Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s Scripture comes from Deuteronomy 22:5-12.

“5 “A woman shall not wear man’s clothing, nor shall a man put on a woman’s clothing;  for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord your God.

6 “If you happen to come upon a bird’s nest along the way, in any tree or on the ground, with young ones or eggs, and the mother sitting on the young or on the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the young;  7 you shall certainly let the mother go, but the young you may take for yourself, in order that it may be well with you and that you may prolong your days.

8 “When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof, so that you will not bring bloodguilt on your house if anyone falls from it.

9 “You shall not sow your vineyard with two kinds of seed, or all the produce of the seed which you have sown and the increase of the vineyard will become defiled.

10 “You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together.

11 “You shall not wear a material mixed of wool and linen together.

12 “You shall make yourself tassels on the four corners of your garment with which you cover yourself.”    Deuteronomy 22:5-12.

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The focus of this devotion is on the last four verses which are put in bold italic.  But, first, I do want to briefly comment on a few things in some of the other verses.

Regarding verse 5, it may seem harmless for men and women to wear each other’s clothes, but it can be deceptive, and it does not honor God’s creation and intention for them.  God created man and woman, and although they have many things in common and are not independent of each other, they were created to have distinct features and functions.  Romans 1:26-27 expresses the degrading passions that occur when women exchange “the natural function for that which is unnatural” and when men abandon “the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another”.

Regarding verse 8, a parapet is a specific safety provision.  It is defined as “low wall or railing to protect the edge of a platform, roof, or bridge”.  Merriam-Webster online dictionary.  The purpose of a parapet on a roof is to protect those people who are on a roof and who may lose their balance.  The parapet gives them some barrier, or something to grab, to prevent them from falling off the roof and hurting themselves.

Generally, safety provisions are good.  We see requirements of safety provision throughout society.  We see fences around pools.  We see trampolines only in backyards.  We see child-proof caps.  There are so many other examples.  Although people should not be careless, we see God’s law (and man’s law following God’s law) mercifully making such safety provisions to prevent or at least minimize the consequences of man’s carelessness.

Now, we will focus on the last four verses which are put in bold italic.  These verses point together to a common theme that the kingdom of heaven is not mixed with the righteous and unrighteous.  “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.

We particularly see the image of the ox and donkey in verse 10 used in 2 Corinthians 6:14:  “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.

In verse 12, the purpose of the tassels is explained in Numbers 15:37-41.  “The Lord also spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel, and tell them that they shall make for themselves tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and that they shall put on the tassel of each corner a cord of blue.  It shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the Lord, so as to do them and not follow after your own heart and your own eyes, after which you played the harlot, so that you may remember to do all My commandments and be holy to your God.  I am the Lord your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt to be your God;  I am the Lord your God.”  Numbers 15:37-41.

In conclusion, there is much in this world that tempts us to “follow after your own heart and your own eyes” and to chase after other unholy things and to get bound up in such other unholy things.  We need reminders, both soft and subtle and loud and clear, in God’s Word to stay holy to our God.

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 22:1-4.

“You shall not see your countryman’s ox or his sheep straying away, and pay no attention to them;  you shall certainly bring them back to your countryman.  If your countryman is not near you, or if you do not know him, then you shall bring it home to your house, and it shall remain with you until your countryman looks for it;  then you shall restore it to him.  Thus you shall do with his donkey, and you shall do the same with his garment, and you shall do likewise with anything lost by your countryman, which he has lost and you have found.  You are not allowed to neglect them.  You shall not see your countryman’s donkey or his ox fallen down on the way, and pay no attention to them;  you shall certainly help him to raise them up.”  Deuteronomy 22:1-4.

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“… through love serve one another.  For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  Galatians 5:13-14.

“This is the covenant that I will make with them
After those days, says the Lord:
I will put My laws upon their heart,
And on their mind I will write them,”  …”  Hebrews 5:15.

God gives us impulses to help our neighbor.  Through God’s grace and Holy Spirit within us, we find ourselves wanting to do things to help our neighbor.  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love …”  Galatians 5:22.

We have different gifts and do different things to help our neighbor.  Some may bake a dinner for a neighbor experiencing grief or health problems.  Some may mow the grass for an elderly widow.  Some may coach a neighbor’s son in sports.  Some may say an  encouraging word to a neighbor at the right time.  “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.  And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord.  There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.”  1 Corinthians 12:4-6.

