Bible Pathway - Mar. 11, 2010
Highlights:
Moses begins his last words to Israel. He reviews their past, once more clearly emphasizing the blessings of obedience. He pleads with them: Choose life (Deut. 30:19).
Verses for Today:
Keep therefore the words of this Covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do. . . . That He may establish thee to day for a people unto Himself, and that He may be unto thee a God . . . as He hath sworn unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob (Deut. 29:9,13).
The Creator chose the small Israelite nation through whom He would reveal Himself as the One True God. Moses continued to warn the people of the consequences of disregarding their Covenant responsibilities to the One True God: Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations (29:18).
The chosen people of God confirmed their Covenant with God by promising to keep it. The Covenant was a lifetime to love the Lord thy God, to walk in His ways, and keep His Commandments . . . the Lord thy God shall bless thee. . . . I have set before you life and death . . . therefore choose life (30:16-19).
When the Israelites entered the promised land, they were surrounded by influences that would test their loyalty to the One True God. They were faced with people who seemed to have "advantages" such as chariots for war and an "attractive" religious system with images they could see and touch. The Israelites would be tempted to depart from loyalty to God. In one of Joshua's last messages, he proclaimed: When ye . . . have gone and served other gods . . . then shall the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land (Josh. 23:16). Israel's One True God is our God. There is no other. Israel's Messiah is our Savior. There is no other. Christians are also the people of God by a far more precious Covenant (Heb. 8:6) than that of Abraham, and we too are tempted by the many false gods that surround us.
As the nations of the world become our near neighbors, some people are deceived into assuming that the false gods of these nations are the One True God who are called by another name and that their religions are some of the many ways to worship the Almighty God. But all worshipers of these false gods reject that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13).
Thought for Today:
Of His own will begat He us with the Word of truth, that We should be a kind of firstfruit of His creatures (James 1:18).
Christ Revealed:
As life (Deut. 30:15). Jesus is The Resurrection, and The Life (John 11:25).
Word Studies:
29:17 abominations =detestable things; 30:3 turn thy captivity =restore you from captivity; 30:4 unto the outmost parts of (under) heaven =to the ends of earth; 30:9 plenteous =prosperous; 30:18 denounce =announce; 30:19 record =witness; 31:10 solemnity =appointed time; 31:12 stranger =foreigner; 31:14 charge =commission; 31:16 go a whoring after the gods of the strangers =be unfaithful to the One True God; 31:17 devoured =consumed, destroyed; 31:21 sware =romised.
Prayer Needs:
Pray for International Broadcasts in honor of Ben Wallace • Staff: Dan Murton • Government Officials: Sen. Tom Coburn (OK), Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (IL), and Justice Antonin Scalia • Country: Bolivia (8 million) in South America • Major languages: Spanish and Quechua • Religious freedom • 92% Roman Catholic; 3% Protestant; 3% Baha'i • Prayer Suggestion: Pray that you would be sanctified through the truth of the Word of God (John 17:17).
Optional Reading: John 2
Memory Verse for the Week: Matthew 5:3-6
