Bible Reading Plan

Author: Jon Green

  • Deuteronomy 11

    Deuteronomy 11

    Editor’s Note

    As we start this new book, here is a head’s up that we’ll be going back to our normal six chapters per week rhythm as we read through Deuteronomy. Sundays will go back to being a rest (or catch-up) day. For an overview (or refresher) on Deuteronomy, click here.

    We want this to continue to be a helpful resource, so invite someone to read along with you! To sign up and receive the BRP daily in your inbox, go to www.biblereadingplan.org and scroll to the bottom of the page! 

    Read Deuteronomy 11

    Love and Obey the Lord

    11 Love the Lord your God and keep his requirements, his decrees, his laws and his commands always. 2 Remember today that your children were not the ones who saw and experienced the discipline of the Lord your God:his majesty, his mighty hand, his outstretched arm; 3 the signs he performed and the things he did in the heart of Egypt, both to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his whole country; 4 what he did to the Egyptian army, to its horses and chariots, how he overwhelmed them with the waters of the Red Sea as they were pursuing you, and how the Lord brought lasting ruin on them. 5 It was not your children who saw what he did for you in the wilderness until you arrived at this place, 6 and what he did to Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab the Reubenite, when the earth opened its mouth right in the middle of all Israel and swallowed them up with their households, their tents and every living thing that belonged to them. 7 But it was your own eyes that saw all these great things the Lord has done.

    8 Observe therefore all the commands I am giving you today, so that you may have the strength to go in and take over the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, 9 and so that you may live long in the land the Lordswore to your ancestors to give to them and their descendants, a land flowing with milk and honey. 10 The land you are entering to take over is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you planted your seed and irrigated it by foot as in a vegetable garden. 11 But the land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleysthat drinks rain from heaven. 12 It is a land the Lord your God cares for; the eyes of the Lord your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end.

    13 So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul—14 then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and olive oil. 15 I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.

    16 Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them. 17 Then the Lord’s anger will burn against you, and he will shut up the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the Lord is giving you.18 Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 19 Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 20 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, 21 so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.

    22 If you carefully observe all these commands I am giving you to follow—to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him and to hold fast to him— 23 then the Lord will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations larger and stronger than you. 24 Every place where you set your foot will be yours: Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the Euphrates River to the Mediterranean Sea. 25 No one will be able to stand against you. The Lord your God, as he promised you, will put the terror and fear of you on the whole land, wherever you go.

    26 See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse— 27 the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today; 28 the curse if you disobey the commands of the Lord your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods,which you have not known. 29 When the Lord your God has brought you into the land you are entering to possess, you are to proclaim on Mount Gerizimthe blessings, and on Mount Ebal the curses. 30 As you know, these mountains are across the Jordan, westward, toward the setting sun, near the great trees of Moreh, in the territory of those Canaanites living in the Arabah in the vicinity of Gilgal. 31 You are about to cross the Jordan to enter and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you. When you have taken it over and are living there, 32 be sure that you obey all the decrees and laws I am setting before you today.

    Go Deeper

    The charge of Deuteronomy 11 is to love the Lord and obey His commands. These two cannot exist apart from each other. Without love, it is nearly impossible to desire obedience to God and a hunger for His word. On the flip side, we could follow every command perfectly, and it would not matter to God if He doesn’t have our hearts. God beautifully created us to have free will, because He wants us to have the choice to love and serve Him. If we do choose to love God, then a deep love for Him should directly translate into obedience. 

    Another theme we see is to remember. Moses reminds the Israelites of all the Lord has done for them and the amazing miracles that ultimately delivered them from Egypt. He then makes it a point to emphasize that after remembering the Lord and His work in their lives, the Israelites should therefore observe His commands (v. 8). They saw the Lord work miracles in front of their eyes, and yet they were prone to quickly forget. How much more do we need to remind ourselves of the Lord’s faithfulness in our lives? The phrases “remember” and “do not forget” are used hundreds of times in scripture, which signal their importance. When we remember who the Lord is and all that He has done–gaining a right perspective of who we are in comparison to Him–how could we not choose to love and obey His word? 

    The language starting in verse 18 should feel familiar. We read earlier in Deuteronomy 6:4-9, a very similar passage with a call to cherish these words, talk about them with the next generation, and write them everywhere so as not to forget them. This shows us, again, how God does not want us to just know His word, but to treasure it. He is not seeking rule followers who lack apathy, but rather His desire is for everyone to come to know Him and love Him, resulting in a sincere treasuring of His word. If we treasure something, we think about it often, we talk about it often, and we do everything we can to know more about it. May our prayer be to know and love the Lord more and more, remember Him, treasure His word, and obey.

    Questions

    1. What stirs your affections and love for God? Find some time to do those things today.
    2. How can you daily remember who the Lord is and what He has done for you?
    3. What are some things you can do today to treasure the Lord’s word more?

    Keep Digging

    Curious about the blessing and cursing mentioned in verse 26? Check out this article from GotQuestions.org for a brief explanation.

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  • Rest Day

    Rest Day

    Rest Day

    Today is a Rest Day. There is no new Bible reading to do. Today, the goal is simple: rest in the presence of God. Maybe you need to use today to get caught up on the reading plan if you’re behind, maybe you want to journal what you’re learning so you don’t forget what God is teaching you, or maybe you want to spend time in concentrated prayer–do that. Above all, just spend time in God’s presence.

