Deuteronômio 4
J. Vernon McGee · Citado em PreceptAustin
Deuteronômio 4
Vernon McGee - This chapter concludes Moses' review of Israel's wilderness journey. They have come up the east bank of the Jordan River and are near Mount Nebo as Moses gives his final instructions to the people. Only two of the people who made the entire journey stand there -- Joshua and Caleb. Most of the people are buried out there in the wilderness, or their bones are bleaching under the desert sun. The new generation is ready now to go into the Promised Land, but before they enter, Moses reviews the wilderness experiences and pleads with them to obey God who loves them. (Thru The Bible) A C Gaebelein - They were to hearken and to do. Hearing and doing stand in the foreground of this section. The result of obedience is life and possession of the land. "That ye may live" does not mean the possession of eternal life, but a long earthly life in the promised land. See Deuteronomy 5:33; 6:2; 8:1; 11:21; 16:20; 25:15; 30:6, 16; 32:47. (The Annotated Bible) Now - Dt 3:29+ ends with “So we remained in the valley opposite Beth-peor." Since that was the very spot Israel had miserably disobeyed Yahweh (Nu 25:1-5), it would be apropos to NOW speak to them of the need for OBEDIENCE in order to obtain BLESSING and POSSESS their PROMISED POSSESSION from Yahweh. Full enjoyment of life was (AND STILL IS) based on full obedience to God’s law. This includes listening, observing, and doing in order to reach full potential and possess the land (LIFE for NT BELIEVERS) of promise. -- John Maxwell POSB - "Now"—in light of the lessons learned in the past—listen to God's laws and obey His laws. If you will listen and obey, you will not fall into sin and face the judgment of God as the first generation did. Rather, you will live a fruitful and productive life. Moreover, you will experience the power of God, conquering all the enemies who oppose you as you march into the promised land. You will be victorious and take possession of the promised land. You will know the spiritual conquest and rest of the inheritance promised by God. But note what Moses declared: to know such a fruitful and victorious life God's people must do three things. (1) They must not add to nor subtract from God's commandments, but simply obey them (Deut. 4:2)...(2. God's people must not commit the sins of Baal Peor, the sins of immorality and false worship....(3. God's people must obey God's law even after reaching the promised land. Even after they achieve the spiritual victory and rest of the promised land, they must still continue to obey God's law. There was to be no room for complacency or worldly comfort and rest. (Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible – Deuteronomy) Grant - There is a threefold significance in the use of the word "Now" at this point. First, it is to remind them of the lessons to be learned from the years leading up to "Now". At that time they had the events of the wilderness behind them and should now have been able to see the value of God's word. Second, the victories that had been gained must not give them self confidence and lead to them ignoring God's word. Third, they were standing at a critical point in their history and future success would depend on their willingness to obey His word. (What the Bible Teaches) Eugene Merrill - The end of the historical review proper leaves Moses and Israel at Pisgah and Peor, the setting for the delivery of Deuteronomy as a Mosaic address and its composition in essentially its present form. It also marks a major literary turning point, a transition from itinerary or historical narrative to parenesis. Having traced the course of Israel's forty years in the desert, Moses then drew conclusions from that experience and urged a course of action for the present and future. (New American Commentary - Volume 4: Deuteronomy) O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I am teaching you to perform - Moses gives a command (listen) not a suggestion to the children of Israel regarding how they are to live in the promised land (still filled with Canaanite influence). Listen means to hear so as to do! When the OT uses the command listen it is not to be as we say "in one ear and out the other!" Listen recalls the command of James to "prove (present imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) yourselves doers (poietes) of the word, and not merely hearers (akroates) who delude themselves.." (James 1:22+) It is notable that this instruction is given 40 years and more than 1 millions corpses later! One would think they would be motivated to listen carefully. This generation to whom Moses speaks was at Mt Sinai but they were only children at that time, so Moses begins by recounting the awe filled terrifying scene lest they despise the holiness of Yahweh (Dt 4:10ff).
Deuteronômio 4
Vernon McGee - The greatest undertaking of any nation is the education of the young. Probably the greatest failure of any nation is the failure in education. Look at America today and see the dismal failure we are making in this matter of education. Now I am not blaming the colleges and the schools. Do you know where the problem lies? It is right in the home. God tells these people, "I want you to teach your children and your grandchildren." The failure to teach is the failure of Mom and Dad in the home. This was the great responsibility which God placed upon every father and mother in Israel. Friend, if you are going to bring a child into this world, you are responsible for that child. Our problem today is not foreign affairs or national economy; our problem is the home. God will hold divorced and preoccupied parents responsible for the vagrants of the world today who never knew the instruction and the love and the concern and the communication from parents. What a responsibility parenthood is! God makes this very clear to Israel. When that nation failed, it failed in the home, and God judged it. (Thru The Bible with J. Vernon McGee Eugene Merrill rightly concludes that the "nation that forgets its past (Ed: O my, please revive America and set pulpits aflame across the land for They Name's sake. Amen) is doomed to repeat its failures, and a people that fails to pass on its righteous principles has no right to expect a continuation of those principles in the life and experience of its descendants. (Cornerstone Biblical Commentary) Norman Geisler - When Critics Ask - DEUTERONOMY 4:10–15—Was the law given at Horeb or at Mt. Sinai? PROBLEM: Exodus 19:11 affirms that Moses received the Law at “Mt. Sinai” (cf. v. 18). But here in Deuteronomy 4:10 it claims that Moses got it “in Horeb.” Which was it? SOLUTION: There are several possible explanations of this discrepancy. Some scholars believe Sinai may be the older and Horeb the later name for the same place. Others hold that Horeb may be the general name of the mountain range and Sinai the particular peak. Still others believe Sinai is the name of the entire group of mountains, while Horeb refers to one specific mountain. Or, the two names could be interchangeable. In any event, the biblical authors, many centuries closer to the original event than we are, saw no problem in using both names. Horeb is used 17 times and Mt. Sinai 21 times in the OT. Employing two different names is not uncommon. Mt. McKinley in Alaska, the official name of the highest peak in North America, is called Denali by native Americans and many others. God-Paved Memories Assemble the people before me to hear my words so that they may learn to revere me. Deuteronomy 4:10 Today's Scripture & Insight: Deuteronomy 4:3–10 When my grown son faced a difficult situation, I reminded him about God’s constant care and provision during his dad’s year of unemployment. I recounted the times God strengthened our family and gave us peace while my mom fought and lost her battle with leukemia. Highlighting the stories of God’s faithfulness stitched into Scripture, I affirmed He was good at keeping His word. I led my son down our family’s God-paved memory lane, reminding him about the ways He remained reliable through our valley and mountaintop moments. Whether we were struggling or celebrating, God’s presence, love, and grace proved sufficient. Although I’d like to claim this faith-strengthening strategy as my own, God designed the habit of sharing stories to inspire the future generations’ belief in Him. As the Israelites remembered all they’d seen God do in the past, He placed cobblestones of confidence down their divinely paved memory lanes. The Israelites had witnessed God holding true to His promises as they followed Him (Deuteronomy 4:3–6). He’d always heard and answered their prayers (v. 7). Rejoicing and reminiscing with the younger generations (v. 9), the Israelites shared the holy words breathed and preserved by the one true God (v. 10). Reflect & Pray Who’s invested in your spiritual growth by sharing what God has done in their lives? What creative ways can you share His faithfulness and love across generational lines? Sovereign God, thank You for empowering me to walk with sure-footed faith that crosses generational lines. Pass It On Lest you forget the things your eyes have seen . . . teach them to your children and your grandchildren. —Deuteronomy 4:9 Today's Scripture: Deuteronomy 4:5-10 One day as my wife was baby-sitting our granddaughter, she shared an old, familiar friend with her. With Eliana in her arms, Sue picked up a well-worn book that we had read to our daughter when she was a little girl. It’s a book called The Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes, a staple in our efforts to share God’s truth with our children. So now it is Eliana’s turn to begin to learn about God’s creation, His goodness, His plan, and His salvation. It’s time for her to be told about what we have seen and experienced in our walk of faith. As Deuteronomy 4:9 says, “Teach [God’s statutes] to your children and your grandchildren.” Back in the days of Deuteronomy, the people were being handed a gift from God—“the statutes and the judgments” (v.1) that would allow them to live properly in the land of God’s promise. Along with those laws came an admonition for the people to share with their progeny the lessons God taught them on the way. They were told not to “forget the things your eyes have seen” (v.9) and to teach God’s words to their children and grandchildren. Begin to train them early To fear and love the Lord, To carry on life’s pathway God’s lamp, His holy Word. —Fennema If children are to find their way to God, we must point the way. Deuteronomy 4:11 "You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, and the mountain burned with fire to the very heart of the heavens: darkness, cloud and thick gloom stood: De 5:23 Ex 19:16-18 Ex 20:18,19 Deuteronomy 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Mt Sinai by Eizen You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain and the mountain burned with fire to the very heart of the heavens: darkness, cloud and thick gloom - What Israel saw was a manifestation (and only a small one at that) of Yahweh's omnipotence. Exodus 19:16-18+ records the scene.... So it came about on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. 17 And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the LORD descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently. The Hebrew word came near (qarab) is translated in the Septuagint (Lxx) with the verb proserchomai which means to draw near and is used seven times in the book of Hebrews once in Heb 12:18-note describing the events in Exodus - "you did not draw near to a mountain (Mt Sinai ~ the Law)". Now because of the Self sacrifice of our sinless Great High Priest we can actually approach the same God Who made the Israelites tremble and fearful of dying in His presence! Do we really grasp the preciousness of our privilege as priests of God (1 Pe 2:9-note)? Hebrews 4:16-note Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 7:25-note Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. Hebrews 10:19-22-note Since therefore, brethren, we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Burned with fire - The Lord's speaking out of the fire reminds us of God's calling of Moses.
