Day 67 · Part 4: The Wilderness
The Place He Chooses (1 of 2)
In the Story
In context
Chapter 12 begins the laws for the land. They often speak of “the place which Yahweh your God shall choose,” where Israel would bring its offerings, eat them before the Lord and rejoice (Deuteronomy 12:5–7). The place isn’t named here. Later the Lord calls Shiloh the place “where I caused my name to dwell at the first” (Jeremiah 7:12), and Jerusalem is called “the city which Yahweh had chosen … to put his name there” (1 Kings 14:21).
Meat could be eaten at home, but not its blood, “for the blood is the life” (12:15–16, 23). Two things are hard: the nations of the land burned their sons and daughters to their gods (12:31), and in chapter 13 a prophet, or even a brother, child, wife or closest friend, who urged Israel to serve other gods was to be put to death, and a town that did so was to be destroyed (13:1–16).
“You are the children of Yahweh your God,” chapter 14 begins (14:1). It lists which animals, fish and birds Israel could eat (14:3–21). A tenth of each year’s harvest was eaten at the chosen place, or sold and the money spent there if the way was long; every third year it was stored in their towns for the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow (14:22–29).
See how great a love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God! For this cause the world doesn’t know us, because it didn’t know him. Beloved, now we are children of God. It is not yet revealed what we will be; but we know that when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him just as he is.
1 John 3:1–2 · Moses tells Israel, “You are the children of Yahweh your God”; John writes of the Father’s great love: “now we are children of God.”
In the Bible
World English Bible, as published by eBible.org (public domain).
Deuteronomy 12
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Deuteronomy 13
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Deuteronomy 14
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A hymn for today
In the Garden · words by C. Austin Miles
- I come to the garden alone,While the dew is still on the roses;And the voice I hear,Falling on my ear,The Son of God discloses.RefrainAnd He walks with me, and He talks with me,And He tells me I am His own;And the joy we share as we tarry there,None other has ever known.
- He speaks, and the sound of His voiceIs so sweet the birds hush their singing;And the melodyThat He gave to meWithin my heart is ringing.RefrainAnd He walks with me, and He talks with me,And He tells me I am His own;And the joy we share as we tarry there,None other has ever known.
- I'd stay in the garden with Him,Though the night around me be falling;But He bids me go;Through the voice of woe,His voice to me is calling.RefrainAnd He walks with me, and He talks with me,And He tells me I am His own;And the joy we share as we tarry there,None other has ever known.