Set-apart

Deuteronomy 14

We have seen throughout this book that Israel was called to be different from the surrounding nations. They were to be an example to these nations. They were to show them the true God.  When you look at all these laws and explanations of the laws, it was not just for the people of Israel but for them to show the surrounding nations who God is by his people. The way the people were to be different was not just in the way they worshiped but also how they mourned for those who have died, what and how they eat their food, and also how they give.

The passage starts with “You are the sons of the Lord.” This was their placement with God. They were not just his people but it was this family. God wanted them to know that this was a family unit and they all needed to be on the same page. “You shall not,” is next and the not is one strongest forms of no in Hebrew. God was saying DON’T DO THIS!!!  

Mourning over lost ones 

Israel was commanded by God to not cut themselves or shave between their eyes or the middle of their foreheads. This was a common practice of the Canaanites when they would mourn over a lost one. They would do this to please the false gods and also to please the dead person (See 1st Kings 18:28 for an example of how they cut themselves in worship). They believed that the shadow of a dead person would be watching and needed to be pleased in order for them to part.  God wanted the people to worship him and not follow how another culture worshiped their god over dead people. The focus is on God and not on each other.

Clean and Unclean Animals

This section of chapter 14 may seem familiar. It is true we did read something like it in Leviticus 11. The reason why this is mentioned again was for them to know that the surrounding nations looked at animals different. They were not just animals but they worshiped them. For example the Canaanites looked at the pig as one of their gods. They would boil a baby goat in its mothers milk to do witchcraft. God wanted them to be different even with their food and how they prepare the food. It was not to be a downer and controlling but so Israel could be an example to the nations and show them who God is.

Tithe

This last bit of information for the chapter was dealing with tithing. A tithe is a portion of your property, income, belonging that you give to the Lord. Israel was commanded to give a tenth of their stuff (crops, firstborn of the flock, etc) to God as an offering. If they could not make the journey to the tabernacle to give it to God then they need to exchange it for some kind of money where they could buy it when they come to the place where the tabernacle will be. With the food and the stuff they were allowed to eat it and drink in a chance to rejoice in what God has done for them. Either if they gave it to God as an offering or in rejoicing of what they had, it was a form of worship. Now the surrounding nations may have had to give something to their gods and they also may have not. The reason for this tithe was not out of obligation but out of joy in how God has provided for them. It serves as a sign in how God has taken care of his children and he will continue to provide.

Today 

God calls us his children too because when know his son, Jesus Christ. He also calls us to be set apart from this world in how we live. Paul addressed his letters to the churches by calling them saints or those set apart from this world. We need to know that we too need to serve as an example to this world. We need to not look at it as if we are giving up something and missing out in all the fun but that we are being different to show them Christ. We mourn and have a funeral so people can see Christ in that setting. We may have different views about food but the point is that we have food because God takes care of his children (Matthew 6:33). We tithe to the church because it is God’s money that he has given us and we are basically giving a portion back. The other side to tithing is so we can invest into the kingdom of God. How are you in these areas? When it comes to funerals to make sure and put the attention on a loving and redeeming Savior? When it comes to food, to you praise the Lord for his provision, even if it is something that you like? Do you tithe regularly? Just because you may not have a job with a steady income does not disqualify you to give to the Lord. In Mark 12, a widow gave all she had which as pennies and she did it knowing that it was to glorify God. May we desire to glorify God in all that we do!