Chapter 6
Deuteronomy 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
This truely is the first commandent in importance. But in Deuteronomy, the second reading or giving of the law, it literally is the first commandment. Love. God desires your love. Have you ever desired the love of another one? Romantically? Filially? (I just invented that word)
Deuteronomy 6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
Are we doing this? I mean are we really doing this? It’s been a struggle all our married life. I suppose I’ve been the problem. The man should be the leader of the house. Right now we’re doing alright. We read NT in the morning and OT in the evening. I take notes and meditate and write everyday. Tell the kids and wife what I’ve learned. I’ve never been so saturated with the Word of God in my life, and I feel like we’re still not doing Deut 6:7 like it ought to be done.
Deuteronomy 6:9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
This right here might be a good idea. I think I’d like to do this.
Deuteronomy 6:11 And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full;
Is this not the Spirit-filled life? Doing what we cannot do. Letting someone else (the Holy Ghost) perform in us and we reap the benefits of his performance. God desires fruit and it’s not our fruits but the fruit of the Spirit.
Deuteronomy 6:16 Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God, as ye tempted him in Massah.
- Merah was where they murmured and the bitter water turned sweet by the tree that Moses threw in. Ex 15
- Elim were the twelve fountains of water. Ex 15
- The wilderness of Sin is where they murmured again and got manna. Ex 16
- Rephadim was the next place. Ex 17
- Here they are again complaining about not having water.
- Thou shalt smite the rock
- And they called name of the place Massah, and Meribah
- Later on in Number 20 where Moses was supposed to speak to the Rock but instead smote it, the bible says “This is the water of Meribah.” Different incident, but same name.
- Deuteronomy 33:8-9 And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one, whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah; (9) Who said unto his father and to his mother, I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own children: for they have observed thy word, and kept thy covenant.
- Is there a difference between Massah and Meribah
- There are three different water incidents
- Merah, where the tree was cast in.
- Massah (and Meribah?) where Moses was asked to smote the rock.
- Meribah, where Moses was asked to speak to the rock.
- Maybe the last two are actually physically the same place, but different incidents.
Deuteronomy 6:25 And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us.
It is the law and the keeping of it. That is not our righteousness. Christ is our righteousness. However, the law is our righteousness in that Christ fulfilled the law in us.
Chapter 7
Deuteronomy 7:3-4 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. (4) For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.
Be careful who you marry. She or he better be the same flavor of religion too. Not good idea for Baptist and Catholics to get married. Or Baptists and any other denom. In fact, I’ve heard it said, even Southern Baptists and Independent Baptists are not compatible. I don’t know about the denomination. I would say religion. I mean old-time religion. I leave it at that.
Deuteronomy 7:5 But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire.
Total opposite of embracing and tolerating and allowing.
Deuteronomy 7:7-8 The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: (8) But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
Not that we loved God, but that he loved us first. Jesus loved me this I know for the Bible tells me so.
Deuteronomy 7:14 Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle.
The spirit-filled life again. Fruit production. Not the wife, but the life. Bring forth the fruits meet for repentance.
Deuteronomy 7:26 Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing.
Having a right healthy attitude about idols!
Chapter 8
Deuteronomy 8:2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
This is the purpose of the wilderness. This is the purpose of the struggle between flesh and spirit. No child is born and cast into battle. No child is born and expected to take off running. Kadeshbarnea was a necessary thing. It wasn’t going to happen any other way. So don’t think that it could have happened another way for you or that you’re some failure. It’s not you, but sin that dwelleth in you. Romans 7.
God is doing to you what he planned. He’s leading you. He’s humbling you. He’s proving you. He’s searching thoughts and intents of the heart. It’s good.
Deuteronomy 8:3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.
He allowed them to hunger. He allows you to hunger. Blessed are they that thirst and hunger after righteousness for they shall be filled. That you may know that man doth not live by bread…
Deuteronomy 8:5 Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee.
This is chastening. What happened in the wilderness. The falling of the carcasses. The hunger, the thirst, the plagues. It’s chastening. But it’s not punishment. It’s refinement. It’s moulding. It’s leading. It’s teaching. It’s not for you detriment, but for your betterment. It’s preparation for the battles ahead, the promised land, the milk and honey.
Deuteronomy 8:16 Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;
What is in God’s mind is the latter end. God know the beginning from the end. The Israelites were obsessed with now. God was concerned about the latter end.
Deuteronomy 8:17 And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.
I know that my wealth, whether it be spiritual or physical, is not of my doing. In fact, it’s probably despite my doing. There’s no explanation for it other that God.
Chapter 9
Deuteronomy 9:2 A people great and tall, the children of the Anakims, whom thou knowest, and of whom thou hast heard say, Who can stand before the children of Anak!
Victorious giants then, defeated Og the remnant now.
Deuteronomy 9:3 Understand therefore this day, that the LORD thy God is he which goeth over before thee; as a consuming fire he shall destroy them, and he shall bring them down before thy face: so shalt thou drive them out, and destroy them quickly, as the LORD hath said unto thee.
Consuming fire again.
Deuteronomy 9:6 Understand therefore, that the LORD thy God giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness; for thou art a stiffnecked people.
Our righteousness is as filthy rags. Are we all stiffnecked.
Deuteronomy 9:7 Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the LORD thy God to wrath in the wilderness: from the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt, until ye came unto this place, ye have been rebellious against the LORD.
God knows our frame. We’re not fooling him. God’s blessings are not given because we’ve attained, but because God has been merciful.
Deuteronomy 9:22 And at Taberah, and at Massah, and at Kibrothhattaavah, ye provoked the LORD to wrath.
There’s Massah again. Taberah? Kibrothhattaavah? Another day.
Deuteronomy 9:28 Lest the land whence thou broughtest us out say, Because the LORD was not able to bring them into the land which he promised them, and because he hated them, he hath brought them out to slay them in the wilderness.
Here’s that strange prayer again. I wonder if it’s okay to pray like this. What does got care about what other people think? And why should we reference that. Seems weird. But I’d like to examine that further. I’ve often thought in this fashion regarding my children. But always felt guilty to go down that route. Interesting.
Chapter 10
Deuteronomy 10:12 And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,
To love him. God is a kind and tender compassionate God.
Deuteronomy 10:19 Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
Are we kind, tender, and compassionate to others?