Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 26:1-11.

“1 “Then it shall be, when you enter the land which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance, and you possess it and live in it, 2 that you shall take some of the first of all the produce of the ground which you bring in from your land that the Lord your God gives you, and you shall put it in a basket and go to the place where the Lord your God chooses to establish His name.  3 You shall go to the priest who is in office at that time and say to him, ‘I declare this day to the Lord my God that I have entered the land which the Lord swore to our fathers to give us.’  4 Then the priest shall take the basket from your hand and set it down before the altar of the Lord your God.  5 You shall answer and say before the Lord your God, ‘My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down to Egypt and sojourned there, few in number; but there he became a great, mighty and populous nation.  6 And the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, and imposed hard labor on us.  7 Then we cried to the Lord, the God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction and our toil and our oppression;  8 and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with great terror and with signs and wonders;  9 and He has brought us to this place and has given us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.  10 Now behold, I have brought the first of the produce of the ground which You, O Lord have given me.’ And you shall set it down before the Lord your God, and worship before the Lord your God;  11 and you and the Levite and the alien who is among you shall rejoice in all the good which the Lord your God has given you and your household.”  Deuteronomy 26:1-11.

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Remember what God promised to you, recount in detail what the LORD did for you, and “rejoice in all the good which the Lord your God has given you and your household.”  Verse 11.

“11 I shall remember the deeds of the Lord;
Surely I will remember Your wonders of old.
12 I will meditate on all Your work
And muse on Your deeds.
13 Your way, O God, is holy;
What god is great like our God?
14 You are the God who works wonders;
You have made known Your strength among the peoples.
15 You have by Your power redeemed Your people,
The sons of Jacob and Joseph.  Selah.”  Psalm 77:11-15.

“The Lord has brought about our vindication;
Come and let us recount in Zion
The work of the Lord our God!”  Jeremiah 51:10.

“5 But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness;
My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.
6 I will sing to the Lord,
Because He has dealt bountifully with me.”  Psalm 13:5-6.

Other doctrine focuses on man and alleged free-will of man.  Other doctrine wrings their hands at all that man has done.

Reformed Doctrine focuses on God, God’s promises, and what God has done.  Reformed Doctrine rejoices at all that God has done.

Reformed Doctrine knows what man has done and labels it “Total Depravity”, the “T” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

Reformed Doctrine also knows what God has done and labels it “Unconditional Election”, “Limited Atonement”, “Irresistible Grace” and “Preservation of Saints” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

And so, Reformed Doctrine is delighted to remember, recount, and rejoice.

Today’ devotion comes from Deuteronomy 25:4-19.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%2025&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“13 “You shall not have in your bag differing weights, a large and a small.  14 You shall not have in your house differing measures, a large and a small.  15 You shall have a full and just weight;  you shall have a full and just measure, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you.  16 For everyone who does these things, everyone who acts unjustly is an abomination to the Lord your God.”   Deuteronomy 25:13-16.

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In our last devotion, we considered proportionate punishment as a principle of justice.  In this devotion, we consider proportionate charge for goods as an additional principle of justice.  A scale is a good and just scale which measures accurately the total weight of the goods such that the total charge for goods is truly proportionate based on the two factors:  actual weight of the goods and the advertised price for the standard of weight.

For example, if candy is advertised for sale at a dollar a pound, you first need a scale that can accurately measure a pound of candy, and then you also need a scale that will show true total weight based on that standard of measurement of one pound.  Five pounds of candy should be accurately weighed by the scale to be five pounds, and $5.00 should be the proportionate charge for five pounds of candy.

It is possible to have a scale, whether built intentionally to defraud or negligently, that does not measure out a pound of candy.

It is also possible to have a scale with differing weights, whether built intentionally to defraud or negligently, that may be able to truly measure out a pound of candy, but the scale does not show the true total weight of the candy such that the total charge for the candy is not based proportionately on the true standard of weight of measurement (a pound in this example).  In this example, it is possible to have a scale that may accurately weigh out a pound of candy but does not accurately weigh out 5 pounds of candy.

