An Amazing Chapter from Deuteronomy
In my (intended) nightly reading of a Bible chapter, I was paying extra special attention to the book Deuteronomy. When Jesus was tempted by Satan, His defense consisted of quoting scripture. And every single quotation came from Deuteronomy! (What’s really interesting is that the Devil uses scripture too, by quoting from Psalms.) So if (the person I believe was) the Lord incarnate faces off against the Devil himself, and goes into battle armed with just His knowledge of one book…it seems like a good idea to familiarize myself with that book!
Anyway, there certainly were some very powerful passages in Deuteronomy. However, Chapter 30 really jumped out at me. But in particular check it out starting at verse 11:
11 “For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 13 Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 14 But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.
15 “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, 16 in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the LORD your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, 18 I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess. 19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; 20 that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”
I don’t have too much to say, except a Chris Farleyesque “Wow that was awesome.”
