WEBVTT 00:00:07.040 --> 00:00:12.800 This sermon was recorded at Faith Evangelical Free Church in Grand Forks, North Dakota. 00:00:18.559 --> 00:00:19.679 Good morning. 00:00:19.920 --> 00:00:20.480 Welcome. 00:00:20.640 --> 00:00:27.039 What a wonderful way to be led to the throne room of the Lord Jesus Christ in song. 00:00:27.440 --> 00:00:32.000 Hope you appreciate singing together as much as I do. 00:00:32.960 --> 00:00:40.479 There's so many rich, rich songs for us to sing, to give praise to our God and King, the Lord Jesus Christ, together. 00:00:40.640 --> 00:00:46.640 I don't know if you are aware of, not the last one, but the one before that, yet not I, but Christ in me. 00:00:46.719 --> 00:00:49.119 I don't know if you're aware of that song. 00:00:49.280 --> 00:00:50.399 It's a wonderful new song. 00:00:50.479 --> 00:00:52.960 I think it's one of my favorite new songs. 00:00:53.280 --> 00:00:57.439 There's a group, an Australian group called City Alight. 00:00:57.520 --> 00:01:00.560 If you're not familiar with them, I encourage you to find them on YouTube. 00:01:00.719 --> 00:01:01.920 City Alight. 00:01:02.159 --> 00:01:07.760 They are one of the new groups, worship groups writing new hymns, new songs for worship. 00:01:07.840 --> 00:01:09.359 And that is one of them. 00:01:09.599 --> 00:01:21.200 And I am so thankful, regularly thankful for the ability that God has given our musicians to lead us together and worship in those new kinds of songs. 00:01:21.519 --> 00:01:25.280 I know if if you have ability and we don't know about it, please let Webb know. 00:01:25.359 --> 00:01:32.560 I know he would love to be able to talk to you and incorporate you in some way, if possible, into our worship team. 00:01:33.359 --> 00:01:42.159 I encourage you to take your version of God's word that you have with you this morning and open it to the Old Testament, the book of Deuteronomy. 00:01:42.400 --> 00:01:47.040 I know we've been in Matthew so long now that my Bible just naturally falls open to that point. 00:01:47.280 --> 00:01:52.799 But we're going to spend some time together in the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy. 00:01:52.959 --> 00:02:00.000 Beginning this morning, we're going to take a couple of months off from Matthew's record of the life of Jesus. 00:02:00.560 --> 00:02:05.120 Lord willing, we will pick up where we left off in the Sermon on the Mount in January. 00:02:05.599 --> 00:02:15.680 In December, we will start that month with celebrating the faith of several individuals demonstrating their faith to you in baptism. 00:02:15.759 --> 00:02:23.120 And then for the rest of the Christmas season, our focus is going to be on God's promise to send a redeemer. 00:02:23.360 --> 00:02:32.639 But until then, for November, we're going to consider the importance of God's word, especially as it relates to our obedience to him. 00:02:33.199 --> 00:02:36.000 I'm really looking forward to these next few weeks. 00:02:36.080 --> 00:02:38.639 We've been planning this for several months now. 00:02:38.960 --> 00:02:43.120 And we're going to be in the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy for three weeks. 00:02:43.280 --> 00:02:49.439 There we are going to see that our God is a God who has spoken to us. 00:02:50.000 --> 00:02:53.599 He's given us his word to hear and obey. 00:02:54.159 --> 00:02:57.840 Going to look this morning at chapter 4 and 5. 00:02:58.080 --> 00:03:04.400 Then the following Sunday, next Sunday, we're going to look at chapter 6, and then Deuteronomy 8, the week after that. 00:03:04.560 --> 00:03:11.360 And that's all going to lead us to kind of a pinnacle in John chapter 1, where we wrap it up. 00:03:11.680 --> 00:03:15.039 Because in the Old Testament, we see that God has spoken to us. 00:03:15.199 --> 00:03:18.080 We hear his words and we're reminded to hear him speak. 00:03:18.319 --> 00:03:28.000 And then in John chapter 1, that culminates with God's word becoming flesh and dwelling among us, and we hear him in the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:03:28.240 --> 00:03:34.960 So this morning, my part in this this morning is really to set the stage for what is to come. 00:03:35.199 --> 00:03:47.759 In Genesis, or not Genesis, Deuteronomy 4 and 5, we are going to really kind of set the foundation for what we're going to hear in Deuteronomy 6 and then in Deuteronomy 8. 00:03:48.400 --> 00:03:52.639 This is an incredibly powerful section of Scripture. 00:03:53.039 --> 00:04:10.159 From the Jewish perspective, it was a needed reminder for the nation of Israel as they prepared to set out across the Jordan River to take possession of the land that God had promised to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob for centuries and centuries. 00:04:10.319 --> 00:04:19.439 They needed to be reminded, though, of God's word as they sought to obey Him in their new land of promise. 00:04:19.680 --> 00:04:24.639 Israel needed the reminder to never forget God's word. 00:04:25.279 --> 00:04:28.959 Of course, we need that reminder continually as well. 00:04:32.079 --> 00:04:34.560 Struggle to remember what I had for breakfast this morning. 