Deuteronomy (Written)

Deuteronomy 5:1-6
From Bondage to Bondage

How many here have read the entire Old Testament? In the Law of Moses, there are said to be 613 individual laws. Can anyone here remember all of them? Has anyone here fulfilled all of them? If you didn’t answer, but are listening and thinking, “Yes, I’ve fulfilled them all,” then you are sorely deceived.

First, you would have to know all 613 of them, which you don’t. And secondly, many of them cannot be fulfilled today. It is impossible, because there is no temple and no sacrificial system, among several other reasons of varying significance.

But, if you are one of the people of Israel who has not come to Christ Jesus, or if you are one of the people who piously claims to adhere to the Torah, meaning the Law of Moses, you stand condemned for several reasons.

First, the law itself condemns you because of your failure to perfectly meet it, which is certainly the case. You cannot claim adherence to the law and, at the same time, claim atonement under the law. It does not exist.

Secondly, you have rejected the grace of God in Christ, having instead relied on works of the law. You cannot claim adherence to the law and, at the same time, receive the grace of Christ. The two are mutually exclusive.

Text Verse: “How can a young man cleanse his way?
By taking heed according to Your word.
¹⁰ With my whole heart I have sought You;
Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!
¹¹ Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You.” Psalm 119:9-11

The psalmist says that a young man can cleanse his way by taking heed to according to the word of God. That is true, but it is only true because the word of God anticipates the coming Redeemer. If a Redeemer is said to be coming, then it means….? Anyone? That there is a need to be redeemed.

How can that be for this psalmist, or for anyone in Israel? We see in today’s verses that the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Elsewhere, that action is noted as an act of redemption, such as in Deuteronomy 7:8.

If they were redeemed, then why do they need to be redeemed? Didn’t the one redemption take care of things? The answer is obviously, “No.” How is that so? Well, stay awake and attentive for the next few minutes and we will discover exactly how it is so.

It is an important lesson which is clearly to be found in His superior word. And so, let us turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. A Covenant with Us in Horeb (verses 1-4)

And Moses called all Israel,

vayikra mosheh el kal Yisrael – “And called Moses to all Israel.” There is the sense of the lifting of the voice of Moses beyond the state it has been in. He has been speaking to the people since Deuteronomy 1, but now he calls out to the people. It is reflective of what we see in John 7 –

“On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. ³⁸ He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” John 7:37, 38

Jesus was speaking to the people in a more general manner, but He then raised his voice for any and all to hear. This is probably the same thing Moses does here. He has been giving a general discussion of the events of the past, of the expectations for the people, and so on. But now, he lifts his voice and openly calls out.

The recording of that act, regardless as to how many people actually heard him, is its own call to “all Israel,” not just at that time, but for all time. When the reader comes to this passage and sees the words, vayikra mosheh el kal yisrael – “And called Moses to all Israel,” it is to alert them. It is to mentally call to their minds the importance of the words which lie ahead.

^1 (con’t) and said to them:

vayomer alehem – “And said to them.” Rather than davar, or speak, it is amar, or said. As always, the change reflects a state of participation by the hearer. When davar is used, they are to listen as if a command is given. When amar is said, there is the sense of hearing and participating in the instruction. That begins with…

^1 (con’t) “Hear, O Israel,

sh’ma Yisrael – “Hear Israel.” The words are in the singular only here. In the rest of the passage, they will be in the plural. Even if each individual is to hear, Israel as a single collective is addressed in order to hear and to heed.

The word shama, or hear, is not uncommon, but it should be explained. It means more than to simply “hear,” in such an instance. Rather, it implies attention and obedience is to be applied to what is heard. In this form, it will be used repeatedly in Deuteronomy – calling Israel to hear and to attend to what is said. In this case, it is to…

^1 (con’t) the statutes and judgments

ha’khukim va’eth ha’mishpatim – “the statutes and the judgments.” These are the main areas of subject matter which comprise the instruction to follow. The first is similar to written precepts that are to be obeyed. They are laws requiring the attention and obedience of the people. The second is a matter which is prescribed, as a legal decision by a lawgiver, and thus it is to be obeyed.

This statement is given just prior to the repeating of the Ten Commandments, but they are more logically connected to what will be said after the repetition of those Ten Commandments, meaning all of the general statutes and judgments which will be spoken out to the people later.

^1 (con’t) which I speak in your hearing today,

asher anokhi dober b’azenekhem ha’yom – “which I speak in your ears today.” To speak in the people’s ears implies that they will then hear. However, it does not mean that they will assimilate, respond, and perform. But that is what the word sh’ma that Moses spoke calls for, and so…

^1 (con’t) that you may learn them

u-lemadtem otham – “and you may learn them.” The word is lamad which was introduced in verse 4:1. It signifies “to goad,” and thus to teach. The rod is used to instruct, and from that rod, instruction is remembered. That is reflected in Proverbs 10:13 –

“Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has understanding,
But a rod is for the back of him who is devoid of understanding.”

The idea is that Israel is, at this point – and as has been demonstrated by their fathers – devoid of understanding. But in hearing and heeding the instruction which lies ahead, understanding will be attained, and wisdom can then be applied to that understanding. The understanding comes from the learning. The wisdom is found in its application, as is next seen…

^1 (con’t) and be careful to observe them.

u-shemartem laasotam – “and be careful to do them.” One might not know the law at all. This is a person with no understanding. One may know the law and fail to do what the law says. That demonstrates understanding, but a lack of wisdom. And, one can know the law and do what the law says. It demonstrates a person with both understanding and wisdom. This is what Moses is conveying to the people.

The reason for the need for this is found in the explanation Moses will now carefully remind the people of…

² The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.

Yehovah elohenu karat immanu berit b’khorev – “Yehovah our God cut with us a covenant in Horeb.” The word “us” speaks of the nation, Israel. It is the people who descended from Abraham, through Isaac, and then through Jacob. It signifies the tribes of Israel. It is this group, and none other, that Moses is referring to. That this was a covenant is explicitly stated in Exodus –

“And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, ‘Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: ⁴ ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. ⁵ Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. ⁶ And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.’” Exodus 19:3-6

The fact that this is its own covenant is repeated in Exodus 24, Exodus 34, and then into the book of Leviticus. It is even implied in Numbers when referring to the Ark of the Covenant. The ark was detailed and built at Sinai as a part of the instruction under the law. Thus, the Ark of the Covenant speaks of the covenant at Sinai (Horeb). Moses next continues to define what he is referring to…

³ The Lord did not make this covenant with our fathers,

lo eth avotenu kara Yehovah eth ha’berit ha’zot – “Not with our fathers cut Yehovah the covenant the this.” Who the “fathers” are is debated, but the debate is actually unnecessary. Charles Ellicott takes the “not” as meaning “not only.” In other words, it was with our fathers who were alive at Horeb and with us also.

This cannot be if the words include Moses himself, which they certainly do. He says, avotenu – “our fathers,” not avotekhem – “your fathers.”

Augustine says it refers to those who died in the wilderness. Calvin says it refers to the forefathers who dwelt in Egypt. Keil says it refers to Abraham.

It cannot be speaking of those who died in the wilderness. It is as obvious as the nose on one’s face that those people died because of the covenant at Horeb. They were under the law, they failed to believe the Lord, and they suffered the penalty of the law. With the exception of Moses, Joshua, and Caleb, all of them were dead since leaving Horeb.

Therefore, the term is speaking of any fathers who preceded those who were there at Sinai at the giving of the law. It includes those who lived and died in Egypt, and it includes the fathers who were before them, meaning Isaac and Abraham. But it surely even extends to those before Abraham.

The reason for this is that no group of people, going all the way back to Adam himself, was included in the covenant that Moses is referring to. The importance of this is that this law has no bearing upon any people, anywhere in the world – and at any time to the present – except those of Israel who received it.

To understand this more completely, Paul speaks of the covenant to Abraham in Galatians 3. There he says –

“Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, ‘And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, ‘And to your Seed,’ who is Christ.  ¹⁷ And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect. ¹⁸ For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.” Galatians 3:16-18

Paul speaks of a different covenant, one of Promise, that was made with Abraham. He then notes that the law came 430 years after that covenant was made.

Therefore, the “fathers” of this verse in Deuteronomy first speaks of any of Israel’s ancestors reaching all the way back to the time of Abraham. All of them lived under Promise. By stating the time interval, Paul is demonstrating this. Further, in Romans 2, Paul refers to those “without law,” saying –

“For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law. Romans 2:12

By saying this, the words of Moses here then also extend to even those fathers before Abraham. Paul’s words show that the law only applies to Israel and to no other people – ever. The law may be, and it indeed is, God’s standard as is revealed in Christ, but it is only applied to those to whom it was given, meaning Israel.

The “fathers” in this verse are all in the line of Israel, all the way back to Adam, who are before the time of the giving of the law. The covenant was not made with any of them…

^3 (con’t) but with us, those who are here today,

There is an emphasis in the words. ki itanu anakhnu elleh poh ha’yom – “But with us – we – these here today.” The words here show that this is inclusive of the fathers who died in the wilderness. By stating, “us – we – these here today,” he is – by default – including himself.

As he was among the fathers, and as many of those with Moses now were at Sinai from birth up until nineteen years of age, it shows that Moses is referring to Israel – the people – as an “organic whole” (Keil). Though some had died, he refers to the people as a living unit – Israel. That is inclusive of…

^3 (con’t) all of us who are alive.

kulanu khayim – “all of us who alive.” The words are actually an exemplary note of continuance. Because most of those who were alive at Sinai were now dead, it shows the binding nature of the covenant upon not only the children who were alive at the giving of the law, but even upon those who were yet to be born.

It is thus an all-inclusive statement which speaks of those who received it, and those who continue to receive it because of the agreement by their fathers. There is an almost tragic note to the words, however.

The law is binding upon Israel as long as Israel exists, and/or until the annulling of that law for the individual within Israel, or the annulling of the law for the collective who is Israel.

No person of Israel was exempt from the weight of the law, and the nation as a whole would remain yoked under the law until all is complete. For the individual of Israel, the law ends in acceptance of Christ as one’s personal Savior –

“For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. ⁴ For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” Romans 10:3, 4

For the collective of Israel, the law will end in acceptance of Christ as their national Messiah –

“For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. ²⁶ And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:

‘The Deliverer will come out of Zion,
And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
²⁷ For this is My covenant with them,
When I take away their sins.’” Romans 11:25-27

To more fully understand this aspect of the law, Hebrews 8 must be cited. There, the author says, while first referring to the covenant given at Horeb which Moses is now speaking of –

“For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. ⁸ Because finding fault with them, He says: ‘Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— ⁹ not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord. ¹⁰ For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. ¹¹ None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. ¹² For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.’
¹³ In that He says, ‘A new covenant,’ He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.” Hebrews 8:7-13

In this passage, the author of Hebrews first refers to the covenant at Horeb. He then, speaking to Israel – and no one else – cites Jeremiah 31 which speaks of a New Covenant, a covenant entirely different and separate from that which came at Horeb.

He then says that in this New Covenant, the first is obsolete. However, it is only obsolete so far as the New Covenant is accepted by those under the Old. Until that occurs, Israel remains under the Old. That is explained by the words “is becoming obsolete and growing old,” and “is ready to vanish away.”

If Christ’s work annulled it entirely, without regard to Israel’s acceptance of it, the author would not have written it in the present tense some 30 or more years after Christ completed His work. Rather, it is annulled for any in Christ, and it will be annulled for the collective body when they call on Christ as a nation.

The time of that occurrence, then, is referred to by Jesus Himself in Matthew 23. In that passage, Jesus speaks to Jerusalem, signifying the seat of power and authority in Israel –

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! ³⁸ See! Your house is left to you desolate; ³⁹ for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’” Matthew 23:37-39

Until this occurs, what Moses says here now in Deuteronomy 5 remains binding on this group of people – for all their generations, and to all of their people. The only way to have the burden and the yoke of the law lifted from them is to come outside the camp and to the cross of Calvary – receiving the work of Jesus in completion of this law.

As you can see, a few seemingly insignificant words, tacked onto the end of a single verse, can – and do – have the most important impact on the lives, future, and destiny of an entire group of people – Israel. It is a right, a responsibility, and it is a burden which began at a particular point in time, and it commenced with an awesome display being revealed to the eyes of the people…

⁴ The Lord talked with you face to face

panim b’panim dibber Yehovah immakhem – “Face in face spoke Yehovah with you.” The word “talked” is not appropriate. There was no back and forth conversation. The Lord spoke while Israel listened. Despite the closeness of the matter, seemingly almost personal, it was still a one-way communication. This is unlike what is recorded in Exodus 33 –

“So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle.” Exodus 33:11

Rather than panim b’panim, or face in face, which is said here in Deuteronomy, there it said panim el panim, face to face. The difference between the two is immense.

The communication of the Lord to Israel was direct and “in their face.” The communication of the Lord with Moses was personal and as close as one having a dialog with a dear friend. And again, the communication to Israel was…

^4 (con’t) on the mountain

ba’har– “in the mount.” It speaks of the entire area where Israel was, represented by the mountain itself. None of Israel was near the mount, under pain of death. Rather, they were on the plain which surrounded it, and the presence of the Lord was atop it, as described in Exodus 19 and again in Deuteronomy 4:11, 12 –

 “Then you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, and the mountain burned with fire to the midst of heaven, with darkness, cloud, and thick darkness. ¹² And the Lord spoke to you out of the midst of the fire.” 

That is again confirmed by Moses with the words…

^4 (con’t) from the midst of the fire.

mitok ha’esh – “from midst of the fire.” It is rather surprising to read commentaries on this verse and find words such as –

“…personally and immediately … plainly and certainly, as when two men speak face to face; freely and familiarly, so as not to overwhelm and confound you.” Matthew Poole

This is completely the opposite of what was either intended or what is shown to have occurred. The Lord spoke in their face words of law. They were conveyed while accompanied with thunderings, lightnings, a thick cloud, the sound of a trumpet that was so loud the people quaked, smoke as of a furnace, and the actual quaking of the mountain. And along with all of this, the words were spoken mitok ha’esh, from midst of the fire.

The entire display was not free and familiar, and its intent was to completely overwhelm and confound the people. The voice from the fire in this manner was to convey to the people that the word of law was a word which consumes, even to absolute, complete, and utter destruction.

This is the weight, the penalty, and the burden of the law. It is the yoke which is heavy and wearisome upon the people. There is nothing light and friendly about serving under the law. But rather there is terror, anxiety, worry, and futility –

“Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off. ¹⁹ Then they said to Moses, ‘You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.’” Exodus 20:18, 19

This was the point of the display, and it is what accompanied the first ten of six hundred and thirteen laws which were eventually heaped upon the people. It was to terrify them concerning the nature of this

GREAT
AWESOME
TERRIFYING
JEALOUS, AND
HOLY GOD

The people feared, and rightfully so. And it is perfectly evident in the seemingly contradictory words which immediately followed…

“And Moses said to the people, ‘Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin.’” Exodus 20:20

Moses told them “Do not fear!” No, the entire display is only a test so that you will fear (Him). He uses the verb and then noun form of the same word. First, yare – to fear, and next, yirah – a fear.

They were to have “a fear” of the Lord before them for a single purpose. And that is where the rubber of the action of man meets the road of the Law of God. “So that you may not sin” (man’s action) means “so that you do not break my law” (God’s standard).

Think of it! The law was given – a law which defines sin, and a law which brings forth sin in its very issuance, and the people are told that they were to fear the Lord so that they wouldn’t sin – which is what the law causes to occur. I pray – tell me please, how is this going to help?

With the law there is death and condemnation
It is God’s standard, which no one can meet
Who is there from any people group or nation?
Who can claim that through the law, sin he did defeat?

Where can we go? This law stands against us
When we heard its words, death came through our door
O God! Please send the Messiah – send us Jesus
And through Him we shall live again, yes live forevermore

Only He can bring us to the Holy Mountain
Only He can bring us up to the very throne of God
From Him alone can come the cleansing fountain
So that for eternal days, in Your light can we trod

II. I Am the Lord Your God (verses 5 & 6)

The words of verse 5 that we will look at today are actually chronologically – and most certainly – intended as a time marker coming after the words which finish this chapter and before the words which begin Chapter 6.

They don’t actually belong there, but they identify the train of thought concerning the events which are being reviewed. They are perfectly placed here as a parenthetical statement.

The Lord spoke out the Ten Commandments, accompanied by the immense and terrifying display. After that happened, the people came and begged Moses, imploring him that the Lord would no longer speak directly to them.

The Lord heard their words and agreed to allow Moses to receive and pass on the Lord’s word to the people. And so, with that understood, even if stated out of chronological order, Moses continues with his next words.

They are words which the KJV and several other versions rightly place in parenthesis, except the last word of it. Verse 5 is, as I said, a parenthetical statement to introduce what follows it, up until a certain point. When that point is reached, the narrative will resume. That narrative is defined by the words of verse 1 –

“And Moses called all Israel, and said to them: ‘Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your hearing today, that you may learn them and be careful to observe them.’” Deuteronomy 5:1

From there, that narrative will begin again with the words which open Chapter 6 –

“Now this is the commandment, and these are the statutes and judgments which the Lord your God has commanded to teach you, that you may observe them in the land which you are crossing over to possess, ² that you may fear the Lord your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, you and your son and your grandson, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged.” Deuteronomy 6:1, 2

Those parenthetical words of Moses now begin with…

⁵ I stood between the Lord and you at that time,

To stand between two parties means to mediate. Moses will act in that position now, but only in the sense of receiving the law, transmitting it to the people, and also passing the words of the people back to the Lord.

Though he performed some priestly functions which formally established the covenant, he did not perform the mediatorial roles of a priest for the covenant. That was delegated to Aaron and his sons after him. Such a role as Aaron’s was an anticipatory step only, however.

He was restricted in his allowances in many ways, and he was bound by the same precepts of law as were the other people. However, even in this anticipatory step – looking forward to Christ – the role of Israel’s high priest for sin, and of Moses for receiving the law, was what Job hoped for in his life lived apart from the law. As it says in Job 9 when speaking of God –

“For He is not a man, as I am,
That I may answer Him,
And that we should go to court together.
³³ Nor is there any mediator between us,
Who may lay his hand on us both.
³⁴ Let Him take His rod away from me,
And do not let dread of Him terrify me.
³⁵ Then I would speak and not fear Him,
But it is not so with me.” Job 9:32-35

Job felt the terror of God apart from His revelation of Himself at Sinai. Job knew that moral law existed, and he knew that in that moral law there was terror. How much more terror should there be when that moral law is laid out in perfectly structured words which convey the nature of God.

When the people heard that law, they begged for relief from it. And so, Moses stood between the Lord and the people – acting as a mediator to hear and then convey what he heard to Israel. It was his job, as he says…

^5 (con’t) to declare to you the word of the Lord;

The word translated as “declare” is a common word, nagad. It comes from a root signifying “to front.” Thus, it signifies making something manifest or conspicuous.