And, these good deeds are not just random and sporadic “photo opportunities”.  Like the excellent wife in Proverbs Chapter 31, the righteous, through God’s grace and Holy Spirit, does not fear evil but does good to her or his neighbor all the days of her or his life.  “She does him good and not evil All the days of her life.”  Proverbs 31:12.

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”  Ephesians 2:10.

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;”  2 Corinthians 9:8.

In conclusion, I saw such enduring grace in a good Christian friend whom I noticed had helped a special needs person for years.  When I asked him about it, he exclaimed something to the effect:  “I can’t help it!  …  I get more from her than she does from me.” 

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 21:18-23.

“If any man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey his father or his mother, and when they chastise him, he will not even listen to them, then his father and mother shall seize him, and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gateway of his hometown.  They shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey us, he is a glutton and a drunkard.’  Then all the men of his city shall stone him to death; so you shall remove the evil from your midst, and all Israel will hear of it and fear.

“If a man has committed a sin worthy of death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his corpse shall not hang all night on the tree, but you shall surely bury him on the same day (for he who is hanged is accursed of God), so that you do not defile your land which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance.”  Deuteronomy 21:18-23.

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In sharpest contrast to this son who is a glutton and drunkard whom the parents will bring out to the gateway of his hometown so that the men of his city shall stone him to death, there is a Son (Jesus Christ, the Son of God) about Whom God the Father said:  “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.”  Luke 3:22.

“But the Lord was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief;  If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand.”  Isaiah 53:10.

And so, God the Father sent His beloved, only begotten Son, to be lifted up and die on the cross.  “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up;  so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.  “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”  John 3:14-16.

And, this Son, Jesus Christ, knowing His Father’s will to send Him to the cross, nevertheless accomplished His Father’s will.  “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me;  yet not My will, but Yours be done.”  Luke 22:42.  “I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do.”  John 17:4.

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”—  in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”  Galatians 3:13-14.

In summary, today’s Scripture commanded the son who was a glutton and drunkard to be punished by death.  We too are disobedient and rebellious, deserving to be punished by death.  Here is what the Heidelberg Catechism states in part:

Q. 10.  Will God suffer such disobedience and rebellion to go unpunished? 

A.  By no means;  but is terribly displeased with our original as well as actual sins;  and will punish them in his just judgment temporally and eternally, as he has declared, “Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things, which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” 

But, there is hope!  As today’s Scripture also commanded that one who is worthy of death to be hung on a tree, there is a Son Who was not only sent to generally die, but to specifically die on a cross.

Q. 39.  Is there anything more in his being “crucified”, than if he had died some other death? 

A.  Yes there is;  for thereby I am assured, that he took on him the curse which lay upon me;  for the death of the cross was accursed of God. 

Q. 40.  Why was it necessary for Christ to humble himself even “unto death”? 

A.  Because with respect to the justice and truth of God, satisfaction for our sins could be made no otherwise, than by the death of the Son of God.

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 21:10-16.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+21&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“¹⁰ “When you go out to battle against your enemies, and the Lord your God delivers them into your hands and you take them away captive, ¹¹ and see among the captives a beautiful woman, and have a desire for her and would take her as a wife for yourself, ¹² then you shall bring her home to your house, and she shall shave her head and trim her nails.  ¹³ She shall also remove the clothes of her captivity and shall remain in your house, and mourn her father and mother a full month;  and after that you may go in to her and be her husband and she shall be your wife.  ¹⁴ It shall be, if you are not pleased with her, then you shall let her go wherever she wishes;  but you shall certainly not sell her for money, you shall not mistreat her, because you have humbled her.”  Deuteronomy 21:10-14. 

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Today’s Scripture is not permission to have more than one wife.  No Christian would maintain it, and it is not even legal.  

And, today’s Scripture isn’t really about an equal division of duties between wives and husbands, although each does have her or his own duties.  Rather, today’s Scripture is about the following.  As the woman was made captive and made a wife in today’s Scripture, we were made captive to Christ and made to be His church through “Irresistible Grace”, the “I” of “TULIP, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.  