00:04:34.959 --> 00:04:39.519 So it's so easy for us to forget God's word as well. 00:04:40.079 --> 00:04:49.120 We need the reminder that God's spoken word has prepared the way for the incarnate word, the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:04:49.839 --> 00:04:53.680 Deuteronomy played an important part in Israel's history. 00:04:54.240 --> 00:05:05.199 God sent them on a 40-year journey of wandering through the deserts of Arabia because they failed to trust in the Word of God. 00:05:05.600 --> 00:05:08.399 You probably remember the story. 00:05:09.120 --> 00:05:18.800 Moses sent 12 spies across the Jordan River to spy out the land, to say, go in and see how rich and prosperous and wonderful it is so that we can go in and take possession. 00:05:19.040 --> 00:05:27.439 Those twelve men went in, they spied it out, and they came back, and two of them said, Yes, let's trust what God has promised and go in and take it. 00:05:27.600 --> 00:05:32.319 Ten of them said, No, we cannot trust God's word because it's filled with giants. 00:05:33.680 --> 00:05:39.040 And the nation believed the word of the ten instead of the word of God. 00:05:39.360 --> 00:05:51.600 So God sent them on a 40-year wandering in the desert while everyone who failed to trust in God's word died without experiencing the blessing of God's promise. 00:05:51.839 --> 00:05:58.160 So now in Deuteronomy there is a new generation, a second generation of Israelites after coming out of Egypt. 00:05:58.480 --> 00:06:01.759 They are ready to possess God's promises. 00:06:02.319 --> 00:06:07.439 But first, they needed a reminder of exactly what God had said. 00:06:07.600 --> 00:06:09.040 That's what Deuteronomy is. 00:06:09.120 --> 00:06:10.079 It's a reminder. 00:06:10.240 --> 00:06:14.800 In Deuteronomy chapter 17, Moses gave instruction for the future. 00:06:14.879 --> 00:06:19.920 He knew there would be a time when kings would rule over the nation of Israel. 00:06:20.000 --> 00:06:21.759 And so he gave some guidance for them. 00:06:21.920 --> 00:06:30.480 Specifically, that under the guidance of priests, future kings were to make a handwritten copy of the law for themselves. 00:06:30.639 --> 00:06:34.000 This is what he said in Deuteronomy 17, 18. 00:06:34.240 --> 00:06:49.360 When he, that is, when your future king sits on his throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, that is approved by the Levitical priests. 00:06:49.439 --> 00:07:02.959 So imagine that you are established as the new king of Israel, and your first obligation, your first duty is to sit down and hand copy the first five books of the Bible so that you have your own personal copy of God's law. 00:07:03.759 --> 00:07:17.040 Now, when that passage was first translated into the Greek language, the words that you see there in English, a copy of this law, that was translated into Greek with the Greek words deuteronom. 00:07:18.720 --> 00:07:21.759 Deuteron meaning second, nomion meaning law. 00:07:21.839 --> 00:07:26.160 It is the second copy, the second reiteration of the law of God. 00:07:26.240 --> 00:07:27.439 There's nothing new here. 00:07:27.680 --> 00:07:37.279 What you find in the book of Deuteronomy is not a new expression of something, it is simply saying it again. 00:07:38.079 --> 00:07:39.920 Why would we need to say it again? 00:07:40.079 --> 00:07:46.879 Well, I don't know about you, but I often have to tell my son three or four times to do something, and he still doesn't remember. 00:07:48.079 --> 00:07:49.120 Same thing with us. 00:07:49.360 --> 00:07:53.199 God has to keep speaking to us the words of his law. 00:07:53.279 --> 00:08:04.879 But here specifically, there is a new group of people, a new generation of Israelites who need the reminder of the word of God before they go over and take possession of God's promise. 00:08:05.360 --> 00:08:12.240 Now, Moses wrote this book and communicated it to the people to motivate their obedience. 00:08:12.639 --> 00:08:19.439 He reminds the people, beginning in chapter one of Deuteronomy, all the way through the third chapter, that God chose them. 00:08:19.839 --> 00:08:22.160 He chose their father Abraham. 00:08:22.399 --> 00:08:25.120 He gave his people his words. 00:08:33.600 --> 00:08:45.120 But Moses wanted them to know that success and blessing came only as they remembered and obeyed the word of God. 00:08:46.480 --> 00:08:47.600 That's why. 00:08:48.080 --> 00:08:53.440 That's why remembering the word of God is at the heart of our obedience. 00:08:55.120 --> 00:08:57.039 We don't remember, we don't obey. 00:08:57.919 --> 00:09:03.679 Now, if you're a Christian, you need to remember that God has spoken to us through the scriptures. 00:09:04.399 --> 00:09:10.480 And it's here that we find the voice of God speaking to us, calling us to follow the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:09:11.200 --> 00:09:25.200 If you're not a Christian, you're going to be challenged this morning to hear the God who has spoken, and then to follow him in faith and trust and obedience. 