Holiness and (legal) justice
Call for justice, guidelines for kings, wars and prophets: Deuteronomy 16:18–20:19 God’s call to the Israelites to be holy was …
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Tithes and the poor
The cost of idolatry, giving tithes and other rules: Deuteronomy 13–16:17 Does God really want the poor to stay poor …
Obey the Lord your God
God’s requirements for obedience: Deuteronomy 10–12 Moses has just reminded the Israelites of the ten commandments and their parents’ disobedience …
Manna
Manna has become the symbol of God’s miraculous provision to the Israelites, and generally. In Deuteronomy, Moses explained the reason …
A rebellious bunch
Reminders of God’s provision and the Israelites’ constant rebellion in the wilderness: Deuteronomy 8–9 God did not provide for the …
The making of a covenant
Reminder of the covenant: Deuteronomy 5–7 God’s desire was to bless His chosen people. His rescuing of the people from …
Turning 11 days into 38 years
Moses’ first address to Israel recounts their journey: Deuteronomy 1–4 Deuteronomy 1:2-3 Normally it takes only eleven days to travel …
Boundaries are serious business
Setting boundaries and cities for the Israelites: Numbers 34–36 God was strict in His instructions about what land would belong …
Gilead or Canaan?
Gad, Reuben and Manassah stay, recounting the Israelite’s travels: Numbers 32–33 After 40 years of wandering in the desert, the …
Balak’s strategy rebounds
Making vows and revenge on the Midianites: Numbers 25–26 Balak’s attempts to curse Israel into oblivion had failed, and now …
Moses lets go
Inheritance, Joshua and Sabbaths: Numbers 27–29 Numbers 27:15-17 Moses said to the Lord, ‘May the Lord, the God who gives breath to …
Idolatory with Moabite women
Mixing with Moab and the final census: Numbers 25–26 No battle, no cursing. All the Moabites had left was to …
Balak and Balaam
There’s a lot to say about Balak and Balaam. Derek Prince has a good commentary (downloads as a pdf). This discussion …
Balaam: the ‘seer’ who couldn’t curse Israel
Balak asks Balaam to curse Israel, blesses instead: Numbers 22–24 Balaam tried everything to earn his fee from Balak: pestering …
Unexpected battles
Wandering in the wilderness, water, snakes, unexpected battles: Numbers 19–21 The Israelites’s wanderings ended about 40 years after they left …
You Levites have gone too far!
The Levites complain: Numbers 16–18 The Kohathites had an important role: to carry many of the holy things from the …
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