“A just balance and scales belong to the Lord;
All the weights of the bag are His concern.”  Proverbs 16:11.

“Differing weights are an abomination to the Lord,
And a false scale is not good.”  Proverbs 20:23.

I shop at Publix, a chain of grocery stores, located not only here in St. Petersburg, Florida but also in other areas.  When I buy chicken, I like it when the sales clerk first weighs out the chicken and then determines the price for the chicken and then puts it in a box, sometimes with sauce, so that I am not charged for the box and the sauce.

But, all that appearance would be for naught if the scale was not accurate.  I certainly do believe the scales at Publix are accurate, but I am making the point that it is difficult (or impossible) to tell if the scales are accurate.  And thus, it is all that more important for the seller to know the importance of just scales and to know how accountable to God he or she will be.

God is all-knowing.

“A false balance is an abomination to the Lord,
But a just weight is His delight.”  Proverbs 11:1.

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 25:1-3.

“If there is a dispute between men and they go to court, and the judges decide their case, and they justify the righteous and condemn the wicked, then it shall be if the wicked man deserves to be beaten, the judge shall then make him lie down and be beaten in his presence with the number of stripes according to his guilt.  He may beat him forty times but no more, so that he does not beat him with many more stripes than these and your brother is not degraded in your eyes.”  Deuteronomy 25:1-3.

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We see proportionate punishment in today’s Scripture:  “the judge shall then make him lie down and be beaten in his presence with the number of stripes according to his guilt.”  Verse 2.

Proportionate punishment is one of principles of justice.  One may deserve to be punished, even severely, but just because someone commits a crime does not mean that person necessarily deserves to die.  The more severe the crime, the more severe the punishment should be.  One size of punishment does not fit all crimes.  The amount of punishment should be according to the amount of the guilt.  If people conclude that law enforcement does not punish proportionately, they lose respect for the law.

Our God loves justice.  But, our God does more than love justice.  He establishes equity.  He executes justice and righteousness.  And so, our God teaches and commands principles of justice such as proportionate punishment that we read in today’s Scripture.

“The strength of the King loves justice;
You have established equity;
You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.”  Psalm 99:4.

“But I will punish you according to the results of your deeds,” declares the Lord …”  Jeremiah 21:14.

“The Lord also has a dispute with Judah,
And will punish Jacob according to his ways;
He will repay him according to his deeds.”  Hosea 12:2.

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 24:17-22.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+24&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“19 “When you reap your harvest in your field and have forgotten a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it;  it shall be for the alien, for the orphan, and for the widow, in order that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.  20 When you beat your olive tree, you shall not go over the boughs again;  it shall be for the alien, for the orphan, and for the widow.

21 “When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not go over it again;  it shall be for the alien, for the orphan, and for the widow.”    Deuteronomy 24:17-22.

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God has given us richly and abundantly so many blessings.  We don’t need to be hoarders.

When we are gathering in all the abundance, we can leave change and crumbs for others as today’s Scripture reminds us.

Verses 19 to 21 remind me that I am on the right track when I do not keep my change.  Although it kind of annoys me when I make a purchase and the total comes a little over the dollar amount and I am given a pocket full of change, my wife and kids are thankful for the change, because they know that they can “raid” the change in my top drawer.

“And a Canaanite woman from that region came out and began to cry out, saying, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David;  my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed.”  But He did not answer her a word.  And His disciples came and implored Him, saying, “Send her away, because she keeps shouting at us.”  But He answered and said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”  But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”  And He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”  But she said, “Yes, Lord;  but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”  Then Jesus said to her, “O woman, your faith is great;  it shall be done for you as you wish.”  And her daughter was healed at once.”  Matthew 15:22-28.

Many of my readers are so blessed spiritually.  They also have their own family, their own close friends, and their own congregation for whom they are the primary providers.  And yet, they take time to shoot me an email or pick up the phone to give me an encouraging word.  I am thankful for these crumbs.

“He who is generous will be blessed,
For he gives some of his food to the poor.”  Proverbs 22:9.