    “Reexamining idolatry”

    One of the most interesting passages in all of the Old Testament is the story of the golden calf in Exodus 32, which Moses referred to in Deuteronomy 9. This passage is all too relatable to us today, as we find ourselves creating our own gods all around us (even though deep down we know they’ll never satisfy us).

    To further understand that story (and how to apply it), check out this article from The Gospel Coalition called “Reexamining Idolatry: The Golden Calf and False Worship”.

    Worship With Us

    Join us in person or online at 9a or 11a at harriscreek.org/live. We will not be having the 7p service today! 

    We’d love to worship with you! We also desire to connect everyone with a local church body where they can thrive in community and use their gifts to serve. If you’re following our Bible Reading Plan from outside of Waco and are eager to get connected with a great local church, email us at [email protected].

    Leave a Comment Below
    Did you learn something today? Share it with our Bible Reading Plan community by commenting below.
  • Deuteronomy 10

    Deuteronomy 10

    Editor’s Note

    As we start this new book, here is a head’s up that we’ll be going back to our normal six chapters per week rhythm as we read through Deuteronomy. Sundays will go back to being a rest (or catch-up) day. For an overview (or refresher) on Deuteronomy, click here.

    We want this to continue to be a helpful resource, so invite someone to read along with you! To sign up and receive the BRP daily in your inbox, go to www.biblereadingplan.org and scroll to the bottom of the page! 

    Read Deuteronomy 10

    Tablets Like the First Ones

    10 At that time the Lord said to me, “Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones and come up to me on the mountain. Also make a wooden ark. 2 I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. Then you are to put them in the ark.”

    3 So I made the ark out of acacia wood and chiseled out two stone tablets like the first ones, and I went up on the mountain with the two tablets in my hands. 4 The Lord wrote on these tablets what he had written before, the Ten Commandments he had proclaimed to you on the mountain, out of the fire, on the day of the assembly. And the Lord gave them to me. 5 Then I came back down the mountain and put the tablets in the ark I had made, as the Lord commanded me, and they are there now.

    6 (The Israelites traveled from the wells of Bene Jaakan to Moserah. There Aaron died and was buried, and Eleazar his son succeeded him as priest.7 From there they traveled to Gudgodah and on to Jotbathah, a land with streams of water. 8 At that time the Lord set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the Lord, to stand before the Lord to ministerand to pronounce blessings in his name, as they still do today. 9 That is why the Levites have no share or inheritance among their fellow Israelites; the Lord is their inheritance, as the Lord your God told them.)

    10 Now I had stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights, as I did the first time, and the Lord listened to me at this time also. It was not his will to destroy you. 11 “Go,” the Lord said to me, “and lead the people on their way, so that they may enter and possess the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.”

    Fear the Lord

    12 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 Lordyour God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?

    14 To the Lord your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it. 15 Yet the Lord set his affection on your ancestors and loved them, and he chose you, their descendants, above all the nations—as it is today. 16 Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer. 17 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. 18 He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow,and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing.19 And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt. 20 Fear the Lord your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name. 21 He is the one you praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes. 22 Your ancestors who went down into Egypt were seventy in all, and now the Lord your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky.

    Go Deeper

    We may hear someone say on occasion, “The Bible just isn’t relevant now.” Deuteronomy 10 demonstrates the opposite is true, however, as Moses retells the miracle-laden, foundational history of the Israelite nation. Almost two generations had passed since Moses received the Ten Commandments. The people, old and new, needed to hear God’s law again, and so do we.

    Verses 1-11 point to Moses as a type of Christ, a figure symbolic of redemption in the Old Testament who points to the work of Christ in the New Testament. Per God’s command, Moses tells of his second trip to Mount Horeb where he pleads for God’s mercy over Israel in spite of their disobedience. After 40 days and nights on the mountain, he returns with the Ten Commandments rewritten by God on tablets of stone, along with God’s special instructions about the ark. God’s compassion, mercy, and commands to the people establish the holy significance of the ark and covenant. In the New Testament, Ephesians 1:12 tells us, “And you are included in Christ, when you hear(d) the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation.”  Hence, Moses explains to the Israelites that they are chosen objects of God’s affection, love, and mercy. This is glorious news for the Israelites and for us who have heard and believed the gospel of our salvation! 

    The commands of God in verses 6–9 set forth the Levitical priesthood’s work and provision. Verse 9 states, “The Levites have no share in the inheritance among their fellow Israelites; the Lord is their inheritance.” This special designation, given by God, claims their work as Holy and Lord led, and their provision would come from God’s law through His people. The message for us today is obvious. Our pastors, staff, worship leaders, missionaries, etc., in our local church are God-breathed and directed. These modern-day Levites need our spiritual and financial support as their ministries equip us to be God’s people in our communities and world. It is a beautiful response to God’s love and mercy to be in a circular relationship between God, the church, and each other.

    Finally, the Israelites are reminded in verses 14-22 of the faithful love of God. Moses describes God as the Creator, Lord of lords, and God of all gods, and, yet He is individually compassionate to the orphan, widow, and foreigner. He claims the promise to Abraham is fulfilled, saying in verse 22, “Your ancestors who went down to Egypt were seventy in all, and now the Lord your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky.” Genesis 26:4 says, “I will cause your descendants to become as numerous as the stars of the sky, and I will give them all these lands. And through your descendants, all the nations of the earth will be blessed.” First, Abraham, then Moses, and now in Christ, we can see the parallel. The estimated number of Christians worldwide is 2.2 billion. From this one chapter, we can see the love, mercy, and forever faithfulness of God to the Israelites, and to us. May we joyfully respond to all God has done for us now and forever, striving “to walk in obedience to Him, to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul” (v. 12). Let’s show His love and faithfulness to those who need to hear the gospel. Let’s make heaven crowded!

