| Most parents - if not all - hold their children as special | | | | He says they are, not by any of their actions only by |
| and afford them privileges given to no other child or | | | | the declaration of the Lord. To receive the benefits |
| children but their own. As, parents, while loving the | | | | from the holiness their father pronounced on them |
| off springs of other people your own children have a | | | | the children must obey their father. Deut 14:1-2. As a |
| special niche in your heart. So by virtue of being your | | | | mater of fact, up to this point, these children have |
| off-springs, your children enjoy special benefits and | | | | been anything but holy. They have been faithless, |
| privileges, at your expense, no other children will | | | | and disobedient and rebellious. Despite this important |
| enjoy because you will not tolerate them to do so. | | | | broadcast, the children need to obey their father to |
| Your children are peculiar to you. My children are | | | | maintain being peculiar to Him. |
| peculiar to me. Relationship is a powerful motivator, it | | | | A parent generally selects the type of food his family |
| determines whether you are considered peculiar or | | | | enjoys. He chooses the best for his family. This is the |
| not. | | | | role the Lord is operating in with His children Israel. |
| The Lord God declares the nation of Israel as His | | | | Owing to the fact that Israel is chosen by God as |
| children. This declaration positions the children of | | | | children and peculiar to Him there are restrictions on |
| Israel (Israel) as peculiar in the eyes of the Lord. By | | | | what they should and should not eat and where they |
| this proclamation the Lord, as their father, sees and | | | | eat. What other children eat regularly for dinner they |
| allows Israel privileges "above all the nations that are | | | | are commanded not to. Matter of fact, it is not even |
| upon the earth." They are chosen, special and | | | | prepared at home. If they want to indulge in an |
| peculiar. | | | | forbidden food they would have to do so secretly |
| One very important component of parent - child | | | | (not that they can hide from God but Moses). For |
| relationships is obedience. The Lord God, as a parent | | | | example, the children of God are commanded not to |
| to Israel, provides guidelines for His children to follow | | | | eat any animals which die of itself, say by hanging or |
| to ensure their well-being. In this chapter | | | | otherwise. But they are allowed to sell the carcass or |
| (Deuteronomy Chapter 14) the Lord declares four | | | | give it to other people for them to eat it "... thou |
| areas of their lives He wants His children to give | | | | shalt give it unto the stranger..., that he may eat it; |
| attention to. By following these guidelines they will | | | | or thou mayest sell it unto an alien...." Deuteronomy |
| cement themselves as peculiar in the eyes of their | | | | 14:21. That is the extent of how peculiar and holy |
| father. These practices involve their diet, their | | | | God sees His children. |
| "dinning room", their tithe and the Levite. | | | | There are many other restrictions concerning many |
| The Lord commands His children to give back to Him, | | | | different aspects of the life of Israel. There are also |
| by giving tithes to the priest. They (not the world) | | | | many other commandments governing their diet for |
| are instructed to give to God one tenth (ten | | | | instance, they are, instructed never to eat |
| percent) of there possession. Later, when there is an | | | | "abominable" things. Deuteronomy chapter fourteen |
| increase in an area of wealth, they should give one | | | | verses four to twenty (Deut., 4:4-20) provides a list |
| tenth of the increase as tithe also to their father. | | | | of forbidden and "clean" animals Israel should not and |
| They are to give tithe of their crops, tithe of their | | | | should eat respectively. |
| wine press, tithe of of their oil, the first born of their | | | | Finally, according to Deuteronomy chapter 12:11 the |
| herds and of their flocks; that they may learn "to | | | | Lord chose "the place" for the Levite and all Israel to |
| fear the LORD" their " God always." The tithe is | | | | "eat before the LORD" their "God." This is not a |
| presented to the priest, who is from the tribe of | | | | requirement of EVERYBODY this is ONLY for the |
| Levite. This pronouncement concerning tithing is not | | | | people of covenant, the chosen and peculiar people |
| for EVERYBODY only for the children of the Lord. | | | | of God, see Deuteronomy 14:23. The peculiar children |
| Everyone is not a child of the Lord. If this were true | | | | are not allowed to eat "abominable" things and they |
| there would be no need to choose. A child of the | | | | cannot eat where they chose, they have a |
| Lord has certain features (not physical) by which he | | | | designated dining place. This commandment is of |
| is know. These features distinguish the children of | | | | fundamental importance because it affect the Levite |
| the Lord from other children and by them they know | | | | and all Israel. See Deuteronomy chapter 14:23-29. If |
| each other. These children are children by adoption. | | | | the tithe is difficult to transport by the very nature |
| Later, they MUST be born of a parent to be declared | | | | of it or if the distance is too far from "the place", |
| as children. This topic is for another writing. Generally, | | | | Israel is commanded to sell it. The proceeds from the |
| by his lifestyle you will recognise a child of God. | | | | sale of the tithe the children should take to "the |
| Specifically, for this lesson, one would acknowledge a | | | | place" and buy whatever they desire and enjoy it |
| child of God by four practices diet, tithe, treatment | | | | before the Lord. |
| of the Levite and where he eats. | | | | The peculiar people, the children of God, are |
| A parent, knows his child or children. He knows their | | | | instructed to store their tithes at home at the end of |
| capabilities and their talents, often he can identify, in | | | | every year for three years. At the end of the three |
| them, a certain skill or penchant toward a specific skill. | | | | years they should keep a feast with the stored |
| The parent may recognise that a certain child writes | | | | tithes. The peculiar children of God, should invite "the |
| lovely poems or great songs and another is | | | | Levite and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the |
| wonderful in taking care of his others siblings. It is | | | | widow," who live among them that they may eat |
| against a similar background, that the Lord constantly | | | | and be filled. This Israel is command by God to do in |
| reminds Israel of their responsibility to provide and | | | | order for Him to bless them in everything that they |
| care for the Levite. In this series of bible studies, the | | | | do. Deut 14:28-9. |
| last time the Lord did this was Deuteronomy 12:19. | | | | You can be a child of God today. Start by believing in |
| Now He is reiterating His request, Deuteronomy | | | | the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Accept him as Lord, be |
| 14:26-29. Recall, the Levite received no land as | | | | born again and be party to the New Covenant. Israel |
| inheritance, as the other tribes did. The Lord choose | | | | is party to the Old Covenant and are considered |
| them to be priest for the people of covenant. Their | | | | peculiar children of God. Accept Christ as Lord and |
| function as priests, is to carry the ark of covenant - | | | | come under the promises of the New Covenant and |
| the Word - and minister the Word to Israel. The Lord | | | | be one of the chosen generation, one of the royal |
| constant reminds His peculiar children do "not forsake" | | | | priesthood, one of the holy nation and one of the |
| the Levite, (Deut 14:27). This whole concept of a | | | | peculiar people, children of God. Why? "...that ye |
| nation being responsible for the well - being of the | | | | should shew forth the praises of him who hath called |
| priest is what the church is build on. | | | | you out of darkness into his marvellous light", 1 Peter |
| The Lord God announces to His peculiar people of | | | | 2:9. |
| covenant that they are holy. They are holy because | | | | |