Well, we've reached the conclusion of this passage today. For the past several days we have been carefully and simplistically examining principles that would bless our lives. These truths were tucked in neatly in Deuteronomy 17 where God was giving instructions for future Kings of Israel. Today we will look at what the blessings are from application of and obedience to these beautiful truths.
If I were to ask you what does it mean when we say blessings of the Lord, what would you say? Some would say O that we would have good health. Others may say financial security and still others happiness in life. But is that what God considers His blessing? We may be a bit surprised by what HE promises to those Kings who follow His truths in life.... I believe these will reveal a bit of what true blessing is.... Let's read our passage again...
When he sits on the throne as king, he must copy for himself this body of instruction on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. He must always keep that copy with him and read it daily as long as he lives. That way he will learn to fear the LORD his God by obeying all the terms of these instructions and decrees. This regular reading will prevent him from becoming proud and acting as if he is above his fellow citizens. It will also prevent him from turning away from these commands in the smallest way....vs. 18-20a
There are four things that show us the blessing of the Lord....
1) He would properly relate to the LORD his God....
2) He would be prevented from becoming proud in his heart before God...
3) He would be protected from acting as if he were above his fellow Israelites....
4) He would be preserved from turning away from God's truths, even in the most minute way...
Wow! What a list of blessings. Is that what you see? Do you see what a blessing is, in the eyes of the Lord? Let's reflect a bit on what God has just told him ( the king) and us by principle....
1) He would learn to properly relate with God. The term HE uses is fear. Now most of us fail to catch what this means since we live in the age of grace and mercy, but to the OT saint they understood the Holiness, Righteousness and Justice of God. They grasped that HE was AWESOME, AUTHORITATIVE and ABOVE ALL! We often times fail to meet God at that level. We have lowered HIM (in our minds and hearts only) by our carnal view of HIM and not a scriptural one! To properly related we must understand that HE is God and we are NOT. Now for some of us that is the rub.... We do not like the fact that HE rules and reigns, and yes, even today!!!! Spending daily time in His word and with Him will help us beat back the deception of our own worthiness and elevate HIM in our hearts to HIS proper position as God and King and Lord and Savior....
2) He would learn by constant, daily communion with Him in His word that God is God. This truth in itself will keep us from pride. We must exchange our Self centered thinking with TRUTH thinking. (Romans 12:1-2) That will only happen as HE works in us via His word and HIS Spirit on a continual basis. We must GET the fact that our old nature desires to rule us as it has in times past but the Holy Spirit coupled with HIS Truth pulls us the opposite direction. (Gal 5:17) God hates the proud heart before Him. It represents the epitome of the Carnal Nature. HE even says that pride goes before a fall and a haughty spirit before destruction. (Pro 16:18) So when we apply HIS principles to our lives and attitudes we will come before His throne with a humble, meek and submissive spirit. He delights in that spirit.. (See the Beatitudes in Matt 5)
3)He would also rightly relate with his fellow Israelites. This too is important to our Great God. His children are HIS possession. For a King to in any way think he is ABOVE one of his fellowmen is sin. God calls him to lead and serve his fellow countrymen. In the church today that same principle is true. Look into 1 John and read all the references to loving your brother in the Lord. God often says that to hate one's fellow christian is to deny the reality of their own personal salvation. Think on that a bit. To love is to prove the reality of their own salvation. That tells me that His Spirit is the one that brings this to pass in us as we yield to Him and His word. This is powerful....we will rightly relate when we spend honest and priority time with HIM in HIS word.
4)He also would be doing all within his own power to maintain his own personal relationship and standing before God. He would be kept from error and deception by His time with God and in His word. How many problems would be prevented if we would have only stayed near and dear to Him in the Word. Families, Marriages, purity and power are all at stake....
So are you enjoying the blessing of the Lord in your life? It isn't because He hasn't done all that is necessary for us. WE are the one's who walk away and even run at times. So spend some time today with HIM. Reflect and rejoice in His provision for you and His plans to bless as we draw near to HIM.....
