AM Bible Study Group; March 23, 2011

Deuteronomy 4.1-24

Theme: In this chapter, Moses reviews the way God proved Himself to be the defender of His people in the conquest of the king of Bashan.

The first few words of our text this morning set the tone for its significance: "Now, O Israel . . ." (v. 1). Moses stood before the second generation of the people of Israel on the plains of Moab, just before he released them to the leadership of Joshua and instructed them to go in and take possession of the promised land. He was just about to recite the law that God had given that previous generation upon the mountain (see chapter 5). And he had just reviewed all the ways God had called them, and protected them, and led them to this point; and of the painful loss the previous generation had suffered because it did not obey God’s command (see chapters 1-3). And after all that, as a consequence of what came before and as a preparation of what was to follow, he says, "Now, O Israel . . .".

The appeal that Moses makes to the people in this chapter is a heartfelt one—an appeal, as it were, from a truly loving shepherd about to leave his sheep. It’s an appeal very much like the one Paul made to the Ephesian pastors in Acts 20:17-38 who, himself, would not see them again and wanted them to stay true to what they had been taught. It’s an appeal to the people to faithfully cling to that which is for their good, and that will lead to their blessedness.

When it came to the commandments that Moses was about to, once again, give to the people, he urged them to . . .

I. LISTEN TO THEM (v. 1).

A. He described them as "the statutes and the judgments which I teach you to observe". They were given through Moses (see v. 14); but they were given by God and had His own authority behind them.

B. Moses reminded the people that these commandments were for their good, "that you may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers is giving you". They could not possess what God was giving them unless they heeded these commands; and so, he urged them to "listen" to them—to give attention to them as that which would bless their lives (see Deuteronomy 10:12-13).

II. DON’T ADD TO OR TAKE AWAY FROM THEM (v. 2).

A. He also urged that they respect them and honor them by making sure they "not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it" (see Revelation 22:18-19). This was because, as Moses insisted, they are not commandments from the imagination and insight of man, but are from God; and should not be mixed and mingled with man’s thoughts and standards.

B. There was a practical reason for not adding to or taking from them. It was so "that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you." If man can add to them or take from them, he can thus rework them so as not to obey them—and thus lose the blessing and favor of God.

III. BE CAREFUL TO OBSERVE THEM (vv. 3-8).

A. He reminded them of a time in their near history when the commandments were not observed—that is, the incident of Baal Peor that’s described in Numbers 25. At that time, the people of Moab tempted the people of Israel to turn from God to the worship of Baal. Many lives were lost in that incident (see Numbers 25:9); and those who remained—to hear these words—were faithful and lived to tell about it (vv. 3-4).

B. This was a reminder, then, to keep God’s commandments so as to obey them; "for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people’" (vv. 5-6). Our obedience to God’s commandments is vital to our testimony of Him to this world (see John 15:14).

C. The giving of these commands, and their faithfulness to keep them, is the distinguishing mark that caused the people of Israel to stand out as unique among the peoples of the earth—and proves that they truly belong to a great God (vv. 7-8).

IV. TAKE HEED TO YOURSELF REGARDING THEM (vv. 9-24):

A. Lest you forget the things you’ve seen (v. 9a) They were not only to pay attention to the laws of God, but to themselves in the light of those laws; "lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life." Trace the course of those who once walked with God, but have now forgotten him, and chances are that the cause will be found in a failure—at some key point—to do as He commanded.

B. So you can pass them on to the next generation (vv. 9-14). These laws were not a possession for them alone, but also for their children. Taking heed to themselves included making sure that they diligently taught them to their children (see Deuteronomy 6:6-9; Psalm 78:1-8). This included telling them the stories of the way God revealed Himself in the past at Mount Sinai—at the very giving of the law (see Exodus 19-20).

B. So you won’t worship anything but the one true God (vv. 15-23). Taking heed also included staying away from any false worship. They did not see God on the mountain, so they were not to make any false image of Him (vv. 15-18). Nor were they to be overwhelmed by the sights in the heavens and worship them (v. 19). They were to worship God according to His great work of grace toward them (v. 20). Moses had failed to obey God as he should, and thus was not able to enter the land (vv. 21-22; see also Numbers 20:1-13); but they must make sure they do not fail (vv. 23-24). This is in keeping with the emphasize of the rest of this chapter—that is, the uniqueness of God in calling them to Himself, and of how inappropriate it would be to worship anyone else.

* * * * * * * * * *

As Christians, we affirm that we are saved by God’s grace through Christ, and not by our conformity to His written law (Galatians 2:16). But a man or woman who is saved by grace is saved unto obedience (see Titus 2:11-14) through the enabling work of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26). Wherever the Holy Spirit leads us, He leads us in conformity to God’s commandments. May we be a people who—in Christ—listen to, reverence, obey, and take careful heed to ourselves in God’s perfect commandments.