We’re using this title because we had an earlier tour of them when we studied Numbers 35. Why did God arrange for Israel’s six cities of refuge? He wanted problems resolved. Since He was the giver of life and people were made in His image, anyone who maliciously took another life forfeited his own. On […]
Read More… from January 13, 2023 — Revisiting The Cities Of Refuge
No other volume claiming to be a holy book provides the ironclad proof of fulfilled prophecies. Let’s have one more lesson on God’s prophets. First, we should distinguish between their role in forthtelling, or speaking in a forthright way about present conditions, and foretelling—predicting future events. Both were vital to the nation. Israel, unlike the […]
Read More… from January 12, 2023 — The Themes Of The Prophets
“Do not believe every spirit…because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 Jn 4:1). The word “prophet” comes from the Hebrew root naba’ meaning to speak by inspiration. The Lord was deeply concerned that the people could trust everything He said, including what He communicated through men. He knew that those who […]
As we approach the end of this section on God’s representatives, we are introduced to His prophets. There were judges in the judicial branch, kings in the executive branch, and priests in the religious branch. There was no legislative branch because the giving of the Law was handled by God alone. Instead of the cacophony […]
Read More… from January 10, 2023 — Where Do Prophets Come From?
The West, like ancient Israel, has largely turned their back on the true God and followed after idols. As mentioned earlier, these instructions on how to be led by godly judges, kings and priests in Deuteronomy 16–18 are interspersed with the grim alternative—returning to an enslavement worse than the tyranny of Egypt. Anyone who has […]
Read More… from January 9, 2023 — With True Faith’s Demise, Idolatry Will Arise
Greater than Levi’s blessing, believers today are “heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ” (Rom 8:17). What is your inheritance? Others may leave you a little or a lot when they die, but it’s nothing compared to the inheritance left to the believer through Christ. Of the family of Levi (including the priests and […]
Read More… from January 6, 2023 — The Portion Of The Priests & Levites
Of course we know that all these offices could only officially unite in one glorious Man. From our last study, we saw God’s plan for governing Israel. There were going to be judges (16:18-20; 17:8-13), kings (17:14-20), priests (18:1-8), and prophets (18:15-22). We looked at the judges, and then began to think about the kings. […]
Who was it that came up with three branches of government: executive, judicial and legislative? From Deuteronomy 16:18 through the end of chapter 18, we find the subject oscillating between two ways of governance. Would the people of Israel be directed by godly judges and officers (16:18-20; 17:8-13), kings (17:14-20), priests and Levites (18:1-8), and […]