Although the following Scripture does spell out the duties of each, the wife and the husband, the following Scripture is more about what Christ has done for the church:  “that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing;  but that she would be holy and blameless”.   Ephesians 5:27.  Reformed Doctrine is more about what God has done for us than what we have done for God as evidenced by the “Unconditional Election”, “Limited Atonement”, “Irresistible Grace”, and “Preservation of the Saints”, the “U”, “L” “I”, and “P” of “TULIP”, compared to “Total Depravity”, the “T” of “TULIP” which is what man produces on his own.  

“²² Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.  ²³ For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.  ²⁴ But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, ²⁶ so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, ²⁷ that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing;  but that she would be holy and blameless.  ²⁸ So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself;  ²⁹ for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, ³⁰ because we are members of His body.  ³¹ For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.  ³² This mystery is great;  but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.  ³³ Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.”  Ephesians 5:22-33.

“We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,”  2 Corinthians 10:15.

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 21:1-9.

“1 “If a slain person is found lying in the open country in the land which the Lord your God gives you to possess, and it is not known who has struck him, 2 then your elders and your judges shall go out and measure the distance to the cities which are around the slain one.  3 It shall be that the city which is nearest to the slain man, that is, the elders of that city, shall take a heifer of the herd, which has not been worked and which has not pulled in a yoke;  4 and the elders of that city shall bring the heifer down to a valley with running water, which has not been plowed or sown, and shall break the heifer’s neck there in the valley.  5 Then the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come near, for the Lord your God has chosen them to serve Him and to bless in the name of the Lord;  and every dispute and every assault shall be settled by them.  6 All the elders of that city which is nearest to the slain man shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley;  7 and they shall answer and say, ‘Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it.  8 Forgive Your people Israel whom You have redeemed, O Lord, and do not place the guilt of innocent blood in the midst of Your people Israel.’  And the bloodguiltiness shall be forgiven them.  9 So you shall remove the guilt of innocent blood from your midst, when you do what is right in the eyes of the Lord.”  Deuteronomy 21:1-9.

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I expected that this Scripture would provide an animal whose blood was shed for the forgiveness of sin.  With that expectation, I was tempted to ignore what this Scripture states and rush into talking about only Christ and “without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” as in Hebrews 9:22:  “And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”

But, this Scripture does not talk about the shedding of blood.  It only provides a heifer whose neck was broken.  It only provides a requirement that the elders of the city wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken.  And, it only concludes:  “So you shall remove the guilt of innocent blood from your midst, when you do what is right in the eyes of the Lord.”  Verse 9.

When I write daily devotions, I have been convicted that I should not have my own expectations of what Scripture will provide.  I should not have my own agenda.  I should not be in a rush to write the first thing that pops in my head even if it is true and other Scripture leads to that subject matter.  I need to write about what the Scripture for today provides.  I think that duty, whatever the theological term for it, is meant by “accurately handling the word of truth” in 2 Timothy 2:15:  “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”

And so, through God’s grace, trying to be diligent and “accurately handling the word of truth” for what it states, and not for what I expect it will state or want it to state, today’s Scripture reminds me of the Book of James.

“14 What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works?  Can that faith save him?  15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 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?  17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.

18 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.”  19 You believe that God is one. You do well;  the demons also believe, and shudder.  20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?  21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?  22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected;  23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God. 24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.  25 In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?  26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.”  James 2:14-26.

Who can do these works?!  Who can do “what is right in the eyes of the Lord”?!

But, there is hope!

“So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling;  for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”  Philippians 2:12-13.

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”  Ephesians 2:10.

“I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.”  Ezekiel 36:27.

“But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.”  Romans 6:17.

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 20:10-20.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+20&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“10 “When you approach a city to fight against it, you shall offer it terms of peace.  11 If it agrees to make peace with you and opens to you, then all the people who are found in it shall become your forced labor and shall serve you.  12 However, if it does not make peace with you, but makes war against you, then you shall besiege it.  13 When the Lord your God gives it into your hand, you shall strike all the men in it with the edge of the sword.  14 Only the women and the children and the animals and all that is in the city, all its spoil, you shall take as booty for yourself;  and you shall use the spoil of your enemies which the Lord your God has given you.  15 Thus you shall do to all the cities that are very far from you, which are not of the cities of these nations nearby.  16 Only in the cities of these peoples that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, you shall not leave alive anything that breathes.  17 But you shall utterly destroy them, the Hittite and the Amorite, the Canaanite and the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite, as the Lord your God has commanded you, 18 so that they may not teach you to do according to all their detestable things which they have done for their gods, so that you would sin against the Lord your God.”  Deuteronomy 20:10-18.

