To Be the People of God
INTRODUCTION: The Covenant in the land of Moab:
In addition to the covenant at Sinai (Deuteronomy 29:1These are the words of the covenant, which the LORD commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, beside the covenant which he made with them in Horeb.
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Includes the entire book of Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy 1:1These be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this side Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain over against the Red sea, between Paran, and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth, and Dizahab.
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Often identified by the phrase “this day”
- Found 71 times in Deuteronomy
- Example: used 7 times in Deuteronomy 29 (verses 4, 10, 12, 15[2 times], 18, 28)
Prepared them to go in to possess the Promised Land: Deuteronomy has about 40 references to Israel going in to possess the land (Deuteronomy 4:1Now 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.
See All...; Deuteronomy 8:1)
A type of the believer entering into the rest and victory of complete surrender to God
The covenant of Moab deals more with the heart and the motive of love. We will look at one of the major provisions of the covenant and apply it to our lives: that in this covenant they especially became the people of God (Deuteronomy 27:9-10 [9] And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto all Israel, saying, Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the LORD thy God.
[10] Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the LORD thy God, and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee this day.
See All...; Deuteronomy 29:12-13).
- A People Saved by the Lord (Deuteronomy 33:29Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.
See All...) - A People Loved by God (Deuteronomy 7:6-8 [6] For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.
[7] The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:
[8] But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
See All...; Deuteronomy 10:15); and who return this love (Deuteronomy 6:4-5 [4] Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: [5] And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
See All...) - A People of Inheritance (Deuteronomy 4:20-21 [20] But the LORD hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto him a people of inheritance, as ye are this day.
[21] Furthermore the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, and sware that I should not go over Jordan, and that I should not go in unto that good land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance:
See All...); see Ephesians 1:18The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
See All... - A People of the Word (Deuteronomy 4:5-8 [5] Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it.
[6] Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your 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.
[7] For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for?
[8] And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?
See All...); with a heart to perceive it (Deuteronomy 29:2-4 [2] And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them, Ye have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh, and unto all his servants, and unto all his land; [3] The great temptations which thine eyes have seen, the signs, and those great miracles: [4] Yet the LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day.
See All...) - A People Obedient to God’s Commandments (Deuteronomy 26:16-19 [16] This day the LORD thy God hath commanded thee to do these statutes and judgments: thou shalt therefore keep and do them with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.
[17] Thou hast avouched the LORD this day to be thy God, and to walk in his ways, and to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and to hearken unto his voice:
[18] And the LORD hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments;
[19] And to make thee high above all nations which he hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honour; and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the LORD thy God, as he hath spoken.
See All...); that might have a heart to fear God and obey Him (Deuteronomy 5:29O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!
See All...) - A People Separated From the World (Deuteronomy 14:1-3 [1] Ye are the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.
[2] For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.
[3] Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing.
See All..., 21); see the New Testament application (Titus 2:14Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
See All...; 1 Peter 2:9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;
See All...) - A People Blessed by God (Deuteronomy 28:1-9 [1] And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:
[2] And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.
[3] Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.
[4] Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.
[5] Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.
[6] Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.
[7] The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.
[8] The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
[9] The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways.
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- Crossing the Red Sea is a picture of salvation
- Wandering in the wilderness is a picture of spiritual weakness
- Crossing the Jordan is a picture of full surrender to the Lord
- Where are you living? In Egypt, in the wilderness, or in the Promised Land?