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 24:6-16.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+24&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“10 “When you make your neighbor a loan of any sort, you shall not enter his house to take his pledge.  11 You shall remain outside, and the man to whom you make the loan shall bring the pledge out to you.  12 If he is a poor man, you shall not sleep with his pledge.  13 When the sun goes down you shall surely return the pledge to him, that he may sleep in his cloak and bless you;  and it will be righteousness for you before the Lord your God.

14 “You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your countrymen or one of your aliens who is in your land in your towns.  15 You shall give him his wages on his day before the sun sets, for he is poor and sets his heart on it;  so that he will not cry against you to the Lord and it become sin in you.”   Deuteronomy 24:10-15.

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There are various ways that we can care for the poor, but the one way that is most common to us (most practical) is to pay the poor close to the time of their services to us.  For day laborers who are hired just for the day, today’s Scripture specifically commands that they should be paid at the end of the day, on the same day as their services.  Verse 15.

But, in addition, it may even more common for employers to employ for a greater amount of time, either full-time or part-time.  For those who are so employed, particularly near minimum wage, employers should consider paying their employees weekly rather than only twice a month, because as a practical matter, their employees are poor too and are living “paycheck to paycheck”.  Yes, it may cost the company more to do so, but it shows care for their poor employees consistent with this Scripture.

We can be encouraged by verse 13 in today’s Scripture that when you care for the poor, “it will be righteousness for you before the Lord your God”, not in the sense that such care for the poor produces righteousness, but in the sense that such care for the poor shows our faith as taught in the Book of James.

“What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works?  Can that faith save him?  If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?  Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.

But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works;  show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”  James 2:14-18.

In conclusion, if an employer still unreasonably bristles against paying his or her poor employees weekly, wrongly thinking that he or she can demonstrate care for the poor in other ways or wrongly thinking that the Book of James should be cut out of the Bible, then the employer should consider that in the heart of the Bible’s teaching of faith, Romans Chapter 4, it states:  “Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due.”  Romans 4:4.  In other words, paying employees weekly not only shows care to the poor, it is also shows justice to the poor employees in the sense that they earned prompt payment in addition to earning the amount of their wage.

“²⁷ Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
When it is in your power to do it.
²⁸ Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back,
And tomorrow I will give it,”
When you have it with you.”  Proverbs 3:27-28.

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 24:5 which was included in yesterday’s Scripture.  Today, we will focus on this verse.

“When a man takes a new wife, he shall not go out with the army nor be charged with any duty;  he shall be free at home one year and shall give happiness to his wife whom he has taken.”  Deuteronomy 24:5.

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Our God changed water into wine at the wedding at Cana.  John 2:1-11.  Our God instituted honeymoon as we see in today’s Scripture.  What a God we have!

We may think of the doctrine of “Marriage is a life-long bond created by God” only as creating strict duties on spouses and the church.

But, today’s Scripture reminds us of the blessing of this doctrine.

In yesterday’s devotion, I included an extensive quote from a book by Professor David J. Engelsma (a Professor of the Protestant Reformed Churches) titled “Until Death Do Us Part” on the subject of marriage.  I quoted a section from Chapter 6 “Marriage:  A Lifelong Bond”.  Here again is the link that will bring you to this chapter but which will also contain the other chapters if you scroll up or down.  http://www.prca.org/resources/publications/pamphlets/item/648-until-death-do-us-part#h7-nbsp-chapter-6-nbsp-marriage-a-lifelong-bond

Today, I will repeat on a small part of that quote which does focus on the blessing of this doctrine and then I will add my own thoughts to the blessing that we receive.

“For in addition to its being a blessing to many families, as well as to the churches made up of these families, the doctrine of marriage as a lifelong, indissoluble bond serves the gospel of the covenant of grace. And this grand gospel of the covenant as a bond of fellowship between Christ and us, established, maintained, and perfected by the triune God in sheer, unilateral, unconditional grace and, therefore, unbreakable and everlasting, is the ‘best thing’ in the Protestant Reformed Churches, as it is the ‘best thing’ in the Bible.”

