Our Rebellion Leads to God's Grace.

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Deuteronomy Chapter 10: Moses Rehearses God’s Mercy

Deuteronomy 10:1-22 – Highlights of The Passage and Some Thoughts

When the people rebelled against God, He replied with mercy. He usually does. And Moses doesn’t want the sons of Israel to forget that. This chapter covers God’s mercy shown to Israel. Let’s cover the highlights.

In verses 1-3 we read that God told Moses who had smashed the first two tablets that the Ten Commandments were written on, to prepare another set as well as an ark or case of wood in which to put the tablets in after God wrote on them again. God knows how important these commandments are to life, and this time He didn’t want them broken.

In verse 10, Moses reminds the Israelites how he pleaded that God would not destroy them by staying on the mountain forty days and forty nights during which God listened to his pleas for the Israelites. And He relented and allowed them to go in and possess the land which He had “swore to their fathers to give them.” (vs. 11)

And in the next two verses Moses tells them what God requires of them. They (and we) are to:
-- fear Him (vs. 12)
-- to walk in all His ways
-- to love Him
-- to serve Him (with all their – our – heart and with all their – our – soul
-- to keep the Lord’s commandments and His statutes (vs. 13) for their – our – good.
Sounds pretty simple to me, but is it?

Now, let’s stop and think for a moment. Can you imagine a God like our God who created us and chose us to His children, NOT requiring anything of us? Honestly, what would be the point, of creating us? And how would we ever feel like His children? God has every right to demand things of us and not doing so, would have made life so much more futile in many ways. At least now, we have an opportunity to please God and serve Him. I’m not saying that doing so buys us salvation for it does not. But it gives us a purpose for living. So, we can say, as Moses does at the end of verse 13, “this is for your [our] good.” Can you believe that? You need to in order to get the full blessing of living for God.

In verses 14 and 15, Moses reminds them God owns everything in the universe, and He could have chosen to set His affection on whoever He wanted, yet He chose them (and you and I).

Our response is to “circumcise the foreskins of our hearts” and stop being a “stiff-necked people” (vs. 16) because God “does not show partiality, nor take a bribe.” (vs. 17) Circumcision of the body was a symbolic physical act representing what God really wanted from us – that of our cutting ourselves away from the desires of the flesh.  But the circumcising of our heart was what God wants of us spiritually.  In verse 18, Moses elaborates on that by declaring that God shows His justice by taking care of widows and orphans, and His love, by giving aliens food and clothing. And Moses advises that we do likewise, for we were once aliens – the Israelites in Egypt, and we in our sin. Both of us under slavery. (vs. 19)

And the last two verses of the chapter are most interesting. In verse 21, he says God is our praise. David Guzik says God is first and foremost the object of our praise. Secondly, “He is also the One who makes us praiseworthy. Any wisdom, beauty, or skill we show is not to our praise – but He is your praise.”

In verse 22, he reminds them that they started off with 70 people heading to Egypt and now they already were “as numerous as the stars of heaven.” What more do you want?

Wrap-up

This is a very complete chapter. 1) They (you and I) rebelled. 2) God showed great mercy. 3) Here’s what they (you and I) need to do. 4) And it’s good for them (us). It’s that simple, well, all except point 3.  So, let’s repeat it in detail.  Our job is to:

-- fear Him (vs. 12)
-- to walk in all His ways
-- to love Him
-- to serve Him (with all their – our – heart and with all their – our – soul
-- to keep the Lord’s commandments and His statutes (vs. 13) for their – our – good.

We could spend hours and pages on each one of these points.  We won’t because I know you get the point. The rewards of obedience in these five points are eternal starting right here and now.

It would be great if you would share your thoughts or questions on this blog in the comments section below or on social media.