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Today’s devotion, with the exception of a few additions and a few other changes, is a “copy and paste” of a devotion on church discipline that was posted on October 31, 2014.  Church discipline is important, and this subject should be repeated as today’s Scripture leads us again to consider it.

As was made crystal clear in prior devotions, no Christian maintains that Christians should put to death people who worship other gods.  “You shall not murder.”  Exodus 20:13.

Today’s Scripture again points us to church discipline.  And, there are two additions (distinctions) presented in today’s Scripture.

First, there is a distinction in today’s Scripture between tolerance for people “very far” away (symbolizing those people outside the church) and non-tolerance for those people “that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance” (symbolizing those people who are improperly inside the church).

Second, there is a distinction in today’s Scripture between tolerance for people who accept the terms of peace and who subject themselves (symbolizing those people outside the church who come into the church but are willing to obey God and church leaders) and non-tolerance for those people who don’t accept the terms of peace and who are not willing to subject themselves (symbolizing those people outside the church who come into the church but are not willing to obey God and church leaders).

“I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people;  I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world.  But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one.  For what have I to do with judging outsiders?  Do you not judge those who are within the church?  But those who are outside, God judges.  Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.”  1 Corinthians 5:9-13.

And, church discipline does not only extend to those who practice immoral behavior within the church.  Church discipline also extends to those practice heresy within the church.

“I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel;  which is really not another;  only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.  But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!    As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!”  Galatians 1:6-9.

In summary, we remove the wicked people from among ourselves within our church (who are not at peace with us and who do not subject themselves by obedience to God and church leaders) by ex-communication (removing a member from membership and attendance in church) according to proper church discipline procedures done by the leaders of the church (minister, elders, and deacons).

Article 32:  Of the Order and Discipline of the Church.

“…  Therefore we admit only of that which tends to nourish and preserve concord, and unity, and to keep all men in obedience to God. For this purpose, ex-communication or church discipline is requisite, with the several circumstances belonging to it, according to the Word of God.”  Belgic Confession.

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 20:1-9.

“1  When you go out to battle against your enemies and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt, is with you.  2 When you are approaching the battle, the priest shall come near and speak to the people.  3 He shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel, you are approaching the battle against your enemies today.  Do not be fainthearted.  Do not be afraid, or panic, or tremble before them, 4 for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’  5 The officers also shall speak to the people, saying, ‘Who is the man that has built a new house and has not dedicated it?  Let him depart and return to his house, otherwise he might die in the battle and another man would dedicate it.  6 Who is the man that has planted a vineyard and has not begun to use its fruit? Let him depart and return to his house, otherwise he might die in the battle and another man would begin to use its fruit.  7 And who is the man that is engaged to a woman and has not married her?  Let him depart and return to his house, otherwise he might die in the battle and another man would marry her.’  8 Then the officers shall speak further to the people and say, ‘Who is the man that is afraid and fainthearted?  Let him depart and return to his house, so that he might not make his brothers’ hearts melt like his heart.’  9 When the officers have finished speaking to the people, they shall appoint commanders of armies at the head of the people.”  Deuteronomy 20:1-9.

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We may not go into literal battles.  But, we go into spiritual battles.

We may not need courage to face enemies trying to kill us.  But, we need courage to go confront the trials, troubles, and tribulations in our weekly work and daily routines.

It is Monday morning and many of us need courage to face whatever we confront today and this week.

We need to be reminded of the LORD our God, and build our faith, that He is the One Who goes before us to fight for us and to save us.

And, how we can we get this reminder and build our faith?  

Before we go out, we can read God’s Word.  Before we go out, we can pray together.  Before we go out, we can encourage each other.

Before Israel crossed the river Jordan to face their enemies and take possession of the Promised Land of Canaan, here is some of what God said to Joshua the leader of Israel, which charge applies to us today.

“No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life.  Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you;  I will not fail you or forsake you.  Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.  Only be strong and very courageous;  be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you;  do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go.  This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it;  for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.  Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous!  Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”  Joshua 1:5-9.

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 19:14-21.