Deuteronômio 4
McGee - The Lord Jesus stated it very clearly: "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth" (John 4:24). People were never to have any likeness of God whatsoever. The Lord Jesus became a man, but the Bible does not give us any physical description of Him. Now you will probably think I am picayunish, if you haven't already come to that conclusion, but I do not believe in pictures of Jesus. I know that many lovely people feel that a picture of Jesus helps them to worship Him. Let me tell you what was said by an old Scottish commentator: "Men never paint a picture of Jesus until they have lost the presence of Him in their hearts." We need Him in our hearts today, not in color on a canvas. These are tremendous and eternal truths which God is giving us in this chapter. The instructions which were given to Israel in that day are great principles for us to carry over for ourselves today, because truth is eternal. (Thru The Bible with J. Vernon McGee) Deuteronomy 4:13 "So He declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, that is, the Ten Commandments (Heb - dabar = words); and He wrote them on two tablets of stone. So He: De 5:1-21 Ex 19:5 Ex 24:17,18 Heb 9:19,20 Ten: De 10:4 Ex 34:28 He wrote: De 9:9-11 10:1-5 Ex 24:12 31:18 34:28 2 Co 3:7 Heb 9:4 Deuteronomy 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries GOD GAVE ISRAEL THE TEN COMMANDMENTS So He declared (revealed, proclaimed - nagad) to you His covenant - This is the first use of covenant or beriyth in Deuteronomy. In context he is referring to the "Ten Commandments" given at Mt Horeb (Mt Sinai). Covenant (01285)(berit/berith/beriyth) is a treaty, compact, agreement between two parties (first use in God's covenant with Noah - Ge 6:18, 9:9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17). Etymologically, beriyth derives from the notion of linking or yoking together. Beriyth describes a compact made by passing between pieces of flesh. Covenant is a solemn, binding arrangement between two parties and entails a variety of responsibilities, benefits and penalties depending on the specific covenant which is being studied. OT covenants were made between God and man (eg, God with Noah - Ge 6:18, with Abram - Ge 15:18) or between men (Abraham and Abimelech - Ge 21:27, Isaac and Abimelech - Ge 26:28, Jacob and Laban - Ge 31:44) (For summary of covenants see - Covenant in the Bible). Beriyth - Used 26 times in Deuteronomy out of 265 OT uses - Deut. 4:13; Deut. 4:23; Deut. 4:31; Deut. 5:2; Deut. 5:3; Deut. 7:2; Deut. 7:9; Deut. 7:12; Deut. 8:18; Deut. 9:9; Deut. 9:11; Deut. 9:15; Deut. 10:8; Deut. 17:2; Deut. 29:1; Deut. 29:9; Deut. 29:12; Deut. 29:14; Deut. 29:21; Deut. 29:25; Deut. 31:9; Deut. 31:16; Deut. 31:20; Deut. 31:25; Deut. 31:26; Deut. 33:9 He commanded you to perform - These were not 10 "suggestions." Once again we see truth is not just to be known but to be obeyed. At Mt Sinai in the cutting of the Mosaic Covenant, Israel agreed that they would obey but their subsequent behavior proved their words to be (for most of the nation) a profession only. Notice what Israel said... Then Moses came and recounted to the people all the words of the LORD and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words which the LORD has spoken we will do!” 4 Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. Then he arose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 He sent young men of the sons of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as peace offerings to the LORD. 6 Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and the other half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. 7 Then he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!” 8 So Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.” (Exodus 24:3-8+) And so with their lips Israel entered into the covenant but with subsequently with their lives they repeatedly disobeyed the covenant. The Ten Commandments (read Ex 20:1-17+) - In Hebrew this is literally "The Ten Words (dabar)." ("decalogue") The first four words regulate relationship with God, while the last six words regulate human relationships. Grant - As consideration is given to that day it is worth remembering that the people could not approach the Lord as did Moses. Bounds had been set and beyond these bounds they could not come. To do so would mean death. The Law kept man at a distance! It revealed the sinful heart of mankind and taught that such sinfulness is a bar to entering His presence. What a contrast this is with the day of grace that is enjoyed now. Compare the events recorded in Exodus 19:1-20:26 with the exhortation in Hebrews 4:16: (What the Bible Teaches) And He wrote them on two tablets of stone - Moses describes this later in this book writing "When I went up to the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant which the LORD had made with you, then I remained on the mountain forty days and nights; I neither ate bread nor drank water. 10 “The LORD gave me the two tablets of stone written by the finger of God (an anthropomorphism - see article by Utley); and on them were all the words which the LORD had spoken with you at the mountain from the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly. 11 “It came about at the end of forty days and nights that the LORD gave me the two tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant.(Dt 9:9-11) THOUGHT - Today we should write them not on stone or on paper but on our heart. Pr 3:3+ "Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart." (How? Memorize!) Ps 37:31 "The law of his God is in his heart; His steps do not slip." As G Campbell Morgan paraphrased it... "The best Book, in the best place, for the best purpose!” Charles Swindoll: "I know of no other single practice in the Christian life more rewarding, practically speaking, than memorizing Scripture...No other single exercise pays greater spiritual dividends! Your prayer life will be strengthened. Your witnessing will be sharper and much more effective. Your attitudes and outlook will begin to change. Your mind will become alert and observant. Your confidence and assurance will be enhanced. Your faith will be solidified." Howard Hendricks: "One of the most important Christian disciplines is Scripture memory. If I had it my way, every student would know 500 verses word perfect with the references before leaving Dallas (Theological Seminary)". And for what purpose?... Not smarter sinners, but more like our Savior. Jon Courson - He wrote the commandments not on an Etch-a-Sketch but in stone because they're not suggestions. They're nonnegotiable, irrevocable, everlasting commands. Merrill on why two tablets - It is likely, as some scholars argue, that the tablets were duplicates, one copy for Israel and the other, as it were, for Yahweh (Kline 1972:117-121). As in any legal transaction, both parties to the arrangement should have a copy of the instruments of agreement for future reference. NLT Study Note - All legal documents, including covenant texts, were copied for the benefit of all involved parties. God had his copy (the stone tablets) laid inside the ark of the covenant in the sanctuary (see Ex 25:16, 21; 31:18; 40:20; cp. Deut 31:26); Israel's copy was written in the books of Exodus (Ex 20:1-17) and Deuteronomy (Dt 5:6-21). Declared (05046)(nagad) means to be conspicuous, to report, to make known, to explain, to be reported. The root idea of the word and the causative form in which it is used is to declare something. The manner and context in which this is done creates the various shades