Day 56, or February 25. The law is all for our benefit.
Our thoughts today are rooted in Deuteronomy chapter 17 verse 10. Be careful to do everything
they instruct you to do.
Now the big picture surrounding this verse. The regulations of Deuteronomy are very extensive
and dominate the book. Throughout the centuries, rabbis and other Jewish spiritual leaders
have debated these laws and decrees and have produced a substantial amount of comment and
explanation called the Talmud. This ancient writing complements the Jewish Torah, which
is what Christians call the Pentateuch, or Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.
The Talmud is highly respected amongst Jews and is second only to the Torah.
A lovely thought to bear in mind is that Jesus came to fulfill the law, and we read in Luke
24 verse 27 what happened on the road to Emmaus after Jesus was raised from the dead. It reads,
Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining
from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. Not just the first five books of
Moses, but all the prophets as well. What a wonderful Bible study to have experienced!
Now our action step for today. Jesus was very familiar with all these laws. When he was
confronted by a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery in John chapter 8,
he bases his response on Deuteronomy chapter 17 verse 7. The witness must throw the first
stones and then all the people may join in. Jesus adds, Let the one who has never sinned
throw the first stone. Did you ever notice that whenever Jesus courts the Old Testament
law it's only to urge repentance, never just to condemn? There's a great principle here.
The Bible was never meant to condemn anyone to hell, but to warn them and plead with them
to repent and avoid condemnation. Our God does not want us to perish. He pleads with
us to repent. In truth, the God of the Old Testament is really the same forgiving loving
God we see in the person of Jesus in the New Testament.