Deuteronomy 16

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Dave Burnette's Commentary

Deuteronomy Chapter 16

Written By: God through Inspiration

Penned By: Moses

Date Penned: (1407 BC)

Overview: To Remind and Rededicate Israel to the Lord (c 1-34)

Theme: Principles for Godly Living (c 5-28)

Message: Celebrations (v 1-17)

Deuteronomy 16 Commentary

(16:16-17) Giving Back - Three times a year every male was to make a journey to the sanctuary in the city that would be designated as Israel's religious capital. At these feasts, each participant was encouraged to give what he could in proportion to what God had given him. God does not expect us to give more than we can, but he does ask us to give in proportion to how he has blessed us. For some, a tenth of their income may be a burden. For most of us, that might be far too little. Remember, everything we have belongs to God anyway. Look at what you have and then give in proportion to what you have been given.

(16:18-20) Choosing Strong Leaders - These verses anticipate the problem of injustice that the Israelites would encounter in their local communities after arriving in the Promised Land. Although they had Joshua as their national leader, they needed to choose and empower strong spiritual leaders who would lead the tribes, districts, and cities with justice and God's wisdom. Because they failed to appoint wise judges and faithful administrators, rebellion and injustice plagued their communities. It is a serious responsibility to appoint or elect wise and just officials. In your sphere of influence-home, church, school, or job-are you ensuring that justice and godliness will prevail? Failing to choose leaders who uphold justice can lead to much trouble, as Israel soon discovered.

Dave Burnette's Life Application

Biblical Leadership

Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today we continue in the book of Deuteronomy with Chapter 16 and we see Moses finishing up on the 3rd principal of Laws Given for Proper Worship going over the observations of the Celebrations. Moving into the 4th principal of Laws for Ruling the Nation specifically Justice in the Courts. In making application we see the need to elect proper leadership in the Church and the Government. Too many times we fail to make decisions based on Godly Principles instead we make decisions based on personal preferences, politics, personal gain, or even ignorance. It reminds me politicians today who promise the world but when they get your vote they do things their own way. If we elect officials based on their record and their character then we will put leaders of Justice that will guide our nation. In the Church we see the Biblical qualifications for leadership and if we are wise we will elect them according to the standards of the Bible. How about you? Do you elect officials and leaders according to the Biblical characteristics they posses? Let us learn from today's text and follow the Bible for our leaders.

Deuteronomy 16

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Deuteronomy 16

¹Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the LORD thy God: for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.

²Thou shalt therefore sacrifice the passover unto the LORD thy God, of the flock and the herd, in the place which the LORD shall choose to place his name there.

³Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith, even the bread of affliction; for thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt in haste: that thou mayest remember the day when thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life.

⁴And there shall be no leavened bread seen with thee in all thy coast seven days; neither shall there any thing of the flesh, which thou sacrificedst the first day at even, remain all night until the morning.

⁵Thou mayest not sacrifice the passover within any of thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee:

⁶But at the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name in, there thou shalt sacrifice the passover at even, at the going down of the sun, at the season that thou camest forth out of Egypt.

⁷And thou shalt roast and eat it in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose: and thou shalt turn in the morning, and go unto thy tents.

⁸Six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread: and on the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to the LORD thy God: thou shalt do no work therein.

⁹Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee: begin to number the seven weeks from such time as thou beginnest to put the sickle to the corn.

¹⁰And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the LORD thy God with a tribute of a freewill offering of thine hand, which thou shalt give unto the LORD thy God, according as the LORD thy God hath blessed thee:

¹¹And thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are among you, in the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen to place his name there.

¹²And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt: and thou shalt observe and do these statutes.

¹³Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine:

¹⁴And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within thy gates.

¹⁵Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD shall choose: because the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thine increase, and in all the works of thine hands, therefore thou shalt surely rejoice.

¹⁶Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty:

¹⁷Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee.

¹⁸Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment.

¹⁹Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.

²⁰That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

²¹Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the LORD thy God, which thou shalt make thee.

²²Neither shalt thou set thee up any image; which the LORD thy God hateth.