00:09:25.919 --> 00:09:29.039 We begin then in Deuteronomy chapter 4. 00:09:29.679 --> 00:09:39.120 The first three chapters recount the previous 40 years or so of Israel's wanderings, taking us right up to the brink of the Jordan River. 00:09:39.279 --> 00:09:43.519 Soon Moses is going to climb a mountain where God has told him to go up and to die. 00:09:43.600 --> 00:09:52.240 And Joshua will come down, his assistant, and lead the people of Israel across the Jordan River to take possession of God's promise to his people. 00:09:52.399 --> 00:09:57.200 So, in many ways, what we're going to see here are the last words of Moses. 00:09:58.320 --> 00:10:04.799 This is his last opportunity to teach the people that he has led for 40 years. 00:10:05.440 --> 00:10:09.120 Many of these people he has seen from the moment of their birth. 00:10:09.360 --> 00:10:10.720 They've grown up with Moses. 00:10:16.559 --> 00:10:21.200 And this is Moses' last opportunity to have an impression upon these people. 00:10:21.519 --> 00:10:25.279 And so this is what he says to them in chapter 4, verse 1. 00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:32.639 Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and rules that I am teaching you and do them. 00:10:33.200 --> 00:10:41.120 That you may live and go in and take possession of the land that Yahweh, the God of your fathers, is giving to you. 00:10:42.240 --> 00:10:50.000 That theme of listening and of hearing and of being careful to remember and not forget is a constant in these chapters. 00:10:50.240 --> 00:10:54.080 We're going to hear it again and again and again and see it again and again and again. 00:10:54.240 --> 00:10:59.120 Remember, take care to listen, don't forget over and over and over again. 00:10:59.360 --> 00:11:10.240 Moses repeatedly expresses the commands of God to his people to hear, to remember, to not forget. 00:11:11.440 --> 00:11:13.919 Because God demands obedience to his words. 00:11:14.080 --> 00:11:21.679 Unfortunately, we don't have time this morning to read all of these two chapters that are before us, chapter four and chapter five. 00:11:21.840 --> 00:11:24.799 We're only going to focus on some portions of them. 00:11:24.960 --> 00:11:36.080 So it's best for you, if you really want to pay attention this morning, it's best for you to have your copy of God's Word open so that you can see the verses and the passages that I'm going to be referencing throughout. 00:11:36.559 --> 00:11:38.639 There are going to be a lot of them. 00:11:38.960 --> 00:11:47.600 And if you are one of God's people that is prone to take notes, I've made it very easy for you this morning to take notes. 00:11:47.679 --> 00:11:51.360 So you'll be delighted with this this morning. 00:11:52.159 --> 00:11:55.759 We're going to look at two divisions of God's Word. 00:11:55.919 --> 00:12:01.360 Primarily, the first division in chapter four is remembering God's uniqueness. 00:12:01.759 --> 00:12:07.360 Moses reminds us never forget the uniqueness of your God. 00:12:08.159 --> 00:12:15.679 Then in primarily chapter five, he is going to remind us to remember to obey God's words. 00:12:16.080 --> 00:12:19.600 Those are the two divisions that we're going to highlight this morning. 00:12:21.279 --> 00:12:27.360 I want you to think for a moment about how you would describe your God. 00:12:29.039 --> 00:12:33.919 How would you describe the God that you worship and follow? 00:12:34.080 --> 00:12:37.120 If someone asked you, what is your God like? 00:12:37.600 --> 00:12:38.879 How would you answer? 00:12:40.639 --> 00:12:41.759 Could you answer? 00:12:42.559 --> 00:12:43.679 I hope you can. 00:12:45.759 --> 00:12:55.600 It's important to know how to answer that question because the world outside of these walls has all kinds of answers to that question. 00:12:56.559 --> 00:12:58.960 And the vast majority of them are wrong. 00:13:00.559 --> 00:13:05.200 Some of what you will find in the world are false perceptions of the true God. 00:13:06.000 --> 00:13:09.840 Then you will also find gods of our own making. 00:13:10.000 --> 00:13:18.879 You will find false gods, and you will leave this building in a short while and enter that world of false gods and false understanding. 00:13:19.279 --> 00:13:26.080 How is your God different than what you will encounter in the world outside these walls? 00:13:26.639 --> 00:13:28.240 How is he different? 00:13:30.000 --> 00:13:36.960 Israel had spent 40 years practically quarantined from false religion. 00:13:37.600 --> 00:13:39.679 They were wandering in the desert. 00:13:40.399 --> 00:13:46.799 For the most part, they didn't have much influential contact with people who worshiped other gods. 00:13:47.039 --> 00:14:03.840 But at this point, at this point in their history, they they are about to cross the Jordan River and encounter and conquer people groups who had infuriated Yahweh with their devotion to idols and all kinds of false gods. 00:14:04.799 --> 00:14:14.960 They were about to come into contact with different ideas about God and gods and what to worship and how to worship than they'd ever seen before. 