Dawn over terraced hill country at the first harvest: ripe barley on the lowest terrace, vines and fig and pomegranate trees above, old olives and a small village far off.

The Book of

Deuteronomy 26

A basket of the first harvest, and a story told in five sentences: the law ends with a thankful people and a God who heard.

19 verses≈ 5 minBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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Where we are

1–4Remember the wayFrom Horeb to Moab
5–11Love the LORDThe heart of the covenant
12–26Laws for the landWorship, justice, neighborChapter 26
27–30Blessing and curseChoose life
31–34Moses' farewellA song, a blessing, a death

Offering Firstfruits and Tithes

When you enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, and you take possession of it and settle in it, you are to take some of the firstfruits of all your produce from the soil of the land that the LORD your God is giving you and put them in a basket. Then go to the place the LORD your God will choose as a dwelling for His Name,

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In an orchard at early morning, a farmer’s weathered hands lay ripe figs and a pomegranate on top of a woven reed basket already filled with ears of barley and wheat and a cluster of grapes.

to the priest who is serving at that time, and say to him, “I declare today to the LORD your God that I have entered the land that the LORD swore to our fathers to give us.”

Then the priest shall take the basket from your hands and place it before the altar of the LORD your God,

Moses

the LORD heard our voice and saw our affliction, toil, and oppression

Deuteronomy 26:7

Reflect

Your story, His rescue

The farmer at the altar had never seen Egypt, yet he told the story as his own: “My father was a wandering Aramean,” “the Egyptians mistreated us,” “we called out to the LORD.” Write your own story with God in a few lines. Where were you? How did you call out to Him? What did He do? Then thank Him for it by name.

And now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land that You, O LORD, have given me.” Then you are to place the basket before the LORD your God and bow down before Him.

So you shall rejoice—you, the Levite, and the foreigner dwelling among you—in all the good things the LORD your God has given to you and your household.

When you have finished laying aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you are to give it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat and be filled within your gates.

Early morning over the hill country: a vast clear sky above terraced fields and a small village with smoke rising, the land small in the lower third, light spreading across the sky.

Then you shall declare in the presence of the LORD your God, “I have removed from my house the sacred portion and have given it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow, according to all the commandments You have given me. I have not transgressed or forgotten Your commandments. I have not eaten any of the sacred portion while in mourning, or removed any of it while unclean, or offered any of it for the dead. I have obeyed the LORD my God; I have done everything You commanded me. Look down from Your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless Your people Israel and the land You have given us as You swore to our fathers—a land flowing with milk and honey.”

0:38

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

Pray

Bless Your people

The worshiper’s prayer was short: “bless Your people Israel and the land You have given us.” Ask God to bless your home, your church and your town. Then ask Him to make you a blessing this week to one person who has little: a widow, a child without a father, a newcomer, someone who serves and is often forgotten.

Obey the LORD’s Commands

The LORD your God commands you this day to follow these statutes and ordinances. You must be careful to follow them with all your heart and with all your soul.

Today you have proclaimed that the LORD is your God and that you will walk in His ways, keep His statutes and commandments and ordinances, and listen to His voice.

And today the LORD has proclaimed that you are His people and treasured possession

Deuteronomy 26:18–19

Question

Quick question

Every third year, the year of the tithe, the tenth of the harvest did not go up to the sanctuary. It stayed in the towns.

In the third year, who was the tithe given to?

The laws for the land

Whiteboard

Chapter 26 closes the laws Moses began at chapter 12. They start with worship at the one place the LORD would choose, set leaders under God, protect life and justice, and guard the family and the neighbor. Then they end where they began, at the altar, with a basket of the first harvest and a grateful story. Last come two vows: Israel says the LORD is their God, and the LORD says “you are His people and treasured possession.” The whole law is life with Him, given to a people He had already rescued.

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Deuteronomy 26

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A verse to carry with you

So we called out to the LORD, the God of our fathers; and the LORD heard our voice and saw our affliction, toil, and oppression.

Deuteronomy 26:7

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