Deuteronomy 17:18-19
“Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites. And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes, . . .”
Looking centuries ahead into Israel’s future, God speaks of the principles that should govern the life of the king. Four important principles are established which every leader would do well to observe.
First, the king was not to multiply horses for himself. Horses were used in warfare and gave an army a distinct advantage over those who did not have a cavalry. While it is true God wanted the king to trust Him for the protection of the nation, the real reason for not multiplying horses was, the people were not to return to Egypt. Egypt was always a picture of the past life, the life of bondage, the life before being delivered by the blood of the Lamb. If we are going to succeed in following Christ, and leading others, we have to leave the old life behind, and never resurrect the things that were laid down at the cross.
Second, the king was not to multiply wives to himself. It was a common practice among ancient Oriental kings, to have many wives. Their harem was a sign of their position. I think one of the principles behind this, Israel was not to establish their sexual morals based upon the standards of the world around them. Today, it is not common for men to have multiple wives (at least not at the same time.) However, it is common for people to have sexual relations before marriage, outside of marriage, and to treat marriage as a disposable contract that can be erased because we are no longer happy with our spouse. If we are going to successfully follow Christ, we can not let the world determine the way that we are to live.
Third, the king was not to greatly multiply silver and gold for himself. It was not wrong for the nation to have an army or for the king to have a wife. Nor is it wrong to succeed financially, and even acquire great wealth. Often the Bible is misrepresented when we declare “money is the root of all evil.” The Bible actually declares, “the LOVE of money is the root of all kinds of evil.” (1 Timothy 6:10) The principle: the king was not to have a divided heart, loving mammon and the Lord. Nor was the king to put his trust in the bank account of the nation, but in the provision of the Lord. If we are going to succeed in following Christ, we cannot have a divided heart.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the king was to transcribe his own copy of the Bible, and read it every day. This would ensure that he did not exalt himself above the people, or wander from the ways of God. The most important principle in leadership, is to be a good follower. If we want to lead others to Christ, we must follow Him ourselves. The more we get to know the Word of God, the easier it is to follow him.
What transformation would our nation experience if our leaders put these principles into practice in their lives, and leadership?
What transformation would your life, family, and community experience, if you put these principles into practice in your life and leadership?
Pastor Jim
The word “account” means “by reason of”. It means, Lazarus was the reason many put their trust in Christ. His life and his experiences with Christ were having a magnetic effect; drawing others to consider Christ for themselves.
Those struggling to determine if Jesus is truly the Son of God and Savior of man, are influenced by both His words, and the lives of those who believe in Him. Certainly, the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation, but the believer is the light of the world, casting light upon the Gospel of God. Jesus exhorts us to let our light shine before men, that they may see our good works and glorify God (Matthew 5:16).
According to Webster’s dictionary, the word ‘dedicate’ means, “to devote to worship or to set apart for sacred use.” As Leviticus comes to a close, Moses instructs the people to dedicate their homes to the Lord. Since the family is the foundation of society, the key to Israel’s future success was in each and every household dedicated themselves to the Lord.
If we go back to the call of Abraham, we realize Israel was a nation chosen and established by God. Abraham was told that through his seed all the nations of the earth would be blessed. Later, we read God’s purpose in choosing Israel was for them to be a light to the rest of the world. God’s idea was for the world to know who He was, through the witness of His people. One factor that would make their light shine more brightly was living by a higher standard than the world around them. This is part of the reason for the dietary laws.
The Old Testament offerings served a duel purpose. First, they were designed to provide a way for man to have relationship with God. Second, they were designed as types or illustrations of a relationship between man and God through Christ. Paul wrote that these things were written for our “example” (Romans 15:4). An understanding of the Old Testament offerings, helps to illustrate the similarity of those offerings to a healthy relationship with Christ. The burnt offering is a picture of a life fully devoted to the Lord. This offering was brought to the priest morning and night, and completely consumed upon the altar.
While explaining the Parable of the Tares, Jesus spoke of the harvest at the end of the age, when all humanity will be gathered together. In Revelation 19, we see this event unfolding. We see all of humanity standing before the throne of God, and the books opened. The first book we might call the ‘book of works’. It contains every sin committed, every idle word spoken, every vile thought we’ve had. The second is the Book of Life. When we receive Christ, not only is our name written in the Book of Life, but all that was in the ‘book of works’ is erased. Paul spoke of “the handwriting of ordinances that was against us has been erased, having been nailed to the cross” (Colossians 2:14). Those, whose names are found in the Book of Life, will be escorted into heaven, where they will forever be with the Lord.
I remember growing up with the story of Paul Revere riding through the New England countryside, heralding the message that the British were coming. In the version I was told, he rode from town to town warning the people who responded by preparing themselves for battle. Lot, like Paul Revere, was given a warning. His warning came by the hand of two angelic messengers, explaining that the Lord was coming to judge. When Lot began to broadcast the message, those closest to him responded with laughter, thinking he must be joking. I have always been stunned by their reaction. Lot lived in such a way that no one would believe he was truly a follower of God.
Jim Gallagher 