00:14:16.559 --> 00:14:24.240 So it's in that context that Moses took time to remind Israel your God is unique. 00:14:25.039 --> 00:14:28.159 He is not like what you are about to encounter. 00:14:28.480 --> 00:14:30.639 He is unlike any other God. 00:14:30.879 --> 00:14:36.240 And so he begins then to go through examples of how God is unique. 00:14:36.639 --> 00:14:40.159 And again, we don't have time to really dive into these in depth. 00:14:40.399 --> 00:14:47.120 I'm just going to go through them quickly with you to show what Moses showed his people about how God is unique. 00:14:47.279 --> 00:14:51.120 First, we notice that God is unique in his word. 00:14:52.240 --> 00:14:53.039 In his word. 00:14:53.360 --> 00:14:57.279 He begins, and now, O Israel, listen. 00:14:57.840 --> 00:14:58.480 Why? 00:15:00.399 --> 00:15:02.000 Why should they listen? 00:15:02.320 --> 00:15:04.159 For that matter, why should we? 00:15:04.799 --> 00:15:07.519 Why should we pay attention to what God has said? 00:15:07.919 --> 00:15:12.879 Well, Moses gives the reason that you may live. 00:15:14.159 --> 00:15:20.159 There was more for those Israelites that they might go in and take possession of the land of God's promise. 00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:23.279 But if they don't live, then they're not going to be going in. 00:15:25.200 --> 00:15:31.600 We've already gone over that there's a whole generation of people dead in the desert because they didn't trust in God. 00:15:31.759 --> 00:15:33.679 They didn't live, they're not going in. 00:15:35.440 --> 00:15:41.600 God's word is unique because it is one of the major keys to true life. 00:15:42.559 --> 00:15:46.720 Peter picks up on this in the New Testament in 2 Peter chapter 1, verse 3. 00:15:47.440 --> 00:15:56.720 Speaking of God, he says, His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us. 00:15:57.360 --> 00:16:00.320 How do we have that knowledge of him who called us? 00:16:01.120 --> 00:16:02.080 Through his word. 00:16:04.320 --> 00:16:07.039 But that's not all we see about the uniqueness of God's word. 00:16:07.519 --> 00:16:10.879 God goes on in verse 2 to say, it's settled. 00:16:11.039 --> 00:16:11.919 It's determined. 00:16:12.080 --> 00:16:15.840 You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it. 00:16:17.519 --> 00:16:21.440 The Apostle John picks up that theme at the end of the book of Revelation. 00:16:21.679 --> 00:16:26.399 Cursing anyone who changes, who adds to or takes away from the word of God. 00:16:26.639 --> 00:16:27.919 God's word is settled. 00:16:28.000 --> 00:16:29.840 It is determined, it's done. 00:16:30.080 --> 00:16:32.240 When God speaks, he's finished it. 00:16:32.480 --> 00:16:40.399 That means that any other any other text that claims to be God's word, claims to be divine revelation, is false. 00:16:40.720 --> 00:16:41.600 There's more. 00:16:41.840 --> 00:16:43.120 Look at verse 6. 00:16:43.360 --> 00:16:57.200 Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. 00:16:58.720 --> 00:17:04.400 God's word is the source of wisdom and understanding. 00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:18.559 So much so, so much so that whoever whoever values and trusts in this word, the word of God, as the source of wisdom and understanding, is noticed as being set apart by God. 00:17:19.920 --> 00:17:20.960 They're unique. 00:17:21.759 --> 00:17:23.279 We should go on, verse 10. 00:17:23.680 --> 00:17:35.519 On the day that you stood before Yahweh, your God at Horeb, Yahweh said to me, Gather the people to me that I may let them hear my words, so that they may learn to fear me all the days they live on the earth. 00:17:38.799 --> 00:17:43.839 Do you understand that God's word is his grace to you? 00:17:46.400 --> 00:17:54.079 We saw a little bit earlier about folks in Pakistan and how they endure much less privilege than we have. 00:17:55.359 --> 00:18:04.160 You know, there are many people groups throughout the world who do not have a copy of God's word in their possession, much less, even many in their communities. 00:18:04.880 --> 00:18:18.160 The fact that we have the words of the living God in our possession, most of us in multiple copies, and acts accessible to us via the internet or through your smartphone or your device of any kind is astounding. 00:18:18.319 --> 00:18:19.759 That is God's grace to you. 00:18:19.839 --> 00:18:23.039 No, remember, God did not have to give you his words. 00:18:23.119 --> 00:18:25.119 Look at the choice of words God had. 00:18:25.440 --> 00:18:30.799 That I may let you hear my words. 00:18:33.119 --> 00:18:39.359 We would not know the heart and mind of God had He not chosen to speak. 00:18:47.039 --> 00:18:54.720 He lets us hear the fact that you can have the words of the living God right in front of you. 00:18:55.039 --> 00:18:56.640 It's his grace to you. 00:18:57.599 --> 00:18:58.720 It's his grace to you. 00:18:58.799 --> 00:19:02.559 And that points to another aspect of God's uniqueness in his word. 00:19:03.440 --> 00:19:04.720 He actually spoke. 