Sharper Iron — The Law of God is Good and Wise: Care for the Levites and Avoid Abominations

Rev. Steve Andrews, pastor at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Lee’s Summit, MO, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Deuteronomy 18:1-14.

Moses teaches Israel how to care for the Levites and priests. The Levites and priests have no inheritance of land among the people; the LORD is their inheritance. The people of Israel provide for the physical needs of these servants of the LORD through the offering of their firstfruits. Moses transitions to speaking about the office of prophet in Israel by exposing various abominations among the Canaanites who will be displaced from the Promised Land. If Israel follows in the way of such abominations, they will be driven out themselves. Instead, Israel must listen to the LORD’s Word alone for their instruction.’

“The Law of God is Good and Wise” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Deuteronomy. Though Moses’ lengthy sermons in Deuteronomy may be tempting to skip, this influential book is essential reading for Christians. As Moses strengthened Israel on the plains of Moab before the people entered the Promised Land, so the book of Deuteronomy still strengthens the Church as we prepare to enter the Resurrection with Christ, the Prophet greater than Moses.

Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God’s Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen.

Sharper Iron is underwritten by Lutheran Church Extension Fund, where your investments help support the work of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit lcef.org.

Deuteronomy 18:1-14

Provision for Priests and Levites

18 “The Levitical priests, all the tribe of Levi, shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They shall eat the Lord‘s food offerings^[a] as their^[b] inheritance. ²They shall have no inheritance among their brothers; the Lord is their inheritance, as he promised them. ³And this shall be the priests’ due from the people, from those offering a sacrifice, whether an ox or a sheep: they shall give to the priest the shoulder and the two cheeks and the stomach. ⁴The firstfruits of your grain, of your wine and of your oil, and the first fleece of your sheep, you shall give him. ⁵For the Lord your God has chosen him out of all your tribes to stand and minister in the name of the Lord, him and his sons for all time.

⁶“And if a Levite comes from any of your towns out of all Israel, where he lives—and he may come when he desires^[c]—to the place that the Lord will choose, ⁷and ministers in the name of the Lord his God, like all his fellow Levites who stand to minister there before the Lord, ⁸then he may have equal portions to eat, besides what he receives from the sale of his patrimony.^[d]

Abominable Practices

⁹“When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. ¹⁰There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering,^[e] anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer ¹¹or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, ¹²for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations the Lord your God is driving them out before you. ¹³You shall be blameless before the Lord your God, ¹⁴for these nations, which you are about to dispossess, listen to fortune-tellers and to diviners. But as for you, the Lord your God has not allowed you to do this.

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Footnotes

Deuteronomy 18:1 Or the offerings by fire to the Lord
Deuteronomy 18:1 Hebrew his
Deuteronomy 18:6 Or lives—if he comes enthusiastically
Deuteronomy 18:8 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
Deuteronomy 18:10 Hebrew makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire

Rev. Timothy Appel

Although a mathematics degree may not be incredibly helpful to (proudly born-and-raised Texan) Rev. Timothy Appel while hosting Sharper Iron, his love of CFW Walther and the season of Easter will come in handy. His Call is shepherding the flock at Faith Lutheran Church in Godfrey, Illinois, and he’s also husband to wife Kristin and dad to their growing basketball team of children. When he’s not carrying out pastoral duties, you may find him reading “The Lord of the Rings,” snacking on Reese’s peanut butter cups, playing dominoes with his boys, or studying up on Texas history (including Sam Houston, of course).