“14 “You shall not move your neighbor’s boundary mark, which the ancestors have set, in your inheritance which you will inherit in the land that the Lord your God gives you to possess.

15 “A single witness shall not rise up against a man on account of any iniquity or any sin which he has committed;  on the evidence of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed.  16 If a malicious witness rises up against a man to accuse him of wrongdoing, 17 then both the men who have the dispute shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges who will be in office in those days.  18 The judges shall investigate thoroughly, and if the witness is a false witness and he has accused his brother falsely, 19 then you shall do to him just as he had intended to do to his brother.  Thus you shall purge the evil from among you.  20 The rest will hear and be afraid, and will never again do such an evil thing among you.  21 Thus you shall not show pity:  life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”  Deuteronomy 19:14-21.

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The importance of not being a false witness is shown by the fact that it is one of the Ten Commandments.  “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”  Exodus 20:16.

The importance of not being a false witness is also shown by the following Proverbs 6:16-19.

“16 There are six things which the Lord hates,
Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:
17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
And hands that shed innocent blood,
18 A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that run rapidly to evil,
19 A false witness who utters lies,
And one who spreads strife among brothers.”  Proverbs 6:16-19.

There is also certain punishment for a false witness.

“A false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who tells lies will not escape.”  Proverbs 19:5.

In conclusion, the Heidelberg Catechism gives us a great commentary on what is required in this ninth commandment (“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”) by not only instructing us what we should not do, but by also instructing us what we should do as can be seen by the last phrase highlighted in bold italic.

Q. 112.   What is required in the ninth commandment?

A.  That I bear false witness against no man, nor falsify any man’s words;  that I be no backbiter, nor slanderer;  that I do not judge, nor join in condemning any man rashly or unheard;  but that I avoid all sorts of lies and deceit as the proper works of the devil, unless I would bring down upon me the heavy wrath of God;  likewise, that in judgment and all other dealings I love the truth, speak it uprightly, and confess it;  also that I defend and promote, as much as I am able, the honor and good character of my neighbor.  Heidelberg Catechism.

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 19:1-13.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+19&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“1 “When the Lord your God cuts off the nations, whose land the Lord your God gives you, and you dispossess them and settle in their cities and in their houses, 2 you shall set aside three cities for yourself in the midst of your land, which the Lord your God gives you to possess.  3 You shall prepare the roads for yourself, and divide into three parts the territory of your land which the Lord your God will give you as a possession, so that any manslayer may flee there.

4 “Now this is the case of the manslayer who may flee there and live:  when he kills his friend unintentionally, not hating him previously— 5 as when a man goes into the forest with his friend to cut wood, and his hand swings the axe to cut down the tree, and the iron head slips off the handle and strikes his friend so that he dies—he may flee to one of these cities and live;  6 otherwise the avenger of blood might pursue the manslayer in the heat of his anger, and overtake him, because the way is long, and take his life, though he was not deserving of death, since he had not hated him previously.  7 Therefore, I command you, saying, ‘You shall set aside three cities for yourself.’”    Deuteronomy 19:1-7.

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God’s provision of cities of refuge points us to Himself being our refuge.

“Trust in Him at all times, O people;  Pour out your heart before Him;  God is a refuge for us.  Selah.”  Psalm 62:8.

“But let all who take refuge in You be glad, Let them ever sing for joy;  And may You shelter them, That those who love Your name may exult in You.”  Psalm 5:11.

“Preserve me, O God, for I take refuge in You.”  Psalm 16:1.

“Wondrously show Your lovingkindness, O Savior of those who take refuge at Your right hand From those who rise up against them.”  Psalm 17:7.

“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge;  My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”  Psalm 18:2.

“As for God, His way is blameless;  The word of the Lord is tried;  He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.”  Psalm 18:30.

“In You, O Lord, I have taken refuge;  Let me never be ashamed;  In Your righteousness deliver me.”  Psalm 31:1.

“O taste and see that the Lord is good;  How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!”  Psalm 34:8.

“The Lord redeems the soul of His servants, And none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.”  Psalm 34:22.

“How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!  And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.”  Psalm 36:7.

“The Lord helps them and delivers them;  He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, Because they take refuge in Him.”  Psalm 37:40.

“Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me, For my soul takes refuge in You;  And in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge Until destruction passes by.”  Psalm 57:1.