00:19:05.599 --> 00:19:06.480 He actually spoke. 00:19:06.640 --> 00:19:07.839 Look at verse 12. 00:19:08.400 --> 00:19:11.759 Then Yahweh spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. 00:19:11.920 --> 00:19:14.640 You heard the sound of the words, but saw no form. 00:19:14.799 --> 00:19:16.880 There was only a voice. 00:19:17.279 --> 00:19:18.319 Verse 15. 00:19:18.559 --> 00:19:24.640 Therefore, watch yourselves very carefully, since you saw no form on the day that Yahweh spoke to you. 00:19:24.880 --> 00:19:27.200 That Horeb out of the midst of the fire. 00:19:28.000 --> 00:19:36.079 God spoke his words and revealed himself to his people to show that there is no one like him. 00:19:37.680 --> 00:19:39.680 His word is unique. 00:19:44.000 --> 00:19:45.920 We just read through this. 00:19:46.240 --> 00:19:50.400 In verse 12, Moses spends a lot of ink on this point. 00:19:51.039 --> 00:19:54.000 Verse 12, Yahweh spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. 00:19:54.079 --> 00:19:57.519 You heard the sound of words, but saw no form. 00:19:58.720 --> 00:20:01.759 Verse 15, you saw no form. 00:20:02.960 --> 00:20:04.640 Now notice what he what he does here. 00:20:04.720 --> 00:20:06.720 He goes on in verse 5 verse 15. 00:20:06.960 --> 00:20:10.720 You saw no form the day that Yahweh spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. 00:20:10.880 --> 00:20:18.720 So beware lest you act corruptly by making a carved image for yourselves in the form of any figure. 00:20:19.200 --> 00:20:34.480 The likeness of male or female, of any animal that's on the earth, winged bird that flies in the air, anything that creeps on the ground, any fish in the water, beware lest you raise your eyes to heaven and see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, and you be drawn away and bow down to them. 00:20:35.680 --> 00:20:38.160 The warning is carried on into verse 25. 00:20:38.319 --> 00:20:46.240 Beware lest when you have children and grandchildren and grown old in the land, you act corruptly by making a carved image in the form of anything. 00:20:48.799 --> 00:20:56.720 God hates when people make an image, a form of something and worship it. 00:20:57.359 --> 00:20:58.640 Why is that? 00:20:59.759 --> 00:21:01.759 Because God is spirit. 00:21:02.079 --> 00:21:04.880 Jesus says that in John chapter 4, verse 24. 00:21:05.200 --> 00:21:06.880 God is spirit. 00:21:07.039 --> 00:21:18.640 That's important because the common means of worship of false gods is by taking a piece of wood or a piece of stone or some gold or some silver or some bronze and forming it into the shape of something. 00:21:19.839 --> 00:21:22.240 There were golden calves that were worshipped. 00:21:22.319 --> 00:21:24.559 There were goats that were worshipped. 00:21:25.920 --> 00:21:28.319 Mice were worshipped. 00:21:28.640 --> 00:21:30.880 Sun, moon, stars were worshipped. 00:21:31.039 --> 00:21:33.279 Those all have a form of something. 00:21:33.519 --> 00:21:38.079 God hates that because it very clearly identifies it's a different God. 00:21:38.240 --> 00:21:44.480 It's not Him because anything that can be described in form or in shape cannot be the true God. 00:21:44.720 --> 00:21:49.440 He is unique in His being in that He does not have physical shape or form. 00:21:49.680 --> 00:21:51.359 God is spirit. 00:21:52.720 --> 00:21:54.880 You wanted His people to know that. 00:21:56.480 --> 00:21:58.400 You wanted His people to understand that. 00:21:58.480 --> 00:22:07.519 Now, when we get to the new Testament, we find that God is spirit, but God can take on a kind of form. 00:22:08.000 --> 00:22:09.119 How do we know that? 00:22:09.440 --> 00:22:10.880 Philippians 2. 00:22:11.200 --> 00:22:20.559 Speaking of the Lord Jesus, it says that even though he was in the form of God, he didn't count equality with God as something to be held on to at all costs. 00:22:20.640 --> 00:22:22.079 So what did he do? 00:22:22.400 --> 00:22:23.519 He emptied himself. 00:22:23.839 --> 00:22:28.960 He set aside his divine prerogatives and said, I'm going to take on the form of a slave. 00:22:29.200 --> 00:22:32.400 And he was born in the likeness of human flesh. 00:22:32.640 --> 00:22:35.759 But God, being spirit, took on a form. 00:22:35.920 --> 00:22:40.079 But in his being, in the pureness of his being, he is spirit. 00:22:42.799 --> 00:22:44.079 His word is unique. 00:22:45.039 --> 00:22:46.240 His being is unique. 00:22:46.880 --> 00:22:51.119 Third example that we see in this chapter is his redemption is unique. 00:22:51.680 --> 00:22:53.759 His redemption is unique. 00:22:56.000 --> 00:22:57.440 Look at verse 20. 00:22:59.599 --> 00:23:09.359 Yahweh has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be a people of his own inheritance as you are this day. 00:23:10.720 --> 00:23:16.480 Later, in verse 34, God asks some questions. 00:23:16.960 --> 00:23:18.000 Excuse me. 00:23:18.480 --> 00:23:25.119 Has any God ever attempted to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation? 