The Lord has a word to convey to Israel. Israel did not like when that word was conveyed to them directly, but the word needed to be conveyed, and so Moses will make what is unknown open and conspicuous. He will do this because, as Moses relays…

^5 (con’t) for you were afraid because of the fire,

So, the fire scared the people. In fact, it terrified them. One must wonder how dull we are to assume that when the fire isn’t visible, the Lord isn’t threatening, terrifying, or angry?

The law says to not exceed 40 mph. It is first given to the people at a ceremony at the courthouse. There are police officers there with guns on their hips and uniforms ordained with handcuffs. Off to the left is the county prison. It is a sobering display of the law.

So, the people say, next time we pass a law, can we do it at the baseball field? And, instead of a judge, can we have Harpo Marx tell us what we are to do. The law is still passed by the same body, it is still enforced by the same police department, and its offenders will wind up in the same place. So, does the significance of the law change because of how it is conveyed to the people? Not at all.

But this is how we perceive things. If we are on a road where there is a known speed trap that we are aware of, we will be sure to drive 40mph. If we are on a road that rarely has a speed trap, we may or we may not drive 40mph. And, if we are on a road that we are certain to have no speed trap, we forget what the words “speed limit” mean.

A fear of the Lord and of violating His law only comes if one believes in the Lord, and if they perceive that the Lord is actually watching over infractions of it. Moses standing between the Lord and Israel only deadens the minds of Israel further in many respects.

The same is true with grace unless we remember and carry with us always the thought of what that grace cost in order for it to be granted to us in the first place.

At the beginning of the law, the knowledge of the Lord was keenly on the minds of the people. They saw, they heard, they felt, and they were afraid. Moses reminds them of this…

^5 (con’t) and you did not go up the mountain.

These words, though still a part of the parenthetical thought, are intended to tell the people that it was Moses, not they, who received the law from the Lord. They were warned in Exodus 19 that they should not go up to the mountain, not even touch it, under pain of death.

At the end of the chapter, the Lord spoke again to Moses to ensure that was abided by. Moses was granted a special dispensation to ascend the mountain. They were not.

Therefore, the same Lord who terrified them by His display had conveyed His intent through Moses. Because of this, what is said after the giving of the Ten Commandments carries the same weight and authority as do those Ten Commandments.

This is the purpose of this statement. For now, the words of the Lord that Israel did hear from the Lord will next be introduced…

^5 (con’t) He said:

lemor – “saying.” The parenthetical nature of the verse ended, and this word stands outside of the parenthesis. In other words, taking verse 4 and connecting it with this, it would say –

“The Lord talked with you face to face on the mountain from the midst of the fire, saying…”

With that understood, Moses now repeats what the Lord said to the people. The words of Deuteronomy 5:6 are word for word and letter for letter, identical to Exodus 20:2…

⁶ ‘I am the Lord

anokhi Yehovah – The words identify the Source of the terrifying display, and of the words being conveyed, as Yehovah, the self-existent Creator of all things. To more fully understand what the name Yehovah encompasses, you can go back and watch the sermon on Exodus 3:14. Suffice it to say that He is the One and only God, the true God, and yet despite that, He is not the only “god.” This is evidenced quite clearly in the next words…

^{6 (con’t)} your God

elohekha – Yehovah asserts the right to call Himself “your God” to the people gathered before Him – to Israel. They had agreed with their own mouths to receive Him as such in Exodus 19 –

“So Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before them all these words which the Lord commanded him. ⁸ Then all the people answered together and said, ‘All that the Lord has spoken we will do.’ So Moses brought back the words of the people to the Lord.” Exodus 19:7, 8

Though He is the Creator of all things and the Lord of all in reality, He did not push Himself upon Israel, nor has He done so to the people of the world.

Both the Bible, and the world around us – even today – demonstrate there are many “gods.” However, there is only One true God. Based on Israel’s words of agreement, Yehovah established His right to exclusivity over them, saying, anokhi Yehovah elohekha – “I am Yehovah your God.”

It was, and thus it is, an individual address to each person as much as it is to the nation collectively. The singular is to the nation, but the nation is made up of individuals.

From that moment Yehovah claimed authority over each person of Israel and the collective body known as Israel. They now have their God and He now had peculiar people reserved for Himself. It is He, for this very purpose…

^{6 (con’t)} who brought you out of the land of Egypt,

The Lord claimed the right at that time to be their God, not because He created them, but because He had redeemed them. It was they who were in Egypt, and it was He who brought them out. In bringing them out of Egypt and to Sinai, He then said that it was…

*^6 (fin) out of the house of bondage.

mi’beth abadim – “out of the house of slavery.” The word is ebed. It signifies slavery. Slavery signifies bondage. A slave bears a yoke, and the slave is in bondage. The three thoughts are all connected at one point or another.

Here, the Lord clearly tells the people that they were in bondage. Certainly, they were sold to sin and the worship of false gods. But even without that, they were under the oppression of the burdens of Pharaoh. They were unable to redeem themselves, and so the Lord intervened and redeemed them.

And yet, despite being brought out of the bondage of Egypt, they were actually brought into a greater and more terrifying bondage. What? How can anyone say that? Who would dare? In the New Testament, it begins with Jesus –

“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. ³² And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’”
³³ They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”
³⁴ Jesus answered them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. ³⁵ And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. ³⁶ Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.’” John 8:31-36

At other times, the metaphor “yoke” is used. Jesus implored the people to take His yoke upon them. In that, they would find rest for their souls because His yoke, unlike the law, is an easy and light one. Peter understood what Jesus meant, calling the law a “yoke” in Acts 15 –

“Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? ¹¹ But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.” Acts 15:10, 11

Paul follows suit and repeatedly uses either the term “yoke” or “bondage” when speaking of the law. Israel had been brought out of one bondage, and they had been brought into another type of bondage.

Think of it! Who here fears when they fail the Lord Jesus? Who here wonders how upset He must be for the secret (or not so secret) things that you have done? Who feels the burden of his salvation slipping away because of the things you have done wrong?

Why do you feel this way? It is because of law, not because of grace! You have forgotten that your salvation was of grace, and it continues because of grace. By the law is the knowledge of sin. And by the knowledge of sin comes the penalty for sin.

If it were not so, there would be no need for such an awesome and terrible display on Mount Sinai. Rather, the Lord would have stood upon Mount Sinai in human form – something He is already recorded as having done in the book of Genesis.

And He would have come down from the mountain, maybe on a glittering fluffy cloud which radiated out the sound of birds chirping or little lambs bleating. And as He gave out the law, He might have tossed out sweet-smelling flowers and raisin cakes to the people –

“I am Yehovah. You shall have no other gods before Me (here is a carnation for you). You shall not make any images that represent Me, even though you can see Me now (here is a raisin cake). Be sure not to take My name in vain (listen to the little lambs bleating)…”

This did not happen. The Lord was making a point. He brought them out of the physically punishing bondage of Egypt, but He brought them into a new and terrifying bondage.”

The precedent was set. The Lord’s nature, and the display which came with the giving of the Ten Commandments, was revealed. It doesn’t matter a single iota that Moses later transmitted the words to the people.

The same Lord gave the words to the people, and His character remained completely unchanged, despite the mediatorial role of Moses. Remember, the symbolism given as He spoke out the law was of wrath and condemnation, not salvation.

What was implied is that the law that was to be introduced could never bring salvation. Even the true Israelite who loved God’s law could never fully meet the strict standards of it. Not one could meet them perfectly.

Were it not for provisions within the law for atonement, the law would only bring wrath and condemnation. Therefore, the giving of the law was actually messianic in nature. For Israel, there is either complete obedience to the law – something only God could accomplish, or there was atonement from the guilt of the law – again something only God can accomplish.

Therefore, the law anticipates Christ, and in Christ is the end of the law. As all men are bound under sin, and as sin is of the devil, then all belong under the power of the devil. As only God can redeem man from sin, then it follows logically that Jesus must be God.

Jesus’ appeal to the people of the world, like the appeal here in the giving of the Ten Commandments, is based on redemption, not creation. Israel was redeemed from the bondage of Egypt. Jesus redeems from the bondage of the law – by which sin is imputed.

We are saved by a Savior and redeemed by a Redeemer. As this is so, then Jesus must be Yehovah – The Lord God. Paul says this in Galatians 4 –

“But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, ⁵ to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.” Galatians 4:4, 5

If the law was given to Israel who had been redeemed from the house of bondage, and as they were given the law based on that redemption, then why would those who had been given this law still need to be redeemed from the law? There are at least four major reasons for this –

1) To show us God’s perfect standard.
2) To show us that no person could meet that standard; all are unqualified without God’s grace and mercy being bestowed.
3) To show us how utterly sinful sin is to God. And,
4) To show us our need for something else – that grace which can only come by Someone fulfilling this law on our behalf. And as only God can do that, He sent His Son, Jesus Christ – fully God and fully Man – into the world to do so. It is the grace which we, as human beings, cannot do without.

It doesn’t matter if you are under law or not, apart from Jesus you will either perish apart from the law, or you will perish under the law. This is the bondage which man is under. The law only highlights that bondage.

Closing Verse: “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” Galatians 5:1 

Next Week: Deuteronomy 5:7-16 To find a rhyme, I had to go to lengths hilariously, but I gotter done… (Learning Vicariously, Hopefully! Part I) (20^th Deuteronomy Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. But He also has expectations of you as He prepares you for entrance into His Land of Promise. So, follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

From Bondage to Bondage

And Moses called all Israel, and said to them:
Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments
———-which I speak in your hearing today
That you may learn them
And be careful to observe them, as to you I say

The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb
The LORD did not make this covenant with our fathers
———-but with us
Those who are here today
All of us who are alive, and He spoke thus

The LORD talked with you face to face
From the midst of the fire, on the mountain was the place

I stood between the LORD and you at that time
To declare to you the word of the LORD, as I was led
For you were afraid because of the fire
And you did not go up the mountain. He said:

‘I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land
Of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; so you must understand

Lord God, turn our hearts to be obedient to Your word
Give us wisdom to be ever faithful to You
May we carefully heed each thing we have heard
Yes, Lord God may our hearts be faithful and true

And we shall be content and satisfied in You alone
We will follow You as we sing our songs of praise
Hallelujah to You; to us Your path You have shown
Hallelujah we shall sing to You for all of our days

Hallelujah and Amen…

And Moses called all Israel, and said to them: “Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your hearing today, that you may learn them and be careful to observe them. ² The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. ³ The Lord did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, those who are here today, all of us who are alive. ⁴ The Lord talked with you face to face on the mountain from the midst of the fire. ⁵ I stood between the Lord and you at that time, to declare to you the word of the Lord; for you were afraid because of the fire, and you did not go up the mountain. He said:

⁶ ‘I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

 

 

 

 

 

Deuteronomy 4:41-49
On the East Side of the Jordan

Four times in today’s nine verses the east side of the Jordan is mentioned, and each time it is given a description of the side to ensure we understand that it is referring to the east side. The east side is outside of the inheritance, and yet there is hope throughout the verses.

In the first three verses, it speaks of the cities of refuge – a clear allusion to Christ as we saw when the main passage of the cities of refuge was analyzed in Numbers 35. There is a place for those who had remained outside of the inheritance to go in order to be safe. What a wonderful promise that is.

And in the last six verses, the victories of Israel’s recent past are again highlighted, and once again give minute detail concerning the layout of the land. Yes, it is all east of the Jordan, but the Jordan is there, and the Land of Promise lays on the other side. And yet, the law is highlighted at the beginning of those six verses. Why would the Lord structure these passages the way He has?

Text Verse: “Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. ²² But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. ²³ But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. ²⁴ Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵ But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.” Galatians 3:21-25

Every single word of the word has meaning. Every verse is perfectly placed. Every passage has been carefully laid out through the wisdom of God. And for sure – nothing said in this word is superfluous. We may not understand why things are the way they are, but that is what study is for.

That is what meditating on the word of God is for. And, that is what prayer concerning the word is for. If we study and meditate on the word and we still don’t understand what we are being told, we shouldn’t give up. Rather, we should come to the Lord with our desires.

He expects us to do our part, but He also really wants the word revealed. Paul says the law was a tutor to bring us to Christ. That is true in several ways. First, it is a steppingstone in the redemptive plan; teaching us about the nature of God – His perfection.

Secondly, it is given to show us how far we fall short of the standard. As Paul says, it is so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful. These, and other such things are obvious, and they are explicitly stated in the New Testament.

However, the law is also given to show us types and pictures of other things. These can then help us to understand why certain passages are repeated, or why they are positioned in seemingly incorrect locations. In understanding the typological pictures, we find out that they are not. And, in understanding those pictures, we can also discern how the law is a tutor to bring us to Christ.

I could be wrong, but I don’t think it’s going to be the overt nature of the law which is going to lead Israel to the Lord. I think it is the typological pictures that will. Israel has had the law and the prophets for 2000 years, and they have failed to come to Christ.

Someday, they will see the typology back here in the Old Testament, maybe even in just the first five books of Moses, and it will suddenly dawn on them that the Lord has been there revealing Himself to them all along. I could be completely wrong, but it is what seems likely to me.

The pictures fill in what can’t be seen on the surface. Such marvelous truths as this are to be found in His superior word. And so, let us turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. Three Cities of Refuge (verses 41-43)

So far, Deuteronomy has been a long recounting of what occurred, from the time after leaving Sinai until the point where Israel is presently at. Moses also reminded the people here in Chapter 4 of what they beheld at the giving of the Ten Commandments, and which established them as the Lord’s covenant people at that time.

Interspersed into all of that have been exhortations and instructions concerning the statutes and judgments which have been taught, and which will be repeated and expanded upon in the chapters ahead. With all of this introductory information now recorded, and before Moses returns to the giving of the Ten Commandments in Chapter 5, this short section is carefully placed here.

The land east of Jordan has been acquired, the instruction for those who will dwell in this land concerning the conquest of Canaan have been given, and the surety that Moses will die outside of the promise has been settled. With all of that recorded, an aspect of the law which has already been given must now be settled. This then, explains the reason for the placement of this passage here. The last words of the last passage we reviewed last week said –

“You shall therefore keep His statutes and His commandments which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which the Lord your God is giving you for all time.” Deuteronomy 4:40

Because the land is subdued, and what lies ahead concerns the land of Canaan, this point of law must be settled now. If it were not so, then Moses could be accused of failing to keep the very statutes and judgments of law which he has exhorted Israel to keep.

But, being prompt and obedient to his duties, Moses does what the law expects him to do. That is introduced with the words of verse 41…

⁴¹ Then Moses set apart three cities

az yabdil Mosheh shalosh arim – “At that time set apart Moses three cities.” The verse begins with az, a demonstrative adverb which gives the sense of, “At that time.” It indicates that this passage is placed here, between two separate and independent dialogues, to complete the necessary details of law in accord with the word of the Lord. That was first stated in Numbers 35:9-16 –

“Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ¹⁰ ‘Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, ¹¹ then you shall appoint cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person accidentally may flee there. ¹² They shall be cities of refuge for you from the avenger, that the manslayer may not die until he stands before the congregation in judgment. ¹³ And of the cities which you give, you shall have six cities of refuge. ¹⁴ You shall appoint three cities on this side of the Jordan, and three cities you shall appoint in the land of Canaan, which will be cities of refuge. ¹⁵ These six cities shall be for refuge for the children of Israel, for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them, that anyone who kills a person accidentally may flee there.’”

In Moses’ words, the verb “set apart” is in the imperfect tense. Thus, it has the sense of, “Moses began to set apart three cities.” The reason is certainly because the land grant is still conditional. It will only belong to these tribes “if” they perform according to Moses’ words of Numbers 32 (and as repeated in Chapter 3) –

“If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben cross over the Jordan with you, every man armed for battle before the Lord, and the land is subdued before you, then you shall give them the land of Gilead as a possession. ³⁰ But if they do not cross over armed with you, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.” Numbers 32:29, 30

If they perform according to the word, these cities will be formally consecrated at that time. What is said here, and understanding all it entails, is actually more important than may seem. If everything concerning the designation of these cities of refuge isn’t taken properly, it appears that there is an error in the word.

Indeed, this is how Cambridge views it. Without directly citing their woefully incoherent argument, they say that what is said in Numbers 35, here, in Deuteronomy 19, and in Joshua 20 demonstrates that some various obscure people compiled the accounts.

They say this because Moses could not have known that three cities would be designated on the other side of the Jordan as is indicated in Deuteronomy 19 –

“When the Lord your God has cut off the nations whose land the Lord your God is giving you, and you dispossess them and dwell in their cities and in their houses, ² you shall separate three cities for yourself in the midst of your land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess. ³ You shall prepare roads for yourself, and divide into three parts the territory of your land which the Lord your God is giving you to inherit, that any manslayer may flee there.” Deuteronomy 19:1-3

But that fact was already stated by the Lord in Numbers 35. The Lord told Moses the exact details of all of the borders of Canaan in Numbers 34. The claim of Cambridge implies that the Lord, and what He said, cannot actually be the word of the all-knowing Lord. Cambridge then says that the actual designation of these cities didn’t occur until Joshua 20, where it says –

“The Lord also spoke to Joshua, saying, ² ‘Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Appoint for yourselves cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses.’” Joshua 20:1, 2

A few verses later, it then says –

“So they appointed Kedesh in Galilee, in the mountains of Naphtali, Shechem in the mountains of Ephraim, and Kirjath Arba (which is Hebron) in the mountains of Judah. ⁸ And on the other side of the Jordan, by Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness on the plain, from the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead, from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan, from the tribe of Manasseh. ⁹ These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel and for the stranger who dwelt among them, that whoever killed a person accidentally might flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood until he stood before the congregation.” Joshua 20:7-9

In these accounts, Cambridge makes several points to justify their reasoning. It is that Numbers 35 states it (1) far more elaborately, (2) in a different vocabulary, and (3) with some differences of substance. And that in Joshua 20 this is stated again, but with some different terms. Their conclusion then is –

“This is the only fair interpretation; if the law Deuteronomy 19:1 ff. had meant three cities in W. Palestine in addition to the three already set apart by Moses on the E. of Jordan, it would surely have alluded to the latter. The law was obviously made in consequence of the institution of the single sanctuary and without regard to any historical tradition of what Moses or Joshua had done.” Dolts at Cambridge

First, the difference in vocabulary is exactly why these accounts are written where they are and as they are. Secondly, the form of the verb given by Moses in this verse which is in the imperfect tense is exactly why it is so.

Numbers 35 gave the law for designating the cities of refuge. Deuteronomy 4 obediently designates the three cities in accord with that word. Deuteronomy 19 is Moses’ reiteration that the law for cites of refuge must also be adhered to when the other tribes cross into and subdue Canaan. And Joshua 20 finalizes that law for both sides of the Jordan.

Moses “began” to appoint the cities. But the appointment is conditional based on these tribes east of the Jordan helping the tribes west of the Jordan. Until that happens, the appointment is not settled.

Further, Moses says to badal, or separate, these cities for this purpose. It is simply an acknowledgement that these cities will, in fact, be the ones given for the set purpose. That same word is used by Moses in Deuteronomy 19 concerning the other three cities west of Jordan.

