Deuteronomy 12-13

Please take a look at the post from February 25, 2023. I’ll wait…

As we said last week on March 30, idolatry is the sin with which we must contend. It must be absolutely eradicated from our lives. Utter ruthlessness is in order. So how are we doing with that?

Deuteronomy 10:12-11:32

And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD, which I am commanding you today for your good?

Deuteronomy 10:12-13

In view of Who the LORD is and what He has done, what He requires is, of course, entirely reasonable. It is the right and proper response for Israel and for us — except that, in and by ourselves, we just can’t do it. We are not up to the task. Even when we strip away all those statutes that arguably do not apply to us (e.g., the dietary laws) and focus only on those that clearly do still apply (like the Ten Commandments), with our very best efforts we still cannot manage it.

Many people don’t want to acknowledge that truth and cling to the idea that if they just “try harder” they will eventually get everything right. The result of that is twofold:

• Pride in one’s outward successes, evidenced in a self-righteousness that looks down on others; and
• Guilt and depression from the internal knowledge that, in fact, the failures remain

Recognizing that truth, does that mean that we can just say, “Oh, well!” and cast off the law as unattainable? Not at all! God’s commandments still reflect His character, and He means for us to reflect His character as well. The key to all of this is faith in the Risen Christ, the One Who came not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. Apart from Him, we can do nothing. (John 15:5) With Him, well, that’s another matter altogether. (Philippians 4:13)

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See also: February 24 (2023) / Deuteronomy 9-12:28

Deuteronomy 9:1-10:11

Do not say in your heart, after the LORD your God has thrust them out before you, “It is because of my righteousness that the LORD has brought me in to possess this land,” whereas it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is driving them out before you. Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart are you going in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations the LORD your God is driving them out from before you, and that he may confirm the word that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

Know, therefore, that the LORD your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stubborn people.

Deuteronomy 9:4–6

Do you get the feeling that maybe, just maybe, God’s blessing of Israel is not because of their righteousness? Moses repeats that idea three times here, and then drives the point home by illustrating how Israel is patently rebellious, stubborn, and unrighteous, clearly not worthy of God’s good grace.

And so it is with us. I hope that most of us know that we do not — indeed cannot — earn our salvation, but we do not always act that way. We proclaim that salvation is by faith and not by works, but we build a doctrine of “free will” that, at its core, suggests that those who choose rightly can congratulate themselves for doing so. No, left to ourselves, none of us would ever choose rightly. We are fully and completely dependent on God’s love, mercy, and grace, so be thankful.

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:1–6

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See also: February 24 (2023) / Deuteronomy 9-12:28

Deuteronomy 8

And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

Take care lest you forget the LORD your God … lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God …

Beware lest you say in your heart, “My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.”

Deuteronomy 8:3,11-14,17

Who does not need to hear (and heed) these words any more than we Americans do? It is all too easy for us to look at the myriad blessings we enjoy and think that, somehow, we ourselves are responsible. Even when we intellectually acknowledge our dependence on the Lord, our hearts are often quick to sing a different song.

Counteracting our natural inclination requires deliberate effort. Look at the words Moses uses: “Take care…, Beware…” We cannot just sit idly by and allow delusion to sweep over us. We must actively guard against it, reminding ourselves over and over again that all that we have comes from the Lord. And that should lead us to gratitude and humility.

So count your many blessings today — even the blessings disguised as difficulties (v. 3) — and be grateful.

Deuteronomy 7

Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God Who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love Him and keep His commandments, to a thousand generations, and repays to their face those who hate Him, by destroying them. He will not be slack with one who hates Him. He will repay him to his face.

Deuteronomy 7:9-10

I think it is safe to say that we all rather like the first half of that quote (Dt. 7:9), but we’re not so comfortable with the second half (Dt. 7:10). Yet it is exactly the same God Who both loves and judges. The question for us is which side of the fence we are on. We can repent and cling to Christ and be found righteous in Him, or we can cling to our sin. There is no middle ground.

Our experience tells us, though, that making a decision to follow Christ does not instantaneously transform us into perfect saints who never sin again. (If such were the case, then most of the Epistles in the New Testament would never have been written, as there would have been no need to address problems in the Church.) But just because sin tries to cling to us does not mean that we should just accept it and invite it back in. No, we need to instead be all the more ruthless in rooting out sin in our lives and to get rid of it.

And you shall not bring an abominable thing into your house and become devoted to destruction like it. You shall utterly detest and abhor it, for it is devoted to destruction.

