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Deuteronomy 4-6
Big Ten Playlist
Psalm 27:1-6 Key to Confidence
1.“Yahweh is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? Yahweh is the strength of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid?2.When evildoers came at me to eat up my flesh, even my adversaries and my foes, they stumbled and fell.3.Though an army should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear. Though war should rise against me, even then I will be confident.4.One thing I have asked of Yahweh, that I will seek after, that I may dwell in the house of Yahweh all the days of my life, to see Yahweh's beauty, and to inquire in His temple.5.For in the day of trouble He will keep me secretly in His pavilion. In the covert of His tabernacle He will hide me. He will lift me up on a rock.6.Now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me. I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tent. I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to Yahweh."Observations
27:1.You and God are a majority.
27:4.
Ask and seek to avoid hard knocks. David doesn't dabble in his pursuit of God; he is driven to dwell daily in His presence. Inquire is to intentionally seek one's face (in this context).
27:5-6.
Protection and joyful praise surround the life of the person who trusts God.
Application
If you're fearing men, you're not fearing God. Time to get serious about seeking Him.
Prayer
My God, I praise you for being beautiful and accessible, both my delight and deliverer; may my praise for Your protection induce others to seek You. Amen.
Proverbs 7:16-20 Getting Away With It
16.“I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.17.I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.18.Come, let’s take our fill of loving until the morning. Let’s mutually delight each other with loving.19.For my husband isn’t at home. He has gone on a long journey.20.He has taken a bag of money with him. He will come home at the full moon."Observation
7:16-20.Temptation appeals to the senses; soft comfy couch/bed; high thread count satiny sheets (from Egypt, with stripes no less); fragrant potpourri filling the air. The invitation is equally appealing: being drunk/satiated with love (the root of this word means to boil) until the sun rises, mutually causing each other rejoicing/delight (Hiphael stresses reflexive action) with “loving” (a rare word for threshing). The husband is away and won't be back; there's no downside. The application for men isn't revealed for a few more verses (if you want to look ahead, you can find nine kinds of pain). There's also an application for wives who want to help protect their husbands (and it's not about business trips, but there are a couple of tricks to learn from the temptress).
Application
If no one would know that you indulged in temptation, would you? Doesn't God know? What's fear of the Lord got to do with it?
Prayer
Lord, don't let me be deceived into thinking that sin doesn't have consequences; don't let me be led into temptation, but deliver me from evil. Amen.
Deuteronomy 4-6 Big Ten Playlist
Deuteronomy 4 Seeing, Hearing and Heeding
1.Now, Israel, listen to the statutes and to the ordinances, which I teach you, to do them; that you may live, and go in and possess the land which Yahweh, the God of your fathers, gives you.2.You shall not add to the word which I command you, neither shall you diminish from it, that you may keep the commandments of Yahweh your God which I command you.3.Your eyes have seen what Yahweh did because of Baal-peor; for all the men who followed Baal-peor, Yahweh your God has destroyed them from the midst of you.4.But you who did cleave to Yahweh your God are alive everyone of you this day.5.Behold, I have taught you statutes and ordinances, even as Yahweh my God commanded me, that you should do so in the midst of the land where you go in to possess it.6.Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.7.For what great nation is there, that has a god so near to them, as Yahweh our God is whenever we call on Him?8.What great nation is there, that has statutes and ordinances so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?9.Only take heed to yourself, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things which your eyes saw, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your children and your children`s children;10.the day that you stood before Yahweh your God in Horeb, when Yahweh said to me, "Assemble Me the people, and I will make them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children."11.You came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire to the heart of the sky, with darkness, cloud, and thick darkness.12.Yahweh spoke to you out of the midst of the fire: you heard the voice of words, but you saw no form; only [you heard] a voice.13.He declared to you His covenant, which He commanded you to perform, even the ten commandments; and He wrote them on two tables of stone.14.Yahweh commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and ordinances, that you might do them in the land where you go over to possess it.15.Take therefore good heed to yourselves; for you saw no manner of form on the day that Yahweh spoke to you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire.16.Lest you corrupt yourselves, and make yourself an engraved image in the form of any figure...19.lest you lift up your eyes to the sky, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, even all the host of the sky, you be drawn away and worship them, and serve them...20.But Yahweh has taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be to Him a people of inheritance21.Furthermore Yahweh was angry with me for your sakes, and swore...that I should not go in to that good land, which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance:22.but I must die in this land...23.Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget...24.For Yahweh your God is a devouring fire, a jealous God.25.when you...do that which is evil in the sight of Yahweh your God, to provoke Him to anger;26.I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that you shall soon utterly perish...shall utterly be destroyed.27.Yahweh will scatter you among the peoples, and you shall be left few in number.29.But from there you shall seek Yahweh your God, and you shall find Him, when you search after Him with all your heart and with all your soul31.for Yahweh your God is a merciful God; He will not fail you, neither destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them.33.Did ever a people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and live?34....all that Yahweh your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?35.To you it was shown, that you might know that Yahweh He is God; there is none else besides Him.37.Because He loved your fathers, therefore He chose their seed after them, and brought you out with His presence, with His great power, out of Egypt;38.to drive out nations from before you greater and mightier than you, to bring you in, to give you their land for an inheritance39.Know therefore this day, and lay it to your heart, that Yahweh He is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is none else.40.You shall keep His statutes, and His commandments, which I command you this day, that it may go well with you, and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land, which Yahweh your God gives you, forever...Observations
4:1-4.Clearly God expects His people to obey His instructions. He destroys those who don't, as they clearly saw at Peor. They are alive because they obeyed. The disobedient are dead. Any questions?
4:6-8.
God's plan to draw others to Himself is through the obedience of His people to His revelation. Great laws come from a great God, through specific revelation. For some reason the other nations weren't following the natural law. Hmmmm....
4:9.
Note the five things you can do to ensure that you get blessed.
4:29-31.
God disciplines, but is merciful and gracious to those who wholeheartedly repent.
4:34-35.
God provides a factual, rational, cognitive basis for faith and obedience.
Application
Preventative maintenance prevents a lot of pain.
Prayer
Yahweh, You are the only God, Creator and Sustainer of life. Thank You for communicating what I need to do to experience You and Your blessings. Smack me on the side of the head when I stop paying full attention. Amen.
Deuteronomy 5 The Big Ten, All Over Again
1.Moses called to all Israel, and said to them, "Hear, Israel, the statutes and the ordinances which I speak in your ears this day, that you may learn them, and observe to do them.2.Yahweh our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.5.(I stood between Yahweh and you at that time, to show you the word of Yahweh: for you were afraid because of the fire, and didn`t go up onto the mountain;) saying,6."I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.7.You shall have no other gods before Me.8."You shall not make an engraved image for yourself, [nor] any likeness [of anything] that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:9.you shall not bow down yourself to them, nor serve them; for I, Yahweh, your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate Me;10.and showing hesed/loyal love to thousands of those who love Me and keep My commandments.11."You shall not bear the name of Yahweh your God in vain/to no effect: for Yahweh will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain/lightly.12."Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as Yahweh your God commanded you.13.Six days shall you labor, and do all your work;14.but the seventh day is a Sabbath to Yahweh your God: [in it] you shall not do any work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your man-servant, nor your maid-servant, nor your ox, nor your donkey, nor any of your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates; that your man-servant and your maid-servant may rest as well as you.15.You shall remember that you were a servant in the land of Egypt, and Yahweh your God brought you out of there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm: therefore Yahweh your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.16."Honor your father and your mother, as Yahweh your God commanded you; that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you, in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.17."You shall not murder.18."Neither shall you commit adultery19."Neither shall you steal.20."Neither shall you give false testimony against your neighbor.21."Neither shall you covet your neighbor`s wife; neither shall you desire your neighbor`s house, his field, or his man-servant, or his maid-servant, his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor`s.""22.These words Yahweh spoke...He wrote them on two tables of stone, and gave them to me.24.you said, "Behold, Yahweh our God has showed us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God does speak with man, and he lives.27.“Go near, and hear all that Yahweh our God shall say: and speak to us all that Yahweh our God shall speak to you; and we will hear it, and do it.”28.Yahweh heard the voice of your words...29.Oh that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear Me, and keep all My commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children forever!32.You shall observe to do therefore as Yahweh your God has commanded you: you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.33.You shall walk in all the way which Yahweh your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess."
Observations
5:1.Note the three steps to getting blessed. Observe means to keep, guard or watch like a hungry dog eying a nearby steak.
5:6-20.