Then, in Joshua 20:2 the Lord says to nathan, or give, the cities of refuge to the tribes. This is the formal grant of the cities to Israel for the set purpose of refuge. In Joshua 20:7, it then uses the word qadash – to set apart or consecrate. Once the cities were given, they were then consecrated for the purpose.

Finally, in Joshua 20:9, a word used only once in Scripture, muadah, is seen. It signifies “to appoint,” and it is the final note concerning the obedience of the command of the Lord which began all the way back in Numbers 35.

The very thing that Cambridge uses to claim the words of Deuteronomy are a hodgepodge of later scribal insertions, coming hundreds of years after the account, is the thing that fully supports that it is one unified whole which was received by Moses and then Joshua at the times the Bible carefully records what occurred.

All of this detail, which took several hours for me to compile, is so that you can be certain of the fact that the word is reliable, without error, and it is exactly what it claims to be – the word of God. Concerning the three cities now being discussed, Moses says…

^{41 (con’t)} on this side of the Jordan,

b’ever ha’yarden – “in side the Jordan.” It should not say, “this,” but rather “on the side of the Jordan.” Where the account is written is irrelevant. The word always is in relation to Canaan, regardless of which side is being spoken of. In order to then define which side is referred to, Moses then says…

^{41 (con’t)} toward the rising of the sun,

mizrekhah shamesh – “toward rising sun.” This explains what was lacking in the previous clause. The word mizrakh signifies the place of the rising of the sun. It comes from zarakh, which means “to rise” or “come forth.” That, in turn, comes from a root signifying “to shoot forth beams.” Thus, it speaks of the place from which the sun rises, and therefore the east.

It is east of the Jordan that these cities are now first designated for a particular and important purpose. It is so…

⁴² that the manslayer might flee there,

lanu shamah rotseakh – “That might flee there the manslayer.” As described in detail in Numbers 35, the word is ratsakh. It signifies the unsanctioned taking of a human life – whether it is intentional or unintentional. Whichever it is, it makes no difference. If the death was unsanctioned killing, the avenger of blood had the right – and indeed the responsibility – to take the life of the slayer.

However, the Lord determined that if the slaying was unintentional, the slayer could flee to one of these cities and be given protection from the avenger of blood. If he was a true murderer, or even if he was innocent, but he didn’t flee to one of these cities, his life was to be taken by the avenger. The cities then were for a person…

^42 (cont) who kills his neighbor unintentionally,

The Hebrew reads, “who slays another without knowing.” In Numbers 35, a different word was used, signifying a mistake, or in ignorance. Either way, both accounts signify that he did not realize that his actions would lead to the death of another person.

He may have been building a brick wall and accidently dropped a brick on another person’s head (making him dead). He may have been playing baseball, hit the ball, broke the bat, and the broken bat flew into the head of someone watching from the sidelines. And so on.

It is an unintentional slaying of another human, but it was not sanctioned killing – such as in war, a judicial execution, and so on. Despite being unintentional, he is a slayer and the avenger had the right and responsibility to then take his life. The reason for the killing is irrelevant, as is seen in the next words…

^42 (cont) without having hated him in time past,

The Hebrew here contains an idiomatic expression, mi’temol shilshom – “yesterday, three days since.” It is a way of saying “before,” or “in the past.”

There was no animosity toward the person at any time. They could have been complete strangers or even good friends. Whatever the case, the person slayed another human without it being legally sanctioned. In this, he had only one choice open to him, a provision granted by the Lord for his protection…

^42 (cont) and that by fleeing to one of these cities he might live:

Here, the Hebrew is very specific, akhat min he’arim ha’el – “one from the cities the these.” He could flee to any one of these cities, but it had to be one of them. He could not flee to just any city and take up residence.

If he were equal distance between two of them, he could choose which one he would go to. And he would need to choose well because he could, ostensibly, be spending the rest of his life within the walls of that city. And those cities were…

⁴³ Bezer

All three cities to be named are introduced into the Bible in this verse. The first is Betser. The name comes from batsar, meaning to enclose or make inaccessible, and so it means “Fortress,” or “Defense.” However, it is identical to the word betser, which means “precious ore.” That is seen only in Job 22 –

“Then you will lay your gold in the dust,
And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks.
²⁵ Yes, the Almighty will be your gold
And your precious silver.” Job 22:24, 25

The idea is that the ore is what people use as a defense or a protection, but the person would put away this protection and trust in the Lord as his gold – meaning his protection – instead.

^{43 (con’t)} in the wilderness on the plateau for the Reubenites,

More correctly, it reads, “in the wilderness, in the land of the plain.” The midbar, or wilderness, is a place of God’s grace and of closeness to God, but it is also a place of testing. Next, ha’mishor, or “the plain,” is a word which signifies a level place. Thus, it figuratively speaks of uprightness. It is “the place of uprightness.” Reuben means, “See, a Son.”

^{43 (con’t)} Ramoth

Ramoth comes from rum, meaning “high” or “exalted.” Thus, it signifies “Heights,” or “Lofty Place.”

^{43 (con’t)} in Gilead for the Gadites,

Gilead is prefixed by an article, and it means, “The Perpetual Fountain.” Gad means, “Troop,” or “Fortune.” It signifies “a fortune for which a troublesome, invasive effort is made” (Abarim).

^{43 (con’t)} and Golan

Golan comes from golah, meaning “Exile.” The NET Bible also defines it as “Their captivity: Their Rejoicing.”

^{43 (con’t)} in Bashan for the Manassites.

The Bashan means something like “The Place of Fertile Soil.” Manasseh means “He shall Forget.”

These are the three cities of refuge, and they each are beautifully named to highlight the purpose of the city. In turn, each city highlights the One who these cities represent.

Bezer – The manslayer can run to the Defense, laying aside his own “gold” or protection, coming to the One who will protect him with Himself. This is in the place where God’s grace is displayed, and it is the place of the uprightness. As Paul says, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Romans 10:4).  It is the state that one possesses when he comes to Christ.

That is found in the territory of Reuben, or “See, a Son.” It refers then to the Defense of Christ, God’s grace, and it is in a place of uprightness.

Ramoth – The manslayer can run to the Lofty Place. Though his actions deserve death, in Christ, God is willing to accept the one who comes to Him through Christ. As Peter says, “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time” (1 Peter 5:6).

In this, the person comes to The Perpetual Fountain and is granted eternal life. Being in the land of Gad, it signifies a fortune for which a troublesome, invasive effort is made. In other words, it acknowledges the trials Christ went through in order to bring him to this fortunate spot of favor.

Golan – The person who flees into exile is the freest person of all if it is captivity in Christ. As Paul says, “…bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). This is said to be in the Bashan, or “The Place of Fertile Soil.”

This then speaks of the fertile soil of the word of God. As Paul says, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). This is in the land of Manasseh, or “He Shall Forget,” signifying that Christ shall forget the past deeds of the person who has come to Him. He is secure in the place of refuge, meaning Christ.

Without expanding on his thoughts at all, Adam Clarke curiously tossed out the following concerning these cities –

“As the cities of refuge are generally understood to be types of the salvation provided by Christ for sinners; so their names have been thought to express some attribute of the Redeemer of mankind.” Adam Clarke

A simple study of the words shows that what Adam Clarke surmised is exactly what the Lord is conveying to us in these three remarkable locations.

Where can I go to save my life?
How can I get free from what I have done?
I killed a man, but not by strife
In innocence have I slain this one 

But the avenger of blood waits for me
To take my life for what I have done
Is there a place to where I can flee?
Is there a place to where I can run?

Who will save me from what has come about?
Who can rescue me from what I have done?
Is there a chance for me? How will it come about?
Lord, my only hope is that to You I run

II. After They Came out of Egypt (verses 44-49)

⁴⁴ Now this is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel.

v’zot ha’torah asher sham Moseh liphne bene Yisrael – “And this, the Torah, which set Moses before the sons of Israel.”

The first main discourse of Deuteronomy – that going from verse 1:1 until verse 4:40 – is complete. As there was an introductory statement which led into the first discourse, so there is now one which leads into the second.

In other words, what is said here looks forward to Chapter 5. It is an anticipatory statement concerning the law that Moses will speak out to the people. He then next further defines what that means…

⁴⁵ These are the testimonies, the statutes, and the judgments

The Torah, or law, is subdivided by Moses into several categories which are variously translated. Using the NKJV, as I do for all sermons, this is the breakdown of the Torah that Moses uses –

The testimonies – ha’edot. It is the word edah, a witness or testimony, coming from the word ed, meaning a witness or testimony. One could think of something set out for the well-being of God’s people.

The statutes – ha’khuquim. It is the word khoq. It signifies something prescribed or owed, and thus a statute. It comes from khaqaq, which means to cut, inscribe, or decree. One could think of a written precept that is to be obeyed.

The judgments – ha’mishpatim. It is the word mishpat; a judgment, determination, verdict, etc. It comes from shapat, meaning to judge or govern. A judge will put down a ruling which is legal and is to be obeyed. The Lord is the ultimate Judge. His rulings are to be followed.

These divisions of law, which together form the Torah, or law, are those…

^{45 (con’t)} which Moses spoke to the children of Israel after they came out of Egypt,

The Hebrew says, b’tsetam mi’mitsraim, “in their coming out from Egypt.” It speaks of the entire time of their coming out, even until the present time. Egypt means “double distress.” They were brought out of that and to Sinai. The Lord spoke out some of these words at Sinai – such as the giving of the Ten Commandments, which will be seen in the next chapter.

However, there are differences which will be seen in the Ten Commandments between Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5. There are other words of law which have not been spoken before – such as the details of what to do with the annual tithes in Chapter 14.

Therefore, the words, “in their coming out from Egypt,” are an all-inclusive statement which brings them up to the moment in which Moses is now speaking. All of this is the Torah, or law, which Moses revisits and expands upon now…

⁴⁶ on this side of the Jordan, 

b’ever ha’yarden – “In side the Jordan.” It is the same phrase as verse 41. It is an expression which requires further explanation, and so Moses next provides it…

^{46 (con’t)} in the valley opposite Beth Peor,

The word for “valley” here is gai. It comes from gevah, meaning exaltation. Figuratively, at times, it speaks of arrogance or pride. That comes from gaah, exaltation or triumph.

^{46 (con’t)} in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt at Heshbon,

This goes back to Numbers 21 and the repeated story in Deuteronomy 2. Sihon means “Tempestuous” or “Warrior.” Amorite comes from amar, meaning to utter or say. Therefore, the name signifies being spoken of, and thus “Renowned.”

Also, the word kheshvon, comes from khashav. It is a word which signifies to consider, calculate, or devise. Therefore, it signifies an explanation of things, or “Intelligence.” This is the land where they are now, and what occurs here is included in the thought of the previous verse – “in their coming out from Egypt.”

They have come out of Egypt, but they have not yet entered into the promise. In this location where they are, we then read…

^{46 (con’t)} whom Moses and the children of Israel defeated 

The defeat of the kings on the east side of the Jordan has been highlighted several times already. It is a statement surely given to bolster the confidence of those who will cross over and enter into the promise. These great foes were defeated, and so how much more will the Lord defeat the foes Israel would face once they entered into the Promise.

Although this is speaking of Israel collectively, the truth applies to any who have come to Him. We have had enemies we faced before coming to Christ, and Christ defeated them. How much more then should we trust that in our life in Christ, He will defeat any and all foes who come our way!

The repetition for Moses is a call to us as well. He has defeated sin and the power of the devil in our lives. How much more will He defeat death, though it may come, through the power of His own resurrection. We are to be confident in our walk with the Lord, trusting Him from beginning to end. For now, Moses goes on…

^{46 (con’t)} after they came out of Egypt.

It is the same expression used in the previous verse, b’tsetam mi’mitsraim, “in their coming out from Egypt.” This shows that the entire process of coming out is what is spoken of here. It is an ongoing statement which has even now not been fully realized.

⁴⁷ And they took possession of his land and the land of Og king of Bashan,

Sihon is mentioned first in this because it is the land taken from him in which Israel is currently dwelling. He was also the first king defeated, followed by Og. It is in this land that they wait out their final moments, receiving the words of Moses and looking forward to their long-awaited entrance into Canaan.

As was seen in Numbers and Deuteronomy, Og comes from uggah, which is a round baked cake. That comes from ug, to bake. The Bashan signifies “The Place of Fertile Soil.” Together, these two are jointly described as…

^{47 (con’t)} two kings of the Amorites,

shene malke ha’emori – “two kings of the Amorite.” In verse 46 and here the word Amorite is singular. It speaks of the people group as a whole. Each king had his own sphere of rule, but they ruled over the same ethnic group of people.

^{47 (con’t)} who were on this side of the Jordan,

It is the same phrase already seen three times in our few verses today. It speaks of a side of the Jordan without any particular distinction of which side. The indicator of which side is affixed by the subsequent clause. Which is, as closely stated in verse 41…

^{47 (con’t)} toward the rising of the sun,

Place of rising sun, meaning “eastward.” The repetition of these verses throughout the past chapters, and even in this chapter, is given for specificity, it is given for a reminder of the past, it is given for encouragement in the future, and it is given as a testimony that what is written actually happened.

It occurred at a specific place, at a particular point in time, and it is in a location that was settled based on the events which preceded what is being conveyed now. All of the repetition is an important note of surety to Israel, and to the reader of Scripture, and yet, Cambridge flippantly states the following –

“This part of Deuteronomy 4:46 and Deuteronomy 4:47 are [Sic], of course, superfluous after chs. 2 and 3.” Cambridge

Can you imagine calling a part of the word of God “superfluous,” as if God had wasted His breath in specifically detailing everything He has given us in His word? The arrogance of such an attitude is astonishing.

At times, I will say during a sermon something like, “The words here seem almost superfluous,” and then I go on and explain why they are not. To simply state that it is so without any qualification is a damnable offense against the word, and thus against the One who gave us this wonderful treasure.

But enough of that for now. Moses continues with his description of the land which was previously possessed by these two kings…

⁴⁸ from Aroer, which is on the bank of the River Arnon,

As has been seen, Aroer means “Stripped,” “Bare,” or “Naked.” The word translated as “bank” is saphah. It signifies a border as in a lip, edge, or bank like in the lip of a river, a garment, the mouth, etc. Thus, it also means speech, language, etc, because that is where language proceeds from.

The noun meaning “river,” is nakhal, and it implies a wadi which flows during the times of rain. The word is from the verb nakhal which speaks of obtaining as an inheritance or possession. And, Arnon means “Rejoicing.” This large expanse of land then extends…

^{48 (con’t)} even to Mount Sion (that is, Hermon),

This is the only time that name Mount Sion is used in the Bible, but it is explained as being Hermon. The name Sion may be a shortening of the name Sirion which was given in Chapter 3, but it is said to come from the word siy, which means “loftiness.” That comes from nasa, to lift up, or carry. Hermon means “Sacred.”

These borders describe the southernmost and northernmost areas of the land that Israel had conquered. This land is then further described…

⁴⁹ and all the plain on the east side of the Jordan

The word aravah, translated as “plain,” goes back to a word signifying a pledge, and thus it speaks of a guarantee. This plain is again described as being on the east side of the Jordan and it stretches…

^{49 (con’t)} as far as the Sea of the Arabah,

It is the same word, aravah, which was just translated as “plain” in the previous clause. This is why some translations will call the plain “the plain of the Arabah,” or some will call the sea “the sea of the plain.” This is translator’s preference and one shouldn’t get confused by any reading because of this. Finally, we come to…

*^{49 (fin)} below the slopes of Pisgah.

The word here translated as slopes was first seen in Chapter 3. It comes from a word signifying a foundation or bed. That then comes from a root meaning an outpouring. Therefore, it means either springs or slopes – both of which pour out. As ha’pisgah or the Pisgah is a mountain with a cleft in it, it probably means “Slopes of the Cleft.”

The words of these six verses first spoke of the Torah, or law, and all of its testimonies, statutes, and judgments – spoken out by Moses. Moses means, “He who draws out.” Here as is seen elsewhere, he pictures Christ. It is He who draws out the will of the Lord and who embodies that will.

There is the note that this is spoken in the coming out of Israel from Egypt. Egypt, or “double distress,” speaks of the land where man lives. He is born in sin, and he cannot redeem himself. Thus, he is in double distress.

The words are ongoing and speak of the process of bringing Israel out. It is not “after” they came out of Egypt, but “in their coming out.” Christ has accomplished His work, but Israel never accepted it, and so the narrative is ongoing.

Hence, there is the continued stress – saying it again and again in different ways – that they are still on the eastern side of the Jordan, meaning the Descender – which pictures Christ. They are in the gai, or valley opposite Beth Peor, or the House of the Opening.

Peor comes from paar which is used in Isaiah 5 when speaking of Sheol, the pit of death, opening its mouth beyond measure to receive those who reject the Lord.

When under law – whether trusting in the law for righteousness, or in rejecting the law and satisfying one’s own desires – the inevitable outcome is death.

It is a reminder of their previous failure of falling into idolatry. But being in the gai, or valley opposite it, this speaks of the triumph over that. They are in this place of exaltation, right on the border of the Jordan or Descender, picturing Christ. It is a way of showing that they can go in either direction – toward Beth Peor, or toward the Jordan and into the promise.

It then noted that this is the land of Sihon and Og with all of the specificity connected to their names – meaning their titles and the land which they ruled. But it notes that they were defeated, again using the term “in their coming out of Egypt.”

Previous sermons have shown that they pictured the Antichrist and the False Prophet. The foes are defeated – these two great kings of the Renowned. After mentioning them, the land was again described. Aroer means, “Stripped,” “Bare,” or “Naked. It is what Hebrews refers to –

“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. ¹³ And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:12, 13

Aroer is said to be on the sephat, or lip, of the nakhal, or River, Arnon – signifying the inheritance of Rejoicing. This land then extends all the way from there to Sion, or Loftiness, also known as Hermon, or Sacred Mountain – a picture of heaven.

After noting that entire expanse, it then mentioned ha’aravah, or the plain, and the sea of ha’aravah. The word, as we saw, comes from a root signifying a pledge, or guarantee.

The whole area – from the inheritance of rejoicing, all the way to heaven itself, as well as the plain, is given as a picture of what is offered to Israel. The same word aravon, which is the root of aravah, is also found in the New Testament – arrabon.  It is used to describe the pledge or guarantee when one believes in Christ.

In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, one can see a summary of what Moses is relaying to us now in just two verses –

“In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, ¹⁴ who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” Ephesians 1:13, 14

There is the inheritance, there is the guarantee, there is the praise, there is the rejoicing, there is the attainment of the heavenly place. And all of this is summed up with the final words, “below the slopes of Pisgah.” It is the Outpouring of the Cleft.

It is the spot where in Numbers 21 it was said to look down on the wasteland. That would be to the east. In Deuteronomy 34, it is where Moses will ascend to before he dies in order to look to the west – towards Jericho. The wasteland signifies what is past, Jericho and the Land of Promise signify what is ahead.

