March 2nd – God gives life (Deuteronomy 12-30)

By Dave

Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Background on Deuteronomy
Author: Moses and others (traditional view, based on John 5:46)
Title: from the Greek word meaning “second law”
Date: roughly around 15th or 13th century BC
Purpose: The final messages from Moses to the people of God. The messages consisted of poetic worship, instructive commands, and prophetic warnings.

V.15-16
Moses is speaking to people that rejected God…and a people rejected by God. They followed after idols and their own selfishness, which caused punishment in foreign captivity. This is the plea from Moses to the people…to turn to the Living God.
Moses makes it simple for us:
To love and obey God and His Word is to have life.
To reject God is to have death.

Obedience to His Word
Love and submission to His authority
The land was the promised land. The desired “paradise”
John 14:23- Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him
1 Corinthians 8:3 – But if anyone loves God, he is known by God
The thief on the cross in Luke 23:42-43 – And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
The thief who was facing death; looked to Jesus, and Jesus gave Him the promise of the promise land.

V.17-18
Romans 2:8 – but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.
Sin is our refusal to live by His authority.
Punishment shows authority. The absence of punishment is the absence of authority. Could we ever trust God if He was not faithful to His own Word?
John 3:36 – Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
“The concept of hell is of a negative relationship to God, an experience not of his absence so much of his presence in wrath and displeasure.” – JI Packer, Concise Theology, p. 262.
Hebrews 12:29
His punishment may be in His temporary discipline of His wayward children (Hebrews 12:7)
His punishment may be eternal in those that reject His saving grace (2 Thessalonians 2:10)

V.19-20
Make the joyful determination to live today for His glory.
Make the joyful declaration that His presence is your satisfaction.
Ephesians 1:12 – so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.
Psalm 27:4 -One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.
God has called us to “hold fast to Him” (v.20).
God has reminded us that “He is our life.” (v.20)
What would happen if we CHOOSE to live like this? What if we CHOOSE to step out in love of His presence, joy in His Word, and a desire glorify Him?

Filed in: Podcasts • Wednesday, March 9th, 2011