00:23:25.440 --> 00:23:33.519 And done so by trials, signs, wonders, war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, by great deeds of terror. 00:23:33.920 --> 00:23:34.960 Has that ever happened? 00:23:35.119 --> 00:23:36.079 God asks. 00:23:37.759 --> 00:23:47.759 Eugene Merrill, in his commentary on Deuteronomy, writes this if ever there was an example of lordship, it was this. 00:23:48.960 --> 00:23:55.839 For Egypt, by any standard, was the dominant economic and military power in the world. 00:23:56.480 --> 00:24:07.759 For the Lord to be able to humiliate that great empire by rescuing an impotent slave people from its grasp was ample witness to his incomparability. 00:24:09.039 --> 00:24:22.720 He goes on to describe this verse, and he says, the Hebrew term here is related to another language word for crucible, a kiln in which metals and glass were melted down and refined. 00:24:23.440 --> 00:24:30.559 Any nation caught up in the white heat of Egyptian wrath and oppression was virtually hopeless. 00:24:31.599 --> 00:24:37.440 But the Lord used that time of bondage as a purifying process for his people. 00:24:37.599 --> 00:24:42.240 And when the process was over, he powerfully delivered them from it. 00:24:44.400 --> 00:24:47.839 And the point we see in this chapter is that no God could do that. 00:24:48.240 --> 00:24:49.440 God with a little g. 00:24:51.279 --> 00:24:55.039 You've never heard of it, because it's never happened. 00:24:55.599 --> 00:25:01.440 Yahweh redeems, and when he does so, he does so powerfully and fully, completely. 00:25:02.000 --> 00:25:04.880 He does it by his own power, by his own hand. 00:25:05.759 --> 00:25:07.440 He rescues and he redeems. 00:25:07.599 --> 00:25:24.480 Of course, as New Testament believers, we we automatically understand then that Israel's redemption out of Egypt is a picture of the powerful work of God to redeem us through the work of the cross. 00:25:26.960 --> 00:25:31.759 Fourth example of God's uniqueness is that he is unique in his character. 00:25:32.240 --> 00:25:34.079 He is unique in his character. 00:25:34.799 --> 00:25:39.200 Interestingly, the characteristic that we see first is verse 24. 00:25:39.440 --> 00:25:45.680 For Yahweh your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. 00:25:45.759 --> 00:25:48.160 Now that doesn't sound very encouraging. 00:25:50.319 --> 00:25:54.240 But if you are one of God's people, it is extremely encouraging. 00:25:55.920 --> 00:26:03.920 God's jealousy is connected over and over again to images that represent something other than God. 00:26:04.079 --> 00:26:05.279 Look at verse 23. 00:26:05.440 --> 00:26:14.880 Take care lest you forget the covenant of Yahweh your God, which he made with you, and make a carved image in the form of anything that Yahweh your God has forbidden you. 00:26:15.119 --> 00:26:19.440 Why should we be afraid to worship some kind of image? 00:26:20.400 --> 00:26:23.119 Because your God is a consuming fire. 00:26:23.759 --> 00:26:28.240 And he doesn't take it well when his people go worship something other than him. 00:26:30.400 --> 00:26:31.440 That's nothing new. 00:26:31.519 --> 00:26:36.640 It goes all the way back to the book of Exodus and to the Ten Commands in Exodus chapter 20. 00:26:37.279 --> 00:26:45.920 Exodus 20, verse 5, God told his people, You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God. 00:26:46.960 --> 00:26:51.119 Isaiah 20, I'm sorry, Isaiah 42, verse 8. 00:26:51.759 --> 00:26:54.960 I am the Lord, that's my name. 00:26:55.359 --> 00:27:02.240 My glory I will not give to another, nor my praise to carved idols. 00:27:03.839 --> 00:27:05.839 God is jealous for his name. 00:27:06.160 --> 00:27:10.160 He's jealous for his being, he's jealous for his people. 00:27:12.160 --> 00:27:21.279 And he says, if you go and you worship something other than me, you're going to experience my character as a consuming fire. 00:27:24.400 --> 00:27:30.799 Sadly, in Deuteronomy 32, 21, God said, My people have made me jealous with what is no God. 00:27:31.519 --> 00:27:34.480 They have provoked me to anger with their idols. 00:27:49.359 --> 00:27:52.160 Mercy is one of his characteristics. 00:27:52.640 --> 00:28:06.640 That's astounding because the variations of Baal that were worshipped in this time in history, or the Ashturiths, or any other false god of the millions that there were, were not considered merciful. 00:28:06.880 --> 00:28:10.160 If anything, they were vengeful and angry. 00:28:10.319 --> 00:28:13.039 They were gods that had to be appeased. 00:28:13.920 --> 00:28:21.519 So if something didn't go your way, then that indicated that the gods were angry with you and you had to appease their anger. 00:28:22.000 --> 00:28:23.920 So you had to go and offer a sacrifice. 00:28:24.079 --> 00:28:30.559 That's why so many of the ancient nations went so far as to participate in child sacrifice. 00:28:30.960 --> 00:28:36.640 Because the greatest act of appeasement is offering your own child as a burnt offering, apparently. 