Our on-line COME AS A CHILD BIBLE STUDY continues.
Today; we arrive at Deuteronomy Chapter 26.
It is as if God has whispered for the people to close their eyes and listen to the vision of how a perfect nation would respond to Him as they were entering and living in the promised land.
Israel was destined to become a nation that the rest of the world would use as a pattern for how to live a godly life; so things MUST start out well and stay that way. The people were to be very careful to remember everything that God had taught them in all of those long years as they lived out in the wilderness.
BRING THE FIRSTFRUITS OF THE LAND
One thing God had clearly taught to them was the bringing of the first-fruits offerings.
In the years when the people had been captives in Egypt, and during the time of wondering in the wilderness, there were no crops of their own.
They had depended upon the Egyptians to feed them when they were slaves; then God alone when He rained manna down from Heaven in the wilderness.
Now they were coming into their new, inherited homes and there would be perfect opportunities to grow crops from the rich soil in the land that was going to be given to them.
These were new and different circumstances and there were things to remember from generations ago. God was reminding them of the old agricultural ways of Jerusalem which still needed to be followed and re-implemented.
Now they would be blessed enough to bring offerings.
They had to stop to remember where everything that was provided actually came from, and they needed to pay attention to the careful honoring of God for providing those blessing before they allowed themselves to enjoy any of the fruit of the land.
OFFERINGS ARE A FORM OF WORSHIP
They knew the requirements, and for those who were too young to understand; God reminded them of the proper way to worship.
The first of all of the fruit of the earth belonged to God.
The very best of the first fruits were to be put into a basket and taken to the temples/worship centers which would be established in each city.
They were to hand the best and the first of every harvested crop to the priest; and in doing this act they were to always remember who had brought them to inherit these great and bountiful blessings.
As they handed the offerings over; they would also profess their thankfulness and gratitude to God.
THANKSGIVING BELONGS AT GOD’S ALTAR
The priest would take each basket to the altar.
Next; the people would stand before the altar and share the stories of their heritage with one another. They would speak of how their ancestors were from Syria and there had been a famine in the land, and they would tell all present of how their father’s went down to Egypt looking for food and eventually stayed there until they became a great nation full of many, many people.
God wanted them to always remember to share and pass down the stories of how the Egyptians enslaved them and put them to work under hard bondage.
The true ones would then gladly proclaim the stories of how they called out to God. Someone would always tell of how The LORD brought them out of Egypt with a mighty hand.
Each part of the story would give God glory and honor.
They would share all of the signs and wonders that they had experienced on the day that God brought them out of Egypt. Then they would tell the younger (who might not know or understand) just how God delivered them from the dangers of the wilderness and brought them to the place of their inheritance as a mighty nation under God.
Israel would then give thanks for how abundant and beautiful the land was, and acknowledge that God was the provider of so much plenty.
Because of their mighty God; they now had a place to call their own which flowed with milk and honey. In this special place, all of their needs had been met and this offering of first-fruits was to help them to always remember how grateful they were to God.
A TIME OF REJOICING
So at the time of harvest the people would bring their offerings and they would worship. They were to rejoice in every good thing which the LORD God had given to them.
Everyone was to participate in this rejoicing; even the foreigners in the land.
The people of the land were to do this faithfully every year like clockwork and there were special requirements for every third year.
When the third year’s offering was presented it was set aside for the use of the Levites, the stranger, the fatherless and the widows so that they too could eat until they were filled and rejoice in the blessings that God had provided. All people of the land were to be blessed and no one was to be overlooked or left out.
Everyone was to worship and feast before The Lord with a grateful heart for God’s divine provision and care.
EACH HEAD OF THE HOUSE WAS ACCOUNTABLE TO GOD
Every head of every household was to be cheerfully accountable to God for bringing the Firstfruits of their labor and gladly sharing with those who had nothing to share.
God had commanded all of this should take place, as well as the careful observance of all of the commandments.
There was to be great national reward for those who were diligent to keep and observe these things as God had commanded.
As long as Israel stayed under God’s guidance and laws they would prosper and grow and live in safety and security and abundance.
A BLESSED AND CHOSEN NATION
The last verses of Chapter 26 speak of what God will do for those who are faithful to carry out the responsibilities of His chosen nation. It reads like a prayer:
Deuteronomy 26: 15-19: Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people Israel, and the land which thou has given us, as thou swore unto our fathers, a land that flows with milk and honey. This day the LORD thy God hath commanded thee to do these statutes and judgments: thou shalt therefore keep and do them with all thine heart, and with all thy soul. Thou hast avouched the LORD this day to be thy God, and to walk in his ways, and to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgements, and to harken unto his voice: And the LORD hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments; and to make thee high above all nations which he hath made in praise and in name and in honor and that thou mayest be a holy people, unto The LORD thy God, as he has spoken.
As Israel remembered to bless and honor God; the people would be honored and blessed in return; for they served a Mighty God; One who never forgets and always remembers his promises.