Above all nations (DT 28:1-14)

"Now it shall be, if you diligently obey the Lord your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you obey the Lord your God... The Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you only will be above, and you will not be underneath, if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I charge you today, to observe them carefully, and do not turn aside from any of the words which I command you today, to the right or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them." (Deuteronomy 28:1-2, 13-14)

The greatness of a nation is not determined solely by the quality and composition of its government, laws, institutions, or history. While these things are important, they alone are not what exalts a nation. A nation's greatness, prosperity, longevity, and position in the world is determined primary by the character of its people. When God created the nation Israel He gave it everything it needed to succeed. However, ultimately their success as a nation would be determined by how the people lived; especially in direct relation to their God and to each other.

Often times we look to our government for solutions to the problems facing our nation. We expect "them" to step in and solve our problems and to guarantee our present and future prosperity. In our economy, security, and basic needs we look to our government as our savior. However, far too often what we really need is not more or better government but a revival of citizenship amongst our people. We need a fresh awakening to our individual responsibilities as they relate to our fellow citizens and especially as they relate to our God.

No nation, no matter how great and perfect its government, can prosper long when its citizens live a life style that is secular and separated from God. Great nations are built upon great people, and great people exalt great nations.

"Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people." (Proverbs 14:34)

David Robison

righteousness, citizenship, Book of Deuteronomy, Foundations of Governance, The Robe, David Robison

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Cursed! (DT 27:15-26)

"'Cursed is he who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'" (Deuteronomy 27:26)

The law is transactional, if you do A then you get B. If you obey the law then you get its blessings. If you don't obey then you receive its curse. The law instituted by God through Moses was a contract between God and man. It stipulated how the Israelites were to live and how God would, in turn, behave towards them. At the heart of the law was its curse; its curse for disobedience. While the law itself was good and holy, mankind was whole unable to keep the law and thus all mankind fell under the curse of the law. "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23)

However, though the law be transactional, God's grace towards us is exactly the opposite. Instead of saying, "If you do A you will get B", the grace of God says, "Since you have B then do A". The grace of God says, since we have received the blessings and favor of God, then we should should to walk in a manor that pleases Him. Paul put it this way,

"Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." (Ephesians 4:1-3)

Paul did not say that we should walk in a certain way that we might become worthy, rather since we have already become worthy and received a holy calling from God then we should walk in a manor that is consistent with what we have received. We no longer keep the law to become acceptable to God, rather because we have already become acceptable we seek to do what He commands; out of a response to His goodness rather than out of fear of punishment.

Jesus said, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." (John 14:15) He did not say that if we keep His commandments then He would love us, for He loves us whether or not we do what He asks. Rather, He desires that having received His love and choosing to love Him in return, that our response would be obedience to the things He ask and commands us to do. This is a new way of living, not out of fear of the curse of the law but out of the response of a loving heart to the blessings and grace He has so freely bestowed upon us.

David Robison

grace, law, commandments, Jesus, David Robison, Book of Deuteronomy, The Robe

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Who do you belong to? (DT 27:9-10)

"Then Moses and the Levitical priests spoke to all Israel, saying, 'Be silent and listen, O Israel! This day you have become a people for the Lord your God. You shall therefore obey the Lord your God, and do His commandments and His statutes which I command you today.'" (Deuteronomy 27:9-10)

True religion is not based upon beliefs but upon relationship. The question is not, what do you believe but rather who do you belong to. The work of God is not to conform us to a common set of beliefs, rather to unite us to Himself as His people; His own possession. "Our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds." (Titus 2:13-14) Jesus came not to correct our theology but to make us His; that we might become his people.

Our response to being owned is obedience. Notice that Moses' exhortation to obedience was not based upon Israel's believe system but upon their new relationship with God in that they had become "people for the Lord". Jesus similarly said, "Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?" (Luke 6:46) If we are His then we own Him our obedience, not out of fear as when we were under the law, but out of our relationship to Him as His sons and daughters. "Who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood." (1 Peter 1:1-2) If we are His then we should obey Him.

There are many people who believe in God, and many even believe in Jesus and His work on the cross. However, the question is not whether or not we have believed in Him but whether or not we have become His; have we become His people; do we now belong to Him? Believing is good but we must go beyond believing to belonging, and having become His, to obedience.

David Robison

belief, obedience, belonging, The Robe, Book of Deuteronomy, David Robison

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