Then you may realize the BLESSING OF THE KINGS.... in your personal life....
You'll be glad you did...
Bruce
If I were to ask you what does it mean when we say blessings of the Lord, what would you say? Some would say O that we would have good health. Others may say financial security and still others happiness in life. But is that what God considers His blessing? We may be a bit surprised by what HE promises to those Kings who follow His truths in life.... I believe these will reveal a bit of what true blessing is.... Let's read our passage again...
When he sits on the throne as king, he must copy for himself this body of instruction on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. He must always keep that copy with him and read it daily as long as he lives. That way he will learn to fear the LORD his God by obeying all the terms of these instructions and decrees. This regular reading will prevent him from becoming proud and acting as if he is above his fellow citizens. It will also prevent him from turning away from these commands in the smallest way....vs. 18-20a
There are four things that show us the blessing of the Lord....
1) He would properly relate to the LORD his God....
2) He would be prevented from becoming proud in his heart before God...
3) He would be protected from acting as if he were above his fellow Israelites....
4) He would be preserved from turning away from God's truths, even in the most minute way...
Wow! What a list of blessings. Is that what you see? Do you see what a blessing is, in the eyes of the Lord? Let's reflect a bit on what God has just told him ( the king) and us by principle....
1) He would learn to properly relate with God. The term HE uses is fear. Now most of us fail to catch what this means since we live in the age of grace and mercy, but to the OT saint they understood the Holiness, Righteousness and Justice of God. They grasped that HE was AWESOME, AUTHORITATIVE and ABOVE ALL! We often times fail to meet God at that level. We have lowered HIM (in our minds and hearts only) by our carnal view of HIM and not a scriptural one! To properly related we must understand that HE is God and we are NOT. Now for some of us that is the rub.... We do not like the fact that HE rules and reigns, and yes, even today!!!! Spending daily time in His word and with Him will help us beat back the deception of our own worthiness and elevate HIM in our hearts to HIS proper position as God and King and Lord and Savior....
2) He would learn by constant, daily communion with Him in His word that God is God. This truth in itself will keep us from pride. We must exchange our Self centered thinking with TRUTH thinking. (Romans 12:1-2) That will only happen as HE works in us via His word and HIS Spirit on a continual basis. We must GET the fact that our old nature desires to rule us as it has in times past but the Holy Spirit coupled with HIS Truth pulls us the opposite direction. (Gal 5:17) God hates the proud heart before Him. It represents the epitome of the Carnal Nature. HE even says that pride goes before a fall and a haughty spirit before destruction. (Pro 16:18) So when we apply HIS principles to our lives and attitudes we will come before His throne with a humble, meek and submissive spirit. He delights in that spirit.. (See the Beatitudes in Matt 5)
3)He would also rightly relate with his fellow Israelites. This too is important to our Great God. His children are HIS possession. For a King to in any way think he is ABOVE one of his fellowmen is sin. God calls him to lead and serve his fellow countrymen. In the church today that same principle is true. Look into 1 John and read all the references to loving your brother in the Lord. God often says that to hate one's fellow christian is to deny the reality of their own personal salvation. Think on that a bit. To love is to prove the reality of their own salvation. That tells me that His Spirit is the one that brings this to pass in us as we yield to Him and His word. This is powerful....we will rightly relate when we spend honest and priority time with HIM in HIS word.
4)He also would be doing all within his own power to maintain his own personal relationship and standing before God. He would be kept from error and deception by His time with God and in His word. How many problems would be prevented if we would have only stayed near and dear to Him in the Word. Families, Marriages, purity and power are all at stake....
So are you enjoying the blessing of the Lord in your life? It isn't because He hasn't done all that is necessary for us. WE are the one's who walk away and even run at times. So spend some time today with HIM. Reflect and rejoice in His provision for you and His plans to bless as we draw near to HIM.....
Then you may realize the BLESSING OF THE KINGS.... in your personal life....
You'll be glad you did...
Bruce
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