Deuteronomy - part 2

 Deuteronomy 10-22 (These are my notes from my reading.)

 Moses continues the reminders for the people, making sure they remember that, above all, they must love and serve God alone.  God has chosen Israel to be His own people.  He chose them because of who He is - "the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God" (10:17).  While we cannot expect our lives to be a cakewalk just because we obey God, He does promise the Israelites rewards for obedience and punishments for disobedience.  The trouble they have is their inability to obey. All humans are born with a sin nature that makes us slaves to sin.  We can only obey God when we repent and believe in Jesus and His finished work on the cross.  Only then are we capable of obedience to all these laws Moses reminds the people of.  Only then do we obey out of right motives - love and respect for God.

 What happens when people continually disobey?  This is a habitual pattern of deliberate sin and God tells the Israelites that when they see this it must be utterly destroyed, cast out from them, killed.  Sin is serious business.  Whether they were kings, priests, Levites, prophets, or just every day Israelites, God called them to live up to His standard for them.  If they didn't, sin ultimately leads to death.  This is true for us today, only we don't have to live  up to the standard because we can't.  We must be people of repentance and cooperation with God as He sanctifies us further.  

 God's ways are always best and always lead to sanctification.  This includes how to treat other people.  Whether it be nations far away, neighbors, nations up close, spouses, children, parents, or friends, God gives the Israelites guidelines to treat each other well.  He safeguards the weaker ones, the helpless, the down trodden, by reigning in and warning the ones with the power.  God cares for His people and is always  faithful.

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