We have been working through selected portions of the book of Deuteronomy. The people of Israel have been told not to turn from God’s word and to also remember where they came from. God had delivered them from Egypt in the Exodus, and is bringing them to the Promised Land. This land is a good land, but for them to live well in this land, they need to remember what God has done and what God has said in His Law. His law will permeate their private life and also their community life.

But, how does what we’ve studied so far tie into tonight’s study? In Gen 17:8, God promised land to Abraham. This promise was made way, way, way before Deuteronomy. The promise of a land was accompanied by the promise of a king that would come from Abraham’s line (Gen 17:3-6). Israel’s expectation of a king to come is warranted. Israel is right (and so are we, as Bible readers), to be looking out for signs that the king promised to Abraham will appear.

When this study was done, the nation was in the midst of a period of heightened restrictions due to an increase in the number of COVID cases. During this pandemic, our lives have been disrupted and affected and as we have tried to adjust to these changes, most of us may have found that our spiritual walk has also been affected. COVID has made us more forgetful and also prone to forget God. This passage could be helpful for us, as we read of how God instructed His people to remember Him.

As young people, many of us often suffer from a sense of feeling utterly overwhelmed. Do you feel like this today, unable to cope with adult life? What do you do when you feel like you don’t have enough strength? What are your habits?

This passage speaks right to our struggles. In Deut 7, God lays out the task for his people and also how they are to achieve it.

In order to understand today’s passage, we’ll need to take a step back to consider where we are in Israel’s journey to the Promised Land and also the importance of the Law. Moses is speaking to Israel just as they are about to enter the Promised Land. Moses will not go into the land with the people. Therefore, he is giving them the instructions and the law again for them to obey when they enter the land.

Deuteronomy means the second giving of the law, which implies that the law was first given to one generation. The first generation has died because of their disobedience, and now this new generation is preparing to enter the Promised Land.

God had spoken at Horeb to the previous generation and had given them the 10 Commandments, but they heard and did not obey. Thus, these words in Deut 5 were given to a new generation on the brink of entering the Promised Land. Moses gives them these words to fortify their faith and to encourage them to obedience.

But these are not just for an ancient people. As we read this passage, let us see how these are also words for us as people journeying home and looking forward to our Home and Rest.

As we begin this series, we need to read it while being grounded in a very clear understanding of what this means for us practically. What are we supposed to do with this? How should we respond to it? We should not come to it and feel like it’s distant and abstract or be cold to it.