Thoughts on Deuteronomy

I've been reading through Deuteronomy in my bible times, and it's been amazing how much I see that I never did before. At the conference I was at this weekend (New Attitude 07) C. J. Mahaney spoke of seeing the Word with "new eyes" and that is indeed what I am seeing. The theme of God's providence and obedience to his commandments runs throughout this book. It almost seems like its a "recap" of the stories told in Genesis and Exodus. The stories told are stories that need to be remembered and are testaments to God's faithfulness throughout their history.
The passage that has affected me the most:


Deuteronomy 9: 4 “Do not say in your heart, after the Lord your God has thrust them out before you, ‘It is because of my righteousness that the Lord has brought me in to possess this land,’ whereas it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is driving them out before you. 5 Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart are you going in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations the Lord your God is driving them out from before you, and that he may confirm the word that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob."

God will always remain faithful to his promises. How inclined was Israel (and are we) to think that our righteousness somehow gives God what he needs. As if we are repaying Him. God is not only faithful to his people - he is faithful to himself.


This weekend John Piper pointed out that we are ok with admitting that we should obey God's commands, but we squirm at the prospect of Himself keeping His commands because deep down we really think that we are square at the center of His affections, when scripture shows this is simply not true.

Not only should we have no other Gods before Him, but he shall not and will not either. For God to place more importance on anything either than himself would make him an idolater.

1 Sam. 12:22 For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name's sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself.

How many times is this dropped from the end of this most famous passage"

Ps. 23:3 He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness [2]
for his name's sake.

Ezekiel 20:44 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I deal with you for my name's sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt deeds, O house of Israel, declares the Lord God.”

What a comfort that God does not deal with us according to our deeds or our righteousness, but for his own renown and for His glory and name's sake.