Sunday, March 27

“He must not acquire…”

Scripture: Deuteronomy 17-18, Matthew 27

Deuteronomy 17:15–20  You are to appoint over you the king the Lord your God chooses. Appoint a king from your brothers. You are not to set a foreigner over you, or one who is not of your people. 16 However, he must not acquire many horses for himself or send the people back to Egypt to acquire many horses, for the Lord has told you, ‘You are never to go back that way again.’ 17 He must not acquire many wives for himself so that his heart won’t go astray. He must not acquire very large amounts of silver and gold for himself. 18 When he is seated on his royal throne, he is to write a copy of this instruction for himself on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. 19 It is to remain with him, and he is to read from it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to observe all the words of this instruction, and to do these statutes. 20 Then his heart will not be exalted above his countrymen, he will not turn from this command to the right or the left, and he and his sons will continue reigning many years in Israel.

Observation

The Lord gave Moses instructions for a king for Israel.  Three times the Lord says, “he must not acquire.”  

  • He must not acquire many horses for himself, signifying riches or military power or both, and indicating a reliance on self rather than dependence on God.  
  • He must not acquire many wives so that his heart won’t go astray—a reference to the custom of marrying foreign royalty as political alliances (more power).  Solomon did this in spades and his heart was led astray by the idolatry of his wives.  
  • He must not acquire large amounts of gold and silver for himself.  He wasn’t to use his position to enrich himself, something that was too common then…and now.

All of these are about using his position to accumulate more power and riches for himself.  

To the contrary, the king was to avoid all selfish acquisition and instead was to ground himself in God’s word—making his own copy of it and reading it every day—so that his heart wouldn’t be exalted above his countrymen and he would obey God’s word.  

Application

I will be in God’s word every day to keep my heart where it needs to be.  God’s word keeps me humble, not exalted above others, and keeps my values aligned with God’s.  

I will check my desire to acquire.  Pastor Michael spoke powerfully this weekend about greed (the excessive desire to acquire) from Luke 12, and he challenged us about our acquisitiveness—and even mentioned this passage.  I want to be a giver more than a getter.  I want to be more content, more generous and less acquisitive.  

And finally, I want leaders who are like this!  This passage is about Israel’s king.  We want leaders with character and humility, not selfishness and greed.  

Prayer: Lord, let your word shape my values.  Help me be humble, generous, content and eager to serve—not selfish, greedy and acquisitive.