11And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.
I have always struggled to understand how to know it is truly God when the second coming occurs because Jesus speaks of false messiahs. So I found it comforting to in Mark 13:26 that He will come down from heaven in the clouds to take the believers; leaving no room for doubt that it is Him!
Deuteronomy can sometimes really be hard to read and comprehend, because it seems like God has really cruel punishments for anyone that strays away from Him. Why would he do that? Doesn’t He love us all the same way? But today, while reading the part from 28:15-69, it kind of “hit me”. These aren’t the punishments our God, that has so much love for us, will send on us the moment we stray. The purpose of these paragraphs is to depict how our soul, mind & body will feel like if it ever happens that we get further away from god. We will feel so bad inside, that it will seem like thousand of wars are happening inside, as if our loved ones are cheating on us, as if every disease known to human has found it’s place in our body… can you imagine the pain? It will feel as if everything we have has been taken away from us – and that is kind of true. Because, God is our “everything” and when we stray away from Him, if we don’t keep a special place for Him in our hearts, we lose Him, we lose everything important to us.. Hopefully I managed to express my thoughts correctly for everyone to understand what I wanted to say :)
When reading the Bible, it is very helpful to know the original audience. Something that would help in understanding Deuteronomy is realizing this was the word of God to the nation Israel when they were ready to enter the promised land. If Israel obeyed, the LORD would bless them, if they disobeyed he would curse them (which happened in the Babylonian captivity). Israel was called to be set apart from the pagan nations, so that He could reveal His law to them, setting the stage for the Messiah to come and fulfill the law. Today God does not deal with the church as He dealt with Israel because we are not under law, but under grace (Romans 6:14). Of course there will be spiritual truths to learn from these passages, but first we must understand the original context and audience.
Think about the curse…what people do you know who have been enslaved by lands not native to their own, and have been scattered across the earth, (ahem, Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade). Now ask yourself if the so called “Jews” of modern day are true Hebrews.
You know I was just thinking, HOW can the Israelites NOT be eternally cursed because they always sin.
But then I remembered the sacrifices.
And then I realized that they have to sacrifice for EVERY single sin. Can you imagine every sin that you do during even one day, much less time that times 1000+ people. That temple must have been going all the time, even at night.
12 “The Lord will open to you his good treasury, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hands.”-ellie
Lord may we stay awake, lest we walk in the stubbornness of our hearts against the Lord’s commandments which have been revealed to us through the whole of Scripture.
God did carry out those curses on Israel (written in Ezekiel and Jeremiah) and in those 2 books, they also prophecy what Jesus prophecies in this chapter in Mark!
This was written to the Israelites but I see so much comparison to today. Just like them, God has saved us from bondage and slavery. For then it was the desert and for us it’s this world. We are tested through the journey and there are trials and struggles. Times we need to trust God to get us through. Many will turn to false “Gods” or answers…even rely on ourselves. Some will not make it. Many will turn away from God to pursue their own desires. The “curses” are consequences to making unhealthy choices. They will find themselves in a desperate way out of natural consequence for turning their backs on God.
Deuteronomy has always sounded so harsh, but tonight it hit me. The curses in the passage aren’t God raining down fire and brimstone with a sadistic laugh on those poor sinners. They’re the natural consequence of falling away from God. Just like 3rd degree burns would be the natural consequence of pouring kerosene on yourself and striking a match. He’s warning the Israelites just how bad things can get when humans do things their own way.
it helps me so much to read your guys’ comments. it’s reassuring that im not the only one who questions things and looks for answers while i’m reading these passages. May this year of Bible reading help us go deeper and serve to increase our faith in The Lord :)
I think the word heaven might refer to the stars and moon? I think the word is for both the sky and also for our eternal home. In this case I think he’s referring to the physical sky. They won’t be the same in our eternal home. The Bible (I think in Revelation) tells us there will be a new heaven (sky) and earth. I’ll look it up again now! Thanks for keeping me thinking too!