It is an offering to Israel to speak the word, receive the inheritance, obtain the guarantee, and enter the promise. But one must pass through Christ to do so. They can look back to the past or forward to the promise.

This is what is being presented here as an introductory passage which will reiterate the law – the impossible body of requirements that will be set before Israel. That body of law must die outside of the promise, and the inheritance must be received by faith.

The enemies are defeated, access to the promise is right there awaiting the people, the cities of refuge have all been named, and they all point to Christ. The layout of the land speaks of Christ, of the inheritance, and of the promise, but the law must first be repeated to the people once again.

The reason for this is that the law itself will call out for its own ending. It did not get them into the promise the first time, and it cannot get them into it the next time.

Having said that, this is all typology. Israel will, in fact, enter Canaan. And when they do, they will be under law. That will continue for the next 1400 years until Christ comes and completes His work.

The typology is given to show us Christ and His work, but the actual narrative is given to show us true history of what occurred with Israel under the time of the law.

We can’t miss this particular point. The failings of Israel under the law are as important in revealing Christ as are the pictures of Christ within the law. They could not have known these things at that time, because the law was to be a tutor to the world of what the pictures only anticipate.

However, since Christ’s coming, these things are known, and they are explained in the word. The problem is that Israel rejected Christ, and they rejected that word. Thus, the very lives these people lived have a become picture of their own exile, punishment, and future reconciliation.

I think this is probably why the same names, places, and descriptions have been given so many times in Numbers and in Deuteronomy. It is to alert them to inspect the words, see the patterns, and then respond to what is presented.

And though we are not Israel, we are all expected to do the same. The word – this beautiful self-confirming word – has been given to show us again, and again, and yet again, that God has sent the Messiah. He has sent Christ. And we are under obligation to respond to that.

Let us be responsible and act accordingly, calling out to Jesus, leaving the barren wasteland of our past existence, and accepting the inheritance which is pictured in our passage today. Jesus Christ is our place of refuge, and He is the One who will guard us as His possession until the day He brings us home to glory. Yes, let us pay heed and respond according to that wonderful call.

Closing Verse: “…that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, ¹⁸ the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹ and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power ²⁰ which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹ far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.” Ephesians 1:17-21

Next Week: Deuteronomy 5:1-6 It’s like going from a miry bog and into a swampy pondage… (From Bondage to Bondage) (19^th Deuteronomy Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. But He also has expectations of you as He prepares you for entrance into His Land of Promise. So, follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

On the East Side of the Jordan

Then Moses set apart three cities on this side of the Jordan
Toward the rising of the sun, is where they shall be
That the manslayer might flee there
Who kills his neighbor unintentionally

Without having hated him in time past, these cities he did give
And that by fleeing to one of these cities he might live

Bezer in the wilderness on the plateau for the Reubenites
Ramoth in Gilead for the Gadites
And Golan in Bashan for the Manassites
These were those three sites

Now this is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel
This is the law which he to the people did tell

These are the testimonies, the statutes, and the judgments
Which Moses spoke to the children of Israel
After they came out of Egypt
On this side of the Jordan as well

In the valley opposite Beth Peor, in the land of Sihon
King of the Amorites, who dwelt at Heshbon
Whom Moses and the children of Israel defeated
After they came out of Egypt, by the Lord’s hand alone

And they took possession of his land
And the land of Og king of Bashan, two kings of the Amorites
Who were on this side of the Jordan
Toward the rising of the sun
———-where starts the day and ends the nights

From Aroer, which is on the bank of the River Arnon
Even to Mount Sion (that is, Hermon) – Hallelujah!
And all the plain on the east side of the Jordan
As far as the Sea of the Arabah, below the slopes of Pisgah

Lord God, turn our hearts to be obedient to Your word
Give us wisdom to be ever faithful to You
May we carefully heed each thing we have heard
Yes, Lord God may our hearts be faithful and true

And we shall be content and satisfied in You alone
We will follow You as we sing our songs of praise
Hallelujah to You; to us Your path You have shown
Hallelujah we shall sing to You for all of our days

Hallelujah and Amen…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

⁴¹ Then Moses set apart three cities on this side of the Jordan, toward the rising of the sun, ⁴² that the manslayer might flee there, who kills his neighbor unintentionally, without having hated him in time past, and that by fleeing to one of these cities he might live: ⁴³ Bezer in the wilderness on the plateau for the Reubenites, Ramoth in Gilead for the Gadites, and Golan in Bashan for the Manassites.

⁴⁴ Now this is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel. ⁴⁵ These are the testimonies, the statutes, and the judgments which Moses spoke to the children of Israel after they came out of Egypt, ⁴⁶ on this side of the Jordan, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt at Heshbon, whom Moses and the children of Israel defeated after they came out of Egypt. ⁴⁷ And they took possession of his land and the land of Og king of Bashan, two kings of the Amorites, who were on this side of the Jordan, toward the rising of the sun, ⁴⁸ from Aroer, which is on the bank of the River Arnon, even to Mount Sion (that is, Hermon), ⁴⁹ and all the plain on the east side of the Jordan as far as the Sea of the Arabah, below the slopes of Pisgah.

Deuteronomy 4:32-40
There Is No Other

In Romans 9-11, Paul speaks of the situation with Israel in relation to the Lord. He speaks of their rejection of Christ, he speaks of what the state of those who rejected Him is, he speaks of God’s sovereignty over what occurred and what their rejection of Him means for Gentiles and for individual Jews who believe in Him.

He then continues with how their rejection came about, their need for the imputed righteousness of Christ rather than relying on deeds of the law, and how they too can be saved – even despite their continuing hardheartedness.

At the beginning of Chapter 11, Paul opens with, “I say then, has God cast away His people?” His answer, “Certainly not!” He then further explains what their rejection of Christ means for the Gentiles, but he also goes on to say what their acceptance of Christ will mean. He finishes out that portion of his epistle with the following words which form our text verse –

Text Verse: For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. ²⁶ And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
“The Deliverer will come out of Zion,
And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
²⁷ For this is My covenant with them,
When I take away their sins.”
²⁸ Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. ²⁹ For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. ³⁰ For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, ³¹ even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. ³² For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all. Romans 11:25-32

Paul speaks of Israel being beloved for the sake of the fathers. It is exactly what Moses will refer to in our passage today. He then says that the gifts and the calling are irrevocable. For replacement theologians, as well as for those unable to learn what Paul means (but I repeat myself), it is a word meaning, “not able to be changed, reversed, or recovered.”

God has promised, he has called Israel, and that will not change. Israel’s unfaithfulness to the Lord will not in any way affect the Lord’s promises and His faithfulness. This is a great lesson for each of us who has been saved by Christ, but who struggle with all of the things we as humans struggle with. We may be unfaithful, but God will never revoke what He has granted to us through a simple act of faith.

If you have never received Jesus, stick around for the next forty minutes or so for a great sermon (yes, it will be great – because it is based on God’s word), and at the end, I’ll tell you the simple path to salvation. But in case your meeting with God is less than forty minutes away, I’ll give you a short and quick preview – believe that Christ died for your sins and accept that.

This is the central point of all of Scripture – JESUS. The law of Moses is merely a steppingstone leading to Him. It’s all to be found in His superior word. And so, let us turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. From One End of Heaven to the Other (verses 32-34)

The words of Deuteronomy 4:32-40 are a summary thought for Israel to consider and to live by. It is an amazingly profound portion of Scripture which would be appropriate to copy by every member of the assembly, and to then place in a centrally located part of the house where everyone who came in could see it, reflect on it, and pay heed to it.

Moses is going to reiterate many of the thoughts that he has presented to Israel so far in Chapter 4. He has conveyed to them the need to keep the commandments of the Lord. He will repeat that in verse 40.  He has shown that the Lord destroyed many in Israel for idolatry. He will warn that they can expect more of this also in verse 40.

He has spoken of the great wisdom to be found in the statutes and judgments of the Lord. In keeping these, they may call upon Him when needed, because He is near to them. He will refer to this bond in verse 34.

He spoke of the receiving of the law and what it was like when it was received. He will refer to this again in verse 36. He warned against idolatry among the people and the consequences of not paying heed. He will speak of the contrast of that in verse 39 – that the Lord is God, and that there is none other.

He has referred to being brought out of the bondage of Egypt. He will refer to this again in verse 37. And, he has spoken of the faithfulness of the Lord, despite the anticipated unfaithfulness of Israel. He will speak of this unbreakable covenant bond (at least on His side of it) again in verse 34.

In just nine verses, Moses will open up a panorama of thought which extends from the creation of man even through all of the future history of the world. And, it extends out from Israel in all directions over the entire earth.

What is said speaks of the eternal nature of God, and – therefore – of the eternal and irrevocable nature of God’s dealing with this particular people, regardless as to how they respond to Him. In these words, are the magnificent concepts of love, mercy, grace, and also of warning…

³² “For ask now concerning the days that are past,

ki sheal na l’yamim rishonim – For inquire, I pray, to days first. Moses begins the thought imploring his audience – and therefore anyone who ever reads his words – to inquire, into the events of time itself. That word is rishonim, and it signifies the former, first, or beginning.

The idea here is that Moses is imploring his audience to diligently seek, even to the first times that were. But the context of what he is saying is based on the first word, ki, or “for.” The idea is connected to everything in the previous verses. If we start with verse 26 until this verse, we can get the idea of what Moses is conveying –

“I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that you will soon utterly perish from the land which you cross over the Jordan to possess; you will not prolong your days in it, but will be utterly destroyed. ²⁷ And the Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the Lord will drive you. ²⁸ And there you will serve gods, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell. ²⁹ But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. ³⁰ When you are in distress, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, when you turn to the Lord your God and obey His voice ³¹ (for the Lord your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them.” Deuteronomy 4:26-31

Moses has let Israel know that they are prone to wander, and in that state, they will be dispersed. They will be in a state of complete denial of the Lord, but in their distress of those times, they will seek Him, and He will be found by them. And that, for two reasons – 1) He is merciful, and 2) He has made a covenant with their fathers.

This is what Moses’ words are now based on, imploring Israel to seek even to the foundings of the world for a comparison to the proposition he will set before them. O Israel, seek to the days…

^{32 (con’t)} which were before you,

asher hayu lephanekha – “which have been before you.” Israel is sitting before Moses, and before entry into Canaan. They are the same people who had been brought out of bondage and offered Canaan many years earlier.

They are the same who rejected that, and who were thus rejected. They are the same whose fathers had perished, and who were now free from the stain of their guilt. However, Moses asks them to not only consider these times, but of all of the times before their calling, even…

^{32 (con’t)} since the day that God created man on the earth,

l’min ha’yom asher bara Elohim adam al ha’arets – “from the day which created Elohim man on the earth.” Moses’ words now take his audience back to both the first page of Scripture and to the sixth the day of creation, where it is recorded –

“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ ²⁷ So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Genesis 1:26, 27

The intent of the words is that if one could, they were to inquire of every human that ever existed since God created Adam and his wife. This is the diligence of the search that Moses is calling forth for those he is speaking to. And not only in a certain stream of men from Adam is this call made. Rather…

^{32 (con’t)} and ask from one end of heaven to the other,

u-l’miqtseh ha’shamayim v’ad qetseh ha’shamayim – “and to from end of the heavens and to end of the heavens.” The translation “heaven” is incorrect. It is not referring to the place of God’s dwelling, but the places of man’s dwelling. The term means from anywhere on the planet – from north, south, east, or west.

Any location where man has been or is. The search is to be made from all men at any time and at any place in all of that time. Moses is speaking in absolute and all-inclusive terms for an answer to the proposition he now puts forth…

^{32 (con’t)} whether any great thing like this has happened,

hanihyah ka’davar ha’gadol ha’zeh – “has happened like this manner, the great, the this.” What has ever come into being which is comparable to what I am asking you about now? Such a great thing as this! Tell me, please. I want to know…

^{32 (con’t)} or anything like it has been heard.

o ha’nishma kamohu – “or has been heard like it.” Not only is the thing which has come to pass great, but there is nothing even comparable to it. Ear has not heard of such a thing. The sentiment is almost identical to what Paul says in 1 Corinthians when referring to the gospel in 1 Corinthians 2:7-9 –

“But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, ⁸ which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

⁹ But as it is written:
‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’”

Paul was not speaking of what lies ahead for the believer. Rather, he – like Moses – was referring to what God had done. God had sent Christ to die for the world in order to call out a people for Himself, even from Israel and even from the Gentiles.

Moses, however, speaks not of the New Covenant in Christ and those who are a part of it, but rather of the Sinaitic Covenant between the Lord and Israel. Of that covenant, and the events which surrounded it, Moses now questions the people.

The questions he will ask are based on the proposition he just set forth – has anything such as this ever happened, at any time since creation, and among any people within creation…

³³ Did any people ever hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire,

ha’shama am qol Elohim m’daber mitok ha’esh – “Heard people voice of God speaking from midst the fire?” The intent of the words is probably, “Did any people hear the voice of ‘a god.’” In other words, what occurred at Sinai between the people and the Lord is completely unknown.

No other people heard the voice of a god because there is no other god than the Lord God. And, the people of Israel did, in fact, hear the voice of the Lord God out of the midst of the fire.

Looking back on the record from Genesis, one would consider the visitation of God to be one of judgment. The earth was flooded at Noah’s time, and all but eight perished. Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed and only the family of Lot was spared. Nothing is recorded of God speaking. But His visitation was evident.

Later, God appeared to Abram, to make a covenant with him. In the cutting of that covenant, it said a smoking oven and a burning torch passed between the pieces of the animals when the covenant was made with him.

At that time, the Lord spoke to Abram concerning the promise of the land. That event established the baseline of the land covenant with him and his descendants, but more revelation from God would come at Sinai. It is that which Moses is now referring to.

When the Lord appeared to Israel at Mount Sinai, and as was further detailed in verse 12 of this chapter, He spoke out of the midst of the fire. They heard the voice, they were given the words of law, and they saw the terrifying sight of pending judgment which could be anticipated from violating the law. And yet…

^{33 (con’t)} as you have heard, and live?

ka’asher shamata atah va’yehi – “as has heard you, you, and live?” One can feel the emphasis in Moses’ words, “You heard it – even you – and yet you are still alive! Has such a thing ever happened before? I think not, and yet it has happened to you.”

But as important as the emphasis on the addressee is, there is also the fact that his words are in the second person singular. Moses is speaking to each individual personally, even though it is to Israel as a collective. They are being set in complete contrast to any other people group.

Knowing this, a point of immense importance can be elicited from what Moses is conveying. The people heard the words of the Lord God from the fire and they lived. But the same words are conveyed in what Moses recorded.

They are words of law. The law doesn’t change because of the visible manifestation of the Lord or because of its lack. It is the same law that carries the same penalties. This is why the use of the second person singular is so important.

Even if those of Israel die because of the law – and indeed many had died, and many would continue to die because of it – Israel would continue to exist. It is a note of absolute surety for the collective in the face of the expectation of certain disaster for many individuals.

³⁴ Or did God ever try to go and take for Himself a nation from the midst of another nation, 

o hanissah Elohim lavo laqakhat lo go miqerev go – “Or did try God to come take for Himself nation from midst nation.” As before, this is more likely saying, “Did a god try.”

The Lord God is again being set against the false gods of all other nations. It is a rhetorical question concerning them. Thus, it demands a negative response. No other god has done such a thing. And next, to show the superlative nature of what Yehovah did, Moses speaks on…

^{34 (con’t)} by trials,

Moses begins a list of seven descriptors concerning their past. The first is massah, meaning testing or trials. It is a new word, being derived from the word nasah which was just used in the previous clause where it asked, “…did God ever try.”

It is probably referring to the trials of the people prior to Moses’ arrival. They were in hard bondage, they were afflicted and tested, and it said in Exodus 2 –

“Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage. ²⁴ So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. ²⁵ And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them.” Exodus 2:23-25

^{34 (con’t)} by signs,

The othoth, or signs, are things given to represent something else. The Lord gave Moses three signs to give to Israel – the rod which turned into a snake, the leprous hand, and the water which turned to blood. He also gave signs to Pharaoh concerning what would come upon them as the Lord accomplished His work. Next…

^{34 (con’t)} by wonders,

u-b’mophtim – “and in wonders.” The mopheth, or wonder, comes from yaphah, or beautiful. Thus, it speaks of that which is conspicuous and amazing. The word “wonders” gives us the right sense. It speaks of the plagues which came upon the land. And yet, it also speaks of the fact that Israel was spared at the same time. While Egypt was destroyed, Israel survived through the plagues – each time, it was a wonder in itself.

^{34 (con’t)} by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great terrors,

These are what the Lord brought upon Egypt and the Egyptians, especially after the Exodus. Each of them speaks of the power and splendor of the Lord through His great workings. He fought the battles, it was his strength that worked against Egypt, it was his reach which devastated them while Israel remained safe, and it was His actions that brought terror upon the foe. All of this was…

^{34 (con’t)} according to all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt

It is in the second person plural, the only plurals in this section. The Lord is the God of the people, and He accomplished His work on their behalf accordingly. And He did it…

^{34 (con’t)} before your eyes?

It returns to the second person singular. The collective eyes of the people are spoken of as one person. Israel beheld the marvels wrought by Yehovah his God.

There is no other God; I know not one
Search in the highest heavens and there will be only Me
Search below the earth until your days are done
And no other god shall you see 

I alone am the Lord your God
And to Me alone shall you give your thanks and praise
Wherever on this earth you trod
Only Me you shall honor for all your days 

Trust in Me, and I will give you rest
I will lead you on soft paths, lush and green
In your soul, you shall be forever blessed
Because you have no other gods; to you only I am seen

II. Consider it in Your Heart (verses 35-40)

³⁵ To you it was shown,

The words are emphatic: atah hareeta – “You, it was shown to you.” Israel, no other, beheld the things which brought them to where they now are. The past is being called to testify that the Lord did these things to Israel, and to no other. This was so…

^{35 (con’t)} that you might know that the Lord Himself is God;

The words are again emphatic: la’daath ki Yehovah hu ha’elohim – “that you might know that Yehovah, He, the God.” As your Bible failed to put an article before the word “God,” please pen it in, and give your translation 1 demerit in the margin.

This is the whole point of the Lord contrasting Himself to the other gods, and it is why the term “a god” should have been used in the previous verses. Any other god is a false god. None has done what Yehovah has done.

Therefore, Yehovah – He – is THE GOD. He did these things so that Israel (it is again in the second person singular) would know that He alone is God. By extension, then, His identification with, protection of, and continued faithfulness to, them is so that all the world will know that He, Yehovah, is THE GOD.

Their faithfulness or unfaithfulness to Him has no bearing on who He is. But His faithfulness to them is for the specific and particular purpose of demonstrating to all that He is God, and…

^{35 (con’t)} there is none other besides Him.

ain od milbado – “None other beside Him.” That there is one God can be logically determined without knowing who that God is. The twelve First Principles logically and undeniably demonstrate this. But just because a person can logically think that through, it does not mean that he knows this God except as can be perceived through what He has created.