It seems to me that if we should think of the doctrine of marriage as being consistent with the doctrine of unilateral, unconditional grace, then we can think of “TULIP” and “Preservation of the Saints”.  And, we can think of the life-long bond of marriage created by God as “Preservation of the Spouses”.  In other words, this doctrine of marriage does more than only create a duty in man;  this doctrine of marriage glorifies God’s work.

So, what does God do when He creates this life-long bond of marriage?

We do know that God creates “one flesh”.  “For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.”  Genesis 2:24.

But, our thoughts should not end there, at that mysterious work of God.  God’s work does not stop there.

For example, we see in today’s Scripture that God provides the honeymoon.

“One flesh” and the honeymoon:  what a great way to begin the bonding! 

But, we see elsewhere other examples of God’s bonding.  I will only quote two more examples, but you can think of more.

God makes the newly-wed wife to be that excellent wife in Proverbs Chapter 31.

“10 An excellent wife, who can find?
For her worth is far above jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
And he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.”  Proverbs 31:10-12.

God gives us children and a house to bind us altogether.

“1 How blessed is everyone who fears the Lord,
Who walks in His ways.
2 When you shall eat of the fruit of your hands,
You will be happy and it will be well with you.
3 Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
Within your house,
Your children like olive plants
Around your table.
4 Behold, for thus shall the man be blessed
Who fears the Lord.”  Psalm 128:1-4.

Now, we do know that not every action of our wives comes out of Proverbs Chapter 31.  And, we do know that not all of the blessed married couples have children.  But, there are other blessings that God gives us to bond us and preserve us.  In addition, God gives us special grace to endure.

But, in conclusion, if we received salvation by grace and we received spouses by grace, why should we turn our focus back only to our duties?!  Let us meditate on all that God has done for us, and is doing for us, in the life-long bond of marriage.  Let us live by faith not only in what God has done and is doing for our salvation.  Let us also live by faith in what God has done and is doing for our marriage.

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 24:1-5.

“1 “When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens that she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out from his house, 2 and she leaves his house and goes and becomes another man’s wife, 3 and if the latter husband turns against her and writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, or if the latter husband dies who took her to be his wife, 4 then her former husband who sent her away is not allowed to take her again to be his wife, since she has been defiled;  for that is an abomination before the Lord, and you shall not bring sin on the land which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance.

5 “When a man takes a new wife, he shall not go out with the army nor be charged with any duty;  he shall be free at home one year and shall give happiness to his wife whom he has taken.”  Deuteronomy 24:1-5.

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“Some Pharisees came to Jesus, testing Him and asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason at all?”  And He answered and said, “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE, and said, ‘FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH’?  So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”  They *said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND SEND HER AWAY?”  He *said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses permitted you to divorce your wives;  but from the beginning it has not been this way.  And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”

The disciples *said to Him, “If the relationship of the man with his wife is like this, it is better not to marry.”  But He said to them, “Not all men can accept this statement, but only those to whom it has been given.  For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother’s womb;  and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men; and there are also eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who is able to accept this, let him accept it.”  Matthew 9:3-12.

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 23:15-25.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+23&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“19 “You shall not charge interest to your countrymen:  interest on money, food, or anything that may be loaned at interest.  20 You may charge interest to a foreigner, but to your countrymen you shall not charge interest, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all that you undertake in the land which you are about to enter to possess.

21 “When you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not delay to pay it, for it would be sin in you, and the Lord your God will surely require it of you.  22 However, if you refrain from vowing, it would not be sin in you.  23 You shall be careful to perform what goes out from your lips, just as you have voluntarily vowed to the Lord your God, what you have promised.

24 “When you enter your neighbor’s vineyard, then you may eat grapes until you are fully satisfied, but you shall not put any in your basket.

25 “When you enter your neighbor’s standing grain, then you may pluck the heads with your hand, but you shall not wield a sickle in your neighbor’s standing grain.”    Deuteronomy 23:19-25.

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The LORD exercises both lovingkindness and justice.  Today’s Scripture shows the lovingkindness, and the resulting provisions, that the LORD had for the poor.  But, this lovingkindness, and the resulting provisions, were balanced by justice, and the resulting provisions.

