THE FIRST three chapters of Deuteronomy give us the groundwork for the great moral instructions in the rest of the book. The failures recounted in the first chapter resulted from lack of confidence in God. Then in chapters 2 and 3 we have the victories of faith — the result of confidence in God. After this Israel is called to hearken unto the statutes and judgments of the Lord.
“Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers giveth you.”
Obedience and uncompromising loyalty to God and His Word are enjoined on Israel. They were to hold fast the Word of the Lord, not to tamper with it — not to add to it nor take away from it. To add to it would be to exalt man’s word and make it equal to God’s; to take away from it would be to reduce God’s Word to man’s. Israel’s history is the sad tale of their disobedience in this very thing. In the gospels the Lord denounces the Pharisees for setting aside the Word of God and teaching the commandments of men. “Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.... Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition.” Mark 7:9,139And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. (Mark 7:9)
13Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. (Mark 7:13).
In our day the Word of God is mutilated and many of its sacred passages are declared to be myths. How solemn the word in Revelation 22:18,1918For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. (Revelation 22:18‑19): “If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book; and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city.” May we be found clinging to this blessed Book, dear young Christian, and hold it as the Word of the living God from cover to cover.
Israel were told to keep and to do the commandments of God. “For this is your wisdom and understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.”
It is indeed our wisdom to walk in obedience to the Word. Even a child who walks in simple, unquestioning obedience to the Word of God is kept. He need not learn about all the evil things in the world to escape them, but by reading his Bible and seeking to walk in obedience, he will be preserved amid all the dangers and snares that abound on every hand.
What is sweeter and simpler than to know that an all-wise Father, who loves us perfectly, has not left us to take one step according to our own wisdom. He who gave His blessed Son to die for us has not only provided for our eternal salvation, but in His Word has graciously marked out the pathway through this world too.
ML-11/17/1974