of meaning of the verb. Strong's = "properly to front, i.e. stand boldly out opposite; by implication (causative), to manifest; figurative to announce (always by word of mouth to one present); specifically to expose, predict, explain, praise, certify, declare (-ing), denounce, expound, × fully, messenger, plainly, profess, rehearse, report, shew (forth), speak, × surely, tell, utter." Vine - The first emphasis of the word is "to tell." This especially means that A (frequently a messenger or some other person who has witnessed something) "tells" B (the one to whom the report is made) C (the report). In such instances B (the one told) is spatially separated from the original source of the information. So, in Gen. 9:22, Ham (A) saw his father naked and went outside the tent and "told" his brothers (B) what he had seen (C). In another group of passages nāgad represents the reporting of a messenger about a matter of life-or-death importance for the recipient. So a fugitive "came … and told Abram" that Lot had been captured and led away captive (Ge 14:13). A note of this emotionally charged situation is seen in Jacob's message to Esau: "I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight" (Gen. 32:5). Although not a report from a messenger from afar, Gen. 12:18 uses the verb of a report that is of crucial importance to the one addressed. Pharaoh asked Abram: "Why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?" Gen. 12:17 reports that because Pharaoh had taken Sarai into his harem to become his wife, God had smitten his household with great plagues. Finally, nāgad means "to explain or reveal" something one does not otherwise know. In Ge. 3:11 (the first biblical occurrence of the word) God asked Adam: "Who told thee that thou wast naked?" This was information immediately before them but not previously grasped by them. This usage appears in Ge. 41:24, where Pharaoh said of his dream: "… I told this unto the magicians; but there was none that could declare it to me." Similarly, David made certain there were no survivors from the Philistine cities he looted so no one would "tell" it to Achish (1 Sa 27:11). This word sometimes has a more forceful significance, God told the prophet to "show my people their transgression" (Isa. 58:1).(Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words) (Complete Biblical Library) The primary meaning of this verb, attested principally in the Hiphil stem, is "to inform." It can simply refer to disseminating previously unknown information (e.g., Ru 3:16), or it can have the more emphatic nuance of "to announce" (e.g., Isa. 41:22) or "to proclaim" (42:12). An extension of this nuance is "to praise," found in a number of Psalms (Ps 30:9, Ps. 19:1). The participle can denote a herald (2 Sa 15:13). It can have the nuance of "to answer" questions (2 Chr. 9:2). Nagad can have a LEGAL nuance - denotes proof in the claim of the Jews to have both royal permission and funding to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 2:59), to denote legal cases in the private realm as well (Lev 5:1). Nagad can refere to legal accusations (Jer. 20:10) and legal claims needing confirmation (Job 31:37).DIVINE REVELATION - Divine revelation of information such as tablets of the Old Covenant (Deut. 4:13). Dreams are a mode of divine enlightening of humans (Ge 41:25). Prophecy is conveyed by nāghad (Ge 49:1).he inability to convey information is a proof of the absurdity of religions based upon idols (Isa. 41:22ff). In Dt 4:13 the Lxx is anaggello/anangello which means means to bring back word and later to announce, to report. To rehearse, to show, to declare or tell of things done. In the 14 NT uses of anaggello, notice that most report or announce something that has to do with God, including His works and/or purposes. Nagad - 370x in 342 verses - answered(3), another(1), certainly told(1), confess(1), confront*(1), declare(46), declared(13), declares(6), declaring(4), denounce(2), describe(1), disclosed(1), display(1), explain(3), fully reported(1), give evidence(1), indeed tell(1), inform(3), informed(1), informs(2), know(1), known(1), made known(4), make...known(1), messenger(2), related(2), remind(1), report(2), reported(10), reported*(1), show(2), shown(2), surely report(1), surely tell(1), tell(101), telling(2), tells(3), told(131), told plainly(1), uttered(1).Gen. 3:11; Gen. 9:22; Gen. 12:18; Gen. 14:13; Gen. 21:26; Gen. 22:20; Gen. 24:23; Gen. 24:28; Gen. 24:49; Gen. 26:32; Gen. 27:42; Gen. 29:12; Gen. 29:15; Gen. 31:20; Gen. 31:22; Gen. 31:27; Gen. 32:5; Gen. 32:29; Gen. 37:5; Gen. 37:16; Gen. 38:13; Gen. 38:24; Gen. 41:24; Gen. 41:25; Gen. 42:29; Gen. 43:6; Gen. 43:7; Gen. 44:24; Gen. 45:13; Gen. 45:26; Gen. 46:31; Gen. 47:1; Gen. 48:2; Gen. 49:1; Exod. 4:28; Exod. 13:8; Exod. 14:5; Exod. 16:22; Exod. 19:3; Exod. 19:9; Lev. 5:1; Lev. 14:35; Num. 11:27; Num. 23:3; Deut. 4:13; Deut. 5:5; Deut. 17:4; Deut. 17:9; Deut. 17:10; Deut. 17:11; Deut. 26:3; Deut. 30:18; Deut. 32:7; Jos. 2:14; Jos. 2:20; Jos. 7:19; Jos. 9:24; Jos. 10:17; Jdg. 4:12; Jdg. 9:7; Jdg. 9:25; Jdg. 9:42; Jdg. 9:47; Jdg. 13:6; Jdg. 13:10; Jdg. 14:2; Jdg. 14:6; Jdg. 14:9; Jdg. 14:12; Jdg. 14:13; Jdg. 14:14; Jdg. 14:15; Jdg. 14:16; Jdg. 14:17; Jdg. 14:19; Jdg. 16:6; Jdg. 16:10; Jdg. 16:13; Jdg. 16:15; Jdg. 16:17; Jdg. 16:18; Ruth 2:11; Ruth 2:19; Ruth 3:4; Ruth 3:16; Ruth 4:4; 1 Sam. 3:13; 1 Sam. 3:15; 1 Sam. 3:18; 1 Sam. 4:13; 1 Sam. 4:14; 1 Sam. 8:9; 1 Sam. 9:6; 1 Sam. 9:8; 1 Sam. 9:18; 1 Sam. 9:19; 1 Sam. 10:15; 1 Sam. 10:16; 1 Sam. 11:9; 1 Sam. 14:1; 1 Sam. 14:33; 1 Sam. 14:43; 1 Sam. 15:12; 1 Sam. 15:16; 1 Sam. 17:31; 1 Sam. 18:20; 1 Sam. 18:24; 1 Sam. 18:26; 1 Sam. 19:2; 1 Sam. 19:3; 1 Sam. 19:7; 1 Sam. 19:11; 1 Sam. 19:18; 1 Sam. 19:19; 1 Sam. 19:21; 1 Sam. 20:9; 1 Sam. 20:10; 1 Sam. 22:21; 1 Sam. 22:22; 1 Sam. 23:1; 1 Sam. 23:7; 1 Sam. 23:11; 1 Sam. 23:13; 1 Sam. 23:25; 1 Sam. 24:1; 1 Sam. 24:18; 1 Sam. 25:8; 1 Sam. 25:12; 1 Sam. 25:14; 1 Sam. 25:19; 1 Sam. 25:36; 1 Sam. 25:37; 1 Sam. 27:4; 1 Sam. 27:11; 2 Sam. 1:4; 2 Sam. 1:5; 2 Sam. 1:6; 2 Sam. 1:13; 2 Sam. 1:20; 2 Sam. 2:4; 2 Sam. 3:23; 2 Sam. 4:10; 2 Sam. 6:12; 2 Sam. 7:11; 2 Sam. 10:5; 2 Sam. 10:17; 2 Sam. 11:5; 2 Sam. 11:10; 2 Sam. 11:18; 2 Sam. 11:22; 2 Sam. 12:18; 2 Sam. 13:4; 2 Sam. 14:33; 2 Sam. 15:13; 2 Sam. 15:28; 2 Sam. 15:31; 2 Sam. 15:35; 2 Sam. 17:16; 2 Sam. 17:17; 2 Sam. 17:18; 2 Sam. 17:21; 2 Sam. 18:10; 2 Sam. 18:11; 2 Sam. 18:21; 2 Sam. 18:25; 2 Sam. 19:1; 2 Sam. 19:6; 2 Sam. 19:8; 2 Sam. 21:11; 2 Sam. 24:13; 1 Ki. 1:20; 1 Ki. 1:23; 1 Ki. 1:51; 1 Ki. 2:29; 1 Ki. 2:39; 1 Ki. 2:41; 1 Ki. 10:3; 1 Ki. 10:7; 1 Ki. 14:3; 1 Ki. 18:12; 1 Ki. 18:13; 1 Ki. 18:16; 1 Ki. 19:1; 1 Ki. 20:17; 2 Ki. 4:2; 2 Ki. 4:7; 2 Ki. 4:27; 2 Ki. 4:31; 2 Ki. 5:4; 2 Ki. 6:11; 2 Ki. 6:12; 2 Ki. 6:13; 2 Ki. 7:9; 2 Ki. 7:10; 2 Ki. 7:11; 2 Ki. 7:12; 2 Ki. 7:15; 2 Ki. 8:7; 2 Ki. 9:12; 2 Ki. 9:15; 2 Ki. 9:18; 2 Ki. 9:20; 2 Ki. 9:36; 2 Ki. 10:8; 2 Ki. 18:37; 2 Ki. 22:10; 1 Chr. 17:10; 1 Chr. 19:5; 1 Chr. 19:17; 2 Chr. 9:2; 2 Chr. 9:6; 2 Chr. 20:2; 2 Chr. 34:18; Ezr. 2:59; Neh. 2:12; Neh. 2:16; Neh. 2:18; Neh. 7:61; Est. 2:10; Est. 2:20; Est. 2:22; Est. 3:4; Est. 3:6; Est. 4:4; Est. 4:7; Est. 4:8; Est. 4:9; Est. 4:12; Est. 6:2; Est. 8:1; Job 1:15; Job 1:16; Job 1:17; Job 1:19; Job 11:6; Job 12:7; Job 15:18; Job 17:5; Job 21:31; Job 26:4; Job 33:23; Job 36:9; Job 36:33; Job 38:4; Job 38:18; Job 42:3; Ps. 9:11; Ps. 19:1; Ps. 22:31; Ps. 30:9; Ps. 38:18; Ps. 40:5; Ps. 50:6; Ps. 51:15; Ps. 64:9; Ps. 71:17; Ps. 71:18; Ps. 75:9; Ps. 92:2; Ps. 92:15; Ps. 97:6; Ps. 111:6; Ps. 142:2; Ps. 145:4; Ps. 147:19; Prov. 12:17; Prov. 29:24; Eccl. 6:12; Eccl. 8:7; Eccl. 