2015-09-04
Good Morning Dear Ones,
Last week, the Holy Spirit directed me to write about God’s directive found in DT 4: 2, “Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I [Moses] gave you.” The same notion is put forth in REV 22: 19 as well. We must consider anything God repeats in His word is important. Today, we will look at DT 6: 1-25, which contains some crucial reconnaissance still of use to us in modern times, but which had it’s origin in Moses’ time.
We find ourselves amidst spiritual warfare that got it’s start with the original sin [GN 3: 1-6] and will continue until God is ready to put it to an end. I refer here to an ever-increasingly sinful world. Sin is separation between God and mankind. DT 6: 1-2 can be seen as a reminder that what is to follow is preparation for the Jews to enter the Promised Land and to thrive there under God’s outstretched arm. We are to “fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all His decrees and commands that I give you, so that you may have long life” (2). Afterward, comes the “Shema”: “Here, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your might” (DT 6: 3-4). This is the basic statement of monotheism, which is foundational to Judeo-Christianity and sets the Israel of ancient time apart from all her neighbors. Verses 5-9 are a reminder to tell one’s children, think about God’s commands when away from home and when home, to place a reminder of them (done in the form of a mezuzah—a wooden or metal hollow item containing these commands lettered in Hebrew inside them) on one’s gate or the doorpost of his home, and to wear tefillin (also known as philacteries-small boxes containing the commands on parchment tied around one arm and the head while praying). In modern times, only Orthodox Jews wear these. My own mezuzah has the letter, shin, שׁ , the 21st letter of the Hebrew alphabet, on the outside of it, which is the first letter of one of God’s names. It is the letter that God attached to Abram to make his name Abraham, and to Sarai to make her Sarah.
Just as the first five commands in EX 20: 1-17, the Ten Commandments, say, we are to love the Lord our God and only worship Him. Idolatry is the sin God detests the most. Our God is a jealous God, meaning He doesn’t want anyone to practice the worship of any other god. DT 6: 10-13 remind us not to forget what the Lord has done for us and to rehearse our own history with Him. Once again (13) reminds us, “Fear the Lord your Go, serve Him only and take your oaths in His name.” We are told in (14-15) not to be tempted to worship the gods of Israel’s neighbors and that “the God Who is among you” is a jealous God. How blessed ancient Israel was to have God living with them! Verse (16) reminds us not to test God and was used, in MT 4: 7, by Jesus in his dialog with Satan in the wilderness. If you wonder why I use the words “necessary reconnaissance” for the word of God, it’s because these are god-forged weapons effectively used against the evil one in spiritual warfare. God meant it to be so for the ancient Jews when they lived in the Promised Land too. Remember that what God taught in the past, applied then, applies today, and will apply in the future! (17-18) once again reminds us to keep God’s commands and to live righteously in His sight. (19-23) recalls how God brought the Jews out of Egyptian bondage with His mighty hand. DT 6: 24-25, “The Lord commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the Lord our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as the is the case today. And if we are careful to obey all these laws before the Lord our God, as He has commanded us, that will be our righteousness.”
We can’t help but notice the repetitions of various notions, repetitions that are not accidental and that are meant to impress upon us their importance to God. Anything important to Him is meant to be important to us. The Covenant of the Law set Israel apart from her neighbors. It allowed people to know what is sinful and what is not. It did this, so they would know how to please God. And, it pointed to the need for salvation JN 3: 16; RO 3: 24-25], justification [RO 4: 3], and eternal forgiveness [1 JN 1: 9], but didn’t provide these latter things. They would come later with the institution of the Covenant of Grace at the time of Christ’s Atonement on the cross. The problem with the Covenant of the Law came when the Israelites didn’t have the heart to keep it. Instead, they turned to legalism, still practiced by traditional Jews today. This is the emphasis on form over content of God’s teaching. It’s the very issue that Christ argued with the Pharisees about in the temple during the last week of His earthly life. It is the subject of DT 29: 4, “But to this day the Lord has not given you a mind that understands or eyes that see or ears that hear.” The Jews were demanding visible signs, ones God had yet to show. A rehearsal of their own history didn’t provide sufficient motivation for them to understand and faithfully obey God’s commands.
PRAYER: O Lord, You have repeatedly attempted to civilize Your human creation and to teach us to faithfully obey Your commands. You want us to learn lessons You have had for us in our history, but we ignore it. We come before Your mighty throne in the hope that, through the Holy Spirit, You will clarify our minds and focus them on the things that will give us prosperity, long life, ability to fulfill the purposes You have for us, and to live righteously. Making demands of You is not to way to show You reverence, awe, and to glorify You. Putting ourselves first is not what You want of us. JN 3: 30, “Jesus must be greater; we must be less.” Dearest Abba, You have shown us what pleases You and what doesn’t in the past. You have sacrificed Your only Son, Jesus, on the cross, so that all who believe in Him can enjoy everlasting life. And still, we are not always learning the lessons You have given us throughout our history! JN 15: 5, says what we should understand: “I am the Vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” You are our very Lifeline, Who we need to guide us to lives that are honorable, fruitful, and blessed. Without our connection to You through the covenant bonds between us, we can’t accomplish Your purpose for us, and can’t lead lives which please You. We love You, Dearest Lord, and some day want to live eternally with You in a heavenly and blissful fellowship, ruling Your Kingdom side by side with the Lord Jesus. It is to that end that we beseech You to guide us and desire to please You. This prayer is said with eternal thanks and praise to You, in the holy/mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
NEXT WEEK: We are being called to a greater covenant that the Covenant of the Law. As such, we’ll examine God’s intentions and His greater plan for us now. Our covenant relationship with the Lord God and His two other personalities, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, is the most important guidepost of our earthly lives. Nothing is more important than placing God at the center of our lives. Our Covenant Partner should be evident in every decision we make, action we take, as well as every relationship with others we have. Does this sound impossible? Well, it isn’t! God’s intervention in our lives is frequent and brings blessing that can come from no other source. PS 121: 1-3, “I lift up my eyes to the hills, from where my Help comes. My Help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip; He watches over you and never slumbers.” We are never left alone and abandoned. Instead, our God is “on deck” to hear our prayers and answer them 24/7. He loves us with a love unparalleled from any other source. Whenever we pray for something that is His will, our prayer will be answered. To know His will and to know Him better, He has given us the Scriptures and prayer—constant information pipelines-that will help us deal with the challenges, trials, losses, and disappointments of our lives. Our Covenant Partner has forged intra-human friendships that are faith-strengthening and have a huge impact for good in our lives. He blesses us with the hope of the resurrection and with earthly blessing as well. Be encouraged and never forget how much the Lord loves each of us. Praise and thanks be to Him forever!
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn
JS 24: 15
© Lynn Johnson 2015. All Rights Reserved.
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