives!
- Accumulating large amounts of wealth!
While much more could be said...this is enough for today! May God give you a wonderful day!
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