10:14; Eccl. 10:20; Cant. 1:7; Cant. 5:8; Isa. 3:9; Isa. 7:2; Isa. 19:12; Isa. 21:2; Isa. 21:6; Isa. 21:10; Isa. 36:22; Isa. 40:21; Isa. 41:22; Isa. 41:23; Isa. 41:26; Isa. 42:9; Isa. 42:12; Isa. 43:9; Isa. 43:12; Isa. 44:7; Isa. 44:8; Isa. 45:19; Isa. 45:21; Isa. 46:10; Isa. 48:3; Isa. 48:5; Isa. 48:6; Isa. 48:14; Isa. 48:20; Isa. 57:12; Isa. 58:1; Isa. 66:19; Jer. 4:5; Jer. 4:15; Jer. 5:20; Jer. 9:12; Jer. 16:10; Jer. 20:10; Jer. 31:10; Jer. 33:3; Jer. 36:13; Jer. 36:16; Jer. 36:17; Jer. 36:20; Jer. 38:15; Jer. 38:25; Jer. 38:27; Jer. 42:3; Jer. 42:4; Jer. 42:20; Jer. 42:21; Jer. 46:14; Jer. 48:20; Jer. 50:2; Jer. 50:28; Jer. 51:31; Ezek. 23:36; Ezek. 24:19; Ezek. 37:18; Ezek. 40:4; Ezek. 43:10; Dan. 2:2; Dan. 9:23; Dan. 10:21; Dan. 11:2; Hos. 4:12; Amos 4:13; Jon. 1:8; Jon. 1:10; Mic. 1:10; Mic. 3:8; Mic. 6:8; Zech. 9:12 Deuteronomy 4:14 "The LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that you might perform them in the land where you are going over to possess it. Ezek 21:1-23:49 Ps 105:44,45 Deuteronomy 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passage: Psalm 105:44; 45 He gave them also the lands of the nations, That they might take possession of the fruit of the peoples’ labor, 45 So that they might keep His statutes And observe His laws, Praise the LORD! HOW TO POSSESS YOUR POSSESSIONS The LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that you might perform them in the land where you are going over to possess it. - Notice the pattern of how to possess your possessions - teach God's truth, obey God's truth, possess God's promises. This pattern for possession of God's promise is repeated in Dt 4:1 and Dt 4:5. THOUGHT - This pattern is not just pertinent to possession of God's promises in the OT, but is important for NT believers so that they might lay hold of God's precious and magnificent promises (2 Pe 1:4+). If you feel like you are not laying hold of His promises, do a self-examination regarding your obedience. Are you overtly disobeying God? Are you partially obeying God? If you want motivation, notice that Peter says that "by them you may become partakers of the divine nature." Do you want to be more like Jesus (a partaker of His divine nature)? Then enabled by His Spirit, flee from evil things man or woman of God and "pursue (present imperative see our desperate need to continually depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness." (1 Ti 6:11+, cf Heb 12:14+) Teach...statutes and judgments...perform - Here we have the juxtaposition of hearing the Word and doing the Word. If one truly believes the word (has faith) he or she will obey the word. This reminds us of James who writes "But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” (James 2:18+) Utley emphasizes that "It is not enough to know God’s will for your life, but to do it (cf. Dt 4:1, 2, 5, 6; Luke 6:46; James 2:14–20)" To possess it - And once again we see the basic principle of obedience to God linked with possessing one's possessions. Their life in the land would be dependent on their obedience to the teaching . Deuteronomy 4:15 "So watch yourselves carefully, since you did not see any form on the day the LORD spoke to you at Horeb from the midst of the fire, watch yourselves: De 4:9,23 Jos 23:11 1Ch 28:9,10 Ps 119:9 Pr 4:23,27 Jer 17:21 Mal 2:15 any form: De 4:12 Isa 40:18 2Co 4:4-6 Heb 1:3 Deuteronomy 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries ESV Therefore watch yourselves very carefully. Since byou saw no form on the day that the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, WARNING AGAINST IDOLATRY So (therefore - ESV) - Based on the fact that they are going into pagan lands filled with idolatry, God gives a clear, strong command. So watch yourselves carefully - KJV more literally says "take ye therefore good heed." Why? The next phrase explains. Septuagint says in essence "greatly watch/guard your soul." Septuagint has "guard exceedingly your soul." (cf Pr 4:23+ - heart, 1 Pe 2:11+- soul) which is closer to the literal Hebrew which says "give great care to your souls." Thompson observes that Dt 4:15-31 "is a detailed commentary on the second commandment. (Ex 20:4)" Christopher Wright - the contrast is not between visible and invisible, or between spiritual and material, but between the visible and the audible. Idols have “form” but do not speak. Yahweh has no “form,” but he decisively speaks. Idols are visible but dumb. Yahweh is invisible but eloquent, addressing his people in words of promise and demand, gift and claim. This introduces a fundamentally moral distinction into the contrast between the faith of Israel and surrounding visual polytheism. What sets Yahweh apart is not that he looks different, but that he calls for a people who will look different, with a different way of life, a different social order, and a different dynamic of worship. It is these powerfully redemptive and ethical qualities that burst the limits of language in verses 32ff. At this point, all that matters is that Israel should beware of cheap but attractive alternatives. (UCBS Deuteronomy) Watch (08104) is the verb shamar, used 7x in this chapter (twice in v9) - Dt 4:2, 6, 9, 15, 23, 40. The Lxx uses phulasso which means to guard yourself like a sentry to protect from enemy attack or guard from theft. Clearly God is trying emphatically to gain Israel's attention with the truth that watching ourselves is urgent and vital, in the present context the warning being specifically against idolatry, a direct violation of God's first two commands (Dt 4:16-19, cp Dt 5:7-10). Merrill - The warning here is not about the worship of other gods but about the misguided attempt to represent Yahweh himself by means of forms or statues. McIntosh - When man worships anything less than his Creator, he loses touch with that which provides him with dignity and purpose. Since God created humanity to have fellowship with him, to pretend satisfaction in a relationship with a creature robs both man and God of the majesty that they ought to possess. Israel was not to become like the nations, because their God was greater than the gods of those nations. (Holman Old Testament Commentary) Carefully (meod) conveys the sense of much or in excess (we cannot watch ourselves too much because the lust of our flesh is always active (Gal 5:17+) and very seductive [James 1:14+], our hearts are very deceitful and desperately sick (Jer 17:9) and sin itself is very deceitful [Heb 3:13+] How should Christians view statues of Jesus? Since you did not see any form on the day the LORD spoke to you at Horeb from the midst of the fire - It would be difficult/impossible to make a material representation of God if He was never seen. The point is don't do it! Unseen Majesty Read: Deuteronomy 4:15-31 | You shall not make for yourself a carved image. —Exodus 20:4 The Encyclopedia Britannica describes Marcus Terentius Varro (116-27 BC) as “Rome’s greatest scholar.” He wrote more than 600 books on many subjects. Among his writings is this statement: “They who first introduced images of the gods removed fear and added error.” This profound statement helps us understand why Moses reminded Israel at Sinai, “You saw no form when the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire” (Dt. 4:15). It also underscores the reason behind God’s command prohibiting any physical representations of Him. We cannot love and serve the Lord in an acceptable manner unless we have an accurate understanding of His character. Any physical portrayal, however, whether with pictures, icons, or statues, distorts our perception