Deuteronomy 16-17

CHAPTER 16:
           While on the subject of animal sacrifices, Moses now reminds the people of the three feasts that God requires them to celebrate each year: the Passover, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles (a.k.a. the Feast of Booths). The common theme here is that all three will require the Israelites to journey to the tabernacle in order to properly celebrate these occasions. (v.16)
 
            Verses 1-8: This review of the Passover requirements now includes a new command that was not originally given in Exodus 12-13. The Passover lamb must now be slain at the tabernacle, not in the home as it was first done on the night of the exodus or in the forty years of wandering in the desert. (v.2, 5) All the other requirements, however, remain unchanged: the lamb must be perfect, without any blemish or spot; all leaven must be removed from every home (v.4); the people are to eat unleavened bread for all seven days of the feast (v.3); there can be nothing left overnight from the sacrifice on the first day (v.4); and the first and seventh days are a sabbath, a day of rest and solemn observance. (v.8) (Exodus 12:16)
 
            Verses 9-12: The Feast of Weeks, a.k.a the Feast of the Harvest (Exodus 23:16) or the day of the firstfruits (Numbers 28:26), is to be celebrated seven weeks after the beginning of the wheat harvest. (v.9) This is about about 50 days after the Passover, which places it around March/April, thus putting the Feast of Weeks as occurring sometime in May/June. This feast is to celebrate the bounty of God’s blessings on His people, and, thus, there is to be a freewill offering of the firstfruits of the harvest. (v.10) This is also to be an occasion of rejoicing and celebration of not only all that God has done for the Israelites in the previous year, but also to remember His great acts of deliverance from their bondage in Egypt. (v.11-12) (Exodus 34:22, Leviticus 23:15-16, Numbers 28:26) No one is to be excluded or left out from this festival, including the Levite, the orphan, the widow, or the stranger that is living within the community. (v.11)
 
            Verses 13-17: The third annual festival is the Feast of Tabernacles, a.k.a. the Feast of Booths, which specifically commemorates the exodus from Egypt. This feast is to be held seven days after the grape and all the other grain harvests which occur sometime in September/October. (v.13) Again, no one in the community, regardless of their nationality or their lot in life, is to be excluded from the celebration. (v.14) As with all the other feasts, this one is to last for seven days, and it, too, is to be a celebration of God’s provision and blessing in the completed harvests.
            These three feasts are not optional and all the congregation of Israel is required to appear at the tabernacle at the appointed time each year for these observances. Nor are they to show up empty handed. (v.16) (Exodus 23:14-15) They are to give of the best of their flock and their harvests, to give whatever they are able (v.17), and to hold nothing back from the LORD their God.
 
            Verses 18-20: Another reminder that the leaders of Israel are to be impartial and unbiased when executing their judgments in legal matters. (v.18) (Exodus 23:1-2, 6, Deuteronomy 1:16-17, John 7:24) They are not to abuse their power or authority in any way, especially by accepting bribes. (v.19) (Exodus 23:8) They – and all of Israel – are to be just, fair, and honest in all of their dealings with one another and with strangers, for this will reflect God’s own attribute of justice. Also, this will ensure that the nation will live long and peaceably in the promised land. (v.20)
 
            Verses 21-22: One last reminder about not planting groves of trees for the purpose of worshiping God in the promised land. (v.21) (Exodus 34:13) Nor are the people to attempt any graven images of God or any other false god, for the Lord abhors it. (v.22) This ties into the central theme of this chapter regarding the worship of God alone at the place of His choosing. (Leviticus 26:1)

CHAPTER 17:
          Verse 1: This is a continuing thought from the last two verses of chapter 16. Not only are the people to refrain from creating idols, but they are also to make sure to offer up to God only that which is perfect and of the best of their flocks and livestock. To do otherwise “…is an abomination unto the Lord thy God.” (Deuteronomy 15:21, Malachi 1:8, 13) The word “evilfavourdness” means “defect” or, literally, “evil thing”. This implies that not only is the animal to be physically perfect – i.e. no broken limbs, no spots or blemishes of the skin or fur – but also cannot be an animal that is wild, unruly, or has attacked another man or beast. Something that is evil is dangerous to others and must be destroyed, not given up in sacrifice to a holy, perfect, and just God.
 
