SEARCH THE SCRIPTURE by Pastor Kumuyi of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry for today is here. Digest the word of the lord and pray believing.
ADULT STS LESSON 131:
TOPIC: SUNDRY WARNINGS AND EXHORTATION
MEMORY VERSE. And now,
Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy
God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God
with all thy heart and with all thy soul”. (Deuteronomy 10:12).TEXT:
Deuteronomy chapters 7 to 11
Warnings and exhortations
are necessary signposts on the way of the pilgrim’s journey to the glory land.
Moses, in these five chapters, exhorts Israel in general to keep God’s commandments
as a prerequisite for their prosperity, preservation and longevity in the
yet-to-be possessed land. They were particularly cautioned against unequal yoke
in friendship and fellowship, idolatry and apostasy while calling them to
obedience and faithfulness to God with regard to His goodness and mercy toward
them. Believers should not take the goodness of God for granted; neither should
they ascribe glory to themselves for victories and successes in their
endeavours. “Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his
commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this
day. But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee
power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy
fathers, as it is this day. And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD
thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify
against you this day that ye shall surely perish” (Deuteronomy 8:11,18,19).
These warnings were given to assure them that God is a God of justice and
judgment (Deuteronomy 7:9,10). Blessings and curses are set forth as rewards
for the obedient and penalties for the disobedient respectively.
CAUTION AGAINST UNEQUAL
YOKE AND IDOLATRY (Deuteronomy
7:1-6,16,24-26; 8:19,20; 11:1,16; Ephesians 5:11; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18;
Proverbs 6:23; 15:32; 10:17; Exodus 23:2; 34:12; Psalm 1:1; Proverbs 13:20; 1
Corinthians 5:11; 2 Thessalonians 3:14; 2 Chronicles 19:2; Ezra 9:14; 1
Corinthians 15:33; 1 Peter 2:9)
Israel was chosen by God
to be a special people; holy and peculiar unto Himself. First Peter 2:9 says,
“…ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar
people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of
darkness into his marvellous light”. Separation from sin and defilement is
therefore God’s will and command for His children. Chapter seven of our text
was devoted to the details of the command, the basis, the reward and the
encouragement to destroy the seven nations which were occupants of the land of
Canaan at that time. The instruction in this command explicitly required the
complete destruction of all the inhabitants (men, women and children). They
were also required to break down all their fetish objects like altars and
graven images, which they worshipped to provoke God. The command also forbade
them from making covenants with the ungodly. The reason for their destruction
is clear from the Scriptures. First, they were extremely ungodly; “…for the
wickedness of these nations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before
thee…” (Deuteronomy 9:5). Second, they were unrepentant and persistent in their
hatred for God. Third, they were capable of constituting a moral cancer such
that any single remnant had the potential of contaminating the Israelites with
immorality and idolatry. Based on these grounds, the Almighty commanded their
total destruction before the Israelites entered the land as a special people
with a special mission on earth. Their mission was to bring the knowledge of
God’s salvation to the whole earth. Allowing them to intermingle with ungodly
nations would not facilitate this great and divine purpose. We learn from these
that the continued existence of any individual, family or nation depends on
God’s approval, who rules in the kingdom of men and gives power and life to
whosoever He wills (Daniel 4:32). From the command to destroy all the
Inhabitants of the land of Canaan, we also learn that believers are to destroy
all kinds of ungodly objects and eschew ungodly practices and philosophies that
have the potential of leading them back to the bondage of sin and satanic
control. Two, we must mortify the flesh, rid ourselves of fleshly lusts and
destroy all sinful items. Three, we must shun the world and worldly practices.
Four, we must avoid all forms of idolatry as children of God. Apostle John
commanded, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen” (1 John 5:21).
Israel’s election was not based on their prowess, population or righteousness.
“But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he
had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand,
and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of
Egypt. Therefore thou shalt love the LORD thy God, and keep his charge, and his
statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, always” (Deuteronomy 7:8;
11:1). They were cautioned against losing their privileged position before God
through unequal yoke in marriage with the heathens. “Neither shalt thou make
marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his
daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. For they will turn away thy son from
following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be
kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly” (Deuteronomy 7:3,4). God’s
blessings, promises and dealings with man are conditional. Idolatry, unequal
yoke in marriage and any other ungodly relationship are grievous sins which sever
a believer’s relationship with God (1 Corinthians 10:5). Unequal yoke turns our
hearts away from God (1 Kings 11:2; Deuteronomy 7:3,4). It brings about divine
displeasure (2 Chronicles 19:2; Ezra 9:14), corruption and defilement. “Be not
deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners” (1 Corinthians 15:33).