of His true character and lessens a healthy respect for His awesome holiness and power. If Rome’s greatest secular scholar, guided only by the light of nature and reason, could see the dangers of misrepresenting deity, how much more should we who have special revelation carefully attend to every word God has spoken. Let’s ask the Lord to instill in us a healthy respect of Him and help us grow in our knowledge of His character.By Dennis J. De Haan Immortal, invisible, God only wise, In light inaccessible hid from our eyes, Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days, Almighty, victorious—Thy great name we praise. —Smith God made us in His image, don't try to make Him in yours. Deuteronomy 4:16 so that you do not act corruptly and make a graven image for yourselves in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female, corrupt (KJV): De 4:8,9 Ex 20:4,5 32:7 Ps 106:19,20 Ro 1:22-24 the likeness (KJV): Such as Baal-peor, the Roman Priapus; Ashtaroth or Astarte, the Greek and Roman Venus, and many others. De 4:23 Isa 40:18 Joh 4:24 Ac 17:29 20:4,5 1Ti 1:17 IDOLATRY CORRUPTS AND BRINGS RUIN So that - Always be alert to this term of purpose asking for example in this case what is the purpose of watching themselves carefully (Dt 4:15)? Clearly the purpose is that they do not fall into ruin (act corruptly). You do not act corruptly and make a graven image for yourselves - (NIV = "do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol") In other words, acting or becoming corrupt and making idols are equated. The corollary is that the way to be ruined is to make idols. These principles are timeless! This is exactly what the first generation of Israelites did at Mt Sinai Then the LORD spoke to Moses, “Go down at once, for your people, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt, have corrupted (shachath) themselves.(Exodus 32:7+) HOW DID THEY CORRUPT THEMSELVES? BY MAKING THE GOLDEN CALF TO REPRESENT GOD! = "This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt" (Ex 32:4+)
Deuteronômio 4
Vernon McGee on Israel - That nation is still a witness to the world today, a witness in their disobedience. They are scattered over the world today. Why? Because they did the thing God forbade them to do. I know someone will point out that they are back in the land and they are a nation now. Yes, but they are in trouble, aren’t they? When God brings them back into that land as He predicted, they won’t be having the trouble they are having today. The nation of Israel is still under the judgment of God today because it has turned its back upon God. Judgment will come upon any nation which rejects Him. This is a tremendous lesson for us today. Stones of Adversity - Woodrow Kroll Deuteronomy 4:27-31, especially verse 30 When you are in distress … Introduction: Difficulty and adversity come to all of us, in small ways that nag at us like a pebble in our shoes and in large ways that overwhelm us like a rockslide. None of us is exempt just because we’re Christians. You can be going along and things seem fine, then you go to the doctor and get a report you didn’t want to hear. Or a phone call you didn’t want to receive. Moses knew all about adversity, and that’s why I find Deuteronomy 4:27–31 so comforting. If you think about the life of Moses and the Children of Israel, their lives parallel our lives in many respects; and we can learn from their examples. Today there are three principles I’d like you to know. Whatever You’re Going Through, It’s Not Necessarily Because of Sin in Your Life. Sometimes adversity is associated with sin. David numbered the people, a display of pride on his behalf that resulted in significant trouble for him. Jonah ran from God, and his disobedience brought adversity. Does that automatically mean that when I have trouble I’ve sinned? No. Remember Job? He’s a classic example of someone who faced adversity though there was no glaring sin in his life. Jesus observed that God sends the rain on the just and the unjust. You’re not exempt because you’re a Christian. When Paul wanted to encourage the believers of Asia Minor, he said: “We must go through many tribulations to enter the kingdom of God.” Adversity comes to all and we should all expect it. If you’re a Christian, don’t expect God to keep you from tribulation. Whatever You’re Going Through, God Has a Plan to Use It for Good. God allows adversity in our lives because He wants to strengthen our character. Beethoven did most of his best work after he was completely deaf. Pascal learned his greatest lessons about life while bedridden with disease. There are things in your life that God allows to come because He knows the end from the beginning, and He knows what’s good for you. In fact, He knows what’s best for you. So if God allows adversity in your life, He does so because He knows it will lead to good. See Romans 8:28. Whatever You’re Going Through, God Will Not Let You Face It Alone. Jesus promised, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Heb. 13:5). God promises to always be with us in our adversity. See Psalm 94:12–14. He is very interested in you and will never let you go through adversity by yourself. As we learn the lessons of adversity we understand that it’s necessary in our lives. We really can’t have maturity in our Christian lives without some adversity. Some of us, even those who may be more mature in the Christian faith, sometimes nearly crack under adversity; but we must always remember that God has not abandoned us amid our problems. The great writer, W. T. Purkiser, said, “God does not offer us a way out of testings in life. He offers us a way through them, and that makes all the difference.” Adversity teaches us many things about God and about what He wants to accomplish in our lives. For example, it teaches us something about the faithfulness of God. Erwin Lutzer remarked that God often puts us in situations that are too much for us so that we can learn that no situation is too much for Him. What I learn from adversity is that God is always going to be there, and He is always faithful to me. I am not sufficient in myself to overcome the adversities of my life, but through God’s strength I am strong. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13). Conclusion: Hey, listen. Sometimes I don’t want adversity to come to my life. But as I mature in my faith, I understand that God allows adversity to come to my life, and it is not always because I have sinned. We’re all going to face adversity. God allows it because He has a plan for us that is better than our plans for ourselves, and Jesus Christ has promised to be with us always, even in the valley of the shadow. In this world we will have tribulation, but we can be of good cheer for He has overcome the world. More from Dr. Kroll - When my mother was a little girl she once had a stone in her shoe. As she took it out, her father who was a very wise man, said, “Now, doesn’t that feel good—once you got that stone out? If the stone had never been there, you would never know how good it felt afterward.” If there were no adversity in your life, you may not be able to enjoy life. Sometimes God uses adversity as an opportunity to help you in your own life. A boy was ten years old when he ran away from home. His family had a soap manufacturing business, but he didn’t like being in the business; so at age ten he decided to run away from home and go to Chicago. The only thing he knew was soap, so he started to sell soap in order to keep body and soul together. He decided to make some incentive for people to buy his soap. Every