“But as for me, I shall sing of Your strength;  Yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the morning, For You have been my stronghold And a refuge in the day of my distress.”  Psalm 59:16.

“For You have been a refuge for me, A tower of strength against the enemy.”  Psalm 61:3.

“Let me dwell in Your tent forever;  Let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings.  Selah.”  Psalm 61:4.

“On God my salvation and my glory rest;  The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God.”  Psalm 62:7.

“The righteous man will be glad in the Lord and will take refuge in Him;  And all the upright in heart will glory.”  Psalm 64:10.

“In You, O Lord, I have taken refuge;  Let me never be ashamed.”  Psalm 71:1.

“I have become a marvel to many, For You are my strong refuge.”  Psalm 71:7.

“But as for me, the nearness of God is my good;  I have made the Lord God my refuge, That I may tell of all Your works.”  Psalm 73:8.

“I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!”  Psalm 91:2.

“He will cover you with His pinions, And under His wings you may seek refuge;  His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.”  Psalm 91:4.

“For you have made the Lord, my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place.”  Psalm 91:9.

“But the Lord has been my stronghold, And my God the rock of my refuge.”  Psalm 94:22.

“It is better to take refuge in the Lord Than to trust in man.”  Psalm 118:8.

“It is better to take refuge in the Lord Than to trust in princes.”  Psalm 118:9.

“For my eyes are toward You, O God, the Lord;  In You I take refuge; do not leave me defenseless.”  Psalm 141:8.

“I cried out to You, O Lord; I said, “You are my refuge, My portion in the land of the living.”  Psalm 142:5.

“Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies;  I take refuge in You.”  Psalm 143:9.

“In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, And his children will have refuge.”  Proverbs 14:26.

“Every word of God is tested;  He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.”  Proverbs 30:5.

“The Lord is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble, And He knows those who take refuge in Him.”  Nahum 1:7.

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 18:15-22.

“15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him.  16 This is according to all that you asked of the Lord your God in Horeb on the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, let me not see this great fire anymore, or I will die.’  17 The Lord said to me, ‘They have spoken well.  18 I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.  19 It shall come about that whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him.  20 But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.’  21 You may say in your heart, ‘How will we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?’  22 When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken.  The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.”  Deuteronomy 18:15-22.

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The LORD our God did indeed raise up prophets like Moses.  We are reminded and become amazed at the number of “major and minor” prophets that the LORD our God raised by just reading the names of the Books of the Old Testament from Joshua to Malachi.

But, although so many prophets were raised and faithfully relayed all the words of God to the people of Israel, they did not believe.  And although these prophets also said so many things pointing to a Redeemer that would come to Israel, they still did not believe.

This Redeemer, God’s only begotten Son, our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ, knew the foolishness and slowness to believe that was in their hearts.

“And He (Christ) said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!  Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?”  Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.”  Luke 24:25-27.

“But though He (Christ) had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him.  This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet which he spoke: “Lord, who has believed our report?  And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”  For this reason they could not believe, for Isaiah said again, “He has blinded their eyes and He hardened their heart, so that they would not see with their eyes and perceive with their heart, and be converted and I heal them.”  John 12:37-40.

“Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me.  Why do you not understand what I am saying?  It is because you cannot hear My word.  You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father.  He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him.  Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.  But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me.  Which one of you convicts Me of sin?  If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me?  He who is of God hears the words of God;  for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.”  John 8:42-47.

And so, as we contemplate and meditate on these Scriptures and gain a panoramic view of the prophets and the people, our trust in man diminishes and our trust in God grows.

Man’s wisdom, man’s alleged goodness, and man’s alleged free will, despite all the prophets, the commands, the promises, and the other opportunities provided by God, are not going to lead man to salvation.  All that man produces is “Total Depravity”, the “T” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

But, there is hope!

The hope is provided by God.

Reformed Doctrine teaches “Unconditional Election”, “Limited Atonement”, “Irresistible Grace”, and “Preservation of the Saints”,  the “U”, “L”, “I”, and “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation, all of which is provided by God.

“9 “Remember the former things long past,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;
11 Calling a bird of prey from the east,
The man of My purpose from a far country.
Truly I have spoken;  truly I will bring it to pass.
I have planned it, surely I will do it.”  Isaiah 46:9-11.