00:28:38.960 --> 00:28:44.799 They had to be appeased, but our God is a merciful God. 00:28:46.799 --> 00:28:52.480 Moses wants his people to be reminded of how unique their God is. 00:28:54.240 --> 00:29:00.480 Fifth example of God's uniqueness is found in what he does, in his actions. 00:29:01.920 --> 00:29:03.599 Look at verse 32. 00:29:04.319 --> 00:29:06.559 Ask now of history. 00:29:06.960 --> 00:29:08.640 Let's have a history lesson. 00:29:08.960 --> 00:29:10.880 The days that were before you. 00:29:11.279 --> 00:29:14.480 Since the day that God created man on the earth. 00:29:14.720 --> 00:29:23.519 Ask from one end of the heavens to the other whether such a great thing as this has ever happened or was even ever heard of. 00:29:29.359 --> 00:29:30.480 Still live. 00:29:35.599 --> 00:29:39.839 God has done things that have never been seen before or seen since. 00:29:40.160 --> 00:29:45.039 He spoke with an actual voice, unlike any other so-called God. 00:29:45.440 --> 00:29:51.519 Verse 34, he redeemed a nation out of another nation with terrifying power. 00:29:52.079 --> 00:29:59.440 He gave actual evidence of his presence with his words and with the fire of his presence in verse 36. 00:30:00.079 --> 00:30:06.799 Verses 37 and 38, he led his people out of Egypt to drive out nations that were more powerful than they. 00:30:08.720 --> 00:30:14.559 This is a powerful God recounting his awesome deeds. 00:30:19.759 --> 00:30:29.440 And it's astounding that as we see just in this little passage, all that God has done, it's astounding that Israel forgot how powerful her God was. 00:30:30.640 --> 00:30:32.079 She forgot. 00:30:32.480 --> 00:30:34.000 How do we know that? 00:30:34.720 --> 00:30:37.200 Well, we could point to several incidences. 00:30:37.759 --> 00:30:42.079 One is when Elijah, the prophet Elijah, was on the top of Mount Carmel. 00:30:43.119 --> 00:30:47.039 Because he challenged the 400 prophets of Baal to a duel. 00:30:48.000 --> 00:30:55.599 He said, You come up on this mountain with me and we'll gather all of the people on top of this mountain, and we're going to once and for all determine who is God. 00:30:55.759 --> 00:30:58.880 Is it Baal or is it Yahweh? 00:30:59.440 --> 00:31:00.559 So let's have a duel. 00:31:00.880 --> 00:31:07.680 You prepare a sacrifice, you kill an ox, and you offer him up as a burnt offering, you call on your God and we'll see who responds with fire. 00:31:07.839 --> 00:31:10.319 If your God responds with fire, great, we'll worship Baal. 00:31:10.480 --> 00:31:13.440 If my God responds with fire, then we're going to worship him. 00:31:14.240 --> 00:31:16.480 Why did they even need to do that? 00:31:18.960 --> 00:31:22.400 Because they had forgotten how powerful their God was. 00:31:23.200 --> 00:31:37.200 Later on in Israel's history, they forgot how powerful their God was, and that was demonstrated because they went and made peace treaties with other nations who they thought could come and help protect them because their God wasn't powerful enough to protect them. 00:31:37.920 --> 00:31:39.039 They forgot. 00:31:41.599 --> 00:31:47.599 Now the sixth example of God's uniqueness is absolute sovereignty. 00:31:51.279 --> 00:31:58.720 There's a pattern in verses 32 through 39 that just very clearly demonstrate this truth. 00:31:59.440 --> 00:32:10.319 Twice there are three verses that are followed by a statement of Yahweh's supremacy and uniqueness. 00:32:10.480 --> 00:32:11.839 So that we see this twice. 00:32:16.480 --> 00:32:30.319 So first we see in verses 32, 33, and 34 this statement about how powerful God is, and then in verse 35, we are asked, To you, it was shown that you might know that Yahweh is God. 00:32:30.480 --> 00:32:32.000 There's no other besides him. 00:32:33.920 --> 00:32:37.279 Then in verse 36, 37, and 38, we go at it again. 00:32:37.440 --> 00:32:39.119 Out of heaven you hear his voice. 00:32:39.279 --> 00:32:42.319 He loved your fathers, he brought them out by his great power. 00:32:42.559 --> 00:32:45.039 Verse 38, he drove out nations before them. 00:32:45.200 --> 00:32:52.720 Verse 39, know therefore today and lay it to heart that Yahweh is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. 00:32:52.880 --> 00:32:54.079 There is no other. 00:32:55.599 --> 00:32:57.119 There's no question. 00:33:00.079 --> 00:33:25.039 When you understand God's word, when you understand who he is, when you understand his redemption of his people, when you understand the kind of character that he has, when you understand how powerfully he has acted in history on behalf of his people, when you understand how sovereign and supreme he is, you respond with, There is no one like my God. 00:33:26.640 --> 00:33:28.319 There's no one like him. 00:33:30.480 --> 00:33:36.559 And Moses understood that as his people were getting ready to cross over to take possession of God's promise, they needed that reminder. 00:33:38.160 --> 00:33:40.960 They needed to hear that again. 00:33:42.000 --> 00:33:50.160 And all of these, all of these examples of God's uniqueness are placed right in between two bookends. 00:33:50.559 --> 00:33:53.279 The book ends are the same. 00:33:54.000 --> 00:33:58.720 Verse one, listen to the statutes and the rules. 