April 19 / Deuteronomy 32:48-34:12

Deuteronomy 32:48-34:12 Today Search the Scriptures gives us this little note: “Chapter 33, like Gn. 49, requires for its full understanding much research.” Indeed. I rather doubt that many of us have undertaken such research. I know I haven’t. What might we be missing out on as a result? After all, Deuteronomy 33 is here …

April 16 / Deuteronomy 29-30

Deuteronomy 29-30 We should all read Deuteronomy 30 again and again. Come and see God’s heart here. Despite the caricature of God as somehow delighting in punishing the smallest infractions, we see here a God Who longs to bless His people, if only they (we) would turn to Him with their (our) whole hearts. Even …

April 15 / Deuteronomy 28:15-68

Deuteronomy 28:15-68 Anyone familiar with the history of Israel as presented in the rest of the Old Testament Scriptures knows that the curses pronounced in today’s reading all eventually come upon Israel in stark reality as a result of Israel’s persistent failure to walk humbly with the LORD. In His love and mercy, the LORD …

April 14 / Deuteronomy 27:1-28:14

Deuteronomy 27:1-28:14 “Cursed be anyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.” And all the people shall say, “Amen.” Deuteronomy 27:26 As we all (rightly) join in that “Amen” we sign our own death warrants. We should all agree that the Law is holy and righteous and good, as Jesus …

April 13 / Deuteronomy 26

Deuteronomy 26 Gratitude and faith. The two go hand in hand and are exemplified in the presentation of firstfruits to the Lord. We take the beginnings of our harvest (whether a literal agricultural harvest or — for us, more likely — the monetary “fruit” of our labors) and we present that to the Lord in …

April 12 / Deuteronomy 24-25

Deuteronomy 24-25 Does God have a heart for the poor, the sojourner, the fatherless, the widow, the oppressed? You bet, as should be abundantly evident in today’s reading and, frankly, throughout the Scriptures. But do we share His heart? The first question in Search the Scriptures today asks us to take personal inventory of how …

April 11 / Deuteronomy 22-23

Deuteronomy 22-23 Sometimes we have a hard time understanding parts of the Torah. Sometimes it gives us heartburn, and we think God is too harsh (but see the post from two years ago). Some people want to disregard some verses altogether, thinking they are no longer culturally relevant (e.g., Dt. 22:5). But sometimes Torah just …