We pick up in Deuteronomy 8-12; the Second Law as the book has been called, finds its purpose in reminding the New Generation about what their parents generation forgot. The Law that was given to Moses up on Mount Sinai, is repeated here for the New nation of Israelites. The People who have been born in the last 40 years of wandering in the wilderness because of disobedience. God’s Word is eternal, it is everlasting and it is established. The Law of governing the people and their behavior was/is still valid. I don’t mean that we are under the Law to do the Law, but that God gave specific instructions of what to do and how to live in the Promised Land. God the Father was going to dispose the tribes and Canaanite nations out of the Promised Land that He gave to Abraham years ago. I guess we could also say that the Promises of God are eternal and effectual u=in accomplishing the Father’s Will. The Parents of this New Generation did not listen and obey the Law, God tested them several times to determine if they would obey and love Him – they failed the tests time after time. It is important to remember that God’s Will was that Israel go into the Promise Land; even though the first generation failed to get in – God was longsuffering and through Joshua, brought in the generation who believed in the Promise of God.
This brings to mind; especially with the need for revitalization in current churches, will God have to wait for another Generation to die, before He can accomplish His Will for the people? Too many churches die today [approximately 18 everyday] – why do they die? Numerous reasons, but many die because they to are stiff-necked and stubborn like the original Israel that was delivered out of Egypt. The nation of freed captives always wanted to return to bondage instead of moving forward in the Plan of God.
In chapter 8 the word -Remember is repeatedly used. The nation had to remember who they were, where they had been and Who it was that was taking can of them. Moses jogs their memory with some examples of how God was with them, but also how they left God at the drop of a hat. Israel provoked God to anger many times, at one point He was willing to destroy all of them and start over with Moses. Stubborn is another word that is repeated again and again. I wonder can that word be applied to the Church today? Are we more interested in our comfortable living than in the service to God? We do what we want in worship services. It has come to the point where Churches do only that which their members will allow and accept. This is wrong , we all know that, yet we continue to repeat the same mistakes from one generation to the next.
Now I would love to tell you that the New Generation listened to what God reminded them of – well okay they did until Joshua left the scene and even remained faithful until all who were brought up under Joshua – but then in Judges 21:25 – they forgot again! Doing that which was right in their own eyes. Have we forgotten that we serve God? Are we guilty of self-serving church programs and services? I think we all know the answer.
In chapter 10:12 we are given the formula to keep our memory active and responsive. The words “fear, walk, love, serve and keep” are words to live by. Words which we can set as a foundation for living. Those words though have to be centered on God and His Plan for our lives and the world we live in. This new generation is being taught by an 120 year old man in Moses. I know today, there seems to be a movement to eliminate the “traditional” and replace it with “progressive.” I would say that is like “throwing the baby out with the bath water.” The Church is the Lord’s. We serve at His pleasure not our own. God gave statutes, ordinances and laws to live by – going forward into the Promised Land. We today have the Law of God written on our hearts; we have no need that one should teach us. The Holy Spirit is our teacher. I believe we are on the verge of becoming a “forgetful people” and soon to become a “forgotten people” if we do not remember from whence we came!
preachbetweenthelines 