Deuteronomy 28 has 14 verses for blessings, and 54(!!) for curses. How are we to receive these blessings? (I need to be better at these!)
-Fully obey
-Carefully follow (x2)
-Obey
-Observe & keep the commands
-Walk in His ways
-Pay attention
-Do not turn aside
-Do not follow or serve other gods
-Serve God joyfully & gladly in times of prosperity
-Revere the Lord’s name
It amazes me all the details God gave of what would happen in the OT if you didn’t follow his rules. The one reoccurring pattern I saw in today’s readings were to follow God through and through and in the end, you’d be blessed most abudently! Our God truly blesses me each day!
29 “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. I don’t know why but this verse keeps showing up for me. I need to pray on this.
This caught my attention today, too. Daniel 2:22-28: God reveals mysteries & dreams, deep & hidden things. 1 Cor 2:10-16 talks about how God reveals things to us through His Spirit, for now as children of God, we have the mind of Christ. Perhaps the disobedient, rebellious Israelites weren’t privy to the revelations of God. He now calls us friends, not slaves/servants. You tell your friends secrets, but slaves only know what is necessary for the task at hand.
I enjoyed the two commands in the reading today: Remember and stay awake. Both very hard things to keep up day after day, sorrow after sorrow, joy after joy. That is why we need a faithful God, I suppose.
Hey ladies, I could use some prayer and encouragement today. I have found the Pentateuch so interesting that I decided to try to find some historical information about it. And what I read really shook my faith. There is not any archeological evidence that backs up the Exodus, escape from Egypt, etc. I don’t understand why this would be and could really use some prayers and resources to better understand this. Lord help my unbelief!
Hey Stephanie! I totally understand your questioning, and I think its good- asking deeper questions is good when would purpose is to grow a deeper faith! But as for the archaeological evidence, I would guess that they haven’t found evidence of the Exodus because the Israelites wouldn’t have left much behind, since they were escaping. They were constantly moving and setting up camp, and what they had with them they would have needed throughout the journey, and so it would make sense that they would not leave anything behind that could now be found as archaeological evidence. (In the reading today it even said that though they had been wandering the wilderness for forty years their shoes and clothes hadn’t even worn out!) Other archaeological evidence that has been found has often been where there was a more permanent residence or something built- like the Temple. Basically, I think that because during the Exodus the Israelites were travelling, and not building up permanent residences, they would not have left much behind that would be now considered archeological evidence. To be honest, I’m not extremely well versed in this area either, but I hope my thoughts bring encouragement to you. God says blessed is He who believes and hasn’t seen, and He will help you with your unbelief! Keep seeking!
Ah sorry I can never see what I’m typing here! I was trying to say I appreciate you encouraging me to question. I really do it with the best intentions to better understand, but sometimes it can lead to things like this where I am just more confused. I know that God is a mystery, and I can trust in some parts of that, but I also want to be an intelligent and knowledgable believer who can make accurate agreements for God and convince others.
Hey there! This might be silly, but I watched a Netflix documentary on Exodus that gives a really detailed understanding of what archeologists “think” they know about the era. It’s really fascinating and may answer some of your questions/put your mind at ease. And, having been to Israel and stayed with a nomad-like group in the desert, they really do move about and don’t leave much behind. Even today! If I were you I’d focus on truth. How much evidence is there in the bible itself? Old Testament vs New Testament. There’s so much! There’s nothing wrong with having questions. The fact that you’re concerned enough to share this feeling, means that you’re still on a journey of faith and that in itself is so great. Don’t be discouraged. Just keep searching. I’m praying you find the answers you’re looking for.
I love this string!!! Glad to know I’m not the only one reading this year, and I will also join in prayer for you, Stephanie! And I agree, nothing wrong with questions and digging, Our God can handle it :-)
Amen Amy! Our God can handle it, and our questioning hearts often lead us to soft spots in our faith where we need His strength to believe. Thank you Lord!
