Here’s how the study works: Read the chapters mentioned in the heading during the week and share any words, thoughts, verses that stood out to you. Having a week for several chapters creates the opportunity to revisit them and make additional comments as you feel inclined as well as make comments on other people’s insights.
6:24-25 The Lord commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the Lord our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today. And if we are careful to obey all this law before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness.
(Constable Commentary) “Later Judaism wrongly concluded that covenant keeping was the basis for righteousness rather than an expression of faithful devotion. But true covenant keeping in the final analysis is a matter of faith, not merely of works and ritual. Thus the central feature of the covenant stipulations is their providing a vehicle by which genuine saving faith might be displayed.”
Living a godly life is an expression of faithful devotion, not the basis of righteousness. Living a godly life displays faith.
6:24-25 The Lord commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the Lord our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today. And if we are careful to obey all this law before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness.
(Constable Commentary) “Later Judaism wrongly concluded that covenant keeping was the basis for righteousness rather than an expression of faithful devotion. But true covenant keeping in the final analysis is a matter of faith, not merely of works and ritual. Thus the central feature of the covenant stipulations is their providing a vehicle by which genuine saving faith might be displayed.”
Living a godly life is an expression of faithful devotion, not the basis of righteousness. Living a godly life displays faith.
7:19 You saw with your own eyes the great trials, the signs and wonders, the mighty hand and outstretched arm, with which the Lord your God brought you out. The Lord your God will do the same to all the peoples you now fear.
The people were supposed to apply what they had seen. God had moved mightily to rescue his people from Egypt therefore God would move again on their behalf. He wasn’t asking them to take a mindless step of faith, but rather to move forward on the basis of the evidence which they had seen with their own eyes.
7:19 You saw with your own eyes the great trials, the signs and wonders, the mighty hand and outstretched arm, with which the Lord your God brought you out. The Lord your God will do the same to all the peoples you now fear.
The people were supposed to apply what they had seen. God had moved mightily to rescue his people from Egypt therefore God would move again on their behalf. He wasn’t asking them to take a mindless step of faith, but rather to move forward on the basis of the evidence which they had seen with their own eyes.
8:7-9 For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills.
God’s intention was to bless Israel with a good land with streams and springs. If they were obedient blessing would follow. Obedience did not bring salvation, but blessing. God wanted them to be obedient so he could bless them.
8:7-9 For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills.
God’s intention was to bless Israel with a good land with streams and springs. If they were obedient blessing would follow. Obedience did not bring salvation, but blessing. God wanted them to be obedient so he could bless them.
9:4-6 After the Lord your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, “The Lord has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.” No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is going to drive them out before you. It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the Lord your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people.
Three times Moses tells the people it is not because of their righteousness that the Lord is giving them this “good land”. We are blessed, not because of our righteousness, but because of his grace.
9:4-6 After the Lord your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, “The Lord has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.” No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is going to drive them out before you. It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the Lord your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people.
Three times Moses tells the people it is not because of their righteousness that the Lord is giving them this “good land”. We are blessed, not because of our righteousness, but because of his grace.
10:12-13 And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?
God asks us to observe his commandments for our own good. These ae not random instructions but ones which will do us good.
10:12-13 And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?
God asks us to observe his commandments for our own good. These ae not random instructions but ones which will do us good.