And know ye this day: for I speak not with your children which have not known, and which have not seen the chastisement of the Lord your God, His greatness, His mighty hand, and His stretched out arm (Deut. 11:2). But your eyes have seen all the great acts of the Lord which He did. Therefore shall ye keep all the commandments which I command you this day, that ye may be strong, and go in and possess the land, whither ye go to possess it; And that ye may prolong your days in the land, which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give unto them and to their seed, a land that floweth with milk and honey(Deut. 11:7-9).
From our very first introduction to Scripture, we have been taught that it exists to lead us to Christ and, through Him, to life everlasting. We are rightly eager to share it with those who are weighed down by the problems of the world and searching for direction. We teach it to our children in an attempt to lay the foundation for their salvation, and we passionately argue it with those who deny its relevance. We proudly proclaim how it changed our lives and brought us into the body of Christ. The problem, though, is that for many, this is where their relationship with Scripture ends. They’ve ‘found’ God, so they cease to look for Him. They believe that since they have been redeemed and are guided by the indwelling Holy Spirit, they have arrived at their destination, and further education and planning are unnecessary.
Such was likely the case with the generation of Israelites to whom Moses spoke in today’s reading. As children, they had witnessed God’s deliverance of their people from Egyptian slavery. They had grown to adulthood on a wilderness journey punctuated by miracles and sustained by manna from heaven. They were soon to take possession of the land promised to their forefathers, a land that floweth with milk and honey. These were people who felt they ‘knew’ God. They had arrived at their destination; their responsibility, they now believed, was to ensure that the next generation would be ready to inherit when their time came.
Moses made it clear to his audience that they still had much to learn. It was precisely because they knew God that their responsibilities to Him had increased. Taking possession of the promised land was not the endpoint of their journey; it was a new beginning. If they were to continue to grow and thrive in this new land, they would need to fully immerse themselves in God’s Word. Only by internalizing it and applying it daily to their own lives would they be able to teach it to the next generation.
Apart from Himself (all of Himself—Father, Son, and Spirit), the greatest gift God has ever given us is His living Word. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Heb. 4:12). Every verse, from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21, contains messages personalized for every person ever born at every stage of their relationship with God.
While it is vital that we continue to educate the next generation and share the Word with those in need, it is equally important that we do not neglect our own studies. He is speaking; we need to listen.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path(Ps. 119:105).
Thought for Today: When we are reborn into the body of Christ, it is the beginning of the journey, not the end.
Christ Revealed:Through the burnt offerings which were totally consumed. These typified Christ’s total offering of Himself to death (Deut.12:6; see Heb. 10:5-7). The bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the Sanctuary (Holy Place) by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify (make holy) the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate (Heb.13:11-12).
Word Studies:11:1 keep His charge = be true to all His requirements; 11:6 opened her mouth = split like a chasm; 11:10 thy foot = working a treadmill with your foot; 11:11 drinketh water = soaks up water.
Pray for Staff:Gilbert Palafox •Government Offical: Rep.Greg Murphy (NC)• Country: Sweden (9,723,809) Northern Europe • Major Language: Swedish • Limited Religious Freedom • 87% Lutheran; 13% Other (Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist) • Prayer Suggestion: Remember, what is impossible with men is possible with God (Matt. 19:26).
Optional Reading:Luke 20