1 If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth.
Deut 28:23 “The heaven which is over your head shall be bronze, and the earth which is under you, iron”. Bronze heaven as in “no rain”? Or “no communication with God”?
What stood out to me in Deuteronomy’s reading was the knowledge that the Lord gives us. Deut. 29:4 – but to this day the Lord has not given you a mind that understands. I know personally, I find myself asking “why?” to God. But the answer we seek isn’t ours to know – He hasn’t given us the knowledge to understand why. HE is all-knowing. He knows why certain events take place in our lives. Most of the time, it is to strengthen our faith & trust in Him. BUT He has given us the only answer we do need. As Deut. 29 continues from v. 4, He gave the Israelites so many signs that showed that He is Lord. Our answer is He is God and we are not. That is the only answer we truly need, that He is God, and He is in control, and we can trust Him with the “why.”
Also, the Deuteronomy reading is so graphically harsh in the warnings given to God’s people. It is hard to reconcile those readings with the forgiveness we are able to have today through Jesus. God was the same God then. Just thinking a lot….
I think about that too. It’s so hard to think that now we are forgiven but then He had such strict laws. It makes me wonder if I could truly live right if I lived during that time. I thank God that Jesus was sent for the forgiveness of my sins.
Well I think the idea is still aim towards holiness. There is grace when we fall because of Jesus Christ but there should be a repentant heart of a believer and a desire for godliness in our lives. There should be fruit in a believer. I think it’s more of a heart think than an actual literal set of rules. We try to follow the “rules” not because we have to but because we want to…be used we trust that God has forbidden certain things not to hurt us, but for our benefit and because it’s best. When we disobey we tell God we don’t trust him that his will, not our own, is best.
Yes, God was the same God then – but his sending of his own son fundamentally changed his relationship with his people because Christ made reparations for our sins. At least that’s my understanding of it. It is refreshing, in a sense, to hear the commands of the OT…especially in this culture of growing moral relativism.
The Elect, whom He has chosen… In verse 20. Who is the “elect” ? Is it us? Christians? All Christians? I have heard discussion about just who is the “elect” and I remain confused. Any thoughts on this, ladies?
I looked up “Election” in the Zondervan Bible Dictionary and it described God’s election of the chosen in detail. To summarize: Being chosen by God makes you an “elected” one. In the OT God chose the Israelites as well as selected individuals to be His elected. “In the NT, Jesus is the Elected One ( Luke 9:35), in whom the election of Israel and of the church of God of the new covenant find their meaning and center.” ( pg172-173) ” God destined us in love to be his sons (and daughters) through Jesus Christ ( Eph 1:5). So the Church of God is an elect race.” (Pg 173)
Hope this helps. We, true Christians, are His elected.
BE ALERT! carefully follow his commands… I realize that I don’t even know what all of his commands are so I am thankful that He is helping me stay faithful on my daily 365 readings!
The reading in Deuteronomy has brought a new awareness of how serious God is about idols and the things we put before Him. It’s not necessarily a gold or wooden object. It could be our job, our time, our spouse or kids, an obsession with health or fitness, something we’re reading, social media, magazines, etc. It’s making me think “what am I putting before God, what are the idols in my life”? this morning.
I have been thinking a lot about the false idols I worship. Deuteronomy has been a very eye opening reading for me – I am praying to God that I can stop putting ‘things’ before Him.
Mark13: 32 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard! Be alert ! You do not know when that time will come.
2John 1:8 Watch out that you do not loose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.
Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Each day, all day, we should strive to live as if it is our last day to honor Him. It maybe.
This Deuteronomy passage brings a new meaning to the fear of the Lord
❤️
Stay alert- I would also add the greatest thing we need right now is love
❤️
11And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.
❤️
Exactly what I was thinking!!
✔️
I have always struggled to understand how to know it is truly God when the second coming occurs because Jesus speaks of false messiahs. So I found it comforting to in Mark 13:26 that He will come down from heaven in the clouds to take the believers; leaving no room for doubt that it is Him!
