Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy  

 

 

The book of Deuteronomy was written by Moses around 1410 B.C. and was inspired by God. We have much to learn from this powerful book.  Deuteronomy expresses God’s deepest desire that His people be turned from wanderers into overcomers.  Deuteronomy was written during the time the Israelites were finally reaching their “Promised Land” after wandering in the wilderness for many long years.

 

The book of Deuteronomy was not only written long ago for the wandering Jewish people; it is also written for God’s people today. Too many of us are wandering, lost in our own wilderness of life. Deuteronomy is a practical and powerful book, pointing the way out of the wilderness and into the “Promised Land” not only for the wanderers back then but also for us modern wanderers.   God our heavenly Father, wants His people today, as well as His people back then, to commit their lives to Him and be overcomers.  

 

Deuteronomy begins with Moses reminding the Israelites of how God had taken them out the land of Egypt where they had been slaves.  How He had led them and taken care of them.  How He was their Creator, Redeemer, Protector, Provider and Warrior. And how He had been merciful, gracious and forgiving toward them.    And in return God asks His people to trust Him and obey His commandments.

 

Before Moses dies, he preaches to the Israelites begging them to stay true to their God.  God shows Moses what the Israelites will do in the far-off future – how many hundreds of years later Israel will disobey God over and over again until finally they lose their Promised Land and are scattered around the world.  But also, Moses foresees in the distant future how God will be faithful to His Covenant with them and regather Israel – all of the twelve tribes - in the last day.  (Deuteronomy 30:1-10)

 

Moses was 120 years old and dies after God had mightily used him to lead the Israelites for over forty years.  Moses represents the Law and he was not allowed by God to lead the Israelites into their Promised Land.  (The Law does not lead us into the Promised Land.)  But Joshua led the Israelites into their Promised Land. Joshua was a man of great faith in God.  I think his name means salvation.  

 

 

In Deuteronomy Moses gives Israel the Ten Commandments again and reminds them of the Great Commandment – to love God with all their hearts, minds and souls and love their neighbor as they loved themselves. He gives God’s many rules and regulations to the Israelites.  Rules concerning how they were to treat one another with forgiveness and kindness. .

 

And rules concerning how they were to punish criminals and evil doers and not tolerate sin. How they were to defend the cause of the poor, the fatherless, the widows and the alien.  How they were to conduct their businesses ethically and deal with their workers generously.  How they were to forgive debts every seven years.  And how they were to care for their animals and birds. (They were never to kill a mother bird caring for her young.) 

 

God made a Covenant – or a promise - with His people – the Israelites.  He promised them that He would give them many blessings if they would trust Him and obey His laws.  God’s promises to the Israelites were many.  He promised that He would defeat all of their enemies that would try to attack them.  That He would he would bless all of their work.  Whatever they put their hand to do would prosper.   He would give them plenty to eat. Their crops would grow and mature and their livestock would thrive.  They would have many children and would be rich enough to give and bless other nations and people.  And their part of the Covenant was to try to trust and obey Him.  Moses told the children of Israel that God wanted their love and wanted to bless them, and He was calling them to commit themselves to Him so that He could bless them.

 

And then God also promised that if the children of Israel would not be there for Him then He would not be there for them.  If they refused to trust Him or obey His laws that He would not come through for them either.  That they would have problems and sicknesses and troubles.  That all of the blessings that He would want to shower over them would not be there for them if they did not try to obey and follow His laws.   

 

God’s Covenant – or promise – to His people Israel, depended on their part – to trust and obey their God or to rebel and forget their God.  One reaction would bring God’s blessings.  The other would bring God’s curses. And that was 3,400 years ago during Old Testament times when Israel was under the Law and Jesus had not yet come to earth to die for our sins.      

 

But today Christ has come and paid the price for our sins and we are no longer living in the Age of Law.  Now we are living in the Age of Grace. God’s covenant or promise to His people today is like that Old Testament Covenant God made to His people Israel, but much better. Christ has fulfilled the Law and we are not under it the way the Israelites were in Old Testament times.  

 

God’s covenant to us is through His Son, Jesus Christ.  Scripture says: “He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all – how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:31-32) Our heavenly Father goes over board and offers us every blessing in this New Covenant. We have the completed Word of God – the Bible.  When Moses gave God’s laws to the Israelites in Deuteronomy, they only had the first five books of the Bible.  We have God’s full pardon and acceptance in Christ.

 

  And we have the Holy Spirit living in us if we believe in Christ as Savior.  We are given spiritual blessings as well as physical ones. The Holy Spirit brings us Christ’s peace, love, joy, faith, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness – all these character traits grow in us through the indwelling Spirit if we want and pray for them. (Galatians 5:22) Along with these blessings, we as Christians are promised a spiritual gift or perhaps several gifts (1 Corinthians 12:7-11) – These gifts are a manifestation of the Holy Spirit in your life and given for the common good.  Some of the gifts are the gift of prophecy, teaching, helps, faith, healings, wisdom, knowledge, tongues, the interpretation of tongues and more. 

 

On top of that, the believer in Christ is told to ask anything in His Name and it will be given him or her. Anything!   If we pray for anything, if it is God’s will, and we believe, our prayers will be answered. (Matthew 7:7, Matthew 21:22) God has given us His whole Word, His Son, His Holy Spirit and every spiritual blessing.  These are yours already. Every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus is ours. (Ephesians 1:3) His blessings are over the top. We have not because we ask not.  Ask in faith and believe that God is answering your prayer according to His will. And wait patiently and believe.                        

 

We, like the ancient Israelites, must do our part in this Covenant with God. We are to trust in Christ as Savior and try to follow Him. Let go and let God.  Believe and take God at His Word and press in.  Moses called the Israelites to commit their lives to God and let Him lead them and take care of them. This was the main message of the book of Deuteronomy.  And this is God’s main message and call to Christians, His people today.  He wants all of us, He wants our hearts and our lives.  He wants to be in Covenant with us. Are we willing to answer His call?    

 

 

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