But, God can – and Has – specifically revealed Himself in various ways. Here in Deuteronomy 4, He has shown us one of those ways. It is through Israel and what He has done for and through, them. Such things have not been seen in any other nation. Israel was to know this, and they were to then understand that there was, in fact, no god besides Him.

³⁶ Out of heaven He let you hear His voice,

min ha’shamayim – “from the heavens.” The idea is that the people looked up, but the sounds did not come from any discernible place. They heard the voice, saw the fire, but could not discern the location of where the voice came from. This was so…

^{36 (con’t)} that He might instruct you;

Here the word yasar, or instruct, is used. It comes from a primitive root signifying “to chastise.” Thus, it usually gives the sense of punishment for corrective instruction. The terror of hearing the voice of God was intended to do this. The instruction is multi-layered. He instructed them in the law.

He instructed them in seeing that He had no discernable form, and thus He was not to be worshipped through any created thing. He instructed them that He was above them, and yet He was willing to speak to them without destroying them.

He instructed them that He is, because a voice comes from somewhere, and words convey intelligence and meaning. Such things as these, and certainly many more, were provided for their instruction. Further…

^{36 (con’t)} on earth He showed you His great fire, and you heard His words out of the midst of the fire.

v’al ha’arets – “and on the earth.” In Exodus 20:18, it said, “Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire.” Fire consumes and fire destroys. The manifestation was to instruct the people that the Lord is a consuming fire and that they were to heed Him.

And yet, it was also to instruct them that He could contain the fire as well. It extended to where He wished it to go, but it could be contained – signifying restraint and even mercy.

Also, the fire extended from the earth to the heavens. It was a demonstration that Yehovah is not limited to one aspect of His creation.

As it says in Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” He is transcendent over His creation. He can manifest Himself nowhere in it, or He can manifest Himself in one location or another in it, or He can extend Himself between locations – as He did at Sinai.

Despite manifesting Himself, however, the source of the voice could not be determined because it was enveloped within the midst of the fire. All of this was for the instruction of Israel. But it was based upon His faithfulness to those who came before them…

³⁷ And because He loved your fathers,

v’takhat ki ahav eth avotekha – “And instead, because He loved your fathers.” The word takhat means “under,” and thus signifying “instead.” The idea is that when one comes under another, he replaces the one he comes under. Thus, this is referring to Egypt.

Israel was in the midst of Egypt, a people greater and more numerous than Israel. But the Lord chose Israel instead of Egypt to display Himself to the world. It is reflective of Paul’s words to those at Corinth –

‘For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. ²⁷ But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; ²⁸ and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, ²⁹ that no flesh should glory in His presence. ³⁰ But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— ³¹ that, as it is written, ‘He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.’” 1 Corinthians 1:26-31

The Lord chose the underdog to display His glory, but more than that, it was because of His love for their fathers – meaning Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He had made the covenant promises to them, and He would fulfill them through Israel. As Moses says…

^{37 (con’t)} therefore He chose their descendants after them;

v’yivkhar b’zarow akharav – “and He chose in his seed after him.” The word “seed” is singular. The fathers had other descendants at times, but it is this particular seed, in this particular line, that was chosen by God to reveal Himself in this unique way.

Interestingly, a verse parallel to this is seen in Deuteronomy 10:15, but there, the word “seed,” and the pronouns in the verse, are all plural –

“The Lord delighted only in your fathers, to love them; and He chose their descendants after them, you above all peoples, as it is this day.”

The interchange of the singular and plural throughout these verses is complicated, but purposeful. It shows minute specificity which is, sadly, overlooked by almost all translations. Moses is making theological points about the people who are Israel, and about those people of whom Israel is comprised.

In this clause, we see that Israel was specifically chosen. In this selection, the Lord set them apart from all others. This thought was seen in our text verse today where Paul spoke of Israel’s gifts and calling being irrevocable. The same thought is seen later in Deuteronomy –

“Remember the days of old,
Consider the years of many generations.
Ask your father, and he will show you;
Your elders, and they will tell you:
⁸ When the Most High divided their inheritance to the nations,
When He separated the sons of Adam,
He set the boundaries of the peoples
According to the number of the children of Israel.
⁹ For the Lord’s portion is His people;
Jacob is the place of His inheritance.” Deuteronomy 32:7-9

Samuel repeated this during the time of the judges –

“Then Samuel said to the people, ‘Do not fear. You have done all this wickedness; yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. ²¹ And do not turn aside; for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing. ²² For the Lord will not forsake His people, for His great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you His people.’” 1 Samuel 12:20-22

The same thought is found throughout the Old Testament. The Lord was and remains (according to Paul) unwilling to reject Israel, even when they had forsaken Him. It is His honor that is tied up in the preservation of this people.

Though there is overlap in the Lord’s way of dealing with the church, it does not negate His continued faithfulness to Israel. But that is the classic and appalling error made by replacement theologians.

^{37 (con’t)} and He brought you out of Egypt with His Presence, with His mighty power,

Here, it literally says, “in His face.” Thus, it means He personally went with them and led them out of Egypt. It was also a promise given to Moses in Exodus 33:14, where the Lord said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

Israel did not come out alone, but rather they had the Presence of the Lord with them. They had His great power to guide them, feed them, sustain them, and ensure they would make it to their final destination.

As Exodus 33:14 says that their final destination is being granted their rest, it is a promise that must come to pass. However, Hebrews tells us that Israel did not enter its rest, neither at the time of Joshua, nor at the time of David. As this is so, then the rest which is promised to them – and which is realized in their collectively coming to Jesus – is yet ahead of them, even today.

This is certain because Exodus 33 says I will go with you (plural) and I will give you rest (singular). The Lord will continue to go with the people of Israel, until Israel the people are given rest. At the time of Moses’ words now, he says the Lord has been…

³⁸ driving out from before you nations greater and mightier than you, to bring you in, to give you their land as an inheritance, as it is this day.

It is the Lord who accomplished the act. He was the One who gained the victory for Israel over Sihon and Og, the Amorite kings dwelling east of the Jordan.

Despite their great size and strength, they were dispossessed, or disinherited, from the land so that Israel could then possess it as an inheritance. Because of this, all of these great wonders which the Lord had displayed before Israel, Moses again implores them…

³⁹ Therefore know this day, and consider it in your heart,

The Hebrew is more expressive: v’yadata ha’yom va’hashevota el l’vavekha – “and know this day and return it to your heart.” The people are to consider everything that they had seen and then been reminded of, and then they were to take that knowledge and return it to their heart.

As always, the heart in the Bible is the seat of reasoning and understanding. Therefore, it is like our saying, “Think it through and then tuck it away in your mind.” They were to never forget this. By returning it to their heart, they could contemplate it continuously. So, Israel was to do with the knowledge…

^{39 (con’t)} that the Lord Himself is God

The same emphatic form is brought forth again: ki Yehovah, hu, ha’elohim – “for Yehovah, He, the God.” Again, there is an article before “God.” The emphatic “He,” along with the highlighted nature of Yehovah being “the God,” is intended to reveal His uniqueness. Be sure to put the article before God in your Bible and make a 1 demerit margin note.

The uniqueness of Yehovah continues to be highlighted, again, in the next clause as He is THE God…

^{39 (con’t)} in heaven above and on the earth beneath;

ba’shamayim mi’maal v’al ha’arets mi’takhat – “in the heavens from above and on the earth from under.” It is an important statement to include. In verse 36, it said that the Lord spoke out of the heavens, and that on the earth He showed His great fire. He is not limited to any part of creation.

He fills any and all of creation without distinction. And He can manifest Himself in any way He chooses, such as at Sinai. If someone said the stars from the heavens were gods, that would be false. If someone said the volcanoes from the earth were gods, that would be false.

Such things will be seen as we progress through Scripture, but Israel is being instructed now that those things are false. And yet, they will be the downfall of Israel numerous times because they failed to pay heed to what Moses is now telling them. There is one God and…

^{39 (con’t)} there is no other.

ain od – “no other.” The word od signifies continuance or going around. It is widely translated as again, more, yet, still, else, and so on. There was none, there are none still, and none will be coming around. Yehovah is God and He alone…

⁴⁰ You shall therefore keep His statutes and His commandments which I command you today,

This verse returns to the opening verse of the chapter, substantially repeating it, but it has now been supported with the reason it is to be so from these previous verses –

“Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I teach you to observe, that you may live, and go in and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers is giving you.” Deuteronomy 4:1

Moses has methodically given precise reasons why they are to keep the Lord’s law. These reasons were summed up with the thought that Yehovah is God, and He alone. As this is so, then He is to be obeyed as such.

He has chosen His people, He has revealed Himself to them, He has made them promises in the land they are going to enter, He has given them warnings for disobedience, and Moses has shown that what has occurred is unique in all of the history of the world. God has come to be among a particular people, and they are thus expected to be obedient to His law. In this, Moses says…

^{40 (con’t)} that it may go well with you and with your children after you,

The word translated as “that” is maan. It speaks of a purpose or intent. Moses shows that obedience to His commands isn’t simply an authoritarian edict by a tyrant, but that it will serve a good and noble purpose, which is that it will go yatav, or pleasing, for them.

The Lord intends that the people will prosper if they are attentive to Him and if they do as He instructs. The implication is that if they are not obedient, things will go contrary to them, and they will suffer a self-inflicted wound in the process.

Moses then explains what “go well with you and your children after you” means by saying…

*^40 (fin) and that you may prolong your days in the land which the Lord your God is giving you for all time.”

The people are, as we have seen before, tied to the land – meaning Canaan. By observing what the Lord commands, they will continue in the land. The implication is that if they do not, then they will be taken out of the land. It doesn’t need to be said to be understood.

Despite that, however, Moses finishes the section with the words kal ha’yamim, or “all the days.” There is no qualifier to the land grant. It is given to Israel forever. The qualifier is not in whether the land is theirs, but whether they can live in it. It is the Lord who determines if the agreement is sufficiently met by Israel.

When Israel is obedient, they may live in the land. When Israel is disobedient, they may not live in the land. Either way, the land is the Lord’s, and He has given it to Israel as a possession forever.

What has been seen, and what will continue to be seen, is that the law actually points to its own replacement. Israel was never obedient to the law, and they retained the land for an extended period of time before they were finally exiled.

Israel was returned to the land according to the Lord’s calculations of giving the land rest during Israel’s exile – seventy years. They returned and remained disobedient to the Lord throughout that time as well. Eventually, Christ came and fulfilled the law – an act intended to give life to Israel, but they rejected that and were exiled again.

They have been returned again, and they are promised seven more years to find an end to the Mosaic Covenant in Christ. The time of that final seven years is not far off. Eventually, it will come. To be obedient to the laws laid out here by Moses means to be obedient to them all.

We are progressing through Deuteronomy and we will see how this will be possible for them. Suffice it to say that their observance of the law in order to be right with God has nothing to do with their own efforts, but in trusting the Lord who gave the law in the first place.

Until that happens, the prospect of things going well for them and prolonging their days in the land cannot come to pass. But it will. Some wonderful day after much hardship and suffering, it will come to pass. For those of us who have understood what Israel missed, we have a marvelous hope set before us.

The Lord is coming for His people to deliver them from what lies ahead. He has a home prepared for His people, and the rest which we entered when we received Jesus will be realized in its fullness. It is a blessed hope. If it is something you have not yet received, you can do it today, even right now… 

Closing Verse: “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel,
And his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts:
‘I am the First and I am the Last;
Besides Me there is no God.
⁷ And who can proclaim as I do?
Then let him declare it and set it in order for Me,
Since I appointed the ancient people.
And the things that are coming and shall come,
Let them show these to them.
⁸ Do not fear, nor be afraid;
Have I not told you from that time, and declared it?
You are My witnesses.
Is there a God besides Me?
Indeed there is no other Rock;
I know not one.” Isaiah 44:6-8

Next Week: Deuteronomy 4:41-49 Places of safety for anyone, including Steve, Tom, or even Gordon… (On the East Side of the Jordan) (18^th Deuteronomy Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. But He also has expectations of you as He prepares you for entrance into His Land of Promise. So, follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

There Is No Other

For ask now concerning the days that are past
Which were before you, since the day that God created man on the earth by His spoken word
And ask from one end of heaven to the other
Whether any great thing like this has happened
———-or anything like it has been heard

Did any people ever hear
The voice of God (If so, please their name to me give)
Speaking out of the midst of the fire
As you have heard, and live?

Or did God ever try to go and take for Himself a nation
From the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders
———-please to me apprise
By war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm
———-and by great terrors
According to all that the LORD your God did for you
———-in Egypt before your eyes?

To you it was shown, that you might know – you and not another
That the LORD Himself is God; there is besides Him none other

Out of heaven He let you hear His voice
That He might instruct you; to obedience you should aspire
On earth He showed you His great fire, and you heard His words
Out of the midst of the fire

And because He loved your fathers
Therefore He chose their descendants after them
And He brought you out of Egypt with His Presence
With His mighty power He brought Egypt mayhem

Driving out from before you nations
Greater and mightier than you
To bring you in, to give you their land as an inheritance
As it is this day; His word is faithful and true

Therefore know this day, and consider it in your heart
That the LORD Himself is God
In heaven above and on the earth beneath
There is no other; anything else is a fraud

You shall therefore keep His statutes and His commandments
Which I command you today, that it may go well with you
———-all will be sublime
And with your children after you, and that you
———-may prolong your days
In the land which the LORD your God is giving you for all time

Lord God, turn our hearts to be obedient to Your word
Give us wisdom to be ever faithful to You
May we carefully heed each thing we have heard
Yes, Lord God may our hearts be faithful and true

And we shall be content and satisfied in You alone
We will follow You as we sing our songs of praise
Hallelujah to You; to us Your path You have shown
Hallelujah we shall sing to You for all of our days

Hallelujah and Amen…

 

³² “For ask now concerning the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that God created man on the earth, and ask from one end of heaven to the other, whether any great thing like this has happened, or anything like it has been heard. ³³ Did any people ever hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and live? ³⁴ Or did God ever try to go and take for Himself a nation from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? ³⁵ To you it was shown, that you might know that the Lord Himself is God; there is none other besides Him. ³⁶ Out of heaven He let you hear His voice, that He might instruct you; on earth He showed you His great fire, and you heard His words out of the midst of the fire. ³⁷ And because He loved your fathers, therefore He chose their descendants after them; and He brought you out of Egypt with His Presence, with His mighty power, ³⁸ driving out from before you nations greater and mightier than you, to bring you in, to give you their land as an inheritance, as it is this day. ³⁹ Therefore know this day, and consider it in your heart, that the Lord Himself is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other. ⁴⁰ You shall therefore keep His statutes and His commandments which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which the Lord your God is giving you for all time.”

 

Deuteronomy 4:25-31
Seek the Lord Your God

In the passage today, there is lots of bad news for Israel if they disobey, and Moses seems to take it as an axiom that they will – in fact – disobey. This isn’t the beginning of such bad news. There have been numerous warnings and promised punishments for disobedience already, and more are forthcoming in the chapters ahead.

And yet, at the same time, the great themes of mercy, grace, forgiveness, and covenant faithfulness are seen in just these few verses. The Lord has spoken such words, and Moses confirms them here in Deuteronomy.

But one problem with Israel, and it is a problem with all of us, is that we often tend to rely a bit too heavily on the good stuff while ignoring the warnings. Some years ago, I heard a Jewish rabbi speaking on some show about how religions and denominations anticipate forgiveness.

He kind of flippantly said that for Jews, they just acknowledge they did wrong and that’s it. There was no sense of any offense having been made. Kind of an uncaring, “Yeah, I did wrong.” He then shrugged his shoulders and that was it.

The key point is that every religion that was interviewed all acknowledged that wrongdoing exists in our actions. If that is so, someone must be offended, or it can’t be wrong. If the offended One is God, and if we get the means of obtaining forgiveness wrong, that becomes hugely problematic.

Text Verse: “Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
⁸ If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.” Psalm 139:7, 8 (NASB)

Whenever I come to this passage in Deuteronomy, and I get to verse 28 where it speaks of serving gods that are the work of men’s hands, it always brings back the memory of my time owning a retail business. I imported and sold things from Asia, a large percentage of the things were idols – everything from Buddha and Krishna to Hanuman and Lakshmi, and anything else that would sell.

Of course, at that time, I was as brain dead as the people that bought the things, trading the truth of God for worthless images, but it never ceased to surprise me the number of Jews who would come in and buy them. The Jewish population of Sarasota is not that big, but they all seemed to have this in common.

I always thought of them as a religious people, being obedient to their God and faithfully observing their law. How absolutely wrong I was. It didn’t take long to know that the outward appearances, and the boasting in the heritage, has nothing to do with a sound relationship with the Lord.

Until I really came to know Christ, and to understand what it means to be a true Jew, I had no idea that almost all Jews do not qualify for that title. Rather, they perfectly fit the prophetic words of Moses here, even those who appeared to be observant perfectly match what he says.

In other words, they are no different than the people among whom they live, despite living separately from the people among whom they live. The difference between them and the others is that they are bound under this covenant in a unique way.

Any who are not in Christ are condemned. The Bible makes that absolutely clear. But the Jews face a kind of double trouble. This is because they bear the name of the Lord, even when they don’t acknowledge the Lord. And in that, there are responsibilities and consequences.

We will see this again today. In the end, everyone needs Jesus, but the Jew needs Him individually and in a collective manner as well. Hence, the past 2000 years have not been very friendly to them. This is a  truth which is to be found in His superior word. And so, let us turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. I Call Heaven and Earth to Witness (verses 25 & 26)

In the previous passage, Moses began to speak of idolatry. The people saw no form of the Lord, and therefore the Lord is not to be worshiped through a form – a representation of who He is. But more, a form of any other god is a form of no god at all, and they likewise were not to be set up and worshipped.

With that understood, Moses will continue with that thought for a moment, and then he will turn to the penalty for doing such things, including the greatest penalty for the people, exile. Moses explains, in advance, what will happen in exile, and what will bring them to restoration from it.

But Moses will also confirm one major point of Israel’s punishment, destruction, and exile – that a covenant exists between the Lord and Israel. No matter what happens, even in the breaking of the covenant by Israel, God will remember it and keep His side of it. This is the scope of what will now be seen…

²⁵ “When you beget children and grandchildren

The words of this verse are in the singular – you. It is speaking to all of Israel as a single entity, even if every Israelite is included. The Hebrew reads, “When you beget sons and son’s sons.” The words here call to reminder what Moses had just said in verse 4:9, using the same expression –

“Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children  and your grandchildren, ¹⁰ especially concerning the day you stood before the Lord your God in Horeb, when the Lord said to me, ‘Gather the people to Me, and I will let them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.’” Deuteronomy 4:9, 10

The admonition was given first, “Take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget.” Moses now takes it as an axiom that the people will not only fail to take heed, but they will also forget. That begins to be implied in the next words…

^{25 (con’t)} and have grown old in the land,

v’novoshantem ba’arets – “And have slumbered in the land.” The word is yashen, and it needs explanation. It comes from a root which signifies to be slack, or languid. By implication, it means to sleep, even a figurative sleep of death, or to grow old, stale, etc.

