Message Notes

AN OVERVIEW OF DEUTERONOMY 4-6, 10

How did God help Israel to learn to fear Him?

1. Deuteronomy 4

From a historical perspective

2. Deuteronomy 5

From a didactical perspective

3. Deuteronomy 6

From a practical perspective

4. Deuteronomy 10

From God’s own perspective

a. To fear the LORD

b. It is nothing short of a Requirement from God

12 “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command you today for your good?

Deuteronomy 10:12-13

WHAT DOES THE LORD REQUIRE OF YOU?

IT SPEAKS OF AN OBLIGATION TO GOD

1. To require

a. It is not a “request”

b. God demanded that Israel feared Him

c. Israel had an obligation to fear God

2. God (through Moses) set this out clearly because He understood the problems that beset the people of Israel

Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer.

Deuteronomy 10:16

a. The problem of a hardened heart

b. The problem of stubbornness

c. The problem of rebellion    (Deut 9:24)

d. The problem of sin and wickedness   (Deut 9:27)

3. Israel’s natural inclination was not to fear the Lord

4. God had to clearly and firmly announce that they had no choice but to fear Him

IT IS AN OFFICIAL REQUIREMENT FROM GOD

1. Israel’s relationship with God

a. Not casual or superficial

b. But deeply significant because it has been established via way of an official Covenant

2. The context of Deuteronomy 10

1 “At that time the Lord said to me, ‘Hew for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and come up to Me on the mountain and make yourself an ark of wood. 2 And I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke; and you shall put them in the ark.’

Deuteronomy 10:1-2

a. Moses was recalling how God told him to re-make the tablets that contained the Ten Commandments

b. These were called the tablets of the Covenant   (Cf. Deut 9:11)

c. They symbolized the Covenantal relationship that God had with Israel

3. The special significance of being in a Covenantal Relationship with God

a. He is the Great God

i. All of heaven and earth belong to Him   (Deut 10:14)

ii. He is God of god and Lord of lords   (Deut 10:17)

iii. Mighty and awesome   (Deut 10:17)

iv. He shows no partiality and is full of justice   (Deut 10:17-18)

v. He is loving and kind   (Deut 10:18)

b. He has chosen Israel above all peoples   (Deut 10:15)

c. He has and will surely fulfil His Covenant

i. He has done great and awesome things for Israel   (Deut 10:21)

ii. He has blessed them exceedingly   (Deut 10:22)

4. In a Covenant, there will always be official requirements from either party

a. To be in an official relationship with God

b. It is only right that God makes His official requirement

THE ONUS IS ON US TO FULFIL GOD’S REQUIREMENT

1. God has and will surely continue fulfil His part

2. It is on the onus on Israel to fulfil her part

3. Four key aspects highlighted

a. To fear the LORD your God

b. To walk in all His ways and to love Him

c. To serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul

d. To keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes

OUR APPLICATION

1. We can learn from the example of Israel, with regards to how we ought to relate to God

2. As much as God made a requirement of Israel in the past, He requires the same for us today

3. Key lessons to take away

a. We have an Obligation to fulfil what God has required

b. In appreciation of the Official relationship that we have with God

c. The Onus is now on us to do as God requires