Daily Manna 16 June
KEY VERSE: “Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.” – (Deuteronomy 16:19)
TEXT: Deuteronomy 16:13-22
13. Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine;
14. And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within thy gates.
15. Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD shall choose; because the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thine increase, and in all the works of thine hands, therefore thou shalt surely rejoice.
16. Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the LORD empty;
17. Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee.
18. Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes; and they shall judge the people with just judgment.
19. Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift; for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.
20. That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
21. Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the LORD thy God, which thou shalt make thee.
22. Neither shalt thou set thee up any image; which the LORD thy God hateth. Daily Manna 16 June
Read yesterday’s Daily Manna here
During the fall of 1775, a man who appeared to be a typical American farmer attempted to book a room in Baltimore’s fashionable hotel. Concerned about the hotel’s reputation, the manager refused to rent the room. The man left and took a room in another hotel. Later, the manager learnt he had refused a room to Thomas Jefferson, the then Vice President of the United States.
Immediately, he sent a note asking Jefferson to return to his hotel as a guest. Jefferson replied: “I value your good intentions highly, but if you have no place for an American farmer, you have no right giving hospitality to an American Vice President”!
Under God’s theocracy in Israel, justice, equality, love and impartiality in judgment were to be the hallmark. During times of feasting and rejoicing, the widows and fatherless, servants and strangers in the land were invited to be part of it. And in the administration of justice, impartiality is commanded. The judges were forbidden from taking bribes to subvert or pervert judgment.
Israel was a nation under divine control. They were different and separate from the surrounding nations. When God is in control and the people are in full compliance with His word, there will be no need to police the streets, no prisons and detention centres because the laws of God are written in our hearts and we observe the golden rule in our dealings with each other.
When Jesus came to live among men, people did not recognise Him because He was very humble. He was kind to all and sundry. He received strangers and sinners in love and compassion. Little wonder many turned away from sin and followed Him. The world needs Christ today to heal the society of oppression and partiality.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Jesus is the answer to the world’s problems.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ephesians 4-6