The lovingkindness provision that no interest was to be charged fellow countrymen was balanced by the justice provision (inferred) that the amount of the “loan” had to be repaid.

The lovingkindness provision that one could refrain from making a vow was balanced by the justice provision that if one did make a vow, then that vow had to be performed.

The lovingkindness provision that the poor could eat grapes to satisfy their hunger while passing through a vineyard was balanced by the justice provision that the poor could not unreasonably profit from what was not their own by gathering the grapes in a basket to sell or eat later.

The lovingkindness provision that the poor could eat grain to satisfy their hunger while passing through a field was balanced by the justice provision that the poor could not could not unreasonably profit from what was not their own by harvesting grain through the use of a sickle to sell or eat later.

Thus, we do see lovingkindness in today’s Scripture, but we also see justice in today’s Scripture.

“A false balance is an abomination to the Lord,
But a just weight is His delight.”  Proverbs 11:1.

Today’s Scripture, which contains provisions for both lovingkindness and justice, helps us understand what is important to the LORD and what He does.

“Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches;  but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth;  for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.”  Jeremiah 9:23-24.

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 23:1-14.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+23&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“1 “No one who is emasculated or has his male organ cut off shall enter the assembly of the Lord.  2 No one of illegitimate birth shall enter the assembly of the Lord; none of his descendants, even to the tenth generation, shall enter the assembly of the Lord.  3 No Ammonite or Moabite shall enter the assembly of the Lord; none of their descendants, even to the tenth generation, shall ever enter the assembly of the Lord, 4 because they did not meet you with food and water on the way when you came out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you.  5 Nevertheless, the Lord your God was not willing to listen to Balaam, but the Lord your God turned the curse into a blessing for you because the Lord your God loves you.  6 You shall never seek their peace or their prosperity all your days.

7 “You shall not detest an Edomite, for he is your brother; you shall not detest an Egyptian, because you were an alien in his land.  8 The sons of the third generation who are born to them may enter the assembly of the Lord.

9 “When you go out as an army against your enemies, you shall keep yourself from every evil thing.  …

14 Since the Lord your God walks in the midst of your camp to deliver you and to defeat your enemies before you, therefore your camp must be holy;  and He must not see anything indecent among you or He will turn away from you.”  Deuteronomy Chapter 23:  Verses 1-19 and 4.

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It is one thing for the camp to be holy enough for the LORD to walk in its midst.  It is quite another thing, a giant leap forward, requiring perfection through the work of God, for an individual to be holy enough for the LORD to dwell within him or her through the Holy Spirit.  

“4 For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness;
No evil dwells with You.
5 The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes;
You hate all who do iniquity.
6 You destroy those who speak falsehood;
The Lord abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit.”  Psalm 5:4-6.

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?  Do not be deceived;  neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.”  1 Corinthians 6:9-10.  “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are:  immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”  Galatians 5:19-21.

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers:  for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?  and what communion hath light with darkness?”  King James Version.

But, there is hope!

“But as for me, by Your abundant lovingkindness I will enter Your house,
At Your holy temple I will bow in reverence for You.”  Psalm 5:7.

“How blessed is the one whom You choose and bring near to You
To dwell in Your courts.
We will be satisfied with the goodness of Your house,
Your holy temple.”  Psalm 65:4.

We get a hint of that work of God that prepares us to receive His Holy Spirit.

“Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins;  otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine pours out and the wineskins are ruined;  but they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”  Matthew 9:17.

“So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?”  Galatians 3:5.

“For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.”  Hebrews 10:14.

“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”  Romans 8:11.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.  In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.  In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us.  …  In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.  In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.”  Ephesians 1:3-14.

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  For by grace you have been saved through faith;  and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;  not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”  Ephesians 2:4-8.

“Such confidence we have through Christ toward God.  Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”  2 Corinthians 3:4-6.

And, this gift of the Holy Spirit is not only for the Jews, but also for the Gentiles.

“All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.”  Acts 10:45.