            Verses 2-7: Moses continues on the topic of idol worship by returning to the subject of those among the people who would cause their family or others in the community to turn away from God and begin worshiping false gods or nature. (v.3) (Deuteronomy 4:19, 13:6) To do so is a transgression of His covenant (v.2), and must be dealt with accordingly. (Joshua 7:11) Moses reminds the Israelites of the due process of law that must take place immediately when a rumor of such apostasy is heard. The matter is to be investigated by that one’s family or friends and, if there is truth to the accusation, then that man or woman is to be brought before the leaders to be tried in a court of law. (v.4-5) (Deuteronomy 13:12-14)
            There must be two or more witnesses to attest to the apostasy (v.6), and the sentence is death by stoning. (v.5) (Leviticus 24:14, Joshua 7:25) One witness making the accusation is not enough to warrant the death penalty, thus preventing instances of false accusations that might arise because of personal vendettas. Furthermore, it is the witnesses themselves who will cast the first stones. (v.7) The reason for this rule is that even if a man has convinced one or two of his friends to also make a false accusation, then the possibility of being guilty of murder on top of bearing false witness might cause the men to stop their scheme and the truth finally come out.
            The reason that Moses brings up this topic again is to stress the importance of the Israelites keeping their community pure from all evil. (Deuteronomy 13:5, 19:19, 1 Corinthians 5:13) Anyone who is guilty of transgressing God’s covenant with His chosen people is to be dealt with immediately in order to keep the whole community pure and blameless before the LORD their God.
 
            Verses 8-13: If there is a civil matter that is too difficult for the tribal leaders to determine a verdict, then they are to take the matter to the priests at the tabernacle as well as the appointed judge at that time. (v.8-9) (Deuteronomy 1:17, 2 Chronicles 19:10) Presumably, the priests will use the Urim and Thummim to divine God’s instruction in the matter. (Exodus 28:30) Their judgment is final and must be obeyed as it is the word of the LORD. (v.10) Anyone that refuses to obey and honor the verdict of the judge or the priests is to be put to death. (v.11-12) (Numbers 15:30, Deuteronomy 1:43) The judgment will apply to all the people, not just the parties involved in the legal dispute. (v.13) (Deuteronomy 13:11) The implication here is that the matter is so great that only God may render the verdict and, thus, is serious enough that the whole nation must pay attention and obey that judgment from the LORD.
 
            Verses 14-20: Moses delivers a prophetic warning in these final verses that instructs Israel what to do if they decide they want to be like the other nations of the promised land by setting up a king to rule over them. Whether because of his own experience in leading the people for forty years, or because of divine revelation from God, Moses warns the people that it should be God who selects the king, not them. (v.15) (1 Samuel 9:15-16, 10:24, 16:12-13, 1 Chronicles 22:8, Hosea 8:4) Furthermore, that king should take extra care and diligence to study and obey the law of the LORD (v.18-19) (Psalm 119:97-98), and should also trust completely in God to protect the kingdom instead of his own army’s might and power. (v.16) (1 Kings 4:26, 10:26, Psalm 20:07) Nor should he allow his great wealth, which is a blessing from God, or the sin of polygamy to become the means by which he falls away from the Lord into idolatry and apostasy. (v.17) (1 Kings 10:14, 11:1-3) As we well know from Israel’s history, all of these things caused the downfall of nearly all her kings – even the greatest of them, David and Solomon. The last sentence of verse 20 is both a reminder and a promise: obedience to God’s law will bring long life and prosperity to not just the king and all his descendants, but the entire nation as well.