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Day 60 – Thru the Bible
Today we continue through Deuteronomy and Psalms.
Deuteronomy 21 -“A hanged man is cursed by God.” Since God did not bring Israel into the land to curse them but to bless them, God required that the body of a cursed/hanged man be buried on the day of his death, so that the curse would not remain in the land of Israel’s inheritance, the land promised to Abraham.
This principle reaches its culmination in Jesus. After His crucifixion, Jesus’ body was taken down from the cross and buried on the same day (Mark 15:43). In the scandal of the gospel, however, Jesus was cursed/hanged on a tree not because of His own sin but because of ours. He was condemned in our place as our substitute.
What was the ultimate purpose of the crucifixion? Hint: Galatians 3:13–14.
All who trust in Jesus share in the eternal blessings of the gospel.
Deuteronomy 22 – Fellow Israelites (“brothers”) were required to act in the interest of others, so that others could experience restoration in one form or another, because acting in the interest of others reflects the character of God. The very heart of God is self-giving love.
How did the apostle Paul teach us to reflect Jesus with this same principle? Hint: Philippians 2:3–7.
Knowing who Jesus is and what He has done for us motivates us to act on behalf of others so that they can experience restoration as well.
Deuteronomy 23 – The Israelites were instructed not to return escaped slaves but to grant them freedom in the Promised Land. In the ancient Near East it was standard practice to return escaped slaves. The Israelites were to be different because they knew what it was to be liberated slaves. Repeatedly in the book of Deuteronomy, Israel’s conduct was to be motivated by the fact that they had been slaves in Egypt but had escaped and found freedom in the Promised Land.
Similarly, believers used to be slaves to sin (Galatians 3:22; 4:5) and under obligation to keep the law as the basis of inheriting eternal life (Galatians 4:21–31), but they are now God’s children, heirs based on His promise (Galatians 3:29; 4:7), called to live in freedom (Galatians 5:1).
As liberated slaves, how are we called to use our freedom? Hint: Galatians 5:13–14.
Psalm 60 – Like a disillusioned child, David erupts with complaints against his Father, accusing him of rejection, defeat, anger, natural disaster, intoxication, and abandonment. Apparently this is the petition David taught his people to pray in a conflict (2 Samuel 8:1–14). The rush of rash and confused words demonstrates that a believer does not have to have his thoughts straight before he prays. When he turns to the Lord, the Lord will order his thoughts and comfort his heart!
As David’s spiritual eyes gain their focus, God’s attributes come more clearly into view and his accusations against God are substituted with words of trust. Seeing God as a refuge, David understands that God protects His people because He loves them.
How do we receive God’s love — is it something we must earn? Hint: Romans 5:10; Revelation 1:5-6.
Finally, David recalls that God is sovereign over the nations. This absolute sovereignty oversees all of salvation history, finally culminating in Jesus.
How does confessing God’s sovereign grace turn believers away from the vain threats of others and toward a valiant courage that only our Lord, the ultimate conqueror, can give? Hint: Romans 8:37.
What other thoughts or questions does today’s reading bring up?
Some of these notes are from the ESV Gospel Transformation Bible study notes. We highly recommend this study Bible.
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