00:33:59.759 --> 00:34:05.599 Verse 40, you shall keep his commandments and his statutes. 00:34:07.039 --> 00:34:08.320 You see what Moses did? 00:34:08.719 --> 00:34:10.000 It's astounding, really. 00:34:10.400 --> 00:34:16.559 In half a dozen different ways, he goes through and he reminds Israel of God's uniqueness. 00:34:16.719 --> 00:34:18.239 There's no one like him. 00:34:19.119 --> 00:34:27.119 The God who redeemed them was so unlike any other so-called God that they were about to encounter in the world in front of them. 00:34:27.360 --> 00:34:37.199 And once God's people remembered and recognized who their God is, that remembrance was to motivate obedience to God's word. 00:34:39.119 --> 00:34:45.280 They were to be so astounded with who their God is that they were driven to do what he said. 00:34:46.400 --> 00:34:55.440 And that's the focus of chapter 5, where we look at remembering to obey God's words. 00:34:57.599 --> 00:35:00.719 I apologize if I'm flying through this. 00:35:01.840 --> 00:35:06.239 I uh threatened to Jeremy and Webb that I was going to preach for an hour. 00:35:07.199 --> 00:35:08.400 Not going to put you through that. 00:35:08.480 --> 00:35:10.159 I'm trying to get through all of this. 00:35:10.639 --> 00:35:12.800 Because what we're doing is setting the stage, right? 00:35:12.880 --> 00:35:16.800 We're setting the stage for what we're going to hear in chapter six and chapter eight. 00:35:17.920 --> 00:35:22.159 So in chapter five, that's the second division of this section. 00:35:22.639 --> 00:35:24.960 We are remembering to obey God's words. 00:35:25.039 --> 00:35:27.280 And so notice the first verse of chapter five. 00:35:27.519 --> 00:35:36.800 Moses summoned all Israel, and he said to them, Hear, hear, O Israel, the statutes and the rules that I speak in your hearing today. 00:35:37.039 --> 00:35:40.960 You shall learn them and be careful to do them. 00:35:41.920 --> 00:35:48.639 Then the rest of this chapter is primarily a recounting of the Ten Commandments, the Ten Commandments. 00:35:49.199 --> 00:35:53.599 But along the way, we're going to see a handful of qualities of God's word. 00:35:54.320 --> 00:36:00.480 Qualities that should help us when we properly understand them, help us to obey his word. 00:36:00.880 --> 00:36:07.039 The first quality of God's word couldn't be surprising. 00:36:07.360 --> 00:36:09.280 It demands obedience. 00:36:09.679 --> 00:36:11.280 Demands obedience. 00:36:11.599 --> 00:36:18.639 As we read in verse 1, Israel was to learn God's words and be careful to do them. 00:36:19.760 --> 00:36:25.119 Then in verse 7, we see the beginning of repeating the Ten Commandments. 00:36:25.519 --> 00:36:31.920 Now the Ten Commands themselves are, well, commands. 00:36:33.199 --> 00:36:36.719 They are requirements that demand obedience. 00:36:37.519 --> 00:36:40.000 And the chapter ends in the same way. 00:36:40.239 --> 00:36:44.800 Verse 32, you shall be careful, therefore, to do all of this. 00:36:44.960 --> 00:36:49.840 Verse 33, you shall walk in all of the way that Yahweh your God has commanded you. 00:36:50.960 --> 00:36:56.800 We're going to see in a couple of weeks that that's the essence of Deuteronomy chapter 8, verse 3. 00:36:57.119 --> 00:37:01.199 Man shall not live by bread alone, but by what? 00:37:01.920 --> 00:37:06.320 Every word that proceeds out of the mouth of Yahweh. 00:37:07.599 --> 00:37:10.559 God spoke to his people. 00:37:12.320 --> 00:37:14.000 That's repeated over and over again. 00:37:14.239 --> 00:37:17.119 God spoke, God spoke, God spoke. 00:37:17.280 --> 00:37:24.239 When the utterly unique and sovereign God speaks, his people must respond in obedience. 00:37:26.159 --> 00:37:38.559 Unfortunately, the image that we have is that Israel's history as God's people is a sad account, not of obedience, but of disastrous disobedience. 00:37:40.800 --> 00:37:43.760 So there's a key truth I think that we have to notice here. 00:37:45.599 --> 00:37:53.519 Obedience is demanded of anyone who possesses the words of the God who has spoken. 00:37:55.920 --> 00:38:00.719 Obedience is demanded of anyone who possesses the words of the God who has spoken. 00:38:00.880 --> 00:38:03.199 The word demands obedience. 00:38:13.599 --> 00:38:15.280 God's word demands obedience. 00:38:15.440 --> 00:38:18.079 God's word also motivates reverence. 00:38:18.480 --> 00:38:19.440 Motivates reverence. 00:38:19.519 --> 00:38:23.360 Look at what Moses recounted in verses four and five. 00:38:23.679 --> 00:38:34.639 Yahweh spoke with you face to face at the mountain, out of the midst of the fire, while I stood between you and Yahweh at that time to declare to you the word of Yahweh. 00:38:34.800 --> 00:38:39.199 You were afraid because of the fire, and you did not go up into the mountain. 00:38:39.360 --> 00:38:41.199 Now look down at verse 22. 00:38:42.320 --> 00:38:51.280 These words of Yahweh spoke to all of your assembly at the mountain, out of the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice. 00:38:51.760 --> 00:39:07.199