Who says the OT is boring?

 

 

READ Deuteronomy 17–20

Today’s reading begins with a direct picture of Jesus: “You shall not sacrifice to the Lord your God an ox or a sheep in which is a blemish, any defect whatever, for that is an abomination to the Lord your God.”  (Deuteronomy 17:1) No, He is not an ox but He is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world, and by the command of God, this ultimate sacrifice had to be the Son of God. All others are born with a sinful nature, a nature that ignores the commands of God.

Connecting this reminder of Christ’s sacrifice for sin with the verses that follow, God also reminds me that His salvation is by grace alone. Those who believe are saved because of mercy, because of Christ. Apart from Him, OT laws reveal what would happen if He had not taken our place and our punishment.

“If there is found among you, within any of your towns that the Lord your God is giving you, a man or woman who does what is evil in the sight of the Lord your God, in transgressing his covenant, and has gone and served other gods and worshiped them . . . you shall bring out to your gates that man or woman who has done this evil thing, and you shall stone that man or woman to death with stones . . . . So you shall purge the evil from your midst. (Deuteronomy 17:2–7)

Jesus took that death sentence for my idolatrous heart.

“The man who acts presumptuously by not obeying the priest who stands to minister there before the Lord your God, or the judge, that man shall die. So you shall purge the evil from Israel.” (Deuteronomy 17:12)

Jesus took that death sentence for my disobedience to authority.

God allowed His people to set a king over them, one of His choice, not a foreigner, but “he must not acquire many horses for himself or cause the people to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses . . . . And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold.” (Deuteronomy 17:15–17) Solomon broke those laws and lived. Christ took his death sentence for his lust for power, women and wealth as well as my sinful desires.

The OT kings were to read the Law “all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel.” (Deuteronomy 17:18–20) Many of the kings not only disobeyed this command, but sinned mightily. Christ took their death sentence and mine also.

Some of His people went so far as burning sons or daughters as an offering, practiced divination, told fortunes, interpreted omens, consulted sorcerers, charmers, mediums, or necromancers and “whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord” even though they were to “be blameless before the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 18:10–13) and Christ died for these sins also, and mine.

In mercy, God provided cities of refuge for those who killed someone without intent and accidentally. He made laws to insure fair trials and insisted on evidence against wrong doing be provided by “two witnesses or three witnesses” with instructions to judges for anyone who accused his brother falsely to “do to him as he had meant to do to his brother. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.” (Deuteronomy 19:4–19) This is mercy and grace from God who loves us and Jesus who died for us.

His people also were not to be afraid of their enemies “for the Lord your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.” (Deuteronomy 20:1) They were to offer terms of peace to cities that resisted them, but those cities He gave them for an inheritance must be purged of all that lives. This complete destruction would save them from being drawn into their sin, but they failed to obey. (Deuteronomy 20:10–18) This same God tells me to deal with anything that will pull me away from Him, yet be at peace with others that are not a threat . . . and the only way I even want to do this is because of Christ.

If anyone thinks the OT is boring, try first asking to see Christ in it and the love of God in it, and then be blessed with the surprises!