Deuteronômio 17
Warren Wiersbe · Citado em PreceptAustin
Deuteronômio 17
Wiersbe points out "Israel’s great distinction was that they were not like the other nations! They were God’s chosen people, a kingdom of priests, and God’s special treasure (Ex. 19:5–6). “Lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations” (Num. 23:9). Imitating the world instead of trusting the Lord has always been the great temptation of God’s people, and each time they’ve succumbed, they’ve suffered. During their wilderness journey, Israel compared everything that happened with what they had experienced in Egypt, and at Kadesh-Barnea they even wanted to choose a leader and go back to Egypt! (Dt 14:1–5) But the church today is equally guilty of unbelief. When church leaders adopt the methods and measurements of the world, then the church has taken a giant step toward becoming like the world and losing its divine distinctives. Instead of trusting the Word of God and prayer (Acts 6:4), we depend on following the world’s wisdom, imitating the world’s methods, and catering to the world’s appetites, giving people what they want instead of what they need. Believers today need to take to heart God’s reminder to Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who has separated you from the peoples” (Num. 20:24NKJV). (Be Equipped)
Deuteronômio 17
Wiersbe - Israel did ask for a king, and God gave them Saul (1 Sa 8–10). We do not know whether he obeyed (Dt 17:18–20), but we do know that he failed to obey God’s will (1 Sam. 15:1-35). His successor David was a man of God’s Word, but David’s son Solomon committed all of the sins named in Deut 17:16–17 (1 Kings 10:1–11:14). There was great prosperity for a time, but then the nation divided and turned from God. Common citizens, priests, judges, and kings—all had an obligation to submit to God’s Word and obey it. The higher the position, the greater the responsibility. “Hear and fear!” (Be Equipped) Tabletalk - THE MONARCHY INSTITUTED DEUTERONOMY 17:14–20 “You may indeed set a king over you whom the LORD your God will choose. One from among your brothers you shall set as king over you” (v. 15). Following Joshua’s initial conquest of Canaan and the period of the judges, the Israelites expressed their desire for a king (1 Sam. 8). This request was motivated by Israel’s desire to be like the other nations who looked to a king to fight its battles (v. 20) rather than to the Lord who promised to wage war for the people (Ex. 14:14). The request for a king in Samuel’s day was an implicit rejection of God as king (1 Sam. 8:7–9). Importantly, the sin behind the people’s request reveals why Samuel frowned upon it. The desire for a king over Israel was not itself inherently evil; the Lord has always been pleased to rule His people through a human vice-regent when they seek a king with pure motives. This is clear in today’s passage, which was written long before the Israelites asked Samuel for a king. Indeed, Deuteronomy 17:14–20 looks for Israel to have a king—a king whom God Himself chooses (vv. 14–15). The type of king God desires is defined in this passage. First, the king must be an Israelite, not a foreigner (v. 15). This would help prevent Israel from becoming subservient to another empire and guard against the introduction of false gods by outsiders. The concern to prevent idolatry is also behind the warning for the king not to take many wives who would turn his heart away from the Creator (v. 17). Unfortunately, Solomon’s own life demonstrated the wisdom of this stipulation (1 Kings 11:1–8). The king must also not seek excessive military might in the form of horses or excessive luxury in the form of silver and gold (Deut. 17:16–17). Since ancient Near Eastern kings were honored according to the size of their armies, treasuries, and harems, we can see how the king of Israel was to be most unlike the kings of pagan nations. Israel’s king was to be subservient to God’s law (vv. 18–20). As a servant of the people, the king did not abide by different rules, for he was subject to the same commands and penalties as ordinary people. Here is the notion of the rule of law that has become so prominent in Western legal theory. We see this principle illustrated in point 45 of the Magna Carta: “We will appoint as justiciars, constables, sheriffs, or bailiffs only such men as know the law of the kingdom and well desire to observe it.” Though we do not live in a theocracy like Israel, rulers both secular and in the church are never laws unto themselves. CORAM DEO Living before the face of God - For decades, presidents, parliaments, and other ruling bodies in our country and around the world have paid lip service to the rule of law while acting as if they are above the laws of the land. We can do something about this in our own society by voting for people who will subject themselves to God’s moral claims (natural law). We can also strive to follow God’s law and make disciples who may grow into godly leaders in positions of influence both great and small Deuteronomy 17:15 you shall surely set a king over you whom the LORD your God chooses, one from among your countrymen you shall set as king over yourselves; you may not put a foreigner over yourselves who is not your countryman. whom: 1Sa 9:15-17 10:24 16:12,13 2Sa 5:2 1Ch 12:23 22:10 28:5 Ps 2:2,6 from among: Jer 30:21 Mt 22:17 not set: Jer 2:25 Deuteronomy 17 Resources Related Passages: Dan 2:20+ Daniel said, “Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, For wisdom and power belong to Him. 21 “It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding. 22 “It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, And the light dwells with Him. GOD'S IS SOVEREIGN OVER CHOOSING SOVEREIGNS! you shall surely set a king over you whom the LORD your God chooses - God chooses and Israel confirms His choice by affirmation (e.g., Jdg. 11:11; Hos. 1:11). What follows are the qualifications for a king of Israel and they are very clear. Deere - Later history made it clear that prophets, speaking on God’s behalf, would declare His choice (e.g., Samuel’s support for Saul, 1 Sam. 9–12, and then for David, 1 Sam. 16; Nathan’s support of Solomon, 1 Kings 1). The people could be sure that God would place no one on the throne whom He had not gifted to be king. Therefore if a king failed, the reason for his failure would not lie in his lack of ability but in his moral life.