Deuteronomy 13

  • The False Prophet (verses 1-5)
    • Write out verses 3-4
    • What is to happen to the false prophet?
  • Intolerance to Idolatry (verses 6-18)
    • According to verse 6: what is the definition of idolatry
    • Write out verse 8
    • What are you to do instead of listening to them?
    • What is being explained in verses 12-15?
    • Write out verse 17

Deuteronomy 14

  • Forbidden Practices (verses 1-2)
    • What are you not to do?
    • Why are you not to do these things?
  • Clean and Unclean Foods (verses 3-21)
    • How did they know which animals they could and could not eat?
    • Write out verse 21
  • A Tenth for the Lord (verses 22-29)
    • What are they to do with the tenth?
    • Where are they to go to do this?
    • What are they not to neglect?
    • What will happen if they follow these rules?

Deuteronomy 15

  • Cancellation of Debts (verses 1-6)
    • How often are they to cancel debts?
    • Write out verse 3
  • Lending to the Poor (verse 7-11)
    • Write out verses 7-8
    • Write out verse 10
  • Release of Slaves (verses 12-18)
    • What is commanded in verses 12-14?
    • Write out verse 15
    • What are they to do if the slave doesn’t want to leave?
  • Consecration of Firstborn Animals (verses 19-23)
    • What are the commands regarding firstborn animals?
    • When are they allowed to disregard this command?

What new things did you learn today? Are these laws fascinating or just plain boring? Do you see why God is asking them to follow these commands? Do you see how He is setting them apart or does it all just feel pointless? What lesson can you walk away with today?

Reflection: There are two reasons that the church as a whole has had a total disregard of the subject of fasting, which is so frequently mentioned in Scripture and so ardently practiced by Christians through the centuries. Today I will share the first one:

  • Fasting has developed a bad reputation as a result of the excessive ascetic practices of the Middle Ages.
    • With the decline of the inward reality of the Christian faith, an increasing tendency to stress the only thing left, the outward form, developed.
    • And whenever there is a form devoid of spiritual power, law will take over because law always carries with it a sense of security and manipulative power.
    • Fasting was subjected to the most rigid regulations and practiced with extreme self-mortification and flagellation. Modern culture reacts strongly to these excesses and tends to confuse fasting with mortification.

Psalm 18. This is a longer Psalm. Pray this as a prayer of deliverance over you and your loved ones. Think about what the psalmist was saying as he wrote this as well.