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 22:13-30.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+22&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“20 “But if this charge is true, that the girl was not found a virgin, 21 then they shall bring out the girl to the doorway of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death because she has committed an act of folly in Israel by playing the harlot in her father’s house;  thus you shall purge the evil from among you.

22 “If a man is found lying with a married woman, then both of them shall die, the man who lay with the woman, and the woman;  thus you shall purge the evil from Israel.

23 “If there is a girl who is a virgin engaged to a man, and another man finds her in the city and lies with her, 24 then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city and you shall stone them to death; the girl, because she did not cry out in the city, and the man, because he has violated his neighbor’s wife.  Thus you shall purge the evil from among you.”  Deuteronomy 22:20-23.

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The history of Israel can be summarized as Israel playing the harlot (chasing after other gods) and angering God, despite what God did for Israel;  God punishing Israel;  and yet, nevertheless, God showing astonishing forgiveness and grace alone to Israel despite her harlotry.  

“The Lord said to Moses, “Behold, you are about to lie down with your fathers;  and this people will arise and play the harlot with the strange gods of the land, into the midst of which they are going, and will forsake Me and break My covenant which I have made with them.”  Deuteronomy 31:16.

“1 God says, “If a husband divorces his wife
And she goes from him
And belongs to another man,
Will he still return to her?
Will not that land be completely polluted?
But you are a harlot with many lovers;
Yet you turn to Me,” declares the Lord.
2 “Lift up your eyes to the bare heights and see;
Where have you not been violated?
By the roads you have sat for them
Like an Arab in the desert,
And you have polluted a land
With your harlotry and with your wickedness.
3 “Therefore the showers have been withheld,
And there has been no spring rain.
Yet you had a harlot’s forehead;
You refused to be ashamed.
4 “Have you not just now called to Me,
‘My Father, You are the friend of my youth?
5 ‘Will He be angry forever?
Will He be indignant to the end?’
Behold, you have spoken
And have done evil things,
And you have had your way.”

6 Then the Lord said to me in the days of Josiah the king, “Have you seen what faithless Israel did?  She went up on every high hill and under every green tree, and she was a harlot there.  7 I thought, ‘After she has done all these things she will return to Me’;  but she did not return, and her treacherous sister Judah saw it.  8 And I saw that for all the adulteries of faithless Israel, I had sent her away and given her a writ of divorce, yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear; but she went and was a harlot also.  9 Because of the lightness of her harlotry, she polluted the land and committed adultery with stones and trees.  10 Yet in spite of all this her treacherous sister Judah did not return to Me with all her heart, but rather in deception,” declares the Lord.”  Jeremiah 3:1-10.

“1 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, make known to Jerusalem her abominations 3 and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God to Jerusalem, “Your origin and your birth are from the land of the Canaanite, your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite.  4 As for your birth, on the day you were born your navel cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water for cleansing;  you were not rubbed with salt or even wrapped in cloths.  5 No eye looked with pity on you to do any of these things for you, to have compassion on you.   Rather you were thrown out into the open field, for you were abhorred on the day you were born.

6 “When I passed by you and saw you squirming in your blood, I said to you while you were in your blood, ‘Live!’  Yes, I said to you while you were in your blood, ‘Live!’  7 I made you numerous like plants of the field.  Then you grew up, became tall and reached the age for fine ornaments;  your breasts were formed and your hair had grown.  Yet you were naked and bare.

8 “Then I passed by you and saw you, and behold, you were at the time for love;  so I spread My skirt over you and covered your nakedness . I also swore to you and entered into a covenant with you so that you became Mine,” declares the Lord God.  9 “Then I bathed you with water, washed off your blood from you and anointed you with oil.  10 I also clothed you with embroidered cloth and put sandals of porpoise skin on your feet; and I wrapped you with fine linen and covered you with silk.  11 I adorned you with ornaments, put bracelets on your hands and a necklace around your neck.  12 I also put a ring in your nostril, earrings in your ears and a beautiful crown on your head.  13 Thus you were adorned with gold and silver, and your dress was of fine linen, silk and embroidered cloth.  You ate fine flour, honey and oil; so you were exceedingly beautiful and advanced to royalty.  14 Then your fame went forth among the nations on account of your beauty, for it was perfect because of My splendor which I bestowed on you,” declares the Lord God.