Here, it certainly isn’t speaking of the people’s age, but of their time in the land. However, it is not necessarily an extended period there. Most translations say, “have grown old in the land,” or “have lived long in the land.” But this is not the correct idea as is evidenced by the early turning away from the Lord to idolatry. Immediately after Joshua’s death, even in Judges 2, it says –

“Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served the Baals; ¹² and they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; and they followed other gods from among the gods of the people who were all around them, and they bowed down to them; and they provoked the Lord to anger. ¹³ They forsook the Lord and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. ¹⁴ And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel.” Judges 2:11-14 

The idea of Moses’ use of this word cannot be separated from the idea of sleep, which is how it is usually translated. Of this, Charles Ellicott rightly states, “Prosperity often sends true religion to sleep, and brings conventional, or fashionable, religion in its stead.” This is exactly the thought Moses now conveys.

In the forming of Eve from Adam’s rib, it says that “the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam and he slept.” Two different words are used in that verse for “sleep.” The second, “and he slept,” is the word Moses now uses.

The idea then is that Israel won’t be attentive. Instead, they will slacken in their responsibility to pay heed and keep themselves. This is akin to what Paul says in the New Testament, such as in 1 Thessalonians 5 –

“You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. ⁶ Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. ⁷ For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night.” 1 Thessalonians 5:5-7

It is this that Moses warns them of, slumbering. In this inattentive, sleeping state, they will forget the Lord their God…

^{25 (con’t)} and act corruptly and make a carved image in the form of anything,

This is just what Moses warned against only two verses earlier –

“Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything which the Lord your God has forbidden you.” (vs 23)

Moses just warned them of this, he noted that it was a part of the covenant, and that it was a forbidden part at that. Immediately after that, he said that “the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.”

And yet, he – just one verse later now – assumes that the people will actually do this thing, and they will find out what it means concerning this aspect of the Lord. He knows they will, in fact, break the covenant…

^{25 (con’t)} and do evil in the sight of the Lord your God

There is an article before “evil” in the Hebrew. It is the specific deed – the evil, or that which is evil – which Moses is referring to. The stress is there because such idolatry inevitably leads to countless other problems. It is also that which is seen directly in front of the eyes of the Lord…

^{25 (con’t)} to provoke Him to anger,

l’hakiso – “to provoke Him to anger.” It is a new word, kaas, coming from a primitive root meaning “to trouble.” Thus, by implication, to be angry or provoke to anger. This is exactly what it meant when Moses said the Lord is a jealous God.

As this is so, and as He is also described as a “consuming fire,” the implication is obvious. The Lord isn’t just going sit and stew. Rather, their provoking Him to anger will then bring upon them what is expected of One who is jealous. Moses therefore explains exactly what that means, starting with the next words which begin with a summons for witnesses…

²⁶ I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day,

haidoti bakem hayom eth ha’shemayim v’et ha’arets – “I call to witness against you this day the heavens and the earth.” The words here go from the second person singular to the second person plural. In essence, “I call these witnesses against you all.”

The meaning of Moses’ words is not that of judgment. In other words, in Leviticus 26:19, the Lord says concerning disobedient Israel –

“I will break the pride of your power;
I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze.”

That is a consequence of disobedience. Moses is not calling for judgment, but for witnesses that will testify to the just nature of any coming judgment and punishment. That is why he refers back to the first sentence of the Bible, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

In this, the heavens and the earth are being likened to the surety of the covenant. Just as God is the Creator and Sustainer of the heavens and the earth, He is the Initiator and Monitor of the covenant.

In other words, it is not speaking of those who dwell on the earth and those who dwell in heaven to be witnesses. Rather, it is saying that even the heavens and earth are the witnesses.

As evident as these are to remind us of the existence of God, so shall it be the same when judgment comes. Thus, Israel should then rightfully say, “As sure as I am standing on the ground, and as surely as the heavens are above my head – both created by God – so is my punishment deserved.” They speak out the obvious reality of what has occurred in Israel’s punishment, which Moses next speaks of…

^{26 (con’t)} that you will soon utterly perish from the land

ki avod tovedun maher meal ha’arets – “perishing, you will perish quickly from the land.” Moses uses an adjective seen just once so far, maher. It isn’t an especially rare word, but the previous time it was used was in Exodus 32:8 where the people turned aside quickly out of the way the Lord commanded them. In this, they made a golden calf to worship during Moses’ absence.

The people quickly turned from the Lord, and there were dire consequences because of it. Moses promises now that if they do evil in the land, the Lord will just as quickly turn His favor from them and punish them, removing them from the land…

^{26 (con’t)} which you cross over the Jordan to possess;

asher atem oberim eth ha’yarden shamah l’rishtah – “which you cross over the Jordan to possess.” The verb translated as “cross over” here is identical in spelling to the noun “Hebrew.” It gets its meaning based on the structure of the sentence, just as a homograph in English.

Without stretching the intent too far, it almost appears to be a pun. Moses is speaking to the Hebrew people, “You (Hebrews) are crossing over the Jordan, but if you don’t pay heed, then you aren’t true Hebrews, because what you crossed over to possess you will be dispossessed from.”

If this is subtly the intent, it is well reflected by a similar thought from Paul in Romans 2 –

“For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; ²⁹ but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.” Romans 2:28, 29

The Hebrew word for Jew means “praise.” Thus, Paul was making a pun concerning the nature of a true Jew. A true Jew has crossed over the Jordan, a picture of Christ, and is circumcised in the heart by the Spirit. Likewise, for the Hebrews to fail to adhere to the covenant, they would prove themselves false Hebrews. Thus…

^{26 (con’t)} you will not prolong your days in it,

Moses is speaking to all the people. In this, it is not speaking immediately about long life for each person, but a long continuance in the land for the people. However, this does not negate the thought of a shortened life for each person.

If the land is attacked, and if the people are exiled, it will mean that for many, the days of their lives will be cut short. As people and as individuals they will not continue…

^{26 (con’t)} but will be utterly destroyed.

hishamed tishamedun – “in being destroyed, you will be destroyed.” The word shamad gives the sense of extermination. Thus, the people, collectively and individually can expect being cut off. The words here are reflective of the similar warning coming from Moses in Deuteronomy 30 –

“I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;” Deuteronomy 30:19 

However, even in the prospect of extermination, and even in the horror which continues to be relayed in the next verse, there is in it also to be found a note of covenant faithfulness by Lord…

Heaven and earth are witnesses today
Of the words I now call out to you
Be circumspect on the path as you wind your way
Because the words are sure, and the warnings are true 

You must be obedient to the Lord your God
Pursuing His precepts always, never shall you stray
Let your feet not depart from the path that you trod
Be circumspect on the path as you wind your way 

Fix your eyes on the One who has gone before you
Fix your eyes on the Lord Jesus, and you will never stray
Should you wander off the path, He remains faithful and true
He will be with you on the path as you wind your way

II. The Lord Your God Is a Merciful God (verses 27-31)

²⁷ And the Lord will scatter you among the peoples,

The words remain in the second person plural – “I will scatter you all.” To be scattered among the peoples implies being alive. The very fact that this is recorded indicates that the Lord is aware of those who remain, even if they are further punished in the land of their exile. Which is what is to be expected based on what the Lord has already said.

In these verses, Moses has called the words of the covenant to remembrance. In Leviticus 26, the Lord said –

“I will scatter you among the nations and draw out a sword after you;
your land shall be desolate and your cities waste.” Leviticus 26:33

Here Moses repeats, and yet amends, that thought saying, v’hepits Yehovah etkem ba’amim – “and will scatter you Yehovah among the peoples.”

In Leviticus, the Lord used the word zarah. Here Moses uses puts. Both convey the same basic meaning, but the root of the word Moses uses carries more force, meaning “to dash in pieces.” The people would be dashed to pieces and what was left would fly off in all directions. In this, Moses says…

^{27 (con’t)} and you will be left few in number

The Hebrew reads, “men of a number.” It is an idiomatic expression indicating that there will be so few, that it will be no effort to count them. The once-great nation would be so greatly reduced that there would be little left.

And yet, to be left few in number implies… being. The hand of the Lord may be heavy upon the people, but the people remain. The intent of Haman in Esther was to destroy all of the Jews. The exile of Israel, and the punishment they received among the nations at that time were self-inflicted wounds.

However, Haman didn’t simply want punishment, but annihilation. The Lord intervened, and the people – even if few in number – were spared.

Again, Hitler didn’t simply want the Jews kicked out of Germany. Rather, he wanted them exterminated. The woes of Israel for the previous 1900 years were brought upon them through their rejection of Christ – another self-inflicted wound. But through their punishment, they remained a people.

This is the intent of the words of both Leviticus 26 and of what is seen, and what will continue to be seen, here in Deuteronomy. To be left few in number, as tragic as that is, is a note of covenant faithfulness, not by Israel, but by the Lord, even…

^{27 (con’t)} among the nations where the Lord will drive you.

Moses withholds nothing. It is Israel who will break the covenant, and it is the Lord who will execute the judgments of the covenant. Of this verse, Charles Ellicott again rightly states –

“Our familiarity with this fact in history must not blind us to its force when uttered as a prophecy. The fact that the Jews were taken captive for idolatry, and dispersed for the rejection of JESUS, is a remarkable proof that the real reason why they were brought into Canaan, and kept there, was to be witnesses for Jehovah.” Charles Ellicott

Having died in 1905, he said this long before Israel was returned to the land in 1948. Thus, he had no knowledge that what he said was true, not only in the past, but in our present.

Israel was placed in the land to testify of the Lord. Israel was exiled to testify of the Lord. There would be no exile if Israel obeyed, and there would be no horrors in exile if the people took heed to the word.

But both occurred because the people willingly disobeyed, and they failed to heed. Thus, Moses here uses the word nahag, meaning to drive. John Lange notes that the word itself, and the form in which it is used “indicates … not a gentle leading, but a driving and urgent pressure.” Israel sinned; Israel is punished.

But the obstinacy of Israel is seen when even with the obvious nature of what has occurred – meaning the heavens and the earth are witnesses to it, and thus Israel should have known better when it occurred – they would still fail to accept the Lord’s correction and turn from their sin…

²⁸ And there you will serve gods, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell.

It remains second person plural – “There you all will serve.” The senselessness of serving dead idols is well summed up as a contrast to the nature of the Lord. First, Moses calls them elohim, or “gods.” This does not mean that they are actually gods, but that they are people’s gods, and thus false gods.

In this, Moses then contrasts them to the Lord. He says they are maaseh yede adam, “work (of) hands man.” Moses has appealed to the Ten Commandments in verse 13. The fourth of those commandments says, “For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day” (Exodus 20:11).

As He created the heaven’s and the earth, and as He created man from the earth, the contrast is absolute. The God of Israel is THE GOD, and anything else is a false god.

Next, he says, “wood and stone.” In verses 12 and 15, it noted that the people saw no form. Here, form is implied. Thus, there is THE GOD without form, and anything else is a false god bearing form.

Next, he says, “which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell.” In verse 7, it said that Israel’s God could be called upon for any reason. It implies that He hears. In verse 25 it says the people would do evil b’ene – in the sight, or literally, in the eyes of the Lord. It implies that the Lord sees. And finally, in verse 24, it said that the Lord is a consuming fire, using the word akal – to eat. It implies that the Lord can devour as a mouth would.

Thus, in this one chapter, Moses has woven into his words a complete contrast to the false gods, meaning the idols Israel would serve in the lands of their dispersion and punishment.

With that thought in mind, there are at least two ways to view what “serve gods” means. The first is that the people would serve these gods, meaning that they would be in bondage to them. The people of those gods would rule over them and thus they would serve those people and, thus, those gods.

The second is that it would mean that Israel will serve those gods, giving them worship and devotion. The Jewish commentator Rashi over-piously chooses the first meaning, as if in their exile they never actually served idols.

It was and has been true that Israel served other peoples who served their own false gods. However, that is hardly the intent of Moses’ words. He is quite clear that they are serving (meaning worshiping) the gods. This is certain for quite a few reasons.

First, it is the reason for their exile in the first place. The warning against this was seen in verses 15-19 and it was then repeated in verse 23. The acknowledgment that it would actually come to pass is seen in verse 25.

Since then, Moses has been telling of the effects upon the people for doing this. They worshipped and served idols in the land, having rejected the Lord and the covenant. Thus, they were exiled.

Secondly, it doesn’t say that they would serve the people of other gods, it says that they would serve other gods. This is repeated in Deuteronomy 28 –

“Then the Lord will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you shall serve other gods, which neither you nor your fathers have known—wood and stone.” Deuteronomy 28:64

The words, “which you nor your fathers have known,” would be superfluous unless it meant that they were worshipping new gods – false gods. But this type of idolatry goes beyond carved images. It extends to gods which Israel is abundantly known to serve. This is stated by the scholar Keil who, in turn, cites the scholar Schultz –

“The more refined idolatry of image-worship leads to coarser and coarser forms, in which the whole nature of idol-worship is manifested in all its pitiableness. ‘When once the God of revelation is forsaken, the God of reason and imagination must also soon be given up and make way for still lower powers, that perfectly accord with the I exalted upon the throne, and in the time of pretended ‘illumination’ to atheism and materialism also’ (Schultz)”.

Atheism, materialism, communism, humanism, and a plethora of other isms are the main staple of secular and religious life among the vast majority of Jews in the world, even to this day. They follow these gods with reckless abandon, having forsaken the Lord God. And thirdly, the words of the next verse imply that this is referring to active worship of false gods…

²⁹ But from there

In the previous verse, it said, “there (sham) you will serve gods.” Now it says, “But from there (mi’sham) you will seek the Lord your God.” The context is the same and the two words correspond to one truth.

They are in exile for serving other gods (among other things), and in their exile, they continued to do so, even to the point where they no longer retain a knowledge of the true God, Yehovah, as is confirmed by the words…

^{29 (con’t)} you will seek the Lord your God,

It is second person plural – “You all will seek.” One only seeks that which one does not possess. I will seek after one of my dogs because it has flippantly ignored my calls and run off to annoy one of the neighbors. I no longer possess my wayward furry friend, and I must go seek after him.

If Israel possessed Yehovah, as their God, they would not need to seek Him. But the truth remains that He is, in fact, the Lord their God, as Moses acknowledges right in these words. They have forgotten Him, but He has not forgotten them. To Israel, He remains “the Lord your God.”

^{29 (con’t)} and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.

Remarkably, the words here now change, in the middle of the verse, to the second person singular – you will find; you seek; your heart; your soul. Each individual forms into a collective whole. Not all may find, but those who are of the collective who do, will find.

The Lord will be found when He is sought with the heart, meaning the seat of intellect and reason, and the soul, meaning the place of inner yearning and desire in the animated life.

To seek the Lord with the intellect and not the with a yearning desire is to seek after an understanding of who God is, but not caring about Him personally. This would be the scholar who is so busy learning about God, that he never gets to know Him.

To seek the Lord with the soul but not the intellect is to, most probably, find a relationship without a sound basis for it. This is the Jehovah’s witnesses etc., who think they have a relationship with God, but who failed to do the due diligence only to discover they have called on a false god.

Moses assures Israel that after their exile, they will find the Lord their God when they search for Him with all of their heart and with all of their soul. This promise will be restated and built upon in Chapter 30 –

“Now it shall come to pass, when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the Lord your God drives you, ² and you return to the Lord your God and obey His voice, according to all that I command you today, you and your children, with all your heart and with all your soul, ³ that the Lord your God will bring you back from captivity, and have compassion on you, and gather you again from all the nations where the Lord your God has scattered you. ⁴ If any of you are driven out to the farthest parts under heaven, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you. ⁵ Then the Lord your God will bring you to the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it. He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers. ⁶ And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.” Deuteronomy 30:1-6

Of this verse, Adam Clarke – who died in 1832, a time in which it was unimaginable to most of the world that Israel would be reconciled to God – asked, “Is not this promise left on record for the encouragement and salvation of lost Israel?”

The foresight of Clarke was lost to the vast majority of scholars prior to him, contemporary with him, and even of those who continue to teach replacement theology to this day.

Having died over a hundred years before the reestablishment of Israel, he picked up his Bible, accepted it at face value, and rejected the theology of those who rejected Israel as a people bound by the covenant of the Lord, and thus still under the care and watchful eye of the Lord.

Despite this, there is the truth that Israel of today has not met the demands of these words of Moses. They have not sought the Lord, they are still immersed in idolatry, and they remain under the law and apart from Christ.

Therefore, the words, remain anticipatory for them. Even though the land has been returned to them, many of them have not returned to the land, and most of them have not returned to the Lord. Therefore, the continued words of the passage still ring true…

³⁰ When you are in distress, and all these things come upon you

The second person singular continues here. The word “when” is not in the Hebrew. It more closely reads, “In distress you are, and find you all these words.”  The “words” are things, but they are based on Moses’ words. In other words, what he says here is what will happen. They will be found in the state prophesied here.

Despite possessing the land, Israel does not – at this time – possess the Lord. They are His possession, but they are not yet His people. Moses prophesies that this would be the case…

^{30 (con’t)} in the latter days,

b’akharit ha’yamim – “in end the days.” The words here can be paraphrased as “a time of messianic completion.” If one was to assume that this is speaking of the completed work of Christ, he could then argue that this is referring to the initiation of the church age and thus the entire church age.

From both a Hebrew and a Mosaic Covenant perspective, these would both be incorrect. For a Gentile-led church age, that argument could be made based on Paul’s words of 1 Timothy 4:1 where he speaks of the “latter times.” But that has nothing to do with Moses’ words here now.

It is speaking of a time, at the end of the age, when the messianic promises will be realized in Israel. Q: Has this ever occurred in history. A: No. They began to be realized, but the nation as a whole rejected Him. Thus, this has a future fulfillment to us now. That is seen in the words…

^{30 (con’t)} when you turn to the Lord your God and obey His voice

The words, as noted, are in the second person singular. Each individual who comprises the collective whole is addressed, and thus it is speaking to all as one. However, the translation is lacking. The word is shuv – to return, or to turn back.

Saying “turn” could lead a person to think this might be speaking of the church, turning to Christ, rather than Israel returning to the Lord. But Moses is speaking to Israel, and he has noted that they have departed from the Lord. Therefore, it signifies more than a turn to the Lord, but a return to Him.

With this in mind, it should be noted that several great scholars of the past rightly pinpoint this as speaking of Israel, though the details from them vary on what it means to return to the Lord. Does it mean to the law, or what the law anticipated – meaning Christ?

