Sunday 3rd August
Read Deuteronomy 5:22-33
“These are the commandments the Lord proclaimed in a loud voice to your whole assembly there on the mountain from out of the fire, the cloud and the deep darkness; and he added nothing more. Then he wrote them on two stone tablets and gave them to me.
23 When you heard the voice out of the darkness, while the mountain was ablaze with fire, all the leaders of your tribes and your elders came to me. 24 And you said, ‘The Lord our God has shown us his glory and his majesty, and we have heard his voice from the fire. Today we have seen that a person can live even if God speaks with them. 25 But now, why should we die? This great fire will consume us, and we will die if we hear the voice of the Lord our God any longer. 26 For what mortal has ever heard the voice of the living God speaking out of fire, as we have, and survived? 27 Go near and listen to all that the Lord our God says. Then tell us whatever the Lord our God tells you. We will listen and obey.’
28 The Lord heard you when you spoke to me, and the Lord said to me, ‘I have heard what this people said to you. Everything they said was good. 29 Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children for ever!
30 ‘Go, tell them to return to their tents. 31 But you stay here with me so that I may give you all the commands, decrees and laws that you are to teach them to follow in the land I am giving them to possess.’
32 So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. 33 Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.” (NIVUK)
The story/instruction of Moses to a new generation continues and there is a sense of authority and urgency. The Lord speaksin a loud voice from fire and cloud, and gives His wordto be read, and the people are overwhelmed and fearful. Is their fear a response motivated by the fire and surroundings and the expectations of their part in the covenant agreement, or by an awe that God would speak to them and of the possibility of a relationship with Him? The fact they request Moses to act as the intermediary implies to me the former and the, if you do this for us, we will listen and obey, seems to lack something of a personal relationship. The reaction could also be seen as a recognition that they are going to need help, just like I need the Spirit’s help now. Verse 29 makes me think of the words ‘the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak’; God’s words ‘Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me …’ I think reveals His understanding of the fickle heart of mankind. God has given them the instructions on how to live life so that it will go well for generations to come (forever) but do they/we listen? Possibly only when the word becomes flesh (John 1) and then not everyone listens. Moses is to teach/reinforce these instructions so that the people will stay on track, walking the narrow way of obedience; why, so they will live long and prosper in the land. This could possibly be in a physical way but in context I think it is about our relationship with God! The NT images of a new city where heaven and earth combine with God in the midst comes to mind; this is possible only because of Jesus’ obedience and death on the cross, a new covenant is in place.
Geoff Hinch
