Deuteronomy 29 is a rich and powerful text in the Old Testament.
God had given Moses an assignment to convey the terms of the covenant to the people of Israel. In obedience, Moses summoned the people together and gave them the specific outline, detailing the terms and encouraging their adherence and obedience.
He reminds the people of the Lord’s kindness during their time in the wilderness, including the great tests of strength, the miraculous signs they had been a witness to, and the amazing wonders of provision they had experienced.
In verse 13 Moses says these powerful words, “By entering into the covenant today, He will establish you as His people, and confirm that He is your God, just as He promised you and as He swore to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
The terms of the covenant were obedience. Even though the stubborn Israelites had weak minds, sore eyes, and dull ears, they had Moses who had been called to rescue them by remembrance.
The Israelites had been commanded to remember that in 40 years their clothing hadn’t worn out, nourishment for their physical bodies had been provided for, and that they had just successfully and victoriously defeated their enemies while taking possession of the portion of land that belonged to them.
And in remembering… they were charged with obedience. By doing so, the Lord would establish them and confirm them. Establish them as HIS people, and confirm that He was their God.
The word establish is an interesting choice of words. We don't see it often, and we likely do not use it often. It means this = to bring into being on a firm and stable basis; to settle in a position; prove; to cause to be accepted or recognized; to bring about prematurely; verify; to make secure; to free from doubt; to be accepted.
Oh that’s such good news for us, friends!
For those who hold tightly to their relationship with God - for those who live in obedience to all He requires - He will establish us.
He will bring us into a firm, stable, and settled position
He will prove us to an onlooking world.
He will recognize and accept us.
He will verify us as His sons and daughters.
He will make us secure.
And what about this one - He will bring us about prematurely.
This one stood out to me the most. To me there’s such hope here:
He will bring us about prematurely. Before we’ve had a chance of unworthiness. Before we’ve done anything “deserving” or “commendable”.
Why?
Because He knows how He’s created us and He knows the potential that lies beneath the surface.
The Israelites didn’t have deep rooted knowledge and understanding. They often couldn’t see what was right in front of their eyes. And they had grown cold, many times, to the voice that had been leading them to victory the entire time. But they could remember.. and in remembering they were granted another chance.
“Remember and obey” was the order.
Jesus had said it once before to His unbelieving disciples, “Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember?” (Mark 8:18)
I know you have eyes that can’t see now.
I know you have ears that can’t hear now.
But can you remember?
We can.
And when we do, He will establish us… He will prematurely place us in a settled position of security and claim us as His own.
And there’s nothing I can desire more than this!
God had given Moses an assignment to convey the terms of the covenant to the people of Israel. In obedience, Moses summoned the people together and gave them the specific outline, detailing the terms and encouraging their adherence and obedience.
He reminds the people of the Lord’s kindness during their time in the wilderness, including the great tests of strength, the miraculous signs they had been a witness to, and the amazing wonders of provision they had experienced.
In verse 13 Moses says these powerful words, “By entering into the covenant today, He will establish you as His people, and confirm that He is your God, just as He promised you and as He swore to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
The terms of the covenant were obedience. Even though the stubborn Israelites had weak minds, sore eyes, and dull ears, they had Moses who had been called to rescue them by remembrance.
The Israelites had been commanded to remember that in 40 years their clothing hadn’t worn out, nourishment for their physical bodies had been provided for, and that they had just successfully and victoriously defeated their enemies while taking possession of the portion of land that belonged to them.
And in remembering… they were charged with obedience. By doing so, the Lord would establish them and confirm them. Establish them as HIS people, and confirm that He was their God.
The word establish is an interesting choice of words. We don't see it often, and we likely do not use it often. It means this = to bring into being on a firm and stable basis; to settle in a position; prove; to cause to be accepted or recognized; to bring about prematurely; verify; to make secure; to free from doubt; to be accepted.
Oh that’s such good news for us, friends!
For those who hold tightly to their relationship with God - for those who live in obedience to all He requires - He will establish us.
He will bring us into a firm, stable, and settled position
He will prove us to an onlooking world.
He will recognize and accept us.
He will verify us as His sons and daughters.
He will make us secure.
And what about this one - He will bring us about prematurely.
This one stood out to me the most. To me there’s such hope here:
He will bring us about prematurely. Before we’ve had a chance of unworthiness. Before we’ve done anything “deserving” or “commendable”.
Why?
Because He knows how He’s created us and He knows the potential that lies beneath the surface.
The Israelites didn’t have deep rooted knowledge and understanding. They often couldn’t see what was right in front of their eyes. And they had grown cold, many times, to the voice that had been leading them to victory the entire time. But they could remember.. and in remembering they were granted another chance.
“Remember and obey” was the order.
Jesus had said it once before to His unbelieving disciples, “Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember?” (Mark 8:18)
I know you have eyes that can’t see now.
I know you have ears that can’t hear now.
But can you remember?
We can.
And when we do, He will establish us… He will prematurely place us in a settled position of security and claim us as His own.
And there’s nothing I can desire more than this!
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