“Look, I have taught you statutes and ordinances as the Lord my God has commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to possess. Carefully follow them, for this will show your wisdom and understanding in the eyes of the peoples. When they hear about all these statutes, they will say, ‘This great nation is indeed a wise and understanding people.’ For what great nation is there that has a god near to it as the Lord our God is to us whenever we call to him? And what great nation has righteous statutes and ordinances like this entire law I set before you today?” (Deuteronomy 4:5-8 CSB)
Yes, I do follow my own advice.
I’m reading through the Bible once more in a year, and I’ve just entered the Deuteronomy zone. Over the last few days, I’ve read through the first thirteen chapters, and new thoughts have already been popping into my mind. Thanks, Holy Spirit!
In fact, I might compose a short series of blogs based on what sparks me in Deuteronomy. (And some of you readers begin to nod off.)
Hey! Wake up! Good. Now that I have your attention, stay with me, and I’ll show you what I find enlightening. Hopefully, you’ll get excited as well about the last book of the Pentateuch (the Greek term), aka the Torah (the Hebrew term).
If you haven’t already, please read the opening scripture, Deuteronomy 4:5-8. Here’s what I see in this section.
Even though the Lord spoke specifically to the Israelites about thirty-five hundred years ago, these verses very much speak to us Christians today who have been grafted into the commonwealth (community) of Israel (Ephesians 2:12). As I’ve written before, the Jews who follow Jesus as the Messiah haven’t been grafted into the church. We Gentile Christians have been grafted into the commonwealth of Israel. Therefore, all of God’s word, even the parts we Gentile Christians think pertain just to the “Old Testament Jews,” also pertain to us. So, that’s how I’m going to approach this – as if God were speaking to me along with the Israelites at Mount Sinai.
First, we are to follow God’s commands (vss. 5-6). Every covenant has guidelines and commands that provide clear boundaries between what covenant partners say is acceptable or not to preserve their relationship. In Israel’s case, the Lord set the limits as to what is right or wrong, moral or immoral, proper or improper, and holy or unholy. In a Christian’s case, those limits are the same, as I’ll explain shortly.
Without said boundaries, you and I both know that we’d spin out of control and follow whatever whim, desire, or urge that flares up within us. Don’t kid yourself. You know, darn well, there are many times throughout the day when you’ve jumped the Lord’s fence to cuss someone out while driving or watching the news. Or your sneaky eyes dart to catch a glimpse of the object of your desire, and your mind begins to concoct lustful scenarios. Or you close those same eyes to a genuine need that you could meet, one which the Holy Spirit is clearly telling us to meet, and you blindly go on your way so you can buy something to satisfy yourself and not ease another’s burden.
This revelation may shock you, dear Christian, but the commands in the first five books of the Bible are the same commands that Jesus affirmed under the New Covenant (Matthew 5:17-19). Yup. They were carried over with only two changes – their location (from the outside, written on stone, to the inside, written on our hearts) and the motivation and power to follow them (from human reason and strength to Holy Spirit impetus and divine power).
We’re much better equipped to follow the Lord’s commands than the ancient Israelites or the first-century Jews of Jesus’ day. Therefore, because of the implantation of God’s commands and His Holy Spirit under the New Covenant, how much more are we expected to obey God’s commands than those who had neither of those things?
While following the Lord’s commands are enough by itself, there’s a tremendous benefit to doing so.
Second, following God’s commands gives us wisdom and understanding that is evident to and affirmed by others (vs. 6). When Solomon began his reign over Israel, the Lord offered to give Solomon anything he felt he needed to rule the people of Israel (2 Chronicles 1:7-12). Solomon wisely chose wisdom, and the Lord gave him high praise for doing so. “God gave Solomon wisdom, very great insight, and understanding as vast as the sand on the seashore” (1 Kings 4:29). The Bible records that King Solomon was recognized among many peoples and nations for his wisdom. “Emissaries of all peoples, sent by every king on earth who had heard of his wisdom, came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom.” (1 Kings 4:34).
My point is that all wisdom, the best wisdom, comes from the Lord, the epitome of universal wisdom. But wisdom isn’t restricted to a few God-selected people on earth. The Lord’s wisdom is available to everyone if they want it. The Lord’s word carries wisdom and understanding because He is the personification of wisdom and understands all that He has made.
King David, Solomon’s father, knew this. Psalm 119 is David’s ode to the Lord’s commands as the source of wisdom and understanding. “I pursue the way of your commands, for you broaden my understanding” (Psalm 119:32), David wrote. “I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore, I hate every false way” (Psalm 119:104), and “Your command makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is always with me” (Psalm 119:98) show how much David valued the Lord’s commands as his source of wisdom and understanding.
If you want wisdom and understanding about how to operate a car, then read the directions, guidelines, and commands in the owner’s manual. If we do so, we show our “wisdom and understanding in the eyes of the peoples” (Deuteronomy 4:6). The same is valid for operating ourselves in the life we live. When we live wisely, people around us see it and know it. When we live foolishly, people see that, too, and sometimes pick on us for doing so. Believe me, I know.
In short, when we follow the Lord’s commands as the Holy Spirit leads, our lives naturally become our testimony to the Lord’s greatness, for His greatness shines through us by making us wise and understanding people.
But wait! There’s more!
Third, as we follow the Lord’s commands, His presence will be with us, and He responds to us (vs. 7). The Israelites’ life with the Lord wasn’t just an endless series of commands to obey. They followed the Lord’s commands because He was with them, leading and guiding them along the way. Even under the Mosaic covenant, the Israelites experienced active fellowship with the Lord. He was near and would respond to them, unlike the gods of the pagan nations, who were aloof and refused to respond to them unless cajoled or manipulated. Just ask Baal’s prophets during their Mount Carmel “Battle of the Gods.” “So they (Baal’s prophets) took the bull that he gave them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “Baal, answer us!” But there was no sound; no one answered,” and “All afternoon they kept on raving until the offering of the evening sacrifice, but there was no sound; no one answered, no one paid attention.” (1 Kings 18:26, 29, italics added).
Moses wrote about how wonderfully amazing it was that the Lord was with His people and that He would answer whenever they called on Him (Deuteronomy 4:7). Moses isn’t speaking metaphorically here. The Lord was with His people, literally. The Lord’s physical presence accompanied His people through the desert as a pillar of cloud and fire (Numbers 9:15-23) and later resided in the Temple (1 Kings 8:10-11). Not only that, the Lord communed and communicated with His people while He was with them (Deuteronomy 4:7).
Now, think about this. Under the New Covenant, the Lord’s Spirit comes to live within us. Just as the Lord’s commands relocated from outside to inside of us under the New Covenant, the Spirit takes up residence within us to actively guide and direct us per His ways. If we’re sensitive to the Spirit, then we not only experience His presence but also His voice in response as we commune with Him daily.
Finally, God’s presence and His righteous commands make us stand out in the world (vss. 7-8). Let’s be honest. We live in a “Great Big Stupid World (hat tip to Randy Stonehill’s song, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHyBJnERaiU). Sure, the world has its good points. But the bottom line is the world is totally opposed to the Lord and His commands. Get it? The world refuses the wisdom from the Lord’s commands and His presence, the two things we believers have continual access to.
So, let’s study and live the Lord’s commands under the presence and power of His Spirit. I guarantee you, like Israel in our opening scripture, people will notice if we do.
Shining the Light of God’s Truth on the Road Ahead
Pastor Jay Christianson
The Truth Barista, Frothy Thoughts