26:5-10This recitation of God's dealings with his people helped the people remember what God had done for them. What is the history of your relationship with God? Can you put into clear and concise words what God has done for you? Find a friend with whom you can share your spiritual journey. Telling your stories to each other will help you clearly understand your personal spiritual history, as well as encouraging and inspiring you both. Note: Wandering can mean lost or dying. Also, Arameans were the people of northern Syria and among the ancestors of Abraham. This is also used as a reference to Jacob, who spent many years there (Genesis 29-31) and got his two wives in Aram.
Life Application Study BibleDeuteronomyChapter 26
Deuteronomy 26
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 295, 296
A few verse numbers on this page were hard to read in the scan and are marked with a dotted underline — compare with the original page image if in doubt.
26Deuteronomy 26
Harvest Offerings and Tithes
126 “When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you as a special possession and you have conquered it and settled there, 2put some of the first produce from each crop you harvest into a basket and bring it to the designated place of worship—the place the LORD your God chooses for his name to be honored. 3Go to the priest in charge at that time and say to him, ‘With this gift I acknowledge to the LORD your God that I have entered the land he swore to our ancestors he would give us.’ 4The priest will then take the basket from your hand and set it before the altar of the LORD your God. 5“You must then say in the presence of the LORD your God, ‘My ancestor Jacob wasawan- 26:5 dering Aramean who went to live as a foreigner in Egypt. His family arrived few in number, Deut 1:10; 10:22 put in Egypt they became a large and mighty nation. 6When the Egyptians oppressed and 26:6 humiliated us by making us their slaves, 7we cried out to the LORD, the God of our ancestors. Exod 4:11-12 He heard our cries and saw our hardship, toil, and oppression. 8So the LORD brought us out 26:8 of Egypt with a strong hand and powerful arm, with overwhelming terror, and with miracu- Deut 4:34 Jous signs and wonders. 9He brought us to this place and gave us this land flowing with milk 259,..6. 47 and honey! 12And now, O LORD, I have brought you the first portion of the harvest you have, given me from the ground. 10Then place the produce before the LORD your God, and bow to the ground in worship before him. ' 1 Afterward you may go and celebrate because of all the 26:11 good things the LORD your God has given to you and your household. Remember to include Deut 12:7, 12 the Levites and the foreigners living among you in the celebration. 12"Bvery third year you must offer a special tithe of your crops. In this year of the special 26:12, 4:28-29 tithe you must give your tithes to the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows, so that they Heb 7:5. 9-10 will have enough to eat in your towns. 13Then you must declare in the presence of the LORD your God, ‘I have taken the sacred gift from my house and have given it to the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows, just as you commanded me. I have not violated or forgotten any of your commands. 14I have not eaten any of it while in mourning; I have not handled it while I was ceremonially unclean; and I have not offered any of it to the dead. I have obeyed the LORD my God and have done everything you commanded me. t5Now look down from 26:15 your holy dwelling place in heaven and bless your people Israel and the land you swore to Zech 2:13 our ancestors to give us—a land flowing with milk and honey.’
A Call to Obey the LORD’s Commands
1616"Today the LORD your God has commanded you to obey all these decrees and regulations. 26:16 09 So be careful to obey them wholeheartedly. 17You have declared today thatthe Lorpisyour 5647 God. And you have promised to walk in his ways, and to obey his decrees, commands, and Ps 48:14 regulations, and to do everything he tells you. 18The LORD has declared today thatyouarehis 26:18 people, his own special treasure, just as he promised, and that you must obey all his com- oie mands, 19And if you do, he will set you high above all the other nations he has made. Then Deut,28:1 you will receive praise, honor, and renown. You will be a nation that is holy to the LORD your God, just as he promised.” 6. Consequences of obedience and disobedience
Life Application Notes 2 notes
26:12This law is repeated from 14:28-29. The people were to give their tithe to the needy ever third year. This amounts to one-third of their giving on a three-year cycle. Though we are not under this law today, the New Testament reminds us not to forget the poor. Consider giving one-third of your annual contribution to overseas ministries. or to relief for the poor, orphans, and widows.