Deuteronomy 5
In 5:1-27 Moses reminds the Israelites of the commandments the Lord gave to them through his covenant.
In this section it is also mentioned that people who hate the Lord would have iniquities that go down to the 3rd and 4th generation, but He shows steadfast love to people that love Him and keep his commandments.
The people responded to hearing the voice of God from the fire as he spoke to Moses. They were terrified of the mightiness of God. The people were surprised that a human had heard the voice of the Living God and still lived.
In 5:28 God says that they are right to be fearful of Him. God also says that the fear they have is the fear that will help them to keep his commandments so “that it might go well with them and their descendants forever.”
I think that this passage does a good job emphasizing just having a loving emotion towards the Lord is not enough to sustain you. No, if we rely on our emotions, then we would be in trouble. Our emotions are fleeting and volatile at times. The action of obedience must be integrated into us to show our love. We see later in the gospels that we are given the command again. John 14:15 says, “If you love me, then keep my commandments.” Our obedience to God is a way to grow our faith because we will not always understand why. Our obedience is an act of devotion, trust, and also the result of our love to him.
Deuteronomy 6
The Greatest Commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your might!”
The passage commands that we go above just the surface emotions of loving God. This is to be our entire being. Our love for the Lord should be ingrained in us. This would include allowing the Holy Spirit to transform our minds to be aligned with the truth, repentance (even from the sins that no one knows about), worship, obedience, faithfulness, and forgiveness. This means we are examining ourselves on all levels and seeking the cross.
There were promises given for loving the Lord and obeying his commandments. The promises were not just rewards, but results of obedience. There is protection in following what God has outlined for us. We will experience his righteousness if we take proper care or have the inclination to concern ourselves with these things.
Deuteronomy 7
The Israelites are reminded that they are a chosen people with a rich heritage. God chose to bring the Israelites through Egypt because he kept a covenant that he had with their fathers.
I think God wanted them to keep remembering what he had done because they were going to be given things that initially belonged to people that did now love the Lord. They were going to be given victory over 7 nations that were mightier than they were.
This would be easy to be wowed by. Just like in modern times, we are sometimes intrigued by the creations instead of the creator. As part of that “care to keep the commandments,” we should remember the goodness of God that we have experienced so that worldly things don’t hold the same luster as what God is able to do.
We are also again reminded about God’s faithfulness towards those that love him and his wrath over generations for those that do not. The Israelites are reminded that they are God’s chosen people—set apart. God did not create us so we could be copycats of his other creations. He chooses us for his specific purposes. We should want to be used by him and set apart, just as he intended for the Israelites. All power flows from God, and nothing else will ever be worthy of the praises that are due to Him.
Deuteronomy 8
This passage is further reminder of why to remember the Lord. The people are told to not just remember their deliverance, but also the provision God has given them. They didn’t know what manna was, yet God provided it daily for 40 years. Their clothes did not wear out. All their needs were accounted for while they wandered around in the desert.
The Israelites were reminded that when God provides beautiful houses and flocks that multiply to still remember that it was the Lord who provided these things.
Just like back then, we still have a tendency to get to where we want and forget it’s only by the Lord’s hand we’re allowed provisions. Each physical blessing we have is from the Lord, and forgetting so is to disregard the Creator’s role. I think Moses was trying to emphasize that recognizing God is VERY important. It’s not a checklist action, but a lifestyle. We have to remember to recognize how we have fallen, and just why His goodness is so good. It’s because we are truly unworthy, and we receive it anyway.
Deuteronomy 9
Moses speaks to the Israelites about not forgetting what God has done. The Israelites would conquer nations mightier than theirs. However, they need to be clear on the fact that this was because of the wickedness in these nations, not the righteousness in their hearts—basically reminding them to keep it humble.
In 9:13, Moses reminds them that their disobedience had them worshipping a golden calf! It was only God’s mercy that they were still around after that: God’s promises to their fathers and willingness to forgive them.
The Israelites would receive favor that they hadn’t earned. They had dishonored God, but He was still faithful. God still had a plan for the disobedient Israelites, as well as the wicked who did not love the Lord at all.
Deuteronomy 10
There’s an account for the new tablets that God provided after Moses broke the first set. God provided the same set of instructions on the tablets because they needed to be reminded. These were important instructions. These were given by the Living God. The creator of the universe. The same God that made promises to their fathers and delivered them is the same God that walked with the Israelites and walks with us!! Why wouldn’t we want to serve him with all our heart? Just as God took care of Moses and the Israelites, the Lord takes care of each of us. The blessings may vary, but the promises to each of us are true!!!
We want to remember this because it should propel us forward in our faith. Everything good comes from the Lord. He is all knowing, just, and merciful. The Lord knows what is best, and always does what is best. We can trust him. We will do well to remember his faithfulness to each of us every day of our lives. I am encouraged knowing no matter what I encounter, everything inside of creation is in the hands of the Lord. He is exactly the God you need, in any scenario.
Dawn Robinson
