THE REWARDS OF OBEDIENCE

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

“Hear now, O Israel, the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God that I give you.

You saw with your own eyes what the Lord did at Baal Peor. The Lord your God destroyed from among you everyone who followed the Baal of Peor, but all of you who held fast to the Lord your God are still alive today.

See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the Lord my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people." What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him? And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?” Deuteronomy 4:1-8

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

As we start Chapter 4, Moses has just been rebuffed by God. He had asked God to reconsider His judgment and allow him to enter the Promised Land with Israel but God was having none of it. There was no way that God was going to change His mind. Joshua, not Moses, would lead Israel into Canaan.

Given this, we might have seen Moses mope and whine about his circumstances but that doesn’t happen. Instead, Moses addresses God’s people to prepare them for the blessing that awaited them. He says:

“Hear now, O Israel, the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you. You saw with your own eyes what the Lord did at Baal Peor. The Lord your God destroyed from among you everyone who followed the Baal of Peor, but all of you who held fast to the Lord your God are still alive today. See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the Lord my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people." What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him? And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?”

In these words from Moses, we are given five good reasons why we should heed and obey God’s will and expectations for our lives, not adding or subtracting from it.

1. We will experience the blessings He intends for us. When Israel decided to obey and follow God, they received the land He promised them. If we wish to fully experience the blessings He has in store for our lives, then we too need to live in obedience.
2. We will escape judgment. Those who chose to disobey the Lord follow the false god Baal of Peor” were destroyed. But all “who held fast to the Lord” lived and were able to enter Canaan. We should never forget that we serve a loving God but we also serve a God who hates sin. No one should be so spiritually arrogant to think they are safe from judgment because God still hates disobedience today as much as He did back in the days of Deuteronomy. Obedience leads us to righteousness and holiness and away from judgment.
3. We will gain special wisdom and understanding. This wisdom and understanding is unique and special because it is from God and thus is far beyond any wisdom and understanding the world knows. Scripture tells us that Israel’s wisdom and understanding was such that other nations proclaimed, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people." When we follow God’s word, way and will for our lives, we too will stand out as being different and unique. Others will wonder what it is that separates us and it is then that we have a window of opportunity to share the good news of the gospel. In other words, we speak in wisdom and in truth.
4. We will experience God fully in all we do. Israel’s obedience led to their special wisdom and understanding. And this wisdom and understanding had other nations proclaiming their greatness. Moses summed all this up by reminding Israel about the source of their greatness. He told them, “What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him? And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?” Indeed, Israel had a God like no other. A God who blessed them and protected them whenever they stayed faithful to Him. And they didn’t have to wonder what to do to stay faithful because He told them what to do. All they had to do is obey. And so it is for us today as well. All we need to do is obey Him and follow the word He has given us to gain His favor, His protection, His blessing…everything that is in Him. What a privilege and honor it is to live and love and serve a God such as this. Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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