Deuteronomy 4:7 – What great nation ever had their gods as near to them as the Lord our God is near to us whenever we pray to him?
Tell me this isn’t an awesome promise? So often we think that Yahweh only became accessible after the veil was torn. But he was always near and came even nearer when we prayed.
Deuteronomy 4:15-16 – You didn’t see the Lord the day he spoke to you from the fire at Mount Horeb. So be very careful that you don’t become corrupt and make your own carved idols. Don’t make statues that represent men or women.
Yahweh did not show his face. One: because we would die. Two: because we would try to imitate it using earthly materials. There are those who saw Jesus’ face and the debate still goes on that he looks this way or that. But I truly believe that this is one sense that Jesus became all things to all men. People identified with who they saw. Something that connected him to their heritage, but yet they all knew he was Jesus. I don’t argue if Jesus, if Yahweh is Black, White, Asian, Indian, Man or Woman. We are created in his image so he is all things.
Deuteronomy 9:3 – Realize today that the Lord your God is the one who is going ahead of you like a raging fire. He will wipe them out and will use you to crush their power. You will take possession of their land and will quickly destroy them as the Lord promised you.
I never realised how many times Yahweh said he will go before us. Once he has promised something, he will put everything in place before we get there and then use us to finish it. In spite of him going ahead, the Israelites still had to put boots to ground. So are we expected to. He has everything in place waiting for us to move on the word he has given us.
Deuteronomy 9:28 – Otherwise, the country we left will say, “The Lord wasn’t able to bring them to the land he promised them. He hated them. That’s why he brought them out—to let them die in the desert.”
And many times Yahweh fulfills his promise in spite of our disobedience because to not do so would diminish his power in the eyes of others. He knows he is powerful and he does not desire to show off but at no point is he going to let some “man-made” deity be elevated above himself and will put them in their place. Even if we did wrong. That being said, if we do wrong, he will also put us in our place.
Deuteronomy 10:12 – Israel, what does the Lord your God want you to do? He wants you to fear him, follow all his directions, love him, and worship him with all your heart and with all your soul. (also mirrored in Micah 6:8).
Truthfully what Yahweh is asking of us is very, very simple and personal. My heart and soul to worship him, the way he asks for me to worship him. To follow the directions he gives me. To love him and to respect him. Which btw are two different things.
Love: an intense feeling of deep affection.
Respect: feeling of deep admiration for someone based on what they have done.
Deuteronomy 11:10-11 – The land you’re about to enter and take possession of isn’t like the land you left in Egypt. There you used to plant your seed, and you had to water it like a vegetable garden. The land you’re about to enter is a land with hills and valleys, watered by rain from the sky.
When we enter into the promise Yahweh has given, we don’t have to struggle to maintain it (not saying that we still don’t have to work. Even before sin, Adam and Eve worked), but will not have to struggle to maintain it. Often times we view hills and valleys as high points and low points in our lives (have some additional thoughts on this), but even during those high and low points, we will be watered, the promise will be maintained.
Deuteronomy 12:8 – Never worship in the way that it’s being done here today, where everyone does whatever he considers right.
The problem with this is not that people are called to do exactly the same thing is that we don’t consult Yahweh in what we are supposed to do. So we get these “brilliant” ideas and don’t consult Yahweh, so we end up off course because we moved in our own eyes.
Deuteronomy 15:4 – In any case, there shouldn’t be any poor people among you, because the Lord your God will certainly bless you in the land he is giving you as your own possession.
Deuteronomy 15:11 – There will always be poor people in the land. That’s why I command you to be generous to other Israelites who are poor and needy.
So I’ve always heard the second passage, but the first one surprised me. They also seem contradictory. There shouldn’t be any poor people yet the poor will always be amongst us. Which one is it? Both. Yahweh uses us to bless others, so even if someone is poor (now), they won’t remain so. They are to be helped by those who have so that they too can gain wealth (Deuteronomy 15:10) and we in turn help others. And if we don’t help them and they cry out to Yahweh (Deuteronomy 15:9), He will respond and bless them and also condemn us (reverse roles).
Deuteronomy 15:20 – Every year you and your family must eat these animals in the presence of the Lord your God in the place the Lord will choose.
Even the sacrifices to Yahweh were a benefit to the people.