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Now we are moving into chapter 4. Up till now Moses has been giving a potted history of their Exodus from Egypt covering the 40 years up to the point where they are looking to cross over the R.Jordan into the Promised Land.
Now, he says.
For those of you who make the evening services you know that Paul uses the word ‘therefore’ all the time.
That is what this word ‘now’ signifies.
Since I have told you these stories and as a result of seeing God at work, hear what your response should be.
Deuteronomy 4:1 and Deut 4:40 bracket this new phase in what Moses has to say:
Now be careful how you live!
Watch yourselves, guard yourselves.
Take heed to yourselves.
It is similar to the warning given by Paul to Timothy:
I’m going to have to give an overview of this chapter that we will spend 3 weeks in.
in verses 1–8 [Moses] talks about the torah; in verses 9–31 he talks about the covenant; in 32–40 he talks about salvation
In each case Moses is highlighting the Lord’s grace
the grace of torah, the grace of covenant, and the grace of salvation.
In chapter 4 we have the gospel according to Moses summarized most completely.
This chapter has many themes which are repeated often elsewhere throughout this book.
First, his love for the previous generations:
Second, he chose them and third, in this same verses He established them as His people
In this verses you can see three themes: He chose them, He established them as His people and the Lord rescued them.
Fifth, there was a covenant relationship with Israel
Sixth, is that God is near even with fire
Seventh theme: There is no other God
There was to be no worship or love, there was to be nothing left over for any other god.
Eighth theme is for there to be obedience only to Him
He is the only God.
He is your only savior.
Hear Him and obey Him.
At least 8 grand themes that are set out in chapter 4 which are revealed more in this book and in the rest of Scripture.
And in the same way God has done these things for Israel in a physical way, He has done for us in a spiritual way through Jesus Christ.
Let us now come to the first 8 verses with one more detour for we need to give a little understanding to some of the words used throughout this book as well as in the opening words if this chapter.
Two verses encapsulate these words:
And we find the word command in:
Let’s get the understanding of these words:
Commandment or command means to give an order to do something.
These were a good thing for God, out of His love, would bless those who did what He said.
It would “result in prosperity, security, God’s presence, longevity, the occupation of the land, a long dynasty, and blessings of all sorts”.
(Evangelical Dictionary)
Ordinances is a decree, a law for the community
Judgements seems to mean God’s judgements about appropriate behaviour by His subjects: how the vassal is to respond.
Testimonies means stipulation, the requirements of a higher authority by a covenant partner
Torah, which we have seen before means teaching or doctrine:
It is the wonderful law of God (Torah)—the full instruction and teaching of God—that tells people how to live life to the fullest.
And in
It is unchangeable.
Moses is saying that everything he is saying is authoritative.
You cannot pick and choose what you like.
We have a similar charge in
This is a virtual curse on anyone who tampers with the text.
Moses has a clear sense of the authority with which he speaks.
He speaks by inspiration.
You either take all of it or you take all of it.
Before we move on from verses 1 and 2 we see that going into the land seems to be dependant upon obedience AND also upon the Promise of God.
The land is theirs but if they are disobedient they will not enjoy the land and its prosperity.
And that is why there is a warning in the next two verses:
Obedience to the Torah is the key to life and it is proven by the fact that they are alive.
We have already seen that keeping the commands of God bring blessing and it is being emphasised here.
In fact knowledge of the Torah should transform lives as it has instruction for life and living.
This means that possession of the Torah is a very high privilege.
We see this in verses 6-8
Having this Torah makes one wise.
Moses declares this torah is the key to wisdom as well as the key to life.
When we understand the word “wisdom,” or when we look at the word “wisdom” in Hebrew, we recognize that it works at different levels.
At the base level it means skill in a craft.
Bezalel was gifted to make everything related to the tabernacle; that’s a craft.
Second the word chokmah means intelligence, shrewdness.
Solomon was the wisest man of his day.
He was able to write proverbs about all kinds of things.
He was an intelligent man.
At the third level it means good sense, moral understanding.
We can be wise at the intellectual level and yet be fools, and this is what Solomon turned out to be.
He in the end lacked moral understanding.
But ultimately the word “wisdom” means an understanding of the profound issues of life and death.
That’s what the Lord’s revelation gives to Israel, and that’s what Moses is sharing with them in the torah.
The nations will look around and they will see that of all the peoples Israel is uniquely blessed.
Wow! Others will say: If only we had that where our gods would speak to us and reveal their will.
But, of course, their gods are not able to communicate but Israel is one that does have such a God and it makes others rightly jealous.
When we read ancient prayers to other gods you can hear despair for they address them like this:
“O my god whom I know or do not know”.
They do not know which god they have offended for they don’t reveal themselves.
But Israel’s God is YHWH.
Then they pray about “The sin that I have committed I do not know”.
What I have done wrong I don’t know for I don’t know the boundaries of right and wrong.
But Israel’s God has revealed in the law the boundaries of practice in life.
And then they pray: “I crawl before you, I pray, I kiss your feet, and I never know if it works, whether my offerings are acceptable to the god”.
But in the Torah the Lord has revealed the offerings required and says in Leviticus 4, 5 and 6 that “they will be forgiven”.
I have used statements from an actual ancient prayer which is very long and convoluted but understandable in the circumstance.
This is someone who would be jealous of what the Jews have.
Having the law was not oppressive but it was good news.
The greater the detail the greater the grace.
And more than this.
Israel was on the world stage being judged for their social justice and for their God.
It is only when they see the law acted upon that they will see the wisdom that God has given and, perhaps, will also acknowledge Him.
Bibliography
Elwell, W. A. (1996).
In Evangelical dictionary of biblical theology (electronic ed.).
Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.
Block, D. I. (2018).
OT312 Book Study: Deuteronomy.
Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
Leadership Ministries Worldwide.
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