    Questions

    1. Review Exodus 32. How does Moses fit into Christ’s redemption story?
    2. What are the four things God requires of you? On a scale of 1-10, how are you doing in each category?
    3. Are you responding to God’s call in Deuteronomy 10:12? How can you grow in your love for God?

    A Quote

    Matthew Henry (a 17th century minister) said, “There is true honor and pleasure in obedience. We must give honor to God; and to Him we must cleave as one we delight in, trust in, and from whom we have great expectations.”

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  • Deuteronomy 9

    Deuteronomy 9

    Editor’s Note

    As we start this new book, here is a head’s up that we’ll be going back to our normal six chapters per week rhythm as we read through Deuteronomy. Sundays will go back to being a rest (or catch-up) day. For an overview (or refresher) on Deuteronomy, click here.

    We want this to continue to be a helpful resource, so invite someone to read along with you! To sign up and receive the BRP daily in your inbox, go to www.biblereadingplan.org and scroll to the bottom of the page! 

    Read Deuteronomy 9

    Not Because of Israel’s Righteousness

    9 Hear, Israel: You are now about to cross the Jordan to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger than you, with large cities that have walls up to the sky. 2 The people are strong and tall—Anakites! You know about them and have heard it said: “Who can stand up against the Anakites?” 3 But be assured today that the Lord your God is the one who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire. He will destroy them; he will subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them quickly, as the Lord has promised you.

    4 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. 5 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. 6 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.

    The Golden Calf

    7 Remember this and never forget how you aroused the anger of the Lordyour God in the wilderness. From the day you left Egypt until you arrived here, you have been rebellious against the Lord. 8 At Horeb you aroused the Lord’s wrath so that he was angry enough to destroy you. 9 When I went up on the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenantthat the Lord had made with you, I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights; I ate no bread and drank no water. 10 The Lord gave me two stone tablets inscribed by the finger of God. On them were all the commandments the Lord proclaimed to you on the mountain out of the fire, on the day of the assembly.

    11 At the end of the forty days and forty nights, the Lord gave me the two stone tablets, the tablets of the covenant. 12 Then the Lord told me, “Go down from here at once, because your people whom you brought out of Egypt have become corrupt. They have turned away quickly from what I commanded them and have made an idol for themselves.”

    13 And the Lord said to me, “I have seen this people, and they are a stiff-necked people indeed! 14 Let me alone, so that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven. And I will make you into a nation stronger and more numerous than they.”

    15 So I turned and went down from the mountain while it was ablaze with fire. And the two tablets of the covenant were in my hands. 16 When I looked, I saw that you had sinned against the Lord your God; you had made for yourselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. You had turned aside quickly from the way that the Lord had commanded you. 17 So I took the two tablets and threw them out of my hands, breaking them to pieces before your eyes.

    18 Then once again I fell prostrate before the Lord for forty days and forty nights; I ate no bread and drank no water, because of all the sin you had committed, doing what was evil in the Lord’s sight and so arousing his anger. 19 I feared the anger and wrath of the Lord, for he was angry enough with you to destroy you. But again the Lord listened to me. 20 And the Lordwas angry enough with Aaron to destroy him, but at that time I prayed for Aaron too. 21 Also I took that sinful thing of yours, the calf you had made, and burned it in the fire. Then I crushed it and ground it to powder as fine as dust and threw the dust into a stream that flowed down the mountain.

    22 You also made the Lord angry at Taberah, at Massah and at Kibroth Hattaavah.

    23 And when the Lord sent you out from Kadesh Barnea, he said, “Go up and take possession of the land I have given you.” But you rebelled against the command of the Lord your God. You did not trust him or obey him.24 You have been rebellious against the Lord ever since I have known you.

    25 I lay prostrate before the Lord those forty days and forty nights because the Lord had said he would destroy you. 26 I prayed to the Lord and said, “Sovereign Lord, do not destroy your people, your own inheritance that you redeemed by your great power and brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand.27 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Overlook the stubbornness of this people, their wickedness and their sin. 28 Otherwise, the country from which you brought us will say, ‘Because the Lord was not able to take them into the land he had promised them, and because he hated them, he brought them out to put them to death in the wilderness.’29 But they are your people, your inheritance that you brought out by your great power and your outstretched arm.”

    Go Deeper

    Deuteronomy 9 is a great reminder of our constant need to depend on the Lord and give glory to Him instead of ourselves. The chapter begins with Moses telling the Israelites they are undeserving of the grace and mercy they have been given over and over again by God. And yet even still, God goes before them and fights for them, winning the battle. It can be easier to run to God when we have a battle in front of us, or something we know we cannot accomplish on our own. But how quickly are we to give him the glory when we are victorious because of His help? 

    The Israelites are told of their coming success solely because of the Lord and not their doing, and still they turn to idols while Moses is on the mountain speaking to God on their behalf. The beginning of this chapter shows us how relatable we can be to the Israelites, in that although our rebellion is present, God’s mercy abounds all the more and for that we can be grateful. 

    Another point that we can learn from this chapter is the miraculous mercy we have been given by the Lord. The Israelites’ survival from wandering in the wilderness was purely because of the Lord’s protection, and yet pride still presents itself through the golden calf. We can relate to the Israelites through our quick desire to jump to security instead of faith. However we see our pride play out in our own lives, this chapter helps us see that the Lord so faithfully fights for us and gives us undeserving grace. 

