The Choice is yours
Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Deuteronomy 30:15-20, “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, 16 in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, 18 I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess. 19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; 20 that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”
Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Torah or Pentateuch as it is known. Old Testament were written in the scrolls. They translated them into Greek known as Septuagint.
When they translated it they named it based on the content and what could be the best title for them. The original Hebrew Bible was named on the first word of the first word of the book.
Genesis
The first book of the Torah is known in Hebrew as Bereishit (“In the Beginning”), because the opening lines describe how God created heaven and earth. In English it is called Genesis (from the Greek for “origin”).
Exodus
In Hebrew the book is known as Sefer Shemot (“Book of Names”), because it opens with the verse, “These are the names of the children of Israel...”
On a deeper level, this reflects the fact that it is the book in which our identity (name) as a nation is forged. In English it is known as the Book of Exodus, because it contains the story of Israelites leaving Egypt.
Leviticus
The third book of the Torah, known in Hebrew as Vayikra (after the first word of the text, which means “and He called”), is also called Torat Kohanim, the Teaching of Priests. Because so many of its laws revolve around the service and lifestyle of the Levite priests, descendants of Aaron.
This is the source of its English (Greek) name, Leviticus.
Numbers
The Book of Bamidbar (“In the Desert”) gets its name from its opening verse, “And God spoke to Moses in the desert of Sinai ...” It is also known as the Book of Numbers (Chomesh HaPekudim, in Hebrew), because it begins and ends with a detailed census of Israel.
Deuteronomy
The fifth of the Five Books of Moses, the Book of Deuteronomy primarily contains Moses’ last will and testament to the Children of Israel as they are poised to enter the Promised Land. In Hebrew, the book is commonly referred to as Devarim, meaning “words” or “things.”
The opening line, “And these are the words that Moses spoke to the children of Israel.” Since Moses uses this book to recount many events and commandments previously recorded in the other books of the Torah, it is also known as Mishneh Torah, “a second Torah,” or Deuteronomy (from the Greek words for “second law”).
Deuteronomy is basically the words of Moses heard from God. The people of Israel about to enter the promised Land and they are in the plains of Moab. Remember what took place in the Numbers Chapter 20. God asked Moses to speak to the Rock, but Moses hit the Rock, so he was forbidden by God not to enter the Promise Land.
This is the final setting. Joshua was chosen as the successor. Moses is going to die. The people are going to go to the Promise Land with the new leader, so Moses once again speaks to them about how to live there. Moses speaks to his people one last time before he dies!
Moses led them from Egypt to plains of Moab. The people go to Promise Land.
Deuteronomy
Chapters 1 to 4 History with God. Reminding their journey from Egypt until the plains of Moab. Chapters 4 to 26 Reminding them the Laws of God. Chapters 27 to 30 Moses gives the new Covenant of God demanded by God. Chapters 27 to 30 Moses recite what God wants to do.
Chapter 29. Lord wanted to bless them. Lord God wants to multiply them.
Lord God wants to prosper you. Lord God wants to favour you. Now in the plains of Moab Moses tells them listen just because God had promised that He wants to bless you, but it is not automatic. You will have two roads in front of you.
You need to choose the right one for you.
Deuteronomy 30:19, I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;
God wants to Bless you, but the choice is yours. You cannot blame anyone because the choice is yours. Every day you wake up you wake up in the plains of Moab. Either to walk in the ways of God or in your way! Joy or Misery!
Peace or Worry! Good or Evil! Blessings or Curse! Life or death!
Every day you must hear the words of Moses in your inner ear every day! 3 Critical choices. 1. Committed to the commandments of God. Chapters 26 to 29 More than 20 times Moses speaks about commitment. Walk in the ways of Lord.
Obey the voice of God. If you committed to walk in the ways of God, then you will never go wrong. Every day you have a choice either your way or God’s way!
How do you know the commandments of God? You read them first! Understand them. Apply them in your life. Every day you should read the word of God.
Romans 12:1-2, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice,
holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
You will be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
1 Corinthians 2:16, For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ. If you do not know the word, then how would you obey? Passion would never make up for ignorance.
Romans 10:1-3, Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. If you are ignorant of the word of God and His ways, then how much ever you have zeal it can never make up!
When you have the word of God in your heart you will face any challenge with the will of God.
Moses promised them that if they obey God then it will surely work out for them, but he never mentioned it to them it is going to be easy. When we finish reading the book of Moses we end up in the book of Joshua. There we see so many battles they had to go through and win over them. Now they are in the plains of Moab while they are there if they learn the ways of God then it will be easy for them to face the trails.
Why you need to commit to God in spite of Trouble? When you are in trouble, or the perception will be different when you are committed to God. Some of you may be asking yourself, why this should happen to me? I have been committed to God and living for Him and this is what I get in my life?
2. Embrace the Gift of Grace. Moses tells the Israel that the place they are going in and get everything not because of you.
Deuteronomy 6:10-11, “So it shall be, when the Lord your God brings you into the land of which He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give you large and beautiful cities which you did not build, 11 houses full of all good things, which you did not fill, hewn-out wells which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant—when you have eaten and are full— Everything awaits on the other side for you is by the grace of our Lord. Look at everything you possess they are all nothing but grace!
Deuteronomy 8:18, “And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.
Remember Moses spoke to them about their forefathers from chapter 1 to 4. Now they are in the plains of Moab. Devil will make you feel guilty! Devil makes you feel you are not worthy. Guilt or Grace
Choice is yours!
Romans 5:20, Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more,
God knows that they are not going to be committed yet God says that when you come back to Me, I will bless you. Repent Return. Arrest and Right Miranda. You have the right to repent!
3. Surrender to Sovereignty of God
Do not worship any other God. This has been repeated throughout the books of Moses. One thing they did repeatedly. When you bow to idol then you are surrendering your rights to some idol. You are surrendering your will to perpetrator.
I am the God who took care of you, Red sea, Manna, Mara, Protect you, Etc., God is in charge. Life has issues. Every day you have so many things which can brings fear to you. Do not surrender your right before anyone or anything other than God.
Psalms 131:1-3, Lord, my heart is not haughty, Nor my eyes lofty. Neither do I concern myself with great matters, Nor with things too profound for me. 2 Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, Like a weaned child with his mother; Like a weaned child is my soul within me. 3 O Israel, hope in the Lord From this time forth and forever.
Job 42:1-6, Then Job answered the Lord and said: 2 “I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. 3 You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not
understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. 4 Listen, please, and let me speak; You said, ‘I will question you, and you shall answer Me.’ 5 “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You. 6 Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes.”