Jo’s Place

​ The Lord’s Instructions to Moses about Israel’s Disobedience (Continued) That very day, Moses wrote down the words of the song ( that the Lord dictated to him ) …and he taught it to the Israelites.  Then, the Lord commissioned Joshua son of Nun with these words:  “Be strong and courageous, for you must bring the people of Israel, into the land that I swore to give them.  I will be with you.”  After Moses had finished writing this entire body of instruction, in a book, …he gave this command to the Levites, who carried the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant:  “Take this Book of Instruction and place it beside the Ark of the Covenant, of the Lord your God, so it may remain there, as a witness against the people of Israel.  For I know how rebellious and stubborn Israel is.  Even now, while I am still alive …and I am here with you, …you have rebelled against the Lord.  How much more rebellious will you be after my death!  “Now, summon all the elders and...

​ The Book of Instructions   Moses wrote the entire body of instruction  (from the Lord),  in a book, and gave it to the priests, who carried the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant, …and to the elders of Israel.  Then, Moses gave them this command:  “At the end of every seventh year, the Year of Release, during the Festival of Shelters, you must read this Book of Instruction, to all the people of Israel, when they assemble before the Lord your God, at the place He chooses.  Call them all together—men, women, children, and the foreigners living in your towns—so they may hear this Book of Instruction …and learn to fear the Lord your God …and carefully obey all the terms of these instructions.  Do this, so that your children, who have not known these instructions, will hear them …and will learn to fear the Lord your God.  Do this as long as you live, in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to occupy.”  Deuteronomy 31:9–13 (NLT) Praise be to God!

The Lord’s Instructions  “Your pattern of worship will change.  Today, all of you are doing as you please, because you have not yet arrived at the place of rest, the land the Lord, your God, is giving to you, as your special possession.  But, you will soon cross the Jordan River …and live in the land, that the Lord, your God, is giving you.  When He gives you rest, from all your enemies …and you’re living safely in the land, …you must bring everything, which I command you—your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, your sacred offerings, and your offerings to fulfill a vow—you must bring these to the designated place… the place of worship, the place the Lord, your God, chooses for His name to be honored.  “You must celebrate …there, in the presence of the Lord, your God, with your sons and daughters …and all your servants.  And remember to include the Levites, who live in your towns, …for they will receive no allotment of land, among you.  Be c...

God’s Instructions   “So commit yourselves, wholeheartedly, to these words of Mine.  Tie them to your hands …and wear them, on your forehead, as reminders.  Teach them, to your children.  Talk about them, when you are at home ..and when you are on the road …when you are going to bed …and when you are getting up.  Write them on the doorposts, of your house …and on your gates, so that, as long as the sky remains above the earth, you and your children may flourish, in the land the Lord swore, to give your ancestors.  “Be careful, to obey all these commands, I am giving you.  Show love to the Lord, your God, by walking in His ways …and holding tightly to Him.  Then, the Lord will drive out all the nations, ahead of you, though they are much greater and stronger than you, …and you will take over their land.  Wherever you set foot, that land will be yours.  Your frontiers will stretch, from the wilderness in the south, to Lebanon in the north,...

​ More Instructions about Festivals After the Celebration of the first Crops… Celebrate The Festival of Harvest “From the day after the Sabbath—the day, on which you bring the bundle, of grain, to be lifted up, as a special offering—count off seven full weeks.  Then. … Keep counting, until the day, after the seventh Sabbath, fifty days later.  Then, present an offering of new grain to the Lord.  From wherever you live, bring two loaves of bread, to be lifted up, before the Lord, as a special offering.  Make these loaves, from four quarts, of choice flour, and bake them, with yeast.  They will be an offering, to the Lord, from the first, of your crops.  Along with the bread, present seven one-year-old male lambs,    with no defects,… one young bull, and two rams, as burnt offerings, to the Lord.  These burnt offerings, together with the grain offerings… and liquid offerings, will be a special gift, a pleasing aroma, to the Lord.  Then, yo...

​ Instructions for the Priests The Lord said to Moses,  “Give the following instructions to the priests, the descendants of Aaron.  “A priest must not make himself ceremonially unclean, by touching the dead body, of a relative.  The only exceptions are his closest relatives—his mother or father, son or daughter, brother, or his virgin sister, who depends on him, because she has no husband.  But a priest must not defile himself and make himself unclean, for someone, who is related to him, only by marriage.  “The priests must not shave their heads or trim their beards or cut their bodies.  They must be set apart, as holy, to their God, and must never bring shame, on the name of God.  They must be holy, for they are the ones, who present the special gifts, to the Lord, gifts of food, for their God.  “Priests may not marry a woman, who is defiled by prostitution, and they may not marry a woman, who is divorced, from her husband, for the priests are se...

​ The Passover Instructions   While the Israelites were still in the land of Egypt, the Lord gave the following instructions to Moses and Aaron:  “From now on, this month  (the month of Nissan)  will be the first month of the year for you.  Announce to the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month, each family must choose a lamb or a young goat for a sacrifice, one animal for each household.  If a family is too small to eat a whole animal, let them share with another family in the neighborhood.  Divide the animal according to the size of each family and how much they can eat.  The animal you select must be a one-year-old male, either a sheep or a goat, with no defects.  “Take special care of this chosen animal until the evening of the fourteenth day of this first month.  Then the whole assembly of the community of Israel must slaughter their lamb or young goat at twilight.  They are to take some of the blood and ...