They were reminded that they are the children of God and to steer clear of pagan customs. They were not to cut themselves nor shave the front of their head for the dead (v1). A pagan burial custom. Mutilation of the body was referred to in several passages of Scripture, (Isaiah 3:24, Amos 8:10 etc) and still exists in some countries today. It is not wrong to mourn the loss of a loved-one, but we should not mourn as those who have no hope. In fact, the opposite, we have the promise of God that those who have died in Christ are safe in His care.
We often hear today of all people being referred to as God’s children. This is not true. We are all God’s creations, but we only become His children through repentance and faith in Christ and receiving Him into our lives, being born again.
Moses stresses that they are a chosen people, a holy people. A special treasure above all others on the face of the earth (v2). All this creates a great responsibility before the world. The same applies to all believers and followers of The Lord Jesus Christ, whilst we have not replaced Israel, we are chosen generation and a holy people for The Lord and we have a unique place in the world to witness for Him and live for Him (see 1 Peter 2:9, Ephesians 1:18). The Lord God still has a place for Israel in His plan, however, I am not sufficiently qualified to explain that, but I believe He has.
In verses 3-21 we have a list of animals, fish and birds which were considered clean or unclean, what they could or could not eat. These were laws which were instituted for the health and hygiene of the Israelites.
When we come to the New Testament, in Acts 10, Peter was told to go to Cornelius, a Gentile. He was not happy to go and told The Lord so. The Lord had to show him a vision of all kinds of animals, clean and unclean and when Peter objected regarding the animals, The Lord said to Him that he must not call unclean that which He has cleansed. Thus, it seems that we are not bound by those laws.
They were also to tithe of their grain, wine, oil, firstborn of their herds and flocks to teach them to fear The LORD their God. (v22,23) It was to teach them to honour The LORD and put Him first in all their doings. They were to bring their tithes to the tabernacle and even eat before The Lord there, but, if they lived too far away from the place to take the grain and livestock, they were to change it for money which was more convenient and take it to the tabernacle/temple (v24-27) which would have been more convenient for them.
We have mentioned tithes before, that this was to be given to God and to maintain the Levites who had no inheritance in the land. The Levites served The LORD in the tabernacle and later, the temple.
Every third year they were to bring the tithe and store it within their gates and the Levites, the stranger, the fatherless and widow within their gates could come and eat and The LORD would bless them in all their work (v28,29).
Some think that this was a further tithe, but it is doubtful, simply that it was available to the poor and not only the Levites. Tithing was practised before the Mosaic Law. Abraham brought tithes.
Tithing is not commanded in the New Testament but giving is. Every good and perfect gift comes down from God, therefore, all we have comes from Him. We must never take His blessings for granted, so in a way, if a tenth was good enough for the Israelites under His law, we should probably do far more in view of His goodness to us. Our giving should be cheerful, generous, willingly and in proportion to the blessings we have received, and it must always be to please God and bring glory to Him. (See 1 Corinthians 16:1,2, 2 Corinthians 8-9)
