April 23

“You are standing here in order to enter into a covenant with the LORD your God, a covenant the LORD is making with you this day and sealing with an oath, to confirm you this day as his people, that he may be your God…” —DEUTERONOMY 29:12-13

The name ‘Deuteronomy’ is a Greek word given to the fifth book of Moses during its translation from Hebrew into Greek. ‘Deutero’ means ‘second’ and ‘nomos’ means ‘law’. It is the second giving of the Law or Ten Commandments, recorded much as they are in Exodus 20, along with 613 extensions of the Law God gave to Moses. Why are these laws repeated? The Book of Numbers tells us during the 40 years since the Israelites fled Egypt, an entire generation of people had died. 

Moses is now speaking to a new generation who are close to entering the land of Canaan. They were not witnesses to the deliverance of their people from Egypt, and stood in danger of not having first hand dealings with God. But with God nothing is to be assumed. Moses challenges them, and says, “You must make this God your God.” It was not enough for them to be born an Israelite, but they needed to know God for themselves.

The same principle applies today in that it is not enough to become a Christian with the notion we can somehow breed the next generation of believers or disciples. Christ’s instruction to us is to ‘make’ disciples. Every generation has to be evangelized and not just people who come from non-Christian backgrounds, but generations of our own families. Like the Israelites, the danger is growing up in an environment where much of the normality of life stems from the working of God in the lives of parents. Consequently, the children fail to enter into a living, vital relationship with God for themselves.

Everyone needs to come to God of their own volition, and seek to live out of an active relationship with Him. This is the message of Deuteronomy. It reviews the covenant God made with Israel in such a way that it is personalized to each individual. Nearing the end of his life, Moses tells the people to enter into the same covenant God made with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and their own fathers. This covenant involves all that God will do in their lives, but also what they must do in response to Him. 

God does not change, and under the New Covenant, our response to Him must be the same; one of trust, obedience, dependence and love. On his last day before the people, Moses said, “Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully all the words of this law. They are not just idle words for you - they are your life” (Deuteronomy 32:46-47). In Jesus Christ, we have this life, and every generation needs to know and experience Him.

PRAYER: Thank You, Lord, for Old Testament Scripture, portraying New Testament truths. I pray generation after generation comes to know You and receive new life.

TO REFLECT UPON: Am I making it a priority to tell my children about Jesus?