bar of soap they bought, he gave them two free sticks of gum. He soon found out people loved the gum more than the soap, and soon he went into the gum business. His name was William Wrigley. It was the adversity of having to run away from home and trying to get away from his family that led him to the thing God obviously called him to—Wrigley’s gum. Sometimes God will use adversity simply to bring you to the point where He can bless you. (Nelson's Annual Preacher's Sourcebook - 2007) Deuteronomy 4:28 "And there you will serve gods, the work of man's hands, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell. You will serve: De 28:36,64 1Sa 26:19 Jer 16:13 Eze 20:32,39 Ac 7:42 Neither see: Ps 115:4-7 135:15,16 Isa 44:9, 45:20, 46:7 Jer 10:3,9 Deuteronomy 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries GOTTA SERVE SOMEBODY! GOD OR IDOLS The title of this section comes from Bob Dylan's classic "Gotta Serve Somebody!" It may be the devil or it may be the Lord, but you gotta serve somebody! Driver on vv 27-28 - They will be scattered among the nations, and dwindle in numbers; there also they will sink deeper in heathenism, until they become abandoned entirely to the worship of dumb idols. You will serve gods - O the irony of "poetic justice!" What a pitiful description for God's Chosen People! By the way, this is another of the passages you won't find in God's book of promises! The truth of this passage applies to all men of all ethnicity. If man does not serve God, he will by default serve gods! Jesus made this quite clear when He declared “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to one and despise the other. You (absolutely) cannot serve God and mammon." (Matthew 6:24-note) Henry Morris on serve other gods - This is a prophecy remarkably fulfilled in later ages. Not only were the Israelites scattered among the nations of the world, but great multitudes of these apostates abandoned the faith of their fathers in favor of many forms--ancient and modern--of evolutionary pantheism. Modern Reform Judaism, for example, is little more than evolutionary humanism. Merrill - Israel's exile would not immediately cure her of idolatry. In fact, Moses said, it would intensify and take even more reprobate form, for no longer would the lifeless idols of wood and stone represent Yahweh, but they would take his place (Dt 4:28). Presupposed here are the pantheons of deities of the pagan world that were worshiped in the guise of images made by human hands. Their pathetic impotence is seen clearly in their inability to exhibit even the human abilities of hearing, eating, and smelling (cf. Ps 115:4-8; Isa 44:9-17; Jer 10:6-16). But that would not mean the end for Israel, as hopeless as her apostasy might seem to be. (Cornerstone Biblical Commentary) Serve - The Jews were set free from the bondage of slavery in Egypt so that they might serve Jehovah (Ex 7:16, 8:1, 20, 9:1, 13, 10:3, 7) but they rejected Him as their Master and ended up being forced to serve dumb idols! It was as if God said, "You have chosen this path, now live with it." God says in essence" If you want idols, not Me, then I will give you what you want!" (cp Israel's cry for "meat" which God gave them along with "a wasting disease" = Nu 11:4, 33, Ps 106:14, 15) THOUGHT - That is personally my greatest fear when I commit a presumptuous ("high handed") sin against God (Ps 19:12-13-note) - that He may say "Okay, you want it. Go for it!" That would be horrible! The other point that this passage raises is you had better be careful what you "wish for" or you may end up like Israel who lusted for idols and were given over entirely to the object of their evil desire! Look out! The work of men’s hands 2 Ki 19:18 Isa 37:19, 2 Ch. 32:19 Ps. 115:4, Ps 135:15; Dt 27:15, Jer. 10:3 (מעשה ידי חרש) Hos. 14:4 Is. 2:8, Isa 17:8, Mic. 5:12. Wood and stone, as Dt 28:36, 64, Dt 29:16, Ezek 20:32 Which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell - Ps 115:5–7, Ps 135:16–17. Driver adds "The same sarcasm on idols, made by the hands of men, and not even capable of the functions of animal life, also Hos. 8:6, 13:2, Is. 2:8, 20, 17:8, 30:22, Hab. 2:18f., Jer. 10:1–10, 14–15 (= Jer 51:17–18) Is. 44:9–20, 46:6f. (cf. Isa 40:19f, 41:7, 48:5): elsewhere in the Pent. only Lev. 26:30" In Jeremiah 16:13 there is a vivid picture of God's wrath casting Judah out of the land as someone would throw someone out their house: So I will hurl (cp Isa 22:17, Jer 22:26, 28) you out of this land into the land which you have not known, neither you nor your fathers; and there you will serve other gods day and night, for I shall grant you no favor (Lxx translates with eleos = pity, mercy). Gods, the work of man's hands...neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell. The psalmist gives a similar description Their idols are silver and gold, The work of man’s hands. They have mouths, but they cannot speak; They have eyes, but they cannot see; They have ears, but they cannot hear; They have noses, but they cannot smell; They have hands, but they cannot feel; They have feet, but they cannot walk; They cannot make a sound with their throat. (Psalm 115:4-7) In Isaiah 44:9 we read Those who fashion a graven image (carved as from wood or chiseled from rock, but still dead!) are all of them futile, and their precious things are of no profit; even their own witnesses fail to see or know, so that they will be put to shame. Comment: Notice these inanimate objects are futile (Hebrew tohu, 08414) which is used first in Ge 1:2 translated "formless," in Deut 32:10 translated "waste" and in Isa 24:10 translated "chaos!" All of these renderings would compose an apt description of idols! Block comments - Exposing the folly of idolatry, Moses observes sarcastically how roles have reversed. (1) Instead of the creature worshiping the Creator, the creator worships creature: idols are the work of human hands. (2) Idolatry directly contradicts Yahweh’s self-revelation (Dt 4:12, 15): lifeless and physical material replaces what is formless but living and spiritual. (3) These images have organs of perception and communication, but they are blind, deaf, and dumb. In effect, Yahweh says through Moses, “If idolatry is what you want, fine—but not in my land!” For their sin, the Israelites face a total disintegration of the deity—nation—land relationship that Yahweh had established for the sake of his mission to the world, and in Israel’s interest. (Ibid) IVP Bible Background Commentary Other passages that articulate this view are Isaiah 44; Jeremiah 10; and Psalm 115:4–8. On the beliefs about idols in ancient Near Eastern religious practice, see the comment on 4:15–18. It has long been of interest to scholars that the text does not refute mythology or the existence of the pagan gods but attacks their understanding of idols. In the end, however, it is very difficult to prove to someone that his gods do not exist. But it can be shown that the gods do not operate in the way they are believed to. To the biblical authors the “idol as fetish” aspect of pagan belief was the most vulnerable and the most ridiculous. If the gods were not manifest in their images, then many of the other aspects of the common worldview were also in jeopardy THOUGHT - God mocks the idols in Isaiah 45:20 declaring an idol cannot save! As a Westerner you may not realize that there are literally millions of souls who have been deceived by the lie that their idols can bestow benefits (as well as curses) and can save them. Are you regularly praying for the hidden people groups who are in bondage