Deut 9-20

9.
God guides Israel/us to great victories over impossibly strong enemies/situations, and to possess readily made cities/farms. He goes ahead of us to bring down the enemies/situation and to guarantee success.

10.
What does the Lord require of us?
- to fear/respect Him
- to walk in His ways
- to love Him
- to serve Him with all our heart and with all our soul
- to keep His commandments

11.
The repeated command is to love the Lord (v.1, 13, 22), keep His charge/statutes/judgments/commandments (v.1, 8, 22, 27, 32), to walk in His ways (v.22), to cleave unto Him (v.22), and to serve Him with all our heart and soul (v.13).

In return, we will be strong possessors (v.8, 31) and dwellers (v.9, 21) of the promised fruitful land. The Lord personally takes care of this land (v. 12). He constantly observes it (v.12), and continuously blesses it with rain, fruitfulness, produce, and greenery (v.14, 15). He will defeat stronger enemies for us (v.23), wherever we tread upon will be ours (v.24), and no one can stand before us (v.25).

12.
Blood is sacred- it is life.
But in the Holy Communion, we drink Jesus’ blood and attain life.

13.
We are often curious to know about our unknown future, and there are professionals whose predictions might come true and whom we may be eager to consult. However, God doesn’t want us to listen to these people since these are tests to see whether we love the Lord with all our heart and soul. In the case of prophets, we have to discern whether they are true or false. One way is by evaluating whether they bring people to God or encourages them to backslide.

Again, we are told to do what is right in Lord’s eyes (v.18), to walk after the Lord (v.4), to fear Him (v.4), to keep His commandments (v.4, 18), obey His voice (v.4, 18), serve Him (v.4), and cleave unto Him (v.4).

14.
Even though there are commandments to follow, we are not the slaves but the children of the Lord (v.1). And since we have been chosen to be a peculiar people to the Lord (v.2) and are exalted over all others of this world (v.2), we should be holy (v.2, 21).

The ‘clean flesh’ suggested for consumption have a logical background- these are healthy, whilst the others (if consumed constantly) are not and some are endangered.

We should also tithe/give constantly.

15.
At the end of seven years, we are to forgive every debt. We should help the poor/the needy, especially the poor in the family, and give with a cheerful heart (v.10): then the Lord will bless us in all our works and in everything that we put our hands upon. Again, we must carefully listen to God’s voice (v.5), observe and do all the commandments (v.5), if we want great blessings (v.4, 6), the ability to lend but not to borrow (v.7), and reign over nations with none to reign over us (v.8).

16.
We should give only according to our ability.
We shouldn’t respect person or accept gifts, for gifts makes us blind and perverse.
We should be just.
We are not to have idols- which may be local gods, individuals, or even concepts such as money, wealth, property, gold…

17.
Whatever we give to God must be pure.
God points out that kings are especially likely to be tempted by immorality (v.17), riches (1.17), and pride (v.20). But the reign and continuity of a kingdom will be assured only if these leaders revere the commandments and follow it carefully.

18.
God expects us to be perfect. Again, we are told to shun divination, observing ‘auspicious’ times, witchcraft, enchantment, charms, spirits, wizards, and necromancers.

We can detect false prophets by seeing if what they predict doesn’t happen in the future.

19.
Another repeat which indicates how important it is to keep the commandments (v.9), to love the Lord (v.9), and to walk in His ways (v.9).

20.
We shouldn’t be afraid or faint/tremble/terrified when we/our family go out to battle and observe the enemy’s horses, chariots, and strong army- for the Lord is with us and fights for us so that we will be saved.

God also advocates conservation and sustainable felling! (v. 19-20)

Thoughts on Genesis 43-50

43- 44
It was quite heartless of the brothers to leave Simeon in the prison, whilst they enjoyed the food which they brought from Egypt!

45
Joseph’s faith in God is paramount: he firmly believes that all his troubles had a purpose, i.e, God sent him to Egypt so that he can preserve the life of the 12 tribes. So, God’s purpose might have walks in the deserts, incarceration, starvation, calumny, but then, the one who stays firm in the Lord gets a great reward, as in the case of Joseph, who practically became the ruler of Egypt. It also struck me that Canaan, the land flowing with milk and honey, was not spared from the famine. So, even famine can strike paradise.

47
Joseph’s management of the famine clearly indicates that he has a MBA summa cum laude from the best Management school in the world! Jokes apart, evidently God gave him the wisdom to deal with this crisis effectively- often, such situations only incites the general public to rebel against authority. However, Joseph’s preparations before the famine, and his steps during the famine, ensured that the Pharaoh effectively controlled all Egypt.

50
As Joseph explains, his brothers’ callous behaviour (in selling him as a slave) was converted by God into something good- an action by which Israel survived the famine. However, it seems odd that Joseph was able to bury Jacob in the family grave, but couldn’t do so in his own case but entrusts his descendants with the task of taking his body back.