    Unlike the Israelites, we have Jesus Christ to look to as He has paid the ultimate price for our salvation. Our rebellion has been met with an unimaginable amount of mercy, and still we are prone to stray and wander. Just as Moses spent extensive time with the Lord, may we seek him daily and better understand the idols in our lives we need to destroy. May we be reminded, grateful, and humbled that our salvation can never come from our own doing and instead rests in the hands of God.

    Questions

    1. What is one area of your life where you are boasting in yourself that you need to surrender to the Lord?
    2. How can you practically jump to faith instead of worldly security? Maybe it is serving in a particular area, giving generously, or sacrificing time in order to spend it with the Lord.
    3. What is one battle you have faced, are in the midst of, or will face that you can give victory to the Lord and recognize his protection?

    Pray This

    Lord, I come to you humbly today with the reminder that you faithfully fight for me each day. I pray that you help me remove the idols in my life that blind me from your mercy and grace. Thank you for sending your son Jesus to pay the great price for my sins. I am undeserving and humbled by your love. As I go through my day today, I pray that you walk with me and open my eyes to the victories only possible with You. Thank you for Deuteronomy 9, and the reminder that it is not because of my own righteousness I am victorious, but because of Your mercy and Jesus’ sacrifice. May the praise be Yours forever, amen.

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  • Deuteronomy 8

    Deuteronomy 8

    Editor’s Note

    As we start this new book, here is a head’s up that we’ll be going back to our normal six chapters per week rhythm as we read through Deuteronomy. Sundays will go back to being a rest (or catch-up) day. For an overview (or refresher) on Deuteronomy, click here.

    We want this to continue to be a helpful resource, so invite someone to read along with you! To sign up and receive the BRP daily in your inbox, go to www.biblereadingplan.org and scroll to the bottom of the page! 

    Read Deuteronomy 8

    Do Not Forget the Lord

    8 Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land the Lordpromised on oath to your ancestors. 2 Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and testyou in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. 3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teachyou that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. 4 Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. 5 Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you.

    6 Observe the commands of the Lord your God, walking in obedience to himand revering him. 7 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; 8 a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; 9 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.

    10 When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. 11 Be careful that you do not forget the Lordyour God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. 12 Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, 13 and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied,14 then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 15 He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. 16 He gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known, to humble and test you so that in the end it might go well with you. 17 You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” 18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth,and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.

    19 If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed. 20 Like the nations the Lord destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the Lord your God.

    Go Deeper

    Deuteronomy 8 calls the people of Israel to remember the Lord their God and all that he has done for them in the past. This remembrance calls to mind God’s nature as a provider for us. Throughout this chapter, the writer highlights ways that the Lord has provided for Israel in the past, is providing for them now, and will provide for them in the future–both on this earth and forever in eternity.

    In the past, God carried the Israelites out of Egypt, dwelt with them personally, and led them every step of the way through the wilderness (v. 2). The Lord fed his people with manna daily, even when they grumbled and complained against Him. What a perfect reminder of the way that the Lord provides us with our daily bread even when we have done nothing to deserve it from him. Their clothing did not wear out even though they wandered for years and years, and the Lord preserved their health and wellbeing (v. 4). He was the provider and sustainer of the Israelites in the past, and, as the chapter continues, we see He is still providing for and sustaining them in the present.

    Verse 7 tells the Israelites about the land that the Lord is bringing them to, “a good land…of olive trees and honey” (v. 7-9). If the Lord was so closely acquainted with their needs and provided for them in the past, what would make the Israelites think that He wouldn’t do the same in the future?

    In verses 7-10 we are given a wonderful description of the beautiful land the Israelites are being led to. And this promise is just a small image of the eternal “promised land” that He has in store for those who know Him as Lord and savior. He is not just providing for our present and future needs here on earth, but he is also providing for us an eternal inheritance that is beyond our wildest imagination. John 14:2 tells us that Jesus has gone to prepare this place for us. We have eternity to look forward to! He promises to provide us a place without suffering or pain where we can worship Him forever and we will truly “lack nothing”(v. 9). Verse 18 tells us that this is all part of the covenant that He has made with His people, revealing that He is, by nature, a God who provides. 

    We don’t have to be discouraged by our circumstances because we know that God is providing for us presently and for our future just like he has provided for us in our past. More importantly, He will provide us with a perfect, beautiful union with Him for all of eternity.

    Verses 17 and 18 give the Israelites and us one last word as caution. They warn that against forgetting that God is the source of every blessing and provision we experience both in this age and in the age to come. Let us heed the call of Deuteronomy 8 and remember what God has provided for us in the past, recognize that he is providing for us even now, and hold fast to His promises for the future so that we may live with an eternal hope that shines a light in this dark world.

    Questions

    1. What are some examples of ways the Lord has provided for you in the past that you can use to encourage your faith in Him in the present?
    2. How consistently do you remember that the Lord is the source of every blessing in your life by thanking Him for what He’s given you?
    3. How does Deuteronomy 8 help you live with eternal hope?

    Did You Know?

    The name of God Jehovah Jireh meaning “The Lord will provide” comes from the book of Genesis. In Genesis 22 the Lord provides a ram for sacrifice in place of Issac, and Abraham names the mountain “the Lord will provide.” Since the beginning of creation, the Lord has been a provider!

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  • Deuteronomy 7

    Deuteronomy 7

    Editor’s Note

    As we start this new book, here is a head’s up that we’ll be going back to our normal six chapters per week rhythm as we read through Deuteronomy. Sundays will go back to being a rest (or catch-up) day. For an overview (or refresher) on Deuteronomy, click here.

