Actually, I've had lots of thoughts to blog about--just no discipline to sit and write.
Earlier in October, I was reading a passage from Deuteronomy that struck me. The passage is Deuteronomy 17:14-20. It's a section of the law advising Israel about choosing a king. It also gives direction to future kings.
Verses 18-20 are the ones that impressed me:
When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the priests, who are Levites. It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees and not consider himself better than his brothers and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel.
I've read this before, but I guess I never really noticed it. At the very beginning of his reign, the king was required to re-copy the entire law! He didn't have a servant do it for him; he was to do it himself. Can you imagine how much time that might have taken? Plus, I'm sure it was somewhat expensive. Papyrus wasn't cheap. But the king's knowledge of the law was a priority. It was worth the time, effort, and expense.
After making himself a copy, he was required to keep it with him. He couldn't just forget about it. I wonder if he kept it with him when he met with foreign dignitaries. What about when he went to war?
He was to read it "all the days of his life." It remained a priority. Reminds me of the parable of the sower. So many people today make a good start in the Christian life, but then, when trouble comes, they "stop believing and turn away from God" (Luke 8:13) or "they let the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life stop them from growing. So they never make good fruit" (Luke 8:14). If we don't make meditation on the Word a priority, life will displace God's ways with its own substitutes.
Also, the king read with a purpose. His reading was to teach him:
1) to revere the Lord
2) to obey the Word faithfully
3) to remain humble
His reading was not just to gain knowledge (informative). It was to shape his heart and his will (formative). I think this requires pondering the word. It means that the king took the law with him spiritually as well as physically. He kept it in his mind, letting it penetrate into his spirit through rumination. Do we do this?
I urge you to make the Bible a priority. Take up the Word. Read it all the days of your life. If we are to reign with Christ, shouldn't we too practice keeping His law with us at all times?
What would recopying a book of the Bible by hand teach us?
I think I may try it.
4 comments:
I read this a few weeks ago when you originally posted it, but decided to read again today. This is what exegesis is all about, really. Figuring out what the text has to say to us and seeking to apply it. Too often we seek knowledge for knowledge's sake. But what good is it for us to read a passage like this and just figure out why the king did what he did if we are not willing to apply it to ourselves? You've taken a passage that seem directed at Kings alone and showed how it applies to us, too. I'm convicted and convinced. It is so easy to relegate reading the Word to last place on our list of things to do, but it must be a first priority. And we must keep it with us always.
Thanks so much for sharing...
Also, this would PREACH! We could use some more sermons from Deuteronomy on Sunday mornings! :)
值得一看再看的格子，請加油 ..................................................
Dear Julie,
Obviously I haven't checked in on the blog in a while. Thanks so much for your comments. I too think we don't preach from the Old Testament enough (on the whole). I still haven't copied out a book like I thought I would. Maybe I'll start today.
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