Moses reminds the Israelites that God had chosen them to be His treasured possession. Hence, they should be holy and different to God in every way. God's dietary laws could remind them that that they were God's chosen people who were holy to God and different from the unchosen people. These laws allowed them to eat certain animals, but prohibited them from eating others. As God's people, they were only to eat the food that God had chosen. What is the new covenant menu? Jesus declared all foods clean (Mk 7:19), and so chosen and unchosen food is no longer needed (Ac 10:15). Our unrestricted diet is to be the daily reminder of God's unrestricted grace. As God's chosen people, we also need to be reminded that we must eat the spiritual food daily which is God's word. Jesus said, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work" (Jn 4:34).

As for the command about tithes each family must take a tenth of their harvest and have a joyful feast together in reverence to God. God wanted food to be a reminder of how He had given Israel things to enjoy in the new land. Enjoying God's blessings with thankfulness is the way to revere and remember Him. God commanded that every third year the tithe was to be stored and spent for the support of the Levites and the needy.


Application: Lord, thank you for making us a people holy to you through Jesus. Grow me in holiness.
One Word: A holy nation