    We want this to continue to be a helpful resource, so invite someone to read along with you! To sign up and receive the BRP daily in your inbox, go to www.biblereadingplan.org and scroll to the bottom of the page! 

    Read Deuteronomy 7

    Driving Out the Nations

    7 When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations—the Hittites, Girgashites,Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you— 2 and when the Lord your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally.[a] Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy. 3 Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, 4 for they will turn your children away from following me to serve other gods, and the Lord’s anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you. 5 This is what you are to do to them: Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones, cut down their Asherah poles[b] and burn their idols in the fire. 6 For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lordyour God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.

    7 The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. 8 But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 9 Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments. 10 But

    those who hate him he will repay to their face by destruction;
        he will not be slow to repay to their face those who hate him.

    11 Therefore, take care to follow the commands, decrees and laws I give you today.

    12 If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the Lord your God will keep his covenant of love with you, as he swore to your ancestors. 13 He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops of your land—your grain, new wine and olive oil—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you. 14 You will be blessed more than any other people; none of your men or women will be childless, nor will any of your livestock be without young. 15 The Lord will keep you free from every disease. He will not inflict on you the horrible diseases you knew in Egypt, but he will inflict them on all who hate you. 16 You must destroy all the peoples the Lord your God gives over to you. Do not look on them with pityand do not serve their gods, for that will be a snare to you.

    17 You may say to yourselves, “These nations are stronger than we are. How can we drive them out?” 18 But do not be afraid of them; remember well what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt. 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 Lordyour God will do the same to all the peoples you now fear. 20 Moreover, the Lord your God will send the hornet among them until even the survivors who hide from you have perished. 21 Do not be terrified by them, for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a great and awesome God. 22 The Lord your God will drive out those nations before you, little by little. You will not be allowed to eliminate them all at once, or the wild animals will multiply around you. 23 But the Lord your God will deliver them over to you, throwing them into great confusion until they are destroyed. 24 He will give their kingsinto your hand, and you will wipe out their names from under heaven. No one will be able to stand up against you; you will destroy them. 25 The images of their gods you are to burn in the fire. Do not covet the silver and gold on them, and do not take it for yourselves, or you will be ensnared by it, for it is detestable to the Lord your God. 26 Do not bring a detestable thing into your house or you, like it, will be set apart for destruction. Regard it as vile and utterly detest it, for it is set apart for destruction.

    Go Deeper

    At the beginning of Deuteronomy 7, God reminds Israel they are set apart as His. He sovereignly chooses Israel as His people and showers His love and compassion on them. His love is not based on Israel being the best, the greatest, or the strongest. God elected them as His chosen people as a free gift to them they could never repay. However, the Lord instructs Israel to cast off any idols and corruption in order for them to reach the Promised Land. They are also instructed to eliminate the Canaanites. God wants them to walk in obedience since He offers them a life that is better than anything they could imagine.

    In verses 12 through 19, Moses reminds the Israelites that blessings will come if they are obedient. This is a promise the Lord makes to them, and the Lord is not a promise-breaker. However, Israel is terrified of the Canaanites since there are so many of them. In the final verses, Moses reminds the Israelites of God’s previous faithfulness and provision and tells them not to fear the Canaanites. Then Moses instructs them not to take the Canaanites’ belongings or covet anything that the Lord did not give them. It is clear the Lord hates idols.

    One key takeaway from this chapter is found in verses 7 through 9. The Israelites have done nothing remarkable to obtain God’s favor, but God chooses them because He loves them. Verse 7 even says that the Lord has “set his love” on them. He is fixated on the Israelites and deeply desires them. This is true of us. We did not earn our way to a relationship with God nor did we do anything remarkable to prove ourselves, but the Lord has set His gaze upon His chosen people simply because He loves.

    Additionally, we are reminded of God’s faithfulness and promises, and we can be confident in the promises He makes. However, like the Israelites, we are forgetful. Our failure and flesh can get in the way of us reflecting on God’s faithfulness. We are tempted to worship things besides God alone. Despite the ways God knows the Israelites can and will fall short, the Lord blatantly tells Israel He will make them prosperous against the Canaanites. They are still afraid, but even in their fear, God grants them favor over their enemies. What a truth to hold onto! Even in our fear and doubt, the Lord is unchanging and good. 

    Questions

    1. If you remember that the Lord has fixed His love on you, how would that change the way you view yourself and others?
    2. How can you reflect on the Lord’s faithfulness in a time of doubt or fear?
    3. How can you remember to walk obediently with the Lord, not to earn God’s favor but as a result of God’s favor?

    A Quote

    Pastor David Guzik, in his Enduring Word commentary, says the following about the beginning of this chapter: 

    “This principle of battle until absolute victory is the key to victory as we take the Promised Land of blessing and peace God has for us in Jesus. We show no mercy to our enemies in the land, but we destroy them utterly. Many of us, truth be told, simply do not want to completely destroy the sins which keep us from God’s Promised Land of blessing and peace – we want to weaken them, and have some control over them, but we do not want to utterly destroy them.”

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  • Deuteronomy 6

    Deuteronomy 6

    Editor’s Note

    As we start this new book, here is a head’s up that we’ll be going back to our normal six chapters per week rhythm as we read through Deuteronomy. Sundays will go back to being a rest (or catch-up) day. For an overview (or refresher) on Deuteronomy, click here.

