Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy Chapter 16

• Deuteronomy 16:1 Observe the month of Abib, and keep the Passover unto the LORD thy God: for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night. 

This was the first month for the Hebrews. It was in the Spring and in that month the Passover was to be celebrated. This holiday was God ordained for remembrance of the time the Lord delivered the children of Israel out of Egypt's bondage. 

Egypt was a representation of the bondage of sin. To be free from sin we need a perfect pure complete sacrifice. We need a deliverance from sin just as Israel needed a deliverance from the bondage of being servants to Egypt. As blood was placed on the doorposts to save the firstborn from the judgment of God, the blood of the perfect sacrifice for sins, Jesus Christ is placed upon us to escape the judgment of God from sin. 

Sin has to be judged and put away. Since all mankind have sinned in one point or another, they cannot make atonement for their own sins. So the sin remains in the heart of all of us condemning us to an eternal hell, a place that will keep sin confined once and for all after the day of judgment. God will not allow anything from that point on to escape and start the sin process from polluting mankind again. 

To be saved from that awful fate awaiting every human being born into sin, we have to have someone make an atonement for sin that will cleanse us from sin. The price for sin is death. Since the blood of animals cannot save from sin, and mankind cannot make atonement for their own sins for all have sinned at one time or another, we can't save ourselves by our own works or sacrifices, we need outside help. 

• Hebrews 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. 

And there was no perfect man to atone for sin, one had to become man that had never sinned in any point or broken the law of God in any point. God Himself in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ had to become that perfect sinless sacrifice. 

In order for that sacrifice to count on our behalf and cleanse away our sins, we have to believe in Him and receive Him into our lives, cleansing us from sin and then allowing His Spirit, The Holy Spirit, to abide within us from that day on. 

• 1John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 

It's so much more than just receiving Jesus into our hearts. Repentance is part of all salvation. We repent or turn around and away from the sin that was condemning us and turn to the one that takes away sin, Jesus our Christ or Messiah.

• Revelation 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 

When the angel first spoke to Mary before the birth of Jesus, he said that her Son was coming to save His people from their sins. 

• Deuteronomy 16:2 Thou shalt therefore sacrifice the Passover unto the LORD thy God, of the flock and the herd, in the place which the LORD shall choose to place his name there. 

Here is the words of John Wesley:

Namely, in the court of the tabernacle or temple. This he prescribed, partly that this great work might be done with more solemnity in such manner as God required; partly, because it was not only a sacrament, but also a sacrifice, and because here was the sprinkling of blood, which is the essential part of a sacrifice; and partly to design the place where Christ, the true Passover or lamb of God, was to be slain. At the season - About the time you were preparing yourselves for it.

• Deuteronomy 16:3 Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith, even the bread of affliction; for thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt in haste: that thou mayest remember the day when thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life. 
• 4 And there shall be no leavened bread seen with thee in all thy coast seven days; neither shall there any thing of the flesh, which thou sacrificedst the first day at even, remain all night until the morning. 

They had no time to allow bread to rise with leaven so to remember that time in their history, they were not use leaven. Leaven also represents evil also and this was a time to observe deliverance from bondage of sin and evil. 

The Messiah, the Christ makes us free from sin once we are willing to believe and repent (turn away from) of sin. How glorious and wonderful is that good way for all who simply believe to be saved from the wrath of God that is coming. 

• Deuteronomy 16:5 Thou mayest not sacrifice the passover within any of thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee: 
• 6 But at the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name in, there thou shalt sacrifice the passover at even, at the going down of the sun, at the season that thou camest forth out of Egypt.

The time and place was in the plan of God. Just as there is only one way of salvation for all mankind, Jew and Gentile alike, there was only one place chosen of God to celebrate the Passover in remembrance of that time when they escaped the bondage of Egypt. 

This teaches us that salvation is from God and made by God, not our way but His way. Jesus Christ is the only possible way for anyone to be saved from sin and inherit eternal life. 

• Deuteronomy 16:7 And thou shalt roast and eat it in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose: and thou shalt turn in the morning, and go unto thy tents. 
• 8 Six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread: and on the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to the LORD thy God: thou shalt do no work therein. 

A solemn assembly is needed for all of us periodically. It is a time set aside for repentance and renewing ourselves in a right relationship with God. Repentance (change of mind, turning from sin) is necessary to be genuinely saved. If we attempt to receive Christ as savior and desire to keep our sins, it will not work. Jesus died for our sins so that we could be cleansed from them, not walk in sin. We are not covered by the blood of Jesus to go and keep sinning and still expect to be saved. 

• 1John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

What a hope and a promise. To be cleansed from all unrighteousness. We might make mistakes and perhaps even sin after this but it will grieve us. We repent and get right back up. However, if our attitude is that we don't care what God says, we believe in Jesus so we can live how we want to, I would question whether or not we have been genuinely born again. Perhaps the seed planted within us didn't take root and grow or we let the pleasures of this life grow around us and crowd out the good seed planted. The answer to getting back to the right relationship with God is simply to repent, turn around and call upon His name again but with sincerity and truth, not formal religious works.