15 “But you trusted in your beauty and played the harlot because of your fame, and you poured out your harlotries on every passer-by who might be willing.  16 You took some of your clothes, made for yourself high places of various colors and played the harlot on them, which should never come about nor happen.  17 You also took your beautiful jewels made of My gold and of My silver, which I had given you, and made for yourself male images that you might play the harlot with them.  18 Then you took your embroidered cloth and covered them, and offered My oil and My incense before them.  19 Also My bread which I gave you, fine flour, oil and honey with which I fed you, you would offer before them for a soothing aroma; so it happened,” declares the Lord God.  20 “Moreover, you took your sons and daughters whom you had borne to Me and sacrificed them to idols to be devoured.  Were your harlotries so small a matter?  21 You slaughtered My children and offered them up to idols by causing them to pass through the fire.  22 Besides all your abominations and harlotries you did not remember the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare and squirming in your blood.

23 “Then it came about after all your wickedness (‘Woe, woe to you!’ declares the Lord God), 24 that you built yourself a shrine and made yourself a high place in every square.  25 You built yourself a high place at the top of every street and made your beauty abominable, and you spread your legs to every passer-by to multiply your harlotry.   You also played the harlot with the Egyptians, your lustful neighbors, and multiplied your harlotry to make Me angry.  27 Behold now, I have stretched out My hand against you and diminished your rations. And I delivered you up to the desire of those who hate you, the daughters of the Philistines, who are ashamed of your lewd conduct. 28 Moreover, you played the harlot with the Assyrians because you were not satisfied;  you played the harlot with them and still were not satisfied.  29 You also multiplied your harlotry with the land of merchants, Chaldea, yet even with this you were not satisfied.”’”

30 “How languishing is your heart,” declares the Lord God, “while you do all these things, the actions of a bold-faced harlot.  31 When you built your shrine at the beginning of every street and made your high place in every square, in disdaining money, you were not like a harlot.  32 You adulteress wife, who takes strangers instead of her husband!  33 Men give gifts to all harlots, but you give your gifts to all your lovers to bribe them to come to you from every direction for your harlotries.  34 Thus you are different from those women in your harlotries, in that no one plays the harlot as you do, because you give money and no money is given you; thus you are different.”

35 Therefore, O harlot, hear the word of the Lord.  36 Thus says the Lord God, “Because your lewdness was poured out and your nakedness uncovered through your harlotries with your lovers and with all your detestable idols, and because of the blood of your sons which you gave to idols, 37 therefore, behold, I will gather all your lovers with whom you took pleasure, even all those whom you loved and all those whom you hated.  So I will gather them against you from every direction and expose your nakedness to them that they may see all your nakedness.  38 Thus I will judge you like women who commit adultery or shed blood are judged; and I will bring on you the blood of wrath and jealousy.  39 I will also give you into the hands of your lovers, and they will tear down your shrines, demolish your high places, strip you of your clothing, take away your jewels, and will leave you naked and bare.  40 They will incite a crowd against you and they will stone you and cut you to pieces with their swords.  41 They will burn your houses with fire and execute judgments on you in the sight of many women.  Then I will stop you from playing the harlot, and you will also no longer pay your lovers.  42 So I will calm My fury against you and My jealousy will depart from you, and I will be pacified and angry no more.  43 Because you have not remembered the days of your youth but have enraged Me by all these things, behold, I in turn will bring your conduct down on your own head,” declares the Lord God, “so that you will not commit this lewdness on top of all your other abominations.”  Ezekiel 16:1-43.

“60 “Nevertheless, I will remember My covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you. 61 Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you receive your sisters, both your older and your younger; and I will give them to you as daughters, but not because of your covenant. 62 Thus I will establish My covenant with you, and you shall know that I am the Lord, 63 so that you may remember and be ashamed and never open your mouth anymore because of your humiliation, when I have forgiven you for all that you have done,” the Lord God declares.”  Ezekiel 16:60-63.