    We want this to continue to be a helpful resource, so invite someone to read along with you! To sign up and receive the BRP daily in your inbox, go to www.biblereadingplan.org and scroll to the bottom of the page! 

    Read Deuteronomy 6

    Love the Lord Your God

    6 These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, 2 so that you, your children and their children after them may fearthe Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. 3 Hear, Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you.

    4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

    10 When the Lord your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, 11 houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied, 12 be careful that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

    13 Fear the Lord your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name.14 Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you; 15 for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you, and he will destroy you from the face of the land. 16 Do not put the Lord your God to the test as you did at Massah. 17 Be sure to keep the commands of the Lord your God and the stipulations and decrees he has given you. 18 Do what is right and good in the Lord’s sight, so that it may go well with you and you may go in and take over the good land the Lordpromised on oath to your ancestors, 19 thrusting out all your enemies before you, as the Lord said.

    20 In the future, when your son asks you, “What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the Lord our God has commanded you?”21 tell him: “We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. 22 Before our eyes the Lord sent signs and wonders—great and terrible—on Egypt and Pharaoh and his whole household. 23 But he brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land he promised on oath to our ancestors. 24 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. 25 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.”

    Go Deeper

    We have read so far in Deuteronomy a review of the history of the Israelities, a renewal of the covenant between God and His people, and the coming fulfillment of the land promise to Abraham’s descendants back in Genesis 12. Moses is now recapping the Law and going over the relational stipulations for possessing the Promised Land. In chapter 5, Moses reviews the 10 commandments and calls them to walk in obedience (5:33). The Mosaic Covenant was conditional, meaning that they could obey and prosper or disobey and perish. Their future depended on their faithfulness, and faithfulness looked like following God’s commands. In this passage, the Israelities are commanded to love God above all else. This is summarized in what is called the Shema, which in Hebrew means “hear” or “listen”. The Shema is one of the most significant passages of Scripture for the Israelities. It was cited at the beginning of worship for hundreds of years and is still used in the Jewish faith in synagogues today.

    The Shema is one of the most famous prayers in the Bible (v. 4-9). The prayer begins, “Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.” Moses is telling the Israelites to listen and to obey what they hear. He is reminding them that the Lord is one. The concept of God being one is significant because it was in complete contrast to the polytheistic cultures surrounding the Israelites for many generations. In the Canaanite territory, people were worshiping numerous pagan gods and goddesses. Monotheism set Israel apart in the ancient world. God is one yet also triune: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Israel needed to follow the one true God as they entered into the Promised Land and not fall into worship of the false gods of the day.  

    The prayer continues, “You shall love the Lord God with all of your heart, with all of your soul and with all might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.” God wants us to love Him with our whole self. He wants us to love Him with every fiber of our being and that love to be evident in everything we do. For the nation of Israel, loving God meant obeying His Word. Jesus repeats this in Mark 12:28-30 when He is asked what the greatest commandment is. Jesus tells them that it is loving God with all of our heart, soul, and might, and loving our neighbor as ourself. The Shema also states, “You shall teach [these words] diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise.” In order to teach God’s Word to our children, we must first treasure it in our own hearts. 

    The prayer ends saying, “You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorpost of your house and on your gates.” It is a Jewish tradition to place a mezuzah (a small piece of parchment) on the doorpost with Scripture on it. Some Jewish traditions also apply this verse by using phylacteries, which are small leather boxes that literally contain the Law of Moses in it. It is strapped around the wrist and over a person’s head. For us today, binding God’s Word on us looks like remembering it and meditating on it day and night. God’s Word should fill our hearts and minds as we go throughout our day. We love the Lord by remembering and holding fast to His Word.

    Questions

    1. Is the love of God your greatest motivation for everything you do? 
    2. What does it look like for you to write God’s Word on your heart? Is there a verse or passage you could memorize today? 
    3. Take some time today to reflect on the Shema. Think and pray about how the Lord has led you and how He has been faithful to you.

    Watch This

    Check out this helpful video from The Bible Project about the Shema!

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  • Deuteronomy 5

    Deuteronomy 5

    Editor’s Note

    As we start this new book, here is a head’s up that we’ll be going back to our normal six chapters per week rhythm as we read through Deuteronomy. Sundays will go back to being a rest (or catch-up) day. For an overview (or refresher) on Deuteronomy, click here.

    We want this to continue to be a helpful resource, so invite someone to read along with you! To sign up and receive the BRP daily in your inbox, go to www.biblereadingplan.org and scroll to the bottom of the page! 

    Read Deuteronomy 5

    The Ten Commandments

    5 Moses summoned all Israel and said:

    Hear, Israel, the decrees and laws I declare in your hearing today. Learn them and be sure to follow them. 2 The Lord our God made a covenant with us at Horeb. 3 It was not with our ancestors that the Lord made this covenant, but with us, with all of us who are alive here today. 4 The Lord spoke to you face to face out of the fire on the mountain. 5 (At that time I stood between the Lord and you to declare to you the word of the Lord, because you were afraid of the fire and did not go up the mountain.) And he said:

    6 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

    7 “You shall have no other gods before me.

    8 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 9 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,10 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

    11 “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

    12 “Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you. 13 Six days you shall labor and do all your work,14 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns, so that your male and female servants may rest, as you do. 15 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.

    16 “Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

    17 “You shall not murder.

    18 “You shall not commit adultery.

    19 “You shall not steal.

    20 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

    21 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbor’s house or land, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

    22 These are the commandments the Lord proclaimed in a loud voice to your whole assembly there on the mountain from out of the fire, the cloud and the deep darkness; and he added nothing more. Then he wrote them on two stone tablets and gave them to me.