• Deuteronomy 16:9 Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee: begin to number the seven weeks from such time as thou beginnest to put the sickle to the corn. 
• 10 And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the LORD thy God with a tribute of a freewill offering of thine hand, which thou shalt give unto the LORD thy God, according as the LORD thy God hath blessed thee: 
• 11 And thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are among you, in the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen to place his name there. 
• 12 And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt: and thou shalt observe and do these statutes. 

This was a time of refreshing, remembering God, being thankful, repenting of sin, feasting, rejoicing and much more. We need God's presence and to remember Him in worship and praise is a gift from God. To neglect the worship of God is to rob ourselves of all good things God gives us. 

• Deuteronomy 16:13 Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine: 

This is Israel’s Thanksgiving feast in which they acknowledge the Fall harvest and God’s provision for them. It is happy celebration and a time of joy and rejoicing. 

This feast also Is a reminder of their deliverance from Egypt and their subsequent wandering in the wilderness for forty years. During this time Israel lived in tents and worshiped at the Tabernacle which was also a tent. For seven days they were to live in these booths as a vivid reminder of the days in the wilderness living in tents.

• Deuteronomy 16:14 And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within thy gates. 

God includes everyone and does not limit this to the rich, to male, or property owners etc. His salvation is also to anyone, for He is not willing that any should perish. 

• 2Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 

Reading the book of Jonah helps us to see the real heart of God that prefers to save rather than bring judgment but He does bring judgment eventually to stop evil from continuing forever.

• Deuteronomy 16:15 Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD shall choose: because the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thine increase, and in all the works of thine hands, therefore thou shalt surely rejoice. 
• 16 Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty: 

1. The Passover - On the evening of the 14th of the first month Abib or Nisan Israel was to sacrifice a  lamb. They applied blood from the lambs to the sides and tops of the door frames of their homes and roasted the lambs. That night, the Lord killed Egypt's firstborn but anyone with blood on the doorpost was saved. This represents the Son of God, our passover lamb to bring salvation to all that believe. His name is Jesus (Yeshua) in Hebrew.

2. The Feast of Unleavened bread - The night before Passover, the house is searched for any trace of leaven to get rid of it and then starting at the 15th of Nisan they only eat unleavened bread for 7 days. Jesus burial  Leaven represents evil but also they had to leave in haste, very quickly in the days they escaped from Egypt. They didn't have time to let bread rise. This represents the burial of Jesus.

3. Feast of First fruits - Celebrated the first day after Passover. In Leviticus 23: 9-12 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it. And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the LORD. This Represents the resurrection of Jesus who is the first fruits of the resurrection.

4. Feast of Pentecost - 50 days after First fruits. Giving of the law. Represents the outpouring of the Holy Spirit described in the book of Acts.

5. Feasts of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) - Leviticus 23:24 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a Sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.
   The rapture of the church

6. Yom Kippur - Day of Atonement - Leviticus 23:27 Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
   28 And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God.
   The 2nd coming of Christ to set up His kingdom

7. Feast of Tabernacles- Leviticus 23:34 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD.
   35 On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
   36 Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein.
   This represents the Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ.

I realize some of the above statements on the feasts are not explained in full and some of it may be controversial. I encourage all who are interested to do more research on the feasts of Israel.

• Deuteronomy 16:17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee. 

If all giving was done according to our obedience to the spirit of God, no one would lack and there would be no poverty. Giving should be freewill and as we purpose in our hearts. Taking care of the poor is an important part of giving as well as caring for those that give up secular jobs in order to serve God. Examples would be pastors of local churches, missionaries etc. 

• Deuteronomy 16:18 Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment.
• 19 Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous. 

Until the coming of the perfect one to set up God's everlasting Kingdom, we need godly authority to keep law and order and protect the innocent. Respect of persons is a crime against the innocent. Taking bribes will indeed blind the eyes to fairness and justice. To wrest judgment is to give unjust sentences and pervert the words of the righteous. 

• Deuteronomy 16:20 That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. 
• 21 Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the LORD thy God, which thou shalt make thee. 
• 22 Neither shalt thou set thee up any image; which the LORD thy God hateth. 

Inheriting the land which God promised to Israel was conditional. It is still in God's plan though that Israel receive the land that He originally promised to Abraham. They lost it because of disobedience and sin but in the latter days, all shall be returned to them. They can get this back by repenting the returning to a right relationship with God. This has to come through Jesus Christ who sacrificed Himself for sin. Jesus came the first time to make the sacrifice for sins. His second coming is to set up the earthly kingdom and at that time all Israel shall be saved spiritually and literally. That land was promised to them and shall be theirs. We can be part of that through faith in Jesus Christ. 

Planting groves of trees near a altar of the Lord was a practice of idolaters. It would open the door to bring back idolatry into the whole land. Idolatry was a bold affront against God our creator. Demonic spirits accompany idols and allow the worshippers to be deceived by false religious feelings that mimic the real worship and presence of God. It is false. Religious feelings are not what we are to seek. The real presence of God will bring forth the fruits of the spirit, holiness and deliverance from sin. False religion brings bondage, false religious feelings and legalism. There is a difference. DC

Deuteronomy 17