Deuteronomy 7:26

So, is there some abominable thing that you keep bringing back into your house? Is there some sin that you are holding onto or even cozying up to? It’s time to see it for the detestable thing that it is. It’s time to kill it.

Deuteronomy 6

I’m dumbfounded.

Search the Scriptures generally does a pretty good job of focusing our attention and getting us to think. And today’s questions are certainly helpful for considering the Law, encouraging us to remember the Lord when we might be tempted to think that we no longer need Him, or guiding us in promoting faith in our families. Yet I am flabbergasted that nowhere in today’s questions — not even in the notes — is there mention or focus on Deuteronomy 6:5. Really? Yet we know that Jesus Himself says that this verse is the Greatest Commandment and that together with part of Leviticus 19:18 (“love your neighbor as yourself”), all else depends on it. (Matthew 22:36-40; Mark 12:28-34; Luke 10:25-28)

Yes, we should by all means think deeply about all the rest of Deuteronomy 6 (along with the whole of Scripture), but let’s not lose sight of what is at the core:

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is One. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

Deuteronomy 6:4-5

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See also: February 23 (2023) / Deuteronomy 5-8

Deuteronomy 4:41-5:33

Today Moses recalls the giving of the Ten Commandments at Mt. Horeb (aka Sinai). I expect we are all somewhat familiar with the Commandments themselves, but I doubt any of us can quite envision the scene of the LORD speaking these Commandments to the entire nation of Israel. But one thing we can say for certain: the people are left so terrified that they insist that Moses stand as intermediary as they vow to do whatever the LORD says.

Oh that they had such a heart as this always, to fear Me and to keep all My commandments, that it might go well with them and with their descendants forever!

Deuteronomy 5:29

Do you perceive the LORD’s deep love for His people in these words? Do you sense His desire for them to walk humbly with Him, that He might bless them? In the same way, He yearns over us, that we might walk in obedience, in holiness, and in righteousness, enjoying continual fellowship with Him and with one another.

He gives us His Commandments for our own good. Do we receive them that way? If you feel restricted by the Ten Commandments, here’s a complete change of perspective: As I suggested before, in Christ, the Ten Commandments should not be seen as rules, but as promises, promises for living the good life and living it well. So how about it?

Deuteronomy 4:1-40

Therefore watch yourselves very carefully. Since you saw no form on the day that the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, beware lest you act corruptly by making a carved image for yourselves… And beware lest you raise your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, you be drawn away and bow down to them and serve them…

Deuteronomy 4:15-16a,19a

Idolatry.

Idolatry is the sin to avoid. In fact, ultimately, it is the only sin. Oh, sure, we do not commonly think of ourselves as worshiping graven images, and we can identify all sorts of other sins like lying, stealing, murder, adultery, sins of commission, and sins of omission — you name it. But in truth, all other forms of sin are really idolatry in disguise, as they all put something else before God. That “something” does not have to be some object carved from wood or stone. It can be a variety of things, but ultimately that “something” ends up being Self.

So if you think that idolatry fell out of fashion centuries ago, think again. It still strikes all too close to home, hence our need to die every day.

Know therefore today, and lay it to your heart, that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.

Deuteronomy 4:39

And [Jesus] said to all, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.

Luke 9:23

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See also: February 22 / Deuteronomy 3-4

Deuteronomy 3

And I [Moses] commanded Joshua at that time, “Your eyes have seen all that the LORD your God has done to these two kings. So will the LORD do to all the kingdoms into which you are crossing. You shall not fear them, for it is the LORD your God Who fights for you.”

Deuteronomy 3:21-22

As the questions in Search the Scriptures suggest, Israel’s defeats of Sihon and Og serve both as bold proof against the faithless claims of the spies from Kadesh years earlier and as encouragement for moving forward. The people can look back at their earlier mistakes, then look at the recent successes from the LORD, and look forward in faith and confidence for what the LORD has in store for them.

We likewise should periodically review our own lives. We should acknowledge our past weaknesses and failings, but we should not get stuck there. We should recall the many good things God has done for us and in us and through us, His ongoing steadfast love and faithfulness. In remembering what God has already done (especially on the Cross and in the Resurrection), we should look forward in faith that He is able to carry us through whatever He calls us into.

But although we should have ultimate faith that God will accomplish His purposes, that doesn’t mean that if we “believe hard enough” that He’ll just do whatever we want. We can see this in God’s refusal to grant Moses’ earnest request to enter the Promised Land. Moses certainly had faith — I daresay better and stronger faith than all his countrymen — but God said, “No.” And that is where genuine faith really kicks in, to accept God’s will even when it is not what we (think we) want.