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 …
Category Archives: RTB 2025 – Search the Scriptures, Part 2
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 …
April 10 / Deuteronomy 20-21
Deuteronomy 20-21 When you go out to war against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them, for the LORD your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. … Then the officers shall speak to …
April 9 / Deuteronomy 18-19
Deuteronomy 18-19 The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen—just as you desired of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, “Let me not hear again the voice of the …
April 8 / Deuteronomy 16-17
Deuteronomy 16-17 Three times a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God at the place that He will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Booths. Deuteronomy 16:16a We need rhythm and reminders. I grew up in a Christian family. We …
April 7 / Deuteronomy 14-15
Deuteronomy 14-15 We know from Mark 7:18-19, where Jesus declares all foods clean, that we are no longer subject to the Kosher dietary laws, so it can be tempting to simply skim over these regulations as irrelevant to us. But that would be a mistake. We need to look for God’s purpose in giving these …
April 6 / Deuteronomy 12-13
Deuteronomy 12-13 Please take a look at the post from February 25, 2023. I’ll wait… As we said last week on March 30, idolatry is the sin with which we must contend. It must be absolutely eradicated from our lives. Utter ruthlessness is in order. So how are we doing with that?