This is the most telling of all the requirements. The “law” is in Hebrew “תּוֹרָה” (“torah”), specifically meaning Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Who has done this or will commit to doing this? We should not consider this a typing exercise, but with pen or scribe on paper or parchment, writing the Torah. Spending an hour a day this is roughly a one year task. Listening to or reading the Scripture is helpful and enlightening. Being a scribe and writing a copy of the Scripture helps engrain the words into your mind. You are inspired to think about each word as you write and have the time to dwell on the verses in the process. Finding a Bible to read is easy in this era, but sitting down with a copy that you wrote by your own hand brings a closeness that is perhaps the Lord’s intention. Why do this? Why should someone who can easily buy numerous copies of the Scripture spend the time and effort it writing their own copy by hand? Perhaps in doing so it will help shield his heart from being “lifted up above his brothers” or that his daily reading of the copy he wrote would inspire him “not turn aside from the commandment”. Conclusion There is purposely no real conclusion drawn in this article, but ideas set out. When someone attempts to draw you to vote for them to perform a role that is similar to or effectively a king, a serious evaluation of their qualifications based on Deuteronomy 17 is called for. Two people need to be reviewed before you vote, the candidate, and you. If you claim to be a Christian, should you not also evaluate yourself? Should you consider how much you are evaluating a candidate on the precepts of the world or of the Scripture? The Lord grants us freedom for our own tastes when we choose chocolate or vanilla, however the Lord gives us guidance when we choose more serious things, such as leadership. Is our vote based on our own weakness, letting someone else decide things for us? It is based on wanting our team in leadership rather than the other? Is it based on our desire for the leadership to provide things for us? Is it based on our study of Scripture? The conclusion then is yours. |