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When he sits on the throne as king, he must copy these laws on a scroll for himself in the presence of the Levitical priests. He must always keep this copy of the law with him and read it daily as long as he lives. That way he will learn to fear the Lord his God by obeying all the terms of this law. —Deuteronomy 17:18-19
How important it is to have your own knowledge of the Word of God! What your parents or grandparents knew and taught you about the Word of God should not be your only source of revelation. Your own eyes must see God’s Word, and then you must hide it inside your heart. If Solomon had obeyed Moses’ command to produce a handwritten copy of the law (Deuteronomy 17:14-20), he would have known for himself some important things. For example, he would have known not to acquire horses from Egypt, take multiple wives, or accumulate large amounts of silver and gold (vv. 16-17). Obedience to these three simple commands would have kept him from all his troubles. In fact, however, these were the very sins he committed (1 Kings 10:26-11:13). What a tragedy! If only Solomon had hidden God’s Word in his heart, he might not have sinned against God (Psalm 119:11). Your own personal, diligent, daily study of the Word will undoubtedly protect you from much deception and heartache. Moses passed down suitable guidelines for a king, instructing that he read them daily throughout his life. In the same way, if you read God’s Word every day and hide its truths in your heart, you will be equipped to live it.
Suggested Reading:
Deuteronomy 16:1-17:20
Luke 9:7-27
Psalm 72:1-20
Proverbs 12:8-9