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DEUTERONOMY
CHAPTER 5

1 And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them.

God's Word is to be heard, learned, and lived. Notice that Moses addresses ALL Israel, not just the priests and Levites. God's Word is for ALL His chosen people, and ALL of God's Word is for His people.
How frivolous of people when they think God would save them from the filthiness of sin to live in ignorance. God has "born again" every believer. And He has a "manual for living" the life He wants for us: His WORD.

2 The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. 3 The LORD made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day. 4 The LORD talked with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire, 5 (I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to shew you the word of the LORD: for ye were afraid by reason of the fire, and went not up into the mount;) saying,

Moses was the "go-between" for God's covenant. He literally stood between God and the people. Moses received God's Word, then taught it to the people. THe Word is a covenant - a contractual covenant. God tells us how He wants us to live, and we receive and obey. (See Exodus 19:5)
Notice Moses says the covenant was instituted with the "fathers," but is made for "us, who are al of us alive here this day" (verse 3).
The Word of God is for every believer. New Christians should be made aware of the contractual agreement. Only by study of the Word of God are we true disciples.

"...If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed." (John 8:31)
Only by studying God's Word can we become more mature spiritually.
"Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious."(1Peter 2:1-3)
As physical children we grow and mature under our parent's instruction: as spiritual children we should grow and mature under our Father's instruction.

6 I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. 7 Thou shalt have none other gods before me. 8 Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth: 9 Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, 10 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments. 11 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. 12 Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee. 13 Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work: 14 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou. 15 And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day. 16 Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. 17 Thou shalt not kill. 18 Neither shalt thou commit adultery. 19 Neither shalt thou steal. 20 Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour. 21 Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour's.

Now Moses reiterates the beginning of this covenant which was the ten commandments. Remember, it is GOD Who has saved us (verse 6).
The first and foremost agreement that we must make with God, is that we will put NOTHING before Him - and that includes self (verse 7).
Remember, the laws of God are for our GOOD. Following them keeps us from trouble. Also, obedience to God's Word is a genuine response to His grace for saving us from eternal hell. (For an individual look at each of the ten commandments, please see the archive notes on Exodus 20.)

22 These words the LORD spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me. 23 And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, (for the mountain did burn with fire,) that ye came near unto me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders; 24 And ye said, Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth. 25 Now therefore why should we die? for this great fire will consume us: if we hear the voice of the LORD our God any more, then we shall die.

HOW God spoke to Israel is important for us to see. He spoke with VISIBLE authority through a thick cloud of fire. And God Himself wrote those ten commandments upon tables of stone for the people. The visible presence of God was enough proof that "He liveth" (verse 24), and that He was powerful enough to destroy them if He so desired (verse 25).

26 For who is there of all flesh, that hath heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived? 27 Go thou near, and hear all that the LORD our God shall say: and speak thou unto us all that the LORD our God shall speak unto thee; and we will hear it, and do it. 28 And the LORD heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me; and the LORD said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee: they have well said all that they have spoken. 29 O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever! 30 Go say to them, Get you into your tents again. 31 But as for thee, stand thou here by me, and I will speak unto thee all the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which thou shalt teach them, that they may do them in the land which I give them to possess it.

The people were so afraid at the time God delivered the commandments, that they requested that Moses go and listen to God, then come back and tell them what He said. They promised to "hear it, and do it" (verse 27).
God revealed an amazing thing then in His statement to Moses. Look carefully at verse 29. God knew they would not be faitful to their promise, but He dealt with them in GRACE (verses 30-31)!!

32 Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. 33 Ye shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.

Now Moses presents a sort of summary before he begins his next sermon which will be more specifically oriented. The summary statement here is that the people must hear, learn and obey God. Then it will go well with them.
For Christians to live the "abundant life" that God promises, we must follow His Word in obedience.
Obedience to God's Word exhibits our gratefulness for His grace and our realization that we need guidance.

Please continue to follow with us daily in Bible study.