SCRIPTURE: DEUTERONOMY 29
BIBLE VERSES:
“Carefully follow the terms of this covenant, so that you may prosper in everything you do.” (Deuteronomy 29:9)
“ Make sure there is no man or woman, clan or tribe among you today whose heart turns away from the Lord our God to go and worship the gods of those nations; make sure there is no root among you that produces such bitter poison.” (Deuteronomy 29:18)
RENEWAL OF THE COVENANT (vs. 1-29)
THINGS THAT GOD HAD DONE FOR ISRAEL IN THE PAST:
- Miraculous sings and great wonders in Egypt
- Their cloths nor sandals did not wear out during their journey in wilderness.
- They ate no read and drank no wine.
- They defeated Sihon, king of Heshbon and Og, King of Bashan.
The Lord made covenant with the Israelites at Mount Horeb: “:You yourselves know how we lived in Egypt and how we passed through the countries on the way here. You saw among them their detestable images and idols of wood and stone, of silver and gold. Make sure there is no man or woman, clan or tribe among you today whose heart turns away from the Lord our God to go and worship the gods of those nations; make sure there is no root among you that produces such bitter poison.” (vs. 16-18)
If they abandon the covenant and bow down to worship other gods, curses will fall upon them. The Lord’s furious anger will burn against their lands and in great wrath, He will uproot them from their land and throw them into another land.
THOUGHTS:
It is a serious thing to enter into a covenant with the Lord and not keep it. We need spiritual renewal to perceive what God is doing and understand His ways. Our responsibility is to obey what what He says and put it into action.
Just as the people of Israel forgot about God’s care in their journey, we also sometimes fail to notice all the ways that God takes care of our daily needs. Instead of recognizing God’s hand in the process, we take the credit for our own ability.
For the Israelites to prosper, God told them to keep His covenant of loving Him with all their heart, soul, mind and strength. For us to be successful, we must seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness so that blessings can follow.
Moses cautioned the Jews that when they chose to turn from God, a root would be planted that would produce bitter poison. When we decide to do what we know is wrong, we are planting an evil seed that will grow out of control and cause us sorrow and pain. So, to prevent evil seeds from taking root, or when we have done something wrong, confess to God immediately so as to stop the bitter fruit from ripening.