to the dominion of Satan (Acts 26:18). I like two sites to guide my intercession for these souls ensnared by idolatry - Global Prayer Digest and Joshua Project Unreached People Group of the Day. Gather yourselves and come; Draw near together, you fugitives of the nations; They have no knowledge, Who carry about their wooden idol, And pray to a god who cannot save. (Isaiah 45:20) David Reed - Deuteronomy 4:28 - Mormons Answered Verse by Verse Centuries after Moses recorded this prophecy, the nation of Israel was carried off captive to lands where people worshiped idols—gods of wood and stone. But some Mormons believe this verse applies also to the Catholic and Protestant churches. They believe that strange Gods of christendom are worshiped in those churches, “gods made by the hands of man”—by church leaders who apostatized from the true faith and invented a counterfeit theology (A Marvelous Work And A Wonder, by Mormon Apostle LeGrand Richards, 1979 edition, p. 12). “The false gods of Christendom bear the same names as the true Gods of the Bible. Beyond this they have little resemblance” (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith, by Bruce R. McConkie, p.55). The true God, according to Mormonism, is a former man who still has a humanlike body and who can therefore see, hear, eat, and smell with his eyes, ears, mouth, and nose. Anyone worshiping a God who is a spirit and therefore lacks those literal human body parts falls into the same category as the idolaters described in Deuteronomy, in the Mormon’s view. They charge Catholics and Protestants with worshiping a God who can “neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.” Yet, God declares in the Bible, “I am God, and not man” (Hos. 11:9). Since “in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” and said, “Let there be light: and there was light,” it should be obvious that he could see that light even before he formed any creatures having eyes (Gen. 1:1, 3). As the psalmist puts it, “He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?” (Ps. 94:9). No, the God Christians worship is not “the work of men’s hands” (Deut. 4:28). Nor is he a former man, like the gods of Mormonism. Rather, the true God is “from everlasting to everlasting” (Ps. 106:48; 41:13). And, far from having the proportions of a man, he is so great that King Solomon prayed, “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?” (1 Kings 8:27). For further refutation of the LDS claim that God the Father has a resurrected body of flesh and bones, see the discussions of Genesis 1:26, 27; 32:30; Exodus 24:10, 11; 33:11. Deuteronomy 4:29 "But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul. But: De 30:10 Lev 26:39-42 2Ch 15:4,15 Ne 1:9 Isa 55:6,7 Jer 3:12-14 Jer 29:12-14 With all: De 30:1-3 1Ki 8:47,48 2Ki 10:31 23:3 2Ch 15:12 31:21 Ps 119:2,10 Ps 119:58,145 Jer 3:10 Joe 2:12 Deuteronomy 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries A BLESSED "BUT"! A FUTURE AND A HOPE FOR ISRAEL Driver on Dt 4:29-31 - But Israel’s alienation from its God will not be permanent. Tribulation will work a change in the heart of the nation; it will turn sincerely to Jehovah, and its penitence being accepted, will receive again the tokens of His favour. But - Note this blessed term of contrast!!! This blessed contrast reminds us the wonderful "but God" in Ephesians 2:4-note where in the face of our spiritually dead condition, God, because of His rich mercy and great love, "made us alive together with Christ." (Ephesians 2:5-note). As Thompson says "Even in the predicament of exile God may be sought and found." (Ibid) To that we all say "Thank You Jesus!" as we all have those moments of "temporary exile" so to speak, wherein we forget God's goodness and go astray into sin, bowing down to and serving our "idol du joir" or "idol of choice" so to speak. And yet because of God's endless love and great mercy and kindness, we can still cry out to Him from the darkness of sin (cp 1John 1:9, Pr 28:13) and He picks us up and out of the miry clay and puts us on a rock... He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay; and He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. (Psalm 40:2) From there - From where? From their worldwide dispersion. Seek the LORD - Israel will experience again His grace and help = Ps. 32:6, Is. 55:6, Isa 65:1, 1 Ch. 28:9b, 2 Ch. 15:2, 4, Jer. 29:13 Do you see God's great covenant mercy, His abundant lovingkindness? No man, Jew or Gentile, seeks for God (Ro 3:11, Ps 14:2), so in order for the dispersed Jews in the latter days to seek for Him, God Himself (His Spirit - cp "the Spirit of grace" = Zech 12:10+) must put that desire in their heart. Of course, they still have the responsibility to follow through and "seek for Him" -- this is a great mystery - God's sovereign provision, man's responsibility. Notice this phrase the LORD your God which shows that even though He will chastise Israel, even scattering them, He is still their God. Israel may have abandoned Him, but He will not abandon them. Seek (01245) (baqash) is a verb meaning to seek, to require; to try to obtain. "It is used to describe subjects seeking or requiring various things for various reasons: a stolen object (Ge 31:39); persons (Ge 37:15, 16); someone’s life (Ex. 4:19; 24); evil against someone (1 Sa 25:26) or good (Neh. 2:10; Ps. 122:9). It denotes seeking someone’s presence, especially the Lord’s (1 Ki 10:24; Hos. 5:15) or His word (Amos 8:12). Prayer was a means of seeking the Lord’s will (Dan. 9:3). In the passive use of the verb, something is sought for (Jer 50:20; Ezek 26:21) or is examined (Esther 2:23). (Baker) Block adds that in this passage "to seek” (bqš) Yahweh does not mean to look for Him as if He were lost, but to seek Him out, to approach Him humbly with renewed devotion, and plead for return of His favor." (Ibid) With all your heart and all your soul - Driver writes "the words express the condition of Jehovah’s being “found,” His being sought for, viz. not from superficial or interested motives, such as the desire to escape from misfortune, but with a radical change of heart (Dt 4:30 “return”), and the devotion of the whole being." This speaks of total commitment not a "seeking" to simply have restored what they had lost. The danger for them (and all of us) is a longing to return to the land (or whatever place of blessing we were in) but not a sincere, heartfelt desire to return to the Lord. We want the "place" but not His presence. Complete devotion. This degree of commitment is repeatedly urged throughout Deuteronomy (see Dt 6:5; 11:13; 10:12-13; 30:1-3,10). Of course, there is only one way they could keep this charge and that is as they were enabled by God's grace and His Spirit (yes the Spirit was clearly active in the OT, but just not continually indwelling believers). If God asked that of them then, why would He ask less of us today, especially in light of the truth that we have the empowering Holy Spirit indwelling us? But just try accomplishing this in reliance on your natural strength, the Old Man! It seems to me that this description is of a heart and soul which has been touched by God's grace and mercy (see Zech 12:10+ and experienced spiritual circumcision of the heart as in Dt 30:6+ = "Moreover the LORD your God will circumcise your heart (CLEARLY THIS IS SPIRITUAL CIRCUMCISION AND EQUATES WITH SALVATION IN THE NT [see Ro 2:28-29+] SO IT HAS TO BE BY GOD'S GRACE [HIS SPIRIT'S INWORKING] AND THE INDIVIDUAL'S FAITH) and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live." See Excursus on Circumcision). Ultimately