❤️
Deuteronomy can sometimes really be hard to read and comprehend, because it seems like God has really cruel punishments for anyone that strays away from Him. Why would he do that? Doesn’t He love us all the same way? But today, while reading the part from 28:15-69, it kind of “hit me”. These aren’t the punishments our God, that has so much love for us, will send on us the moment we stray. The purpose of these paragraphs is to depict how our soul, mind & body will feel like if it ever happens that we get further away from god. We will feel so bad inside, that it will seem like thousand of wars are happening inside, as if our loved ones are cheating on us, as if every disease known to human has found it’s place in our body… can you imagine the pain? It will feel as if everything we have has been taken away from us – and that is kind of true. Because, God is our “everything” and when we stray away from Him, if we don’t keep a special place for Him in our hearts, we lose Him, we lose everything important to us.. Hopefully I managed to express my thoughts correctly for everyone to understand what I wanted to say :)
When reading the Bible, it is very helpful to know the original audience. Something that would help in understanding Deuteronomy is realizing this was the word of God to the nation Israel when they were ready to enter the promised land. If Israel obeyed, the LORD would bless them, if they disobeyed he would curse them (which happened in the Babylonian captivity). Israel was called to be set apart from the pagan nations, so that He could reveal His law to them, setting the stage for the Messiah to come and fulfill the law. Today God does not deal with the church as He dealt with Israel because we are not under law, but under grace (Romans 6:14). Of course there will be spiritual truths to learn from these passages, but first we must understand the original context and audience.
Stand firm until the end
Think about the curse…what people do you know who have been enslaved by lands not native to their own, and have been scattered across the earth, (ahem, Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade). Now ask yourself if the so called “Jews” of modern day are true Hebrews.
You know I was just thinking, HOW can the Israelites NOT be eternally cursed because they always sin.
But then I remembered the sacrifices.
And then I realized that they have to sacrifice for EVERY single sin. Can you imagine every sin that you do during even one day, much less time that times 1000+ people. That temple must have been going all the time, even at night.
Not only that, but we are just as bad! We sin just as much every day! We can’t judge the Israelites when we are doing the same thing.
12 “The Lord will open to you his good treasury, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hands.”-ellie
Lord may we stay awake, lest we walk in the stubbornness of our hearts against the Lord’s commandments which have been revealed to us through the whole of Scripture.
God did carry out those curses on Israel (written in Ezekiel and Jeremiah) and in those 2 books, they also prophecy what Jesus prophecies in this chapter in Mark!
Good points!
This was written to the Israelites but I see so much comparison to today. Just like them, God has saved us from bondage and slavery. For then it was the desert and for us it’s this world. We are tested through the journey and there are trials and struggles. Times we need to trust God to get us through. Many will turn to false “Gods” or answers…even rely on ourselves. Some will not make it. Many will turn away from God to pursue their own desires. The “curses” are consequences to making unhealthy choices. They will find themselves in a desperate way out of natural consequence for turning their backs on God.
Oh dang. This is great
Deuteronomy has always sounded so harsh, but tonight it hit me. The curses in the passage aren’t God raining down fire and brimstone with a sadistic laugh on those poor sinners. They’re the natural consequence of falling away from God. Just like 3rd degree burns would be the natural consequence of pouring kerosene on yourself and striking a match. He’s warning the Israelites just how bad things can get when humans do things their own way.
it helps me so much to read your guys’ comments. it’s reassuring that im not the only one who questions things and looks for answers while i’m reading these passages. May this year of Bible reading help us go deeper and serve to increase our faith in The Lord :)
What does Jesus mean when he says “heaven and earth will pass away” I thought heaven was forever? Could someone explain what they think
I think the word heaven might refer to the stars and moon? I think the word is for both the sky and also for our eternal home. In this case I think he’s referring to the physical sky. They won’t be the same in our eternal home. The Bible (I think in Revelation) tells us there will be a new heaven (sky) and earth. I’ll look it up again now! Thanks for keeping me thinking too!
