"Now it shall be, if you will diligently obey the LORD your God, being careful to do all His commandments...the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all thse blessings all come upon you and overtake you, if you will obey the LORD your God... But it shall come about, if you will not obey the LORD your God, to observe to do all His commandments...all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you."
How often have you heard a politician say, "Let me be perfectly clear", but you walk away saying, "Yea, I've heard that before," knowing they didn't really mean it? Moses was not a politician using political languague to try to dupe or win the people. In Deuteronomy he was saying, "Let me be perfectly clear" and he meant it to the core of his being. Moses knew God's word was His bond and he pulls no punches in declaring strong truth. Deuteronomy 27-30 are about as strong, straightforward and severe as any chapters you'll find in Scripture, meant to alarm every soul with the seriousness of His relationship with God. This is not child's play, and Moses wanted the people to know that God meant it when He promised, "if you will diligently obey the LORD your God...all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you," but also wanting them to know that God meant it when He warned, "if you will not obey the LORD your God...all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you." Surely, this ought to remove any doubt about the folly of any careless or casual relationship with God. He's just not that kind of God. He's intense in holy love and He's intense in holy jealousy. He is never unaffected by what man does or doesn't do. He is never neutral about us nor ever lukewarm toward us. His heart is a blazing fire of the pure emotion and full involvement of love. This is the love of a God who is almost "frantic", doing just about anything to protect His people from the destructive ways and wages of sin. And He did do "just about anything" when, in His love for the world, "He gave His only begotten Son."
How often have you heard a politician say, "Let me be perfectly clear", but you walk away saying, "Yea, I've heard that before," knowing they didn't really mean it? Moses was not a politician using political languague to try to dupe or win the people. In Deuteronomy he was saying, "Let me be perfectly clear" and he meant it to the core of his being. Moses knew God's word was His bond and he pulls no punches in declaring strong truth. Deuteronomy 27-30 are about as strong, straightforward and severe as any chapters you'll find in Scripture, meant to alarm every soul with the seriousness of His relationship with God. This is not child's play, and Moses wanted the people to know that God meant it when He promised, "if you will diligently obey the LORD your God...all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you," but also wanting them to know that God meant it when He warned, "if you will not obey the LORD your God...all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you." Surely, this ought to remove any doubt about the folly of any careless or casual relationship with God. He's just not that kind of God. He's intense in holy love and He's intense in holy jealousy. He is never unaffected by what man does or doesn't do. He is never neutral about us nor ever lukewarm toward us. His heart is a blazing fire of the pure emotion and full involvement of love. This is the love of a God who is almost "frantic", doing just about anything to protect His people from the destructive ways and wages of sin. And He did do "just about anything" when, in His love for the world, "He gave His only begotten Son."
That for a willful outcast such as I
The Father planned, the Saviour bled and died,
Redemption for a worthless slave to buy,
Who long had law and grace defied!
Such love, such wondrous love!
Such love, such wondrous love!
That God should love a sinner shuch as I,
How wonderful is love like this!
C. Bishop, c1929. Renewed 1957 by Lillenas Publishing Co.
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