one's heart condition is revealed by one's humble conduct. The heart attitude described here is that shown by David as he expressed his sorrow after his sin with Bathsheba declaring "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise." (Ps 51:17). Concordia Self Study Bible on all your heart and all your soul - The phrase is applied not only to how the Lord’s people should seek Him, but also to how they should fear (revere) Him, live in obedience to Him, love and serve Him (Dt 6:5; 10:12; 11:13; 13:3; 30:6), and, after forsaking Him, renew their allegiance and commitment (Dt 26:16; 30:2, 10). With all thy heart, and with all thy soul] a specially Deuteronomic expression, implying the devotion of the whole being to God. It occurs besides Dt 4:29, Dt 6:5, Dt 10:12, 11:13, 13:4, 26:16, 30:2, 6, 10; Jos. 22:5, 23:14; 1 Ki 2:4, 1 Ki8:48, 2 Ch. 6:38, 2 Ki 23:3, 2 Ch. 34:31 2 Ch. 15:12: Jer. uses it once, of God, Jer 32:41! Driver adds "The phrase “with all the heart, and with all the soul,” is characteristic of Dt. and a genuine expression of the spirit which animates the Writer. It denotes (substantially) the entire spiritual being of man, the “heart” being, in the psychology of the ancient Hebrews, the organ of intellect (see Jer. 5:21, Hos. 7:11 Job 12:24), and the “soul” being the organ of the desires or affections. WITH ALL ONE'S HEART AND SOUL: SEEK, LOVE, FEAR, SERVE, RETURN & OBEY/TURN Deut 6:5 “And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. Deut 10:12 “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require from you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, Deut 11:18 "You shall therefore impress (Lxx says "cast into your heart") these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. Comment: How better to place the Word of God on your heart then to memorize it! Do you need some motivation to begin to discipline yourself to memorize God's Word? See Memorizing His Word and Memory Verses by Topic. Deut 11:13 “And it shall come about, if you listen obediently to my commandments which I am commanding you today, to love the LORD your God and to serve Him with all your heart and all your soul, Deut 13:3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the LORD your God is testing you to find out if you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Deut 26:16; “This day the LORD your God commands you to do these statutes and ordinances. You shall therefore be careful to do them with all your heart and with all your soul. Deut 30:2 and you return to the LORD your God and obey Him with all your heart and soul according to all that I command you today, you and your sons, Deut 30:10 if you obey the LORD your God to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the law, if you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and soul. Deut 30:6 “Moreover the LORD your God will circumcise your heart (spiritually - Ro 2:25-28-note, Ro 2:29-note; Col 2:11-note) and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, in order that you may live. Comment: This is an OT allusion to the New Covenant (see Circumcision of the Heart). Indeed the only way one can truly love the Lord with all one's heart and soul is by having a new power. The old nature cannot do this. Exactly how this was effecting in OT believers is not clear to me as they did not have the indwelling Spirit as we do. However it is still most reasonable to postulate that although they did not have Him indwelling them, He was still available as their source of supernatural power.
Deuteronômio 4
Vernon McGee on distress - This is the first mention of the Great Tribulation which is ultimately coming. "In the latter days" is a technical term in the Old Testament which refers to the Great Tribulation period. God sets up a condition: "If thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto His voice." (Thru The Bible with J. Vernon McGee) You will return to the LORD your God (cf Hos 5:15) - The parallel description in Deut 30:2 adds Israel will return to the LORD "with all your heart and soul." This is an important detail. Beloved there are some resources who do not interpret the time phrase the latter days to be a reference to the eschaton (e.g., the NET Notes which I highly respect says the "phrase is not used here in a technical sense for the eschaton"). I beg to differ and I think the clear teaching of the passage (and comparison with other uses of "last days") unequivocally favors a yet future, end time fulfillment in God's perfect timing! There is no time in Israel's past or current history when the nation can be identified as having returned to Yahweh with all their heart and all their soul. This simply has not been fulfilled for Israel as a nation! But it will be fulfilled in the eschaton, the last days, for the apostle Paul promises that "all Israel will be saved (ALL THAT BELIEVE); just as it is written, “THE DELIVERER (MESSIAH) WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB. THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS.” (Ro 11:26-27+) That is the time when "the LORD your God will circumcise your (ISRAEL'S) heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live. " (Dt 30:6) (See discussion of Circumcision of the Heart) Listen (shama)(08085) implies not just hearing, but hearing with attention and thus obeying so KJV translates it "obey." Listen to His voice - NET Note renders it "obey Him" and explains that "this expression (listen to His voice) is an idiom meaning “obey,” occurring in Dt 8:20; 9:23; 13:18; 21:18, 20; 26:14, 17; 27:10; 28:1–2, 15, 45, 62; 30:2, 8, 10, 20. In the latter days - (Greek = "ep eschato ton hemeron" - eschatos - More literally this reads " in the latter end of the days.") This is an important time phrase which most often conveys a prophetic (eschatological) significance as in this passage. See also commentary regarding Israel's future in the latter days Jeremiah 31:27–34+ Ezekiel 36:22–36+ It is fascinating that a number of resources completely avoid making comments on the phrase the latter days (e.g., ESV Study Bible, NIV Study Bible, John Currid - A Study Commentary on Deuteronomy, Christopher Wright - Deuteronomy - UBCS Dt, A. Fernando - Preaching the Word - Deuteronomy). I could be wrong, but there seems to be an inherent bias against interpreting passages literally (See importance of reading the Bible Literally) that are most fully fulfilled at the end of this age when Messiah returns and all of national Israel ("all" = all that believe in Messiah - Zech 12:10-14+) is saved as Paul taught in Ro 11:26-27-note. Jack Deere - The later days (Dt 4:30) may refer to any time after the initial dispersions, but the ultimate reference is to the time when the Lord Jesus will return to earth to establish His 1,000-year kingdom (Rev. 20:4). At that time a repentant Israel will finally seek the Lord… look for Him with all her heart and… soul and will obey Him (Dt 4:29). (Bible Knowledge Commentary) John MacArthur on latter days - Lit. “the end of days.” Moses saw in the distant future a time when repentant Israel would turn again to the Lord and obey Him. Throughout the Pentateuch, “the latter days” refers to the time when Messiah will establish His kingdom (see Ge 49:1, 8–12; Nu 24:14–24; Dt 32:39–43). (MacArthur Study Bible) James Coakley comments that the return of the Jews to listen to Jehovah is "a prediction of the latter days when Israel will return to the Lord and put their trust in Jesus their Messiah (see comments at Hos 3:5; Zech 12:10-14; Mt 23:37-39; and Ro 11:26). (The Moody Bible Commentary) Henry