Deuteronomy 4:1-24
Q.1. Why did God give His commands to Israel? What is the danger of adding or taking from God’s Word? (Dt.4:1-8)
God gave His Laws to Israel so they might have real life. Added to this was God’s plan to exalt Himself among the nations – 6 … for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ 7 For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as is the Lord our God whenever we call on Him? 8 Or what great nation is there that has statutes and judgments as righteous as this whole law which I am setting before you today? (Deut.4:6-8). Adding or taking from the Scripture always weakens its authority in peoples’ minds and leads them away from their Maker and Keeper (Dt.12:32; Rev.22:18-19)
Q.2. How did God underscore the seriousness of forgetting His commands? What safeguards was Israel to put in place to keep from idolatry? (Deut.4:9-19)
The giving of the Law was accompanied by great signs and wonders – 10 Remember the day you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, when the Lord said to me,Assemble the people to Me, that I may let them hear My words so they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.’ 11 You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, and the mountain burned with fire to the very heart of the heavens: darkness, cloud and thick gloom (Deut.4:10-11). These people were to diligently pass on God’s commands to future generations, so that they would remember them, and not go astray.
Q.3. What had God done to claim Israel as His people? How does God describe Himself? Is this surprising? (Deut.4:20-24)
Israel was born out of the adversity of slavery in Egypt – The Lord has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, from Egypt, to be a people for His own possession, as today (Deut.4:20). God would provide a good land as their inheritance. However, God was not to be trifled with. Even Moses was punished for his angry outburst. Moreover, Israel was to refrain from making images, lest they turn to other gods – For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God (Deut.4:24). God demands our trust and allegiance, whatever we may face. He is faithful and true and expects these qualities to mark our relationship with Him (Rev.19:11).