    23 When you heard the voice out of the darkness, while the mountain was ablaze with fire, all the leaders of your tribes and your elders came to me.24 And you said, “The Lord our God has shown us his glory and his majesty,and we have heard his voice from the fire. Today we have seen that a person can live even if God speaks with them. 25 But now, why should we die? This great fire will consume us, and we will die if we hear the voice of the Lordour God any longer. 26 For what mortal has ever heard the voice of the living God speaking out of fire, as we have, and survived? 27 Go near and listen to all that the Lord our God says. Then tell us whatever the Lord our God tells you. We will listen and obey.”

    28 The Lord heard you when you spoke to me, and the Lord said to me, “I have heard what this people said to you. Everything they said was good.29 Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!

    30 “Go, tell them to return to their tents. 31 But you stay here with me so that I may give you all the commands, decrees and laws you are to teach them to follow in the land I am giving them to possess.”

    32 So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. 33 Walk in obedience to all that the Lordyour God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.

    Go Deeper

    Some families like to tell stories of joint memories or have “inside jokes” from shared experiences. While they may share these stories with younger generations, the details can fade, and the full meaning can become diluted over time. The memories may not hold as much emotion, and the inside jokes just aren’t as funny. We walk into this type of situation in Deuteronomy 5.

    When we first read this chapter, it may seem like a simple repetition of Exodus 20 (when God spoke to the Israelites and gave them the Ten Commandments). While the words of the commandments are the same as in Exodus, the context is completely different. The Israelites in Deuteronomy were a different group of people with a different plan than those in Exodus. 

    The Exodus group had lived around and among the Egyptian deities and beliefs for all their lives. Moses came, and God delivered them from the plagues, the passover, and the Red Sea. Then, God Himself spoke directly to them, setting out the Ten Commandments, teaching them how to be faithful to the one, true God, and how He was different from all the other gods they knew. 

    About 40 years later, Moses calls the Israelites together and we see the beginning of his speech in Chapter 5. The Deuteronomy Israelites are the next generation, and they are warriors. They were raised by the Exodus generation and had heard all the stories. They just defeated other nations and are preparing to settle the Promised Land. Moses gathers and reminds them of the Ten Commandments and God’s faithfulness. He does this to reinforce that their God is the one, true God, and warn them not to be led astray by other gods they will encounter in the new lands. 

    In verses 32-33, Moses declares why this is so important:

    “So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.”

    It is for the people’s good. This is true for us, as well. God gives us the Ten Commandments, Jesus’s teachings, and the whole Bible, for our own good. God is true and faithful whether we follow His words or not. All the gods of Egypt, the deities encountered in the Promised Land, or the idols we see in our society require something from their believers to receive favor, but not our God. He made us; He knows us; He loves us; and He gave His son Jesus for us. He knows the way.  God gave us His commandments so that we may know the way too, and can “live and prosper” with Him. Not to hold us back by rules and regulations, but to free us through obedience to His all-knowing wisdom.

    Questions

    1. Re-read the Ten Commandments, verses 6-21. Which command feels restricting? How might God’s wisdom in that command protect and free you?
    2. What are two practical ways you can carefully follow that command today?
    3. What does this chapter teach us about God’s character?

    By the Way

    A mechanical translation of Hebrew in verse 32 is “you will safeguard to do just as YHWH your Elohiym directed you…”  The Hebrew word used for safeguard is šāmar meaning “to guard” or “to keep.” It is the same word used in Genesis 2 when God put man in the Garden of Eden to guard or keep it.

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  • Rest Day

    Rest Day

    Rest Day

    Today is a Rest Day. There is no new Bible reading to do. Today, the goal is simple: rest in the presence of God. Maybe you need to use today to get caught up on the reading plan if you’re behind, maybe you want to journal what you’re learning so you don’t forget what God is teaching you, or maybe you want to spend time in concentrated prayer–do that. Above all, just spend time in God’s presence.

    Understanding Israel’s Rebellion

    Interested in learning more about what happened right before Deuteronomy? Check out this helpful blog post from The Bible Project to understand Israel’s rebellion in the book of Numbers right before Deuteronomy took place.

    Worship With Us

    Join us in person or online at 9a, 11a, or 7p at harriscreek.org/live. We’d love to worship with you! We also desire to connect everyone with a local church body where they can thrive in community and use their gifts to serve. If you’re following our Bible Reading Plan from outside of Waco and are eager to get connected with a great local church, email us at [email protected].

    Leave a Comment Below
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  • Deuteronomy 4

    Deuteronomy 4

    Editor’s Note

    As we start this new book, here is a head’s up that we’ll be going back to our normal six chapters per week rhythm as we read through Deuteronomy. Sundays will go back to being a rest (or catch-up) day. For an overview (or refresher) on Deuteronomy, click here.

    We want this to continue to be a helpful resource, so invite someone to read along with you! To sign up and receive the BRP daily in your inbox, go to www.biblereadingplan.org and scroll to the bottom of the page! 

    Read Deuteronomy 4

    Obedience Commanded

    4 Now, Israel, hear 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 the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. 2 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.

    3 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,4 but all of you who held fast to the Lord your God are still alive today.

    5 See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the Lord my God commandedme, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. 6 Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdomand understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” 7 What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lordour God is near us whenever we pray to him? 8 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?