Deuteronomy 28 has 14 verses for blessings, and 54(!!) for curses. How are we to receive these blessings? (I need to be better at these!)
-Fully obey
-Carefully follow (x2)
-Obey
-Observe & keep the commands
-Walk in His ways
-Pay attention
-Do not turn aside
-Do not follow or serve other gods
-Serve God joyfully & gladly in times of prosperity
-Revere the Lord’s name
It amazes me all the details God gave of what would happen in the OT if you didn’t follow his rules. The one reoccurring pattern I saw in today’s readings were to follow God through and through and in the end, you’d be blessed most abudently! Our God truly blesses me each day!
29 “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. I don’t know why but this verse keeps showing up for me. I need to pray on this.
This caught my attention today, too. Daniel 2:22-28: God reveals mysteries & dreams, deep & hidden things. 1 Cor 2:10-16 talks about how God reveals things to us through His Spirit, for now as children of God, we have the mind of Christ. Perhaps the disobedient, rebellious Israelites weren’t privy to the revelations of God. He now calls us friends, not slaves/servants. You tell your friends secrets, but slaves only know what is necessary for the task at hand.
❤
I enjoyed the two commands in the reading today: Remember and stay awake. Both very hard things to keep up day after day, sorrow after sorrow, joy after joy. That is why we need a faithful God, I suppose.
I liked both of those too. Especially the stay awake. It’s easy to forget to be aware of what is occurring around us and to not dismiss it so quickly.
Hey ladies, I could use some prayer and encouragement today. I have found the Pentateuch so interesting that I decided to try to find some historical information about it. And what I read really shook my faith. There is not any archeological evidence that backs up the Exodus, escape from Egypt, etc. I don’t understand why this would be and could really use some prayers and resources to better understand this. Lord help my unbelief!
Hey Stephanie! I totally understand your questioning, and I think its good- asking deeper questions is good when would purpose is to grow a deeper faith! But as for the archaeological evidence, I would guess that they haven’t found evidence of the Exodus because the Israelites wouldn’t have left much behind, since they were escaping. They were constantly moving and setting up camp, and what they had with them they would have needed throughout the journey, and so it would make sense that they would not leave anything behind that could now be found as archaeological evidence. (In the reading today it even said that though they had been wandering the wilderness for forty years their shoes and clothes hadn’t even worn out!) Other archaeological evidence that has been found has often been where there was a more permanent residence or something built- like the Temple. Basically, I think that because during the Exodus the Israelites were travelling, and not building up permanent residences, they would not have left much behind that would be now considered archeological evidence. To be honest, I’m not extremely well versed in this area either, but I hope my thoughts bring encouragement to you. God says blessed is He who believes and hasn’t seen, and He will help you with your unbelief! Keep seeking!
That is a good point Shyla and I appreencouragingly
Ah sorry I can never see what I’m typing here! I was trying to say I appreciate you encouraging me to question. I really do it with the best intentions to better understand, but sometimes it can lead to things like this where I am just more confused. I know that God is a mystery, and I can trust in some parts of that, but I also want to be an intelligent and knowledgable believer who can make accurate agreements for God and convince others.
Hey there! This might be silly, but I watched a Netflix documentary on Exodus that gives a really detailed understanding of what archeologists “think” they know about the era. It’s really fascinating and may answer some of your questions/put your mind at ease. And, having been to Israel and stayed with a nomad-like group in the desert, they really do move about and don’t leave much behind. Even today! If I were you I’d focus on truth. How much evidence is there in the bible itself? Old Testament vs New Testament. There’s so much! There’s nothing wrong with having questions. The fact that you’re concerned enough to share this feeling, means that you’re still on a journey of faith and that in itself is so great. Don’t be discouraged. Just keep searching. I’m praying you find the answers you’re looking for.
