09.26.09: Deuteronomy 28 - 34

Picture this: You're driving along at fifty miles per hour on a cloudy day. The road ahead is suddenly narrow, with deep, unforgiving ditches on both sides. But the two endless lines of fluorescent orange cones that line the road on either side keep you out of trouble. If you think of the curses in Deuteronomy 27 as fluorescent orange cones, you come pretty close to their meaning. If you understand that those cones are really doing you a favor, you can't help but be happy about them. The cones help everyone. There are other road signs in these last few chapters of Deuteronomy: something to remember when it looks as if the world is falling apart; seeking God with all your heart, soul and strength; and following a plan of action no matter how badly you've sinned.
The curses God wanted his people to remember were a series of oaths, spoken by the priests and affirmed by those listening, in which the people promised to stay away from wrong actions. (27:15-26). Those saying Amen, "So be it," were taking responsibility for their actions.
Sometimes looking a list of curses like this gives us the idea that God has a bad temper and is out to crush anyone who steps out of line. But we need to see these actions not as threats but as loving warnings about the plain facts of life. Wrongdoings toward others or God has tragic consequences and God is merciful enough to tell us the truth plainly. His strong words help us avoid the serious consequences that result from neglecting God or wronging others. Just as we warn children to stay away from hot stoves and busy streets, God warns us to stay away from dangerous actions.

One of the curses for those who rejected God was that they would go mad from seeing all the tragedy around them. Do you ever feel that you will go crazy if you hear about one more rape, kidnapping, murder or war? Much of the world's evil is a result of people's failures to acknowledge and serve God. When you hear bad news, don't groan helplessly as do unbelievers who have no hope for the future. Remind yourself that in spite of it all, God has ultimate control and will one day come back to make everything right.

Moses cautioned that the day the Hebrews chose to turn from God, a root would be planted that would produce bitter and poisonous fruit 29:18 (Hebrews 12:15). When we decide to do what we know is wrong, we plant an evil seed that begins to grow out of control, eventually yielding a crop of sorrow and pain. But we can prevent those seeds of sin from taking root. If you have done something wrong, confess it to God and others immediately. If the seed never finds fertile soil, its bitter fruit will never ripen!

God has called us to keep his commands, while reminding us that his laws are not hidden from us or beyond our reach. Have you ever said you would obey God if you knew what he wanted? Have you ever complained that obedience is too difficult for a mere human? there are unacceptable excuses. God's laws are written in the Bible and are clearly evident in the world around us. Obeying them is reasonable, sensible and beneficial. The most difficult part of obeying God's laws is simply deciding to start now. See Romans 10:5-8.

The Bible can sit on your bookshelf and gather dust or you can make it a vital part of your life by regularly setting aside time to study it. When you discover the wisdom of God's message, you will want to apply it to your life and pass it on to your family and others. The Bible is not merely good reading-- its real help for real life.

Moses song declares that God is our refuge, our only security. How often we entrust our lives to other things - perhaps money, career, a noble cause, or a lifetime dream. But our only true refuge is the eternal God, who always holds out his arms to catch us when the shaky supports that we trust collapse and we fall. No storm can destroy us when we take refuge in Him. Those without God, however, must forever be cautious. One mistake may wipe them out. But it is the godless who are on shaky ground. Because God is our refuge, we can dare to be bold.

Deuteronomy 34:10-12. Moses, the man who did not want to be sent ot Egypt because he was "not very good with words" (Exodus 4:10), delivered the three addresses to Israel that make up the book of Deuternomy. God gave him the power to develop from a stutering sheperd into a national leader and powerful orator. His courage, humilty, and wisdom molded the Hebrew slaves into a nation. But Moses was one person who did not let success go to his head. In the end, God was still Moses's best friend. His love, respect, and awe for God had grown daily throughout his life. Moses knew that it was not any greatness in himself that made him successful; it was the greatness of the all-powerful God in whom he trusted. There were many great and powerful prophets during the time of kings. But it would be more than a thousand years before one greater than Moses would appear - Jesus!