    9 Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.10 Remember the day you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, when he said to me, “Assemble the people before me to hear my words so that they may learn to revere me as long as they live in the land and may teachthem to their children.” 11 You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain while it blazed with fire to the very heavens, with black clouds and deep darkness. 12 Then the Lord spoke to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of words but saw no form; there was only a voice. 13 He declared to you his covenant, the Ten Commandments, which he commanded you to follow and then wrote them on two stone tablets. 14 And the Lord directed me at that time to teach you the decrees and laws you are to follow in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess.

    Idolatry Forbidden

    15 You saw no form of any kind the day the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire. Therefore watch yourselves very carefully, 16 so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman, 17 or like any animal on earth or any bird that flies in the air, 18 or like any creature that moves along the ground or any fish in the waters below. 19 And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars—all the heavenly array—do not be enticedinto bowing down to them and worshiping things the Lord your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven. 20 But as for you, the Lord took you and brought you out of the iron-smelting furnace, out of Egypt, to be the people of his inheritance, as you now are.

    21 The Lord was angry with me because of you, and he solemnly swore that I would not cross the Jordan and enter the good land the Lord your God is giving you as your inheritance. 22 I will die in this land; I will not cross the Jordan; but you are about to cross over and take possession of that good land. 23 Be careful not to forget the covenant of the Lord your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the Lord your God has forbidden. 24 For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

    25 After you have had children and grandchildren and have lived in the land a long time—if you then become corrupt and make any kind of idol, doing evilin the eyes of the Lord your God and arousing his anger, 26 I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you this day that you will quickly perish from the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess. You will not live there long but will certainly be destroyed. 27 The Lord will scatteryou among the peoples, and only a few of you will survive among the nations to which the Lord will drive you. 28 There you will worship man-made godsof wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or eat or smell. 29 But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul. 30 When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the Lordyour God and obey him. 31 For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath.

    The Lord Is God

    32 Ask now about the former days, long before your time, from the day God created human beings on the earth; ask from one end of the heavens to the other. Has anything so great as this ever happened, or has anything like it ever been heard of? 33 Has any other people heard the voice of Godspeaking out of fire, as you have, and lived? 34 Has any god ever tried to take for himself one nation out of another nation, by testings, by signs and wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, or by great and awesome deeds, like all the things the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your very eyes?

    35 You were shown these things so that you might know that the Lord is God; besides him there is no other. 36 From heaven he made you hear his voice to discipline you. On earth he showed you his great fire, and you heard his words from out of the fire. 37 Because he loved your ancestors and chose their descendants after them, he brought you out of Egypt by his Presence and his great strength, 38 to drive out before you nations greater and stronger than you and to bring you into their land to give it to you for your inheritance, as it is today.

    39 Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other. 40 Keep his decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the Lord your God gives you for all time.

    Cities of Refuge

    41 Then Moses set aside three cities east of the Jordan, 42 to which anyone who had killed a person could flee if they had unintentionally killed a neighbor without malice aforethought. They could flee into one of these cities and save their life. 43 The cities were these: Bezer in the wilderness plateau, for the Reubenites; Ramoth in Gilead, for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, for the Manassites.

    Introduction to the Law

    44 This is the law Moses set before the Israelites. 45 These are the stipulations, decrees and laws Moses gave them when they came out of Egypt 46 and were in the valley near Beth Peor east of the Jordan, in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon and was defeated by Moses and the Israelites as they came out of Egypt. 47 They took possession of his land and the land of Og king of Bashan, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan. 48 This land extended from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge to Mount Sirion (that is, Hermon), 49 and included all the Arabah east of the Jordan, as far as the Dead Sea, below the slopes of Pisgah.

    Go Deeper

    Spoiler alert: the very next chapter in Deuteronomy is one of the most important in the entire Old Testament. Since that’s the case, it only increases the necessity for us to understand today’s reading. Deuteronomy 4 is a set up to the giving of the 10 Commandments and explains why they will be so important for the people of God. These are not given just so that the Israelites follow rules to make sure God isn’t mad at them. His commands will give them order so that others might see that they live with divine wisdom and understanding. As Moses says in verse 40, these instructions are given so that it might go well for the people of God. Furthermore, these directions aren’t an example of God distancing Himself from His people, but rather moving toward them (v. 7). He wants to show them the way of life that will not only honor Him, but benefit them.

    The problem is that Moses reminds the people that if they are not careful, they will forget what God has said and done. He says multiple times, “Only take care, lest you forget”. While the people might initially feel like the commands are a blessing, they can become a burden without the proper context. This is why Moses instructs the old to teach the young about the faithfulness of the Lord. He has been their savior and sustainer time and time again, and they must retell the story so they don’t forget. He didn’t leave them in slavery, but delivered them from it. In a similar way, these commands are given so that the people of God don’t fall slavery to sin. These instructions will serve as a guardrail so that they don’t forsake the Lord to follow other gods.

    We must also remind ourselves that the law of the Lord is for our benefit. He is not just out to make sure we follow rules, but He wants to give us the path that leads to life. Take great care to not forget what He has done for you! If you believe in Him, He has saved you from the death that you deserved so that you might have a life of abundance. Follow his decrees, and remind others of his faithfulness so that it might go well for you!

     

    Questions

    1. What most stood out to you about this passage?
    2. Where have you seen God’s faithfulness in your life?
    3. What are some ways that you can remind yourself of God’s faithfulness? Who in your life is God putting on your heart to remind of His faithfulness?

    Keep Digging

    Moses mentioned in this chapter that God was not allowing him to enter into the promised land. Do you know why? Check out this article from GotQuestions.org for an explanation.

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