But they agree that it is Israel, and it will be a return to the Lord. However, many other scholars make the galactically incorrect leap to indicate that this is referring to the church. For example, John Lange says –

“The condition and the time for the return of Israel are arranged in parallel clauses, (Deut 4:30), i. e., when the distress, the curse of the law, is completed, then also will the time of Israel be completed, then will be the end of days, and as the threatening will be fulfilled, so also the promise, the return to the Lord. Thus there is revealed a future of Israel, when through its returning obedience to the law, (and hearkening to his voice, Deut 4:30, Matt. 5:17; 7:24 sq.) it makes effective in humanity, the peculiar idea of its nationality, see Deut 4:6 sq. (comp. upon 2:25). Since salvation comes from the Jews, (John 4:22), the national Israel may be considered a spiritual, which in that respect is the completion of Israel, when through the ingrafted fulness of the Gentiles in the place of the hardened portion, which takes place more and more, ‘all Israel shall so (in this way) be saved,’ Rom. 11:26.”    

The error of this thinking goes on and on. First, it ignores that there is a people in exile and under punishment for having rejected the Lord. This can never be applied to the Gentiles as he states. The Gentiles never had the Lord, and so the punishment and dispersion cannot apply to them.

Secondly, the repeated changing in point of view from the singular to the plural would make absolutely no sense if it was applied to Gentiles. Moses is speaking to Israel and changing the perspective to show individual and combined character within the nation as well as national character.

Thirdly, regardless as to whether Moses is speaking of a return to the law, or to what the law anticipates, meaning Christ, the Gentiles were never under the Law of Moses. Christ’s fulfillment of the law, on our behalf, does not set this aside.

It may be God’s standard, because Christ is the embodiment of the law, but Moses cannot ascribe to the Gentiles aspects of a law which has never applied to them. He has referred to the law, and he will continue to do so throughout Deuteronomy. But the law applied to Israel, and only to Israel.

One more logical argument will suffice, and that will be reviewed before we complete the next verse…

³¹ (for the Lord your God is a merciful God),

ki el rakhum Yehovah elohekha – “For God compassionate, Yehovah your God.” The word is rakhum. This is only its second use. It is an adjective seen 13 times in the Old Testament. It is always used when speaking of the Lord.

It is from the same root as rekhem, meaning “womb.” One can see how just as a mother cares for the child in her womb, so the Lord is compassionate. Though the word is referring to the Lord and His character, the loving care of Israel is clearly seen in it. The context is Moses speaking to Israel concerning the Lord being Israel’s God. That same thought continues with…

^{31 (con’t)} He will not forsake you nor destroy you,

The word translated as “forsake” is raphah. It gives the sense of letting go. In Exodus, Pharaoh accused the Hebrews of being, raphah, lazy. The Lord will never fail Israel by letting go of them, nor would He actively destroy them, meaning utterly wipe them out. They would remain as a people, even if individually they were wiped out. Plus, there is one more promise which will close out our words today…

*^31 (fin) nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them.

Moses promises that the Lord will not forget the covenant made with Israel’s fathers, as it says, “which He swore to them.” This is an obvious reference to the covenant which the Lord swore to Abraham, and then to Isaac, and then to Jacob, as He said in Exodus 33 –

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Depart and go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘To your descendants I will give it.’” Exodus 33:1

There is no doubt that this is what is being referred to. In fact, he repeats that sentiment in Leviticus 26 –

“…then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and My covenant with Isaac and My covenant with Abraham I will remember;
I will remember the land.” Leviticus 26:42

The covenant promises are repeated in the very chapter where the blessings and curses are spoken, which Moses’ words here now refer to. The promises, as noted, go beyond Abraham to include both Isaac and Jacob. And, they are inclusive of the land.

For this reason, this cannot be speaking of the Gentiles. This is for two reasons. The first is that no land promise is ever recorded for the Gentiles. Secondly, the promise of Messiah for Gentiles, which Paul appeals to, is one which is only inclusive of Abraham and his faith. It says nothing of Isaac or Jacob.

Though these points could be argued or spiritualized, Leviticus 26 does not end on that note. Rather, after saying this, it then goes on to appeal to the Mosaic Covenant –

“But for their sake I will remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God:
I am the Lord.” Leviticus 26:45

The Lord, after citing the covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, which included a land grant, lastly appealed to the covenant of Israel’s ancestors, who He brought out of the land of Egypt. In other words, He is looking forward in time and referring to the covenant He was in the process of giving.

That is this covenant, having started at Sinai, and which is continuing to be made right now through Moses, to which the Lord – in the end of days – would remember.

Therefore, the “covenant of their ancestors” there in Leviticus refers to the Mosaic Covenant. The Lord’s words speak of the people far in the future but looking back to this time – as Moses speaks. It cannot refer to the Gentiles because they were never brought out of Egypt and given a covenant to live by.

This same point is bound to be reviewed again while we are in Deuteronomy, but it is a point that cannot be reviewed enough. God made a covenant with Israel. That covenant has not yet been ended, even though it is fulfilled in Christ.

The reason it has not ended is because even though individuals of Israel entered into the New Covenant, Israel the nation did not. Until that happens, they remain under the confines and the bondage of the Old.

But this is exactly why they have been kept as a people. The Lord covenanted with them that they would remain, and remain united, until and after they entered into the New Covenant.

During their time of exile and punishment, however, the Lord has not wasted time. Any person, Jew or Gentile, can receive what Israel missed. They can accept what God has done in Christ, they can be saved through His shed blood, and they are – at that time – granted eternal life.

God’s gifts and His calling are irrevocable. Israel was called, and Israel shall be granted what they have missed for so long. This is the faithful God we serve, and this is the marvel of His faithfulness to His unfaithful people – meaning the Jew first, but also the Gentile. Thank God for the compassion of the Lord which is fully displayed in the giving of Jesus Christ.

Closing Verse: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. ¹² Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. ¹⁴ I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive.” Jeremiah 29:11-14

Next Week: Deuteronomy 4:32-40 This is true; take it to heart, brother… (There Is No Other) (17^th Deuteronomy Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. But He also has expectations of you as He prepares you for entrance into His Land of Promise. So, follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

Seek the Lord you God

When you beget children and grandchildren
And have grown old in the land – pay heed, this is no joke
And act corruptly and make a carved image in the form of anything
And do evil in the sight of the LORD your God
———-to anger Him you provoke

I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day
That you will soon utterly perish from the land
———-which you have so enjoyed
Which you cross over the Jordan to possess
You will not prolong your days in it, but will be utterly destroyed

And the LORD will scatter you among the peoples
And you will be left – pay heed my word is true!
Few in number among the nations
Where the LORD will drive you

And there you will serve gods
The work of men’s hands – if described in a nutshell
Wood and stone
Which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell

But from there you will seek the LORD your God
And you will find Him – the One written about in the scroll
If you seek Him with all your heart
And with all your soul

When you are in distress
And all these things come upon you in the latter days
When you turn to the LORD your God
And obey His voice – yes, obedience pays

(for the LORD your God is a merciful God)
He will not forsake you nor destroy you
Nor forget the covenant of your fathers
which He swore to them; this He will never do

Lord God, turn our hearts to be obedient to Your word
Give us wisdom to be ever faithful to You
May we carefully heed each thing we have heard
Yes, Lord God may our hearts be faithful and true

And we shall be content and satisfied in You alone
We will follow You as we sing our songs of praise
Hallelujah to You; to us Your path You have shown
Hallelujah we shall sing to You for all of our days

Hallelujah and Amen…

 

²⁵ “When you beget children and grandchildren and have grown old in the land, and act corruptly and make a carved image in the form of anything, and do evil in the sight of the Lord your God to provoke Him to anger, ²⁶ I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that you will soon utterly perish from the land which you cross over the Jordan to possess; you will not prolong your days in it, but will be utterly destroyed. ²⁷ And the Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the Lord will drive you. ²⁸ And there you will serve gods, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell. ²⁹ But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. ³⁰ When you are in distress, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, when you turn to the Lord your God and obey His voice ³¹ (for the Lord your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them.

 

 

Deuteronomy 4:15-24
The Form of the Lord

The day I typed this sermon is the day that Florida was removed from lockdown status. Remember that? It seems like eons ago, doesn’t it? In the morning, I posted my usual sunrise photo (a really beautiful sky), and I made a comment on it saying –

“Florida is off lockdown. If you’re still stuck at home – be adventurous. Get in your car and c’mon down. The weather is here. We wish you were beautiful. Join us at the beach.”

I was thoroughly amazed at the number of negative comments that came in. People horrified that we were freed from the bondage we had been in, and what an unwise decision it was to do this. Others cautiously said, “Be safe, Charlie,” as if I was now going to change my daily routine from what it had been.

But the fact is, I never changed it – even a bit – from before the lockdown, and so there was nothing to change back to. There are all types of bondage in the world. There is forced bondage, there is incarceration, there is self-imposed bondage, and so on. And, within these, there are countless subdivisions.

But the word “bondage” always signifies “not free.” Why anyone would want to continue in the bondage of fear – of a virus which proved as undeadly as a mild flu, or bondage to a government that salivated at the chance of taking away the freedoms of its people? It is hard to figure. But this is what was evident on the morning of 4 May 2020.

Text Verse: “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’ ¹⁶ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, ¹⁷ and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” Romans 8:15-17

Paul very well may have been thinking of this passage from Deuteronomy when he wrote these words to those at Rome. He speaks of bondage, adoption, and an inheritance. These things are found in today’s passage as well, and it is certain that they did not come through the Law of Moses.

This is seen, again, in today’s verses as well. Moses repeats that he will not cross over Jordan and into the inheritance. As Paul shows in Romans 8, the law has no part in the inheritance. Only in coming to Christ is that made possible.

These verses today will also close out our chiasm which began in verse 3:25. That truth is seen laid out quite clearly in it…

Deuteronomy 3:25-4:22 – Call upon Him.
Israel’s Instruction (11/07)

a 3:25  Moses wants to cross Jordan
       b 3:26  Lord angry with Moses 
                c 3:27  “Lift your eyes toward the west, the north, the south, and the east.” 
                      d 4:3, 4  Example of apostasy (idolatry)
                            e 4:5  Taught statutes and judgments
                                f 4:6  Be careful to observe them (judgments)
                                    g 4:7  Great nation
                                            x 4:7  Call upon Him
                                     g 4:8  Great nation
                                 f 4:9  Diligently keep yourself (judgments)
                            e 4:10-14  Taught statutes and judgments.
                      d 4:15-18  Warning of apostasy (idolatry)
                 c 4:19  “Lift your eyes to heaven.”
        b 4:21  Lord angry with Moses
a 4:22  Moses must not cross over the Jordan

Where are you placing your trust? In self-imposed bondage? In a government which can’t balance its own budget? In a bottle of Clorox and a face mask? What is it that will make you safe and keep you that way? The answer is Jesus Christ. The law was given to lead us to Him. Therefore, use the law wisely – not as bondage leading to death, but as a tutor to lead you to Christ.

This is an invaluable lesson which is found in His superior word. And so, let us turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. Out of the Iron Furnace (verses 15-19)

¹⁵ “Take careful heed to yourselves,

This is a new section of Deuteronomy 4 which builds upon what Moses has already expressed. First, in verse 4:9, he said to the people raq hishamer lekha u-shemor naphshekha meod – “only take heed to yourself and keep yourself exceedingly.”

When he said that, it was in the second person singular. Moses was speaking to each individual which made up the collective whole. Thus, he was speaking to Israel collectively. Now he says, v’nishmartem meod l’naphshotekhem – “and take heed exceedingly to yourselves.”

The words are in the second person plural. He is speaking to all the people collectively. The first stressed personal responsibility leading to national acceptability. The second stresses national responsibility which is derived from the obedience of all people.

Moses is ensuring that the nation understands that it cannot blame the individuals for failing, and he is ensuring that the individuals cannot blame a national failure for their own failings.

To get this, imagine a family where the father is arrested. They are in a culture that looks to family responsibility in a collective manner. He cannot say, “My family is out of control, and so it is their fault.” And if the whole family is arrested, they cannot say, “It is dad’s fault because he is out of control.”

Moses tells all of Israel that they are to take heed, individually and as a nation. If this is not the case, breakdown in society is inevitable. This is the very reason for these words coming in Deuteronomy 17:1-5 –

“If there is found among you, within any of your gates which the Lord your God gives you, a man or a woman who has been wicked in the sight of the Lord your God, in transgressing His covenant, ³ who has gone and served other gods and worshiped them, either the sun or moon or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded, ⁴ and it is told you, and you hear of it, then you shall inquire diligently. And if it is indeed true and certain that such an abomination has been committed in Israel, ⁵ then you shall bring out to your gates that man or woman who has committed that wicked thing, and shall stone to death that man or woman with stones.” 

That subject matter from Chapter 17 is exactly what Moses has spoken about and what he will again speak about now. The contents of what he says ahead are new even if parts of it are substantially a repeat of what he just said in verse 12 –

“And the Lord spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. You heard the sound of the words, but saw no form; you only heard a voice.” 

Some of that repetition begins with the next words…

^{15 (con’t)} for you saw no form

lo reitem kal temunah – “no saw you any likeness.” Of these words, Adam Clarke incorrectly states –

“Howsoever God chose to appear or manifest himself, he took care never to assume any describable form. He would have no image worship, because he is a Spirit, and they who worship him must worship him in Spirit and in truth. These outward things tend to draw the mind out of itself, and diffuse it on sensible, if not sensual, objects; and thus spiritual worship is prevented, and the Holy Ghost grieved. Persons acting in this way can never know much of the religion of the heart.” Adam Clarke

Christians worship Jesus Christ because Jesus Christ is God. Not only this, but God is pleased when we worship Him. Jesus says this explicitly in John 5:23 and John 12:26. Paul confirms it, saying –

“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, ¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, ¹¹ and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11

Further, Moses has already recorded that the Lord did appear in a form – in the likeness of a man. That is actually first recorded in Genesis 3, where it says that Adam and Eve “heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden.” If the Lord God walked, he had feet. The implication is that there was a form. This is seen again in Genesis 18 –

“Then the Lord appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day. ² So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground, ³ and said, ‘My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant.’” Genesis 18:1-3

These, and other, manifestations of the Lord – the eternal Christ – had already been revealed to the people through Moses’ words, but when the law was given at Sinai, the Lord set about to impress upon the people’s minds that the Lord extends beyond mere human form, and indeed beyond any form.

Because this is so, no image can fully represent Him. This is why Isaiah wrote these words to the same people who were so prone to going astray in their hearts –

“The craftsman stretches out his rule,
He marks one out with chalk;
He fashions it with a plane,
He marks it out with the compass,
And makes it like the figure of a man,
According to the beauty of a man, that it may remain in the house.
¹⁴ He cuts down cedars for himself,
And takes the cypress and the oak;
He secures it for himself among the trees of the forest.
He plants a pine, and the rain nourishes it.
¹⁵ Then it shall be for a man to burn,
For he will take some of it and warm himself;
Yes, he kindles it and bakes bread;
Indeed he makes a god and worships it;
He makes it a carved image, and falls down to it.
¹⁶ He burns half of it in the fire;
With this half he eats meat;
He roasts a roast, and is satisfied.
He even warms himself and says,
“Ah! I am warm,
I have seen the fire.”
¹⁷ And the rest of it he makes into a god,
His carved image.
He falls down before it and worships it,
Prays to it and says,
‘Deliver me, for you are my god!’” Isaiah 44:13-17

People who say that worshipping the Lord Jesus is idolatry make the fundamental mistake that the Jews made and then have passed on for two thousand years. God had already revealed Himself in human form, since the very beginning of man’s time on earth, and throughout the times of the Old Testament.

Not only is that clear, but the worship of Him in this form already has precedent. Abraham clearly called the Lord as such, saying Adonai, or my Lord (meaning Yehovah), and he bowed himself to the ground before Him. Joshua will, in the very near future, worship this same Person –

And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, “Are You for us or for our adversaries?”
¹⁴ So He said, “No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.”
And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, “What does my Lord say to His servant?”
¹⁵ Then the Commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.” And Joshua did so. Joshua 5:13-15

A similar incident will occur in Judges 6 with Gideon and the Lord, and again in Judges 13 with the parents of Samson. Some of the prophets will have visual manifestations of the Lord appear to them as well. Thus, the unseen God has clearly chosen to reveal Himself in a Person, even before the coming of Jesus – and yet it was Christ the Lord who came to them.

What is being revealed to Israel now is a lesson concerning idolatry, but it is not to be – nor can it be – considered as idolatry to worship the Man who is the Lord. “No form, then, signifies no thing which man can create or devise which could failingly resemble the Lord God.

An image of a man cannot reveal anything beyond itself, whereas Jesus can. It is He who reveals the unseen God to us. Israel needed tutoring before that could happen, and so God gave no form or likeness when He spoke out the law. Moses repeats that now for Israel’s instruction. That instruction came…

^{15 (con’t)} when the Lord spoke to you at Horeb

Rather than “when,” the Hebrew says, b’yom – “in the day.” In other words, it was one day, and one day only, that the Lord so spoke to Israel. After that, Moses stood between them, receiving the Lord’s word and passing it on to the people.

^{15 (con’t)} out of the midst of the fire,

Again, this was seen in verse 12. The Lord was demonstrating His holy nature, and that He alone was to be served and worshipped. Thus, speaking out of the fire was a deliberate note to Israel that His word is one of judgment. For a violation of it, the expectation was to be that of punishment.

The lesson of the voice is that of worship – properly directed worship. There is nothing that man can imagine or produce that is, or ever could be, a substitute for God. If this is so, then making something – be it a household idol, or an artificial intelligence computer, or any other thing in creation – it cannot suffice to represent God.

Therefore, no such thing was to be made and then bowed down to. To do so is to pervert the lesson of the voice, it is to diminish the glory of God, and it is to diminish the value of the person who so commits such a crime. That is revealed in Moses’ next words…

¹⁶ lest you act corruptly

The Lord is holy, and He demands holiness in His people. To act corruptly is to act in an unholy manner. This was unbefitting of a person who had been redeemed by the Lord, and who was considered one of the people of the Lord.

But further, this corruption extends in another way. To make an image of God is to make it out of something which is corruptible. But God is incorruptible. Therefore, there is an infinite disparity between the two. It equates something worthless with that which cannot be valued.

Moses next defines how this could come about, beginning with…

^{16 (con’t)} and make for yourselves a carved image

A portion of the chiasm which has spanned the verses of our last few sermons begins to be defined here.

d 4:3, 4  Example of apostasy (idolatry)
d 4:15-18  Warning of apostasy (idolatry)

In verses 4:3, 4, Moses referred to the idolatry of the people. It was an example of apostasy for the people to remember.

The incident concerning Peor is found in Numbers 25. The men of Israel were enticed by the women of Moab, they fell into harlotry with them, and they then fell into idol worship with their gods. Moses reminded them of this in order to warn them of it now.

One cannot call on the Lord, the central thought of the chiasm, if his mind, heart, or eyes are focused on a god which is no god at all. No form was seen at Horeb, and therefore, no pesel, or carved image, of any form was to be made.

But, again, because we are slow to learn, we can – and indeed we should – consider the Lord Jesus in our every prayer. To do so is not idolatry. He is the incarnate Word of God. He is our Mediator between this physical world of people and the unseen God.