See comments on Exodus 20 and the Ten Commandments: Sanctify, Unify, Bless sermon on Truthbase.net for more elaboration.
5:29.
God longs for us to have a heart that fears Him and obeys. Apparently He didn't program that into us like robots, but designed us with a will that is free to chose to obey or not. You can train your will. Remember a Sovereign Ruler makes the rules. D'ems the rules. Do 'em.
5:33.
God gives us His commands to make our lives wonderful, not miserable.
Application
The Sabbath (5:12) was the sign of this covenant, not repeated in the NT. However, the principle of arranging your schedule around God, rather than the other way around is particularly applicable. We shouldn't fit God into our schedule, but submit all of our activities under the priority of seeking, knowing, and obeying Him. That will get us what we really want.
Prayer
O God Who Communicates, thank You for giving us the words that make life work as You intended. Help me develop the heart that fears, hears, and obeys You always. Amen.
Deuteronomy 6 The Great Shema: Hear, Love, Teach, Enjoy
1.Now this is the commandment, the statutes, and the ordinances, which Yahweh your God commanded to teach you, that you might do them in the land where you go over to possess it;2.that you might fear Yahweh your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments, which I command you, you, and your son, and your son`s son, all the days of your life; and that your days may be prolonged.3.Hear therefore, Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with you, and that you may increase mightily, as Yahweh, the God of your fathers, has promised to you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.4.Hear, Israel: Yahweh is our God; Yahweh is one:5.and you shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.6.These words, which I command you this day, shall be on your heart;7.and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up.8.You shall bind them for a sign on your hand, and they shall be for symbols between your eyes.9.You shall write them on the door-posts of your house, and on your gates.10.It shall be, when Yahweh your God shall bring you into the land which He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you, great and good cities, which you didn`t build,11.and houses full of all good things, which you didn`t fill, and cisterns dug out, which you didn`t dig, vineyards and olive-trees, which you didn`t plant, and you shall eat and be full;12.then beware lest you forget Yahweh, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.13.You shall fear Yahweh your God; and Him shall you serve, and shall swear by His name.14.You shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the peoples who are round about you;15.for Yahweh your God in the midst of you is a jealous God; lest the anger of Yahweh your God be kindled against you, and He destroy you from off the face of the earth.16.You shall not tempt Yahweh your God, as you tempted Him in Massah.17.You shall diligently keep the commandments of Yahweh your God, and His testimonies, and His statutes, which He has commanded you.18.You shall do that which is right and good in the sight of Yahweh; that it may be well with you, and that you may go in and possess the good land which Yahweh swore to your fathers,19.to thrust out all your enemies from before you, as Yahweh has spoken.20.When your son asks you in time to come, saying, What mean...24.Yahweh commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear Yahweh our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as at this day.25.It shall be righteousness to us, if we observe to do all this commandment before Yahweh our God, as He has commanded us.Observations
6:4-9.This it the Great Shema (Hebrew for “hear”), one of the four passages (Exodus 13:1-10; 11-16; Deuteronomy 11:18-21) of Scripture written in the phylacteries/tefillin. A relationship with God starts with hearing what He has revealed. The fact that He is a single entity means that there is no other to dispute what He says (cx dualism) nor to be heeded (cx poly/pan-theism), therefore complete allegiance is owed to Him.
6:7.
Parents had the responsibility to model, teach and train their children as a part of daily life, not as a compartmentalized religious activity. Teaching also involves value change, selling on the benefits of obedience (6:20-25).
Application
God's word should be in our heart and part of our daily lives, (not our wardrobe) so we can pass it on to others, and they can enjoy His blessings.
Prayer
One and Only God, may I love You and be loyal to You with all my decisions, ambitions, and actions. Show me where I'm slipping. Amen.
Digging Deeper
God in a nutshell: God communicates His will so we can do it; He loyally fulfills His promises; He is the only God, therefore exclusive loyalty is owed to Him. He gets jealous if we worship lies and gets angry with those who disobey Him, disciplining them until they repent. He graciously accepts back those who seek Him with all their heart. He wants to reveal Himself to the world through the people who obey His revealed law, and pass it on to others.Us in a nutshell: We are given a factual cognitive basis for our faith; God tells us to look and believe; and keep looking to keep obeying. We must hear, learn, and wholeheartedly do what God expects in order to be blessed, including passing it on to others, particularly our kids. Skipping any of those steps will be painful.