I love this string!!! Glad to know I’m not the only one reading this year, and I will also join in prayer for you, Stephanie! And I agree, nothing wrong with questions and digging, Our God can handle it :-)
Amen Amy! Our God can handle it, and our questioning hearts often lead us to soft spots in our faith where we need His strength to believe. Thank you Lord!
Thank you all so much! So thankful for your prayers and encouragement!
1 If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth.
Deut 28:23 “The heaven which is over your head shall be bronze, and the earth which is under you, iron”. Bronze heaven as in “no rain”? Or “no communication with God”?
What stood out to me in Deuteronomy’s reading was the knowledge that the Lord gives us. Deut. 29:4 – but to this day the Lord has not given you a mind that understands. I know personally, I find myself asking “why?” to God. But the answer we seek isn’t ours to know – He hasn’t given us the knowledge to understand why. HE is all-knowing. He knows why certain events take place in our lives. Most of the time, it is to strengthen our faith & trust in Him. BUT He has given us the only answer we do need. As Deut. 29 continues from v. 4, He gave the Israelites so many signs that showed that He is Lord. Our answer is He is God and we are not. That is the only answer we truly need, that He is God, and He is in control, and we can trust Him with the “why.”
Well said!!
very well said!
Also, the Deuteronomy reading is so graphically harsh in the warnings given to God’s people. It is hard to reconcile those readings with the forgiveness we are able to have today through Jesus. God was the same God then. Just thinking a lot….
I think about that too. It’s so hard to think that now we are forgiven but then He had such strict laws. It makes me wonder if I could truly live right if I lived during that time. I thank God that Jesus was sent for the forgiveness of my sins.
Well I think the idea is still aim towards holiness. There is grace when we fall because of Jesus Christ but there should be a repentant heart of a believer and a desire for godliness in our lives. There should be fruit in a believer. I think it’s more of a heart think than an actual literal set of rules. We try to follow the “rules” not because we have to but because we want to…be used we trust that God has forbidden certain things not to hurt us, but for our benefit and because it’s best. When we disobey we tell God we don’t trust him that his will, not our own, is best.
Yes, God was the same God then – but his sending of his own son fundamentally changed his relationship with his people because Christ made reparations for our sins. At least that’s my understanding of it. It is refreshing, in a sense, to hear the commands of the OT…especially in this culture of growing moral relativism.
The Elect, whom He has chosen… In verse 20. Who is the “elect” ? Is it us? Christians? All Christians? I have heard discussion about just who is the “elect” and I remain confused. Any thoughts on this, ladies?
I looked up “Election” in the Zondervan Bible Dictionary and it described God’s election of the chosen in detail. To summarize: Being chosen by God makes you an “elected” one. In the OT God chose the Israelites as well as selected individuals to be His elected. “In the NT, Jesus is the Elected One ( Luke 9:35), in whom the election of Israel and of the church of God of the new covenant find their meaning and center.” ( pg172-173) ” God destined us in love to be his sons (and daughters) through Jesus Christ ( Eph 1:5). So the Church of God is an elect race.” (Pg 173)
Hope this helps. We, true Christians, are His elected.
Thank you, Yana ! :)
BE ALERT! carefully follow his commands… I realize that I don’t even know what all of his commands are so I am thankful that He is helping me stay faithful on my daily 365 readings!
The reading in Deuteronomy has brought a new awareness of how serious God is about idols and the things we put before Him. It’s not necessarily a gold or wooden object. It could be our job, our time, our spouse or kids, an obsession with health or fitness, something we’re reading, social media, magazines, etc. It’s making me think “what am I putting before God, what are the idols in my life”? this morning.
I am wondering about the same thing, Kristin!
I have been thinking a lot about the false idols I worship. Deuteronomy has been a very eye opening reading for me – I am praying to God that I can stop putting ‘things’ before Him.
Mark13: 32 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard! Be alert ! You do not know when that time will come.
2John 1:8 Watch out that you do not loose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.
Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Each day, all day, we should strive to live as if it is our last day to honor Him. It maybe.