Because God has revealed Himself to us in this way, it would not only be inappropriate to worship God apart from Jesus, it would be an affront to Him. As Jesus said, “all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him” (John 5:26).

The difference between that which man has made, and the body which God prepared for Christ, is infinite in scope. Until Israel learns this, they must remain under this law which forbids any image to be made or worshipped. Moses further defines this as…

^{16 (con’t)} in the form of any figure:

temunath kal samel – “form of any figure.” Moses introduces a new word here, semel. It signifies “to resemble,” and thus it is a figure or image. It is a word which will only be seen again in 2 Chronicles 33 (twice) and Ezekiel 8 (twice). The powerful significance of this word will be seen before we end today. For now, Moses speaks on…

^{16 (con’t)} the likeness of male or female,

tavnith zakar o neqevah – “pattern after male or female.” This explains what was just said – “the form of any figure.” The word tavnith, or “pattern,” comes from the word banah, “to build.” Nothing was to be constructed into such a form.

The Hebrew words signify the form of the sexes. Thus, it includes the male or female form. Though not stated, this clause certainly speaks of a human man or woman.

The Lord has already, in the books of Moses, revealed Himself in such a way, and so the Lord is making a complete distinction between what He has done and what man can do. The unseen voice reveals no form for Israel to emulate.

Logically, this cannot mean that Israel could not worship the Man, who is the Lord. This is evident because Joshua will do so within about one month’s time from the words Moses now speaks. The words hinge on the thought that one is God’s revelation of Himself while the other is man’s attempts at creating a god in his own image and calling it the Lord. Next, Moses continues…

¹⁷ the likeness of any animal that is on the earth

tavnith kal behemah asher ba’aretz – “pattern after any beast which is on the earth.” The words of this clause, and the next, take us back to Genesis 1:1. It is God who created those things, and thus they are not gods.

Further, they are things God had purposed for the benefit of man. For man to worship and serve them is not only to deny the Creator, but it is to turn upside down the order of His creation by exalting over man that which was for man’s enjoyment and benefit.

This is what the Egyptians had done. But the Lord had brought judgment on those, and all the other, false gods of Egypt.

^{17 (con’t)} or the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air,

This again returns us to Genesis 1. In fact, the word uph, or “flies,” hasn’t been seen since then. It also takes the reader back to Israel’s time in Egypt where birds, such as the ibis and the falcon were worshipped. These or any bird of wing were not to be patterned into an idol. And Moses continues…

¹⁸ the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground or the likeness of any fish that is in the water beneath the earth.

Moses rounds out the list from Genesis 1 of created species, but which had become objects of worship throughout Egypt. They worshipped both creeping animals like the scarab beetle, and the fish-goddess Hatmehyt, along with many other such creatures.

In the Genesis account, the creation of the living beings is in a different order. There, the creatures are noted in order of creation – fish, bird, beast, creepy, man. Here, it appears Moses is ordering them in likeliness to be worshipped – Man, beast, bird, creepy, fish.

But it is noted that all categories were worshipped in Egypt – from Pharaoh the man, all the way down to the crocodile, and everything in between. Israel is strictly forbidden from fashioning any such image in order to set it up and worship it.

However, there is more that was worshipped in Egypt, and that is also worshipped in the land of Canaan where Israel was heading. And so, Moses begins a new category of such things…

¹⁹ And take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven,

u-pen tisa eneka ha’shamaymah – “And lest you lift your eyes to the heaven.” Heaven is singular. It is where God is seen to dwell, such as in Genesis 28:12, where Jacob saw a ladder set up on the earth and which reached to heaven. The Lord stood above the top of the ladder.

They are words of caution. This is something that everyone does. We all look to the sky, both in day and in night, but Moses warns that trouble could be lurking in our minds when doing so.In other words, what he will warn about does not indicate anything wrong with what is up there, but how we treat what is up there…

^{19 (con’t)} and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars,

This is something that most people do every time that they are out. They look up and check things out – the sun and how its light dances around, the moon and how it bathes the night in a soft glow, and the stars which capture our imagination for a multitude of reasons. Indeed, they are each a part of…

^{19 (con’t)} all the host of heaven,

kol tseva ha’shamayim – “all the host of the heavens.” Here, the singular “heaven” of the previous clause is now rendered in the plural. The Lord is in heaven, but these things are the host of the heavens.

They are created things, as are the heavens, just as was explicitly stated in Genesis 1. As they are created, they are not gods, but are rather things which exist and are sustained by His direction and power. But man has devised many schemes in his imaginings…

^{19 (con’t)} you feel driven to worship them and serve them,

Here is a new word to Scripture, nadakh – to impel, compel, be led, driven away, etc. There is a force which moves something, and that force here is to impel a person to do what is against the proper order expected by God.

Here the verb is reflexive, meaning “you allow yourself to be drawn away.” Man’s own mind moves him from the proper worship of the Creator to the improper worship of the creation.

^{19 (con’t)} which the Lord your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage.

asher khalaq Yehovah elohekha otam l’kol ha’ammim takhat kal ha’shamayim – “which divided Yehovah your God to all the peoples under all the heavens.” It is a fascinating and, at first, perplexing statement.

Scholars argue over what is meant, some saying that God has divided the other nations, allowing them to worship these bodies, but Israel was to worship only the Lord. That is a rather perverse way of looking at it.

Cambridge lessens the force of that and says it is “An interesting attempt by the writer to reconcile his great truth that Jehovah is God alone with the fact that the other nations worship other gods.” As justification for that, they cite Deuteronomy 29:26 which speaks of Israel doing exactly this –

“…for they went and served other gods and worshiped them, gods that they did not know and that He had not given to them.” Deuteronomy 29:26

But this is an error in thinking. The Lord did not give these things to Israel, or anyone else, as gods. The verse says that the Lord has divided these heavenly bodies “to all the peoples under the whole heavens.” It is inclusive of Israel.

What Moses is saying is that no nation can claim any or all of these heavenly bodies as its own. The same sun that shines on Shiloh, Israel also shines on Wang Chung, China. Egypt claimed the sun god Ra as their own. But it is not a god. It is the sun, and the Lord has divided it among all the peoples of the earth.

These things were never intended to be objects of worship. This is evident because the sun is found over Japan at one time, but over England at another. The same is true with the moon and the stars. The heavens, being plural, means any and every view of the sky by man at any point in time.

At one time, a part of the people enjoys one aspect of them, at another, others do. If these were gods, they would always be present. Thus, the Lord has divided them among the peoples because He is the Creator of them, and the One who appoints their seasons.

Therefore, the evident truth is that the Lord God gave these, as is recorded in Genesis 1 to serve man, not that they should be served by men. Man was the anticipated guest. All of these things – the animals, birds, creeping things, fish, and the host of the heavens were all created before man was. And man was created to worship and serve the Lord God.

Do not worship anything, but Me alone, says your God
In doing this, you will do well
I will keep you safe on this earthly path you trod
And will open to you heaven, instead of opening hell 

I am the Lord your God, so you are to worship only Me
And I will lead you in paths of righteousness for My name’s sake
I will guide you each step, watching over you tenderly
If you will follow Me – may this be the path you take 

Forget the idols of the nations, which are only vanity
Don’t bow to the heavenly host, and you will do well
Don’t allow yourself to be pulled into idolatrous insanity
And I will open to you heaven, instead of opening hell

II. A Jealous God (verses 20-24)

²⁰ But the Lord has taken you

v’etkhem laqakh Yehovah. It is emphatic, “And you, has taken Yehovah.” Egypt pictures bondage to sin. They were caught up in worshipping and serving everything Moses just mentioned – all of it. But the Lord brought them out of that…

^{20 (con’t)} and brought you out of the iron furnace,

These words are unfortunately taken completely out of their intended context by many. This is not saying Israel was forced to work in iron furnaces. It is also not speaking of any other forced labor that Israel suffered under.

It is certainly true those things literally happened, but the context is that of idolatry. Moses said that the Lord spoke to the people at Horeb from the fire. Iron represents strength, be it in binding together, in government, in hard service, in bondage, etc.

But iron can go into a furnace, which is now a new word in the Bible, kur. It signifies a pot or furnace – something dug out in order to form a place for smelting. It is kin to the word kir, found only in Leviticus 11:35. It is a place of divine testing and purification.

In an iron furnace, the strength of iron is removed and cohesion is lost through the heat of the fire. In idolatry, there is no cohesion and strength of worship toward God. Rather, there is a purposeless state of futility. This iron furnace is next described as…

^{20 (con’t)} out of Egypt,

Egypt, or double distress, is the iron furnace. Being brought out of that implies that the iron can be shaped and strengthened by the Lord for His purposes. This is exactingly seen in Isaiah 48:10 where the kur, or furnace, is noted –

“Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver;
I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.
¹¹ For My own sake, for My own sake, I will do it;
For how should My name be profaned?
And I will not give My glory to another.” Isaiah 48:10

The Lord sent Israel to Egypt to be tested and refined. The purpose of this was because Israel was…

^{20 (con’t)} to be His people, an inheritance, as you are this day.

Israel was morally prepared in Egypt to be a people who were to know the difference between idolatry and true worship. This selection was typologically given to prefigure the church – the people of God in Christ – be they Jew or Gentile. Paul states this in Ephesians 1 –

“…that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, ¹⁸ the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.” Ephesians 1:17, 18

²¹ Furthermore the Lord was angry with me for your sakes,

v’Yehovah hitaneph bi al divrekhem – “And Yehovah was angry with me for your words.” This is the third time that Moses has substantially repeated this. However, each time Moses has changed the wording concerning why. The first time, in Deuteronomy 1:37, he used the word galal, or roll. The Lord was angry with Moses because the words of the people rolled back upon him.

The second time, in Deuteronomy 3:26, the word maan, meaning intent or purpose, was used. It was the Lord’s purpose that Moses (picturing the law) would not cross the Jordan. Now, for the third time, he says it is because of the people’s words that he cannot enter. It again looks to Christ.

How does one enter into the promise? Is it by faith – displayed in words – or is it by deeds of the law? The words of the people kept them out of the inheritance. They didn’t believe and their words reflected that. Now, the people’s words will be words not of law, but of faith. The law cannot bring the people into the inheritance. Only the word of faith can do so –

“But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): ⁹ that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:8-10

^{21 (con’t)} and swore that I would not cross over the Jordan, and that I would not enter the good land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.

This is not recorded anywhere else. But it is a statement of fact, relayed by Moses, and which points directly to the consequences of being led by the law and not by following Christ through faith.

Moses led the people, the people failed to believe – thus indicting Moses for failure to lead the people – and so the Lord swore that he would not enter. There is nothing unfair about this. If a president fails to lead his people properly – think of Jimmy Carter and his famous malaise speech accompanied by a malaise administration – there are consequences for that failure.

It may have been, and it certainly was, an indictment upon the people by the Lord, but it was also a failure of Moses to inspire them to words of faith, because the law is not of faith, but of deeds. This is the truth which Moses presents to the people and the consequences of that are once again stated by him…

²² But I must die in this land,

ki anokhi met ba’arets ha’zot – “For I die in the land the this.” Translations using the word “but” reduce the impact of the clause. It is a statement of fact, an affirmation, that Moses is to die outside of the promise.

The symbolism is absolutely clear. The Lord swore that Moses would not enter for he is to die in the land outside of the inheritance. The law died when Christ died. Those under law will die with the law. Those who died to the law, with Christ, will live with Christ. They will cross over. As for Moses, meaning the law…

^{22 (con’t)} I must not cross over the Jordan;

One is either under law and outside the promise, or one dies to the law and crosses over the Jordan (the Descender), meaning Christ. This same thought has been stated at least seven jillion times, or close to that. The emphasis on this cannot be overstated. The law can bring no one into the inheritance. However…

^{22 (con’t)} but you shall cross over and possess that good land.

v’atem oberim vi’rishtem – “And you shall cross over and inherit.” With the law dead, the people can enter. One plus one will always equal two in proper theology. As long as one is under law, there is no inheritance. When the law dies, the inheritance is possible. The law died in Christ, and therefore only in Christ can one cross over to possess the good land the Lord has in store for His people.

²³ Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God which He made with you,

The words are words of law, but of what timeframe is Moses speaking of? Obviously, he is speaking of the time after having crossed the Jordan. It is speaking of the nation of Israel, under the law, not of a typological picture of Christ.

The covenant was cut, and the people were to pay heed to it. Despite the typology Moses is fulfilling in his death east of Canaan, there is the continued existence of Israel under the law which must be lived out in order to give the world an understanding of its need for grace.

That covenant, and its many laws and prohibitions, says further…

^{23 (con’t)} and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything which the Lord your God has forbidden you.

Here, the Hebrew actually says, “which the Lord your God has commanded you.” That is referring to the negative command of Exodus 20:4, 5 –

“You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; ⁵ you shall not bow down to them nor serve them.”

Those words of Exodus 20 are then immediately followed by exactly the same thought. Moses begins that now…

²⁴ For the Lord your God is a consuming fire,

ki Yehovah elohekha esh okelah, “For Yehovah your God fire consuming.” The symbolism of this was seen by the people in Exodus 24 –

“The sight of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel.” Exodus 24:17

The appearance of the Lord’s glory was a representation of the Lord’s character and being. It was to impress upon the people that what they saw was reflective of who the Lord is. And more than just this outward display reflecting his nature also comes the final, terrifying, words of today’s passage…

*^24 (fin) a jealous God.

hu el qanna – “He God Jealous.” It is an emphatic statement which describes His very character. After giving the commandments concerning idolatry, the Lord said this in Exodus 20 –

“For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, ⁶ but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.” Exodus 20:5, 6

God is Jealous. The word is qanna. This doesn’t indicate jealously of success in another. Rather, it speaks of a defense of His honor and glory. When one bows to another god, the Lord isn’t jealous of that false god receiving worship. His jealousy is directed to the violation of depriving Him what He is justly due. As He says in Isaiah –

“I am the Lord, that is My name;
And My glory I will not give to another,
Nor My praise to carved images.” Isaiah 42:8

This is the fourth use of this adjective, qanna. It will be used only two more times, both in Deuteronomy, and it is always used in relation to the Lord. As I said in verse 16, however, the word introduced at that time, semel, is one used only four more times.

It is seen in 2 Chronicles 33, where Manasseh, king of Israel, set up such an image in the house of the Lord. Because of that, and the other things Manasseh did, the Lord said he would no longer forgive Israel. Thus, He thrust them from His presence. But the word is also used in Ezekiel 8. There, it says this –

He stretched out the form of a hand, and took me by a lock of my hair; and the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven, and brought me in visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the north gate of the inner court, where the seat of the image of jealousy was, which provokes to jealousy. ⁴ And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, like the vision that I saw in the plain.

⁵ Then He said to me, “Son of man, lift your eyes now toward the north.” So I lifted my eyes toward the north, and there, north of the altar gate was this image of jealousy in the entrance. Ezekiel 8:3-5

The image erected at the temple is called “the image of jealousy.” The Lord was deprived His rightful worship because of this image, and the consequences of this, and the other violations of the law which are outlined there, resulted in death for those who followed those practices.

Though we are under grace, it is of note that John closes out his first epistle with these words, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen” (1 John 5:21).

Idolatry is no less serious under the New Covenant, even if its consequences in this life are not as terrifying. But the same Lord, whose name is Jealous, rules over us today. His hand of grace upon our lives does not negate His jealous nature when we worship other gods.

One thing we must do, then, is to ensure that our hearts are always directed to Him, and that we are not swayed away from a close walk with Him because of those things which are temporary, corruptible, and which have no value in the life we have been called to live.

Let us carefully evaluate our lives, from day to day, and let us endeavor to always put the Lord Jesus first. With this, the Lord our God will be pleased. And, as the trial of the Coronavirus lockdown is behind us, let us remember to not walk in this life with a spirit of fear.

The Lord has ordained our days, He had them set before the moment we were conceived, and our worries and anxieties will not change that one iota.

Israel saw no form of the Lord, because they were to focus on the Lord – and nothing else. We have something far better. What is the form of the Lord? It is the form of a Man – our Savior, Jesus. Paul says as much in 2 Corinthians –

“For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:6

Jesus – He is the Lord, the eternal God. Let us entrust our souls to Him, be confident and encouraged in Him, and be a light to others – both in how to conduct our lives properly, and in how to bear up in a positive way during those times which bring fear to the hearts of men. May they see our lives and say, “I want what they have. I want Jesus.” To the glory of God the Father.

Closing Verse: “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. ²⁹ For our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:28, 29

Next Week: Deuteronomy 4:25-31 Something to do always as on this earth you trod… (Seek the Lord Your God) (16^th Deuteronomy Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. But He also has expectations of you as He prepares you for entrance into His Land of Promise. So, follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

The Form of the Lord

Take careful heed to yourselves
For you saw no form; nothing visible to admire
When the LORD spoke to you
At Horeb out of the midst of the fire

Lest you act corruptly
And make for yourselves a carved image – yes even of a whale
In the form of any figure
The likeness of male or female

The likeness of any animal that is on the earth
Or the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air
The likeness of anything that creeps on the ground
Or the likeness of any fish that is in the water beneath the earth
———-No! Don’t you dare

And take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven
And when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars
All the host of heaven
You feel driven to worship them and serve them
———-even the planet Mars

Which has given the LORD your God
To all the peoples as a heritage under the whole heaven
———-wherever man does trod

But the LORD has taken you
And brought you out of the iron furnace; a place not bright and gay
Out of Egypt, to be His people
An inheritance, as you are this day

Furthermore the LORD was angry with me for your sakes
And swore that I would not cross over the Jordan
———-for me there is no such chance
And that I would not enter the good land
Which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance

But I must die in this land
I must not cross over the Jordan, thus I was made to understand
But you shall cross over
And possess that good land

Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant
Of the LORD your God which He made with you
And make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything
Which the LORD your God has forbidden you to do

For the LORD your God – please give me an understanding nod
Is a consuming fire; a jealous God

Lord God, turn our hearts to be obedient to Your word
Give us wisdom to be ever faithful to You
May we carefully heed each thing we have heard
Yes, Lord God may our hearts be faithful and true

And we shall be content and satisfied in You alone
We will follow You as we sing our songs of praise
Hallelujah to You; to us Your path You have shown
Hallelujah we shall sing to You for all of our days

Hallelujah and Amen…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

¹⁵ “Take careful heed to yourselves, for you saw no form when the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, ¹⁶ lest you act corruptly and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of any figure: the likeness of male or female, ¹⁷ the likeness of any animal that is on the earth or the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air, ¹⁸ the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground or the likeness of any fish that is in the water beneath the earth. ¹⁹ And take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the Lord your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage. ²⁰ But the Lord has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be His people, an inheritance, as you are this day. ²¹ Furthermore the Lord was angry with me for your sakes, and swore that I would not cross over the Jordan, and that I would not enter the good land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance. ²² But I must die in this land, I must not cross over the Jordan; but you shall cross over and possess that good land. ²³ Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything which the Lord your God has forbidden you. ²⁴ For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.