Also, it makes believers enemies of God; they lose their special status before
Him (James 4:4).
CALL TO OBEDIENCE AND
FAITHFULNESS IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S GOODNESS AND MERCY (Deuteronomy 7:7-11; 8:1-19; 9:1-29; 11:1-8; Romans
2:4; Hebrews 12:28)
“Know therefore that the
LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy
with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;
And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be
slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face” (Deuteronomy
7:9,10). Faithfulness is God’s character and He desires that His children are
faithful. Obedience and faithfulness are indispensable and inseparable virtues
that must be evident in the lives of Kingdom citizens for them to enjoy the
fullness of God. The call to obedience and faithfulness at the verge of
Israel’s entrance into the Promised Land was both timely and necessary to
forestall divine displeasure. “And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the
LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I
testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish” (Deuteronomy 8:19).
In calling Israel to obedience, they were told to hear, understand and remember
(Deuteronomy 5:1; 6:3-5; 9:1; 20:3; Luke 24:44,45; Matthew 13:13-15;
Deuteronomy 8:2; 9:7; 11:16). Hearing God’s words predisposes the heart to
obedience of the spoken words. Understanding of God’s word is given to those
who hear and receive the word with willingness to obey. They were called to
remember the word of God and His judgment on the disobedient (Deuteronomy
9:7,8,19; Luke 17:32). Reflection on past divine mercies, judgments and the
awesome power of God is tonic for obedience. God made it distinctly clear that
Israel’s deliverance from Egypt and their eventual possession of the Promised
Land were both His unmerited favour and a proof of His faithfulness. “Not for
thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to
possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD thy God
doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may perform the word which
the LORD sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” (Deuteronomy 9:5).
Likewise, our salvation from sin is by grace (Ephesians 2:8,9). Obviously, the
need for Israel to obey and serve God faithfully was not negotiable.
Nevertheless, heart circumcision was inevitable for them to love God perfectly
and effectively walk with Him. Therefore, the Lord called them to “Circumcise
therefore the foreskin of [their] heart, and be no more stiffnecked”
(Deuteronomy 10:16). In the same vein, heart circumcision, which is commonly
called sanctification, the second work of grace, is a must for believers who
desire to serve God acceptably. We are called to be “…holy in all manner of
conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1 Peter
1:15,16).
CONSEQUENCE OF
DISOBEDIENCE AND REWARD FOR THE OBEDIENT
(Deuteronomy 7:12,13; 8:19,20; 11:8-32; Job 36:11,12; Psalm 50:16, 17)
“Behold, I set before you
this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the
LORD your God, which I command you this day: And a curse, if ye will not obey
the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I
command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known”
(Deuteronomy 11:26-28). God’s precious promises and blessings are reserved for
His obedient children. He rewards obedience and punishes disobedience. When we
obey the Lord, He rewards us with the following: one, divine power with
authority, which makes us strong; “Therefore shall keep all the commandments
which I command you this day, that ye may be strong…” (Deuteronomy 11:8). Two,
all-round success. Three, preservation and length of days: “And that ye may
prolong your days in the land, which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give
unto them and to their seed…” (Deuteronomy 11:9). Four, bright and promising
future (Deuteronomy 11:10- 12). Five, divine provision and fruitfulness: “…he
will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and
thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy
sheep…” (Deuteronomy 7:13; 11:13-15). Six, prosperity. Seven, victory over the
enemy. “There shall no man be able to stand before you: for the LORD your God
shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the land that ye shall
tread upon, as he hath said unto you” (Deuteronomy 11:25). Disobedience
attracts God’s wrath and disconnects man from God. “And a curse, if ye will not
obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which
I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known”
(Deuteronomy 11:28). Barrenness, affliction and eternal perdition are some of
the grievous consequences of disobedience (Psalm 9:17).
Questions for review:
1. Why was it necessary to
warn and exhort Israel at the verge of entering the Promised Land?
2. Why did God command the
children of Israel to destroy all the inhabitants of Canaan? How does this
command apply to New Testament believers?
3. What was the basis of
Israel’s election?
4. What are the dangers of
unequal yoke?
5. How can we reciprocate
God’s mercy and goodness in our lives?
6. Why is sanctification
experience necessary in a believer’s walk with God?
7. What are the rewards of
obedience and the consequences of disobedience?
