December 10, 2009 (Deuteronomy 1-4)

Today I began Deuteronomy. It is a series of "farewell" messages from Moses, addressing the new generation destined to possess the "promised land". Moses reminds the new generation of the importance of obedience if they are to learn from the sad example of their parents. He recaps their travels and reminds them of how many times they rebelled against the Lord, and arrogantly disobeyed Him. He then reminded them that because of that, God would not allow that older generation to enter the promised land, but that they would all die in the wilderness. He reminded them that only Caleb would enter the land "because he has followed the Lord completely". He also told them that "the Lord was angry with me because of you", and so Joshua would lead them into the promised land instead of him.

This next passage makes me wonder where God's grace will stop in our lives. I look at Moses and all he went through. I see him petition God on behalf of the people who sinned, and God relented from punishing them. Then, he had one moment of weakness (at least that was recorded) and God tells him he cannot enter the promised land. I think, "But why God? You changed your mind and didn't destroy the people as you wanted to because of Moses' prayer. Why won't you give him grace?" Deuteronomy tells us that Moses pleaded with God to change His mind:

^{Deuteronomy 3:23} “At that time I pleaded with the Lord and said, ²⁴ ‘O Sovereign Lord, you have only begun to show your greatness and the strength of your hand to me, your servant. Is there any god in heaven or on earth who can perform such great and mighty deeds as you do? ²⁵ Please let me cross the Jordan to see the wonderful land on the other side, the beautiful hill country and the Lebanon mountains.’ ²⁶ “But the Lord was angry with me because of you, and he would not listen to me. ‘That’s enough!’ he declared. ‘Speak of it no more.

That reminded me of the story of Esau - when he sold his birthright for a bowl of stew, and then realized how stupid that was and "repented". I knew this story was referenced in the New Testament, and when I looked it up, the passage below explains it. To me, this is a sobering passage. I know I take God's grace and power too lightly. He demands and deserves our entire being, to worship him in reverence and awe. To those who have faith in Christ, we have been saved from the "devouring fire".

^{Hebrews 12:14} Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. ¹⁵ Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many. ¹⁶ Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who traded his birthright as the firstborn son for a single meal. ¹⁷ You know that afterward, when he wanted his father’s blessing, he was rejected. It was too late for repentance, even though he begged with bitter tears.

¹⁸ You have not come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai. ¹⁹ For they heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking. ²⁰ They staggered back under God’s command: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” ²¹ Moses himself was so frightened at the sight that he said, “I am terrified and trembling.”

²² No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering. ²³ You have come to the assembly of God’s firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge over all things. You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven who have now been made perfect. ²⁴ You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel.

²⁵ Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven! ²⁶ When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: “Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.” ²⁷ This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain.

²⁸ Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. ²⁹ For our God is a devouring fire.