(The Bible Knowledge Commentary) Recall God's choice of David, and how even Samuel did not recognize the LORD's choice, Samuel later recording "the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Sa 16:7). Wiersbe makes an interesting comment - The king was not to be elected by the people; he was to be chosen by God. Israel’s first king was Saul (1 Sam. 9–10), but God never intended Saul to establish a royal dynasty in Israel. Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin, but Judah was the royal tribe (Gen. 49:8–10), and the Messiah would come from Judah. Actually, Saul was given to the people to chasten them because they rejected the Lord (1 Sam. 8:7), for God’s greatest judgment is to give His people what they want and let them suffer for it. (Be Equipped) ESVSB - Kings prefigure the righteousness of Christ the perfect King (Isa. 9:6–7; Matt. 27:37; Rev. 19:16). One from among your countrymen you shall set as king over yourselves - Only a native Israelite could be king. "Not only must the king be chosen by God, but the king must be from Israel and not be a foreigner. Whenever God wanted to chasten His people, He would set a foreign ruler over them and let the people experience the contrast between the goodness of God and the oppressiveness of the idolatrous Gentiles." (Wiersbe) you may not put a foreigner over yourselves who is not your countryman - No strangers, someone who was not part of the family of Israel. Foreigner (05237) (nokriy) comes from a word that means "to recognize" or be conspicuous. The most common usage is in describing that which is foreign, especially "foreign" people (not Israelites - Ruth the Moabitess). Uses in Deut - Deut. 14:21; Deut. 15:3; Deut. 17:15; Deut. 23:20; Deut. 29:22; Webster on foreign - situated outside a place or country; especially : situated outside one’s own country; born in, belonging to, or characteristic of some place or country other than the one under consideration; alien in character Deuteronomy 17:16 "Moreover, he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor shall he cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, since the LORD has said to you, 'You shall never again return that way.' multiply horses: 1Sa 8:11 2Sa 8:4 1Ki 1:5 4:26 10:26-28 2Ch 9:25 Ps 20:7 Isa 36:8,9 Ho 14:3 cause: Isa 31:1-3 Jer 42:14 Eze 17:15 Ye shall henceforth: De 28:68 Ex 13:17 14:13 Nu 14:3,4 Jer 42:15,16 Ho 11:5 Deuteronomy 17 Resources Related Passage: 1 Kings 4:26; 10:14 Solomon had 40,000 stalls of horses for his chariots, and 12,000 horsemen. Isaiah 31:1 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help And rely on horses, And trust in chariots because they are many And in horsemen because they are very strong, But they do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the LORD! Deuteronomy 28:68 “The LORD will bring you back to Egypt in ships, by the way about which I spoke to you, ‘You will never see it again!’ And there you will offer yourselves for sale to your enemies as male and female slaves, but there will be no buyer.” THE DANGER OF MULTIPLICATION Moreover, he shall not multiply horses for himself - What would "multiplication of horses" have signified in these times? One thought is that he is not to seek military might by multiplying horses, just as he should not seek political alliances by multiplying wives. The implication of many horses is military might and the king is not to trust in created horses but to trust in Yahweh Who created the horses! David writes " Some boast in chariots and some in horses, but we will boast in the name of the LORD, our God." (Ps 20:7) Jack Deere - The prohibition against acquiring great numbers of horses meant that on human terms the king’s army, composed mainly of infantry, would be significantly weaker than an enemy’s army with many chariots and cavalry. Yet this was precisely the point. An obedient Israelite king was to depend not on military strength but on the LORD alone. God had already demonstrated His ability to crush a large superior chariot army (Ex. 14–15). Acquiring horses would mean the people would be going to Egypt, where many were available. Returning to the nation’s former land of slavery was unthinkable.(The Bible Knowledge Commentary)
Deuteronômio 17
Wiersbe comments - Solomon married an Egyptian princess (1 Kings 3:1), the first of many political alliances he made by taking foreign wives (1 Ki 11:1–6). He went back to Egypt not only for a wife but also for horses for his army, and built “chariot cities” in Israel where he stabled his horses and chariots (1 Ki 10:26, 28–29). As for his wealth, it was fabulous and impossible to calculate (1 Ki 10:14–25, 27). The description of Solomon’s kingdom in 1 Kings 10 makes it look like a paradise, but it was decaying from within. (Be Equipped)