Scripture

When he becomes king, he should have the Levitical priests make him a copy of these teachings on a scroll.

He must keep it with him and read it his entire life. He will learn to fear the Lord his God and faithfully obey everything found in these teachings and laws.

Then he won’t think he’s better than the rest of his people, and he won’t disobey these commands in any way. So he and his sons will rule for a long time in Israel.

Observation

During their time in the desert, the people of Israel deferred their relationship with God to Moses. He predicts the people will take it a step further, and will say, “Let’s have our own king like all the other nations around us.”

Moses tells them to appoint the king the Lord your God will choose, one of their own people. They should also be sure he is well grounded in the teachings Moses has just given the people, God’s laws and principles for a just, caring nation.

Reading and living by the Lord’s principles will also keep the king humble. He is king because the Lord has chosen him for that role, not because he is better than everyone else. He is also subject to the law, not above it.

Application

Reading and keeping God’s Word helps keep a proper perspective on self-importance - He is God; I’m not.

Without Him in the picture, I can become self-focused, thinking higher of myself than I ought, as better, more important than anyone around me. Living self-absorbed, in my own little world. The news is full of stories of lives destroyed by taking this to excess.

A right picture of God reminds me that all I am and have is by His grace, for His purposes. His principles are the roadmap to successful living. And His empowerment enables me to live by them.

Prayer

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