Theodore Roosevelt once said, “the more you know about the past, the better you are prepared for the future.”[1] “Deuteronomy is one of the richest books in the Old Testament. It is quoted or cited 195 times in the New Testament…Deuteronomy is also a treasure chest of theological concepts.”[2] The children of Israel were preparing to go into the Promised Land. Moses was preparing to leave this earth. Deuteronomy is a synopsis of history for the nation. The richest nuggets of truth pulled together. Lessons learned pointing to God—the richest depths of His Nature all displayed here. Moses declaring to the people, “girded with the truth of History to Guide you, Victory Awaits you today.”
9 “Only be careful for yourself and watch over your soul diligently, so that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and they do not depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your sons and your grandsons. 10 Remember the day you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, when the Lord said to me, ‘Assemble the people to Me, that I may have them hear My words so that they may learn to fear Me all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.’ Deuteronomy 4:9-10 (NASB)
But without any foundation of the truth of history, what then? Perhaps as Marcus Garvey is quoted as saying, “A People without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.”[3]
A Nation Strengthened and Girded by the Truth of History-Listen
This was their legacy. If they forget the truth of history, all could be lost. How often had their failures led to the loss of life? Forgetting all that God had done and said led to disasters. They must remember and cling to the truth of history to march forward in victory.
“Now, Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I am teaching you to perform, so that you will live and go in and take possession of the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. 2 You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, so that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I am commanding you. 3 Your eyes have seen what the Lord has done in the case of Baal-peor, for all the men who followed Baal-peor, the Lord your God has destroyed them from among you. 4 But you who clung to the Lord your God are alive today, every one of you. Deuteronomy 4
If only they would remember and write God’s statues on their hearts. God had proven His faithfulness and would still. He had called them forth as a great nation. Perhaps I am naïve, but I do feel that God called out the United States of America to be a nation for Him during this church age. If only we too would remember rather than to allow history to be rewritten.
Gird Yourselves with the Truth of History and God’s Word
5 “See, I have taught you statutes and judgments just as the Lord my God commanded me, that you are to do these things in the land where you are entering to take possession of it. 6 So keep and do them, for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ 7 For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as is the Lord our God whenever we call on Him? 8 Or what great nation is there that has statutes and judgments as righteous as this whole Law which I am setting before you today?
Moses pleaded with the people on God’s behalf and God pleads with you today. Do you know Him and seek Him as your greatest treasure?
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, through His flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let’s approach God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let’s hold firmly to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; 24 and let’s consider how to encourage one another in love and good deeds, 25 not abandoning our own meeting together, as is the habit of some people, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. Hebrews 10 (NASB)
God Has Great Pleasure in Choosing You as He Did Abraham
In John Piper’s series the pleasures of God, he came to Deuteronomy 10 where he began to discuss the marvel of how God chose the nation of Israel, perhaps a question we would ask at this point as well. But if we ask that, we also must ask, “why in the world would God have chosen me?” And therefore, why must I remember the truth of history concerning my own life in order to have victory today? If I allow myself to whitewash any parts of my life, then I will lose the awe and wonder of God’s magnificent Grace, love and mercy displayed throughout my life. The same was true of the Israel nation. But as an introduction to this subject, I would like to quote this from John Piper’s sermon.
Excerpt from John Piper
In our study of the pleasures of God we have seen that from all eternity God has been supremely happy in the fellowship of the Trinity. He has delighted in casting his eye, as it were, out over the endless panorama of his own perfections reflected in the face of his Son. Between God the Father and God the Son there has flowed a love and joy so full and complete, and carrying so much of the essence of God, that it has stood forth from all eternity as a Person in his own right—the Holy Spirit himself.
If you could take the energy of all the billions of galaxies in the universe and measure it, you would get a reading that is simply a faint reverberation of that energy of joy and love that swells and streams and surges in the triune heart of God. Before there was anything besides God at all, God was supremely happy in himself.
We saw secondly that God is, therefore, absolutely self-sufficient. He has no needs and so can’t be bribed. He has no flaws and so can’t be blackmailed. He has no weaknesses and so can’t be coerced or forced. In other words, he is absolutely free and does what he does because of his own good pleasure. “Our God is in heaven; he does whatever he pleases” (Psalm 115:3).
Thirdly, we saw that the creation of this spectacular universe is the overflow of God’s joyful bounty. He did not create the world to make up for some deficiency in himself. He created because it’s the very nature of fullness to overflow. It’s the nature of unbounded joy to spread itself around. And so God rejoiced to make the universe as a kind of spin-off of his overflowing delight in his own glory.
Then, last week we saw that in this world which God has created, the great passion of his heart is to spread his reputation. Again and again and again in Scripture we read that he acts for the sake of his name. His great goal is to magnify his fame and renown and the honor of his name in all that he does.
And when you stop and think about it this is the most loving thing that God could ever do; because the greatest benefit that human beings could ever receive is to know and share in the glory of God. So when God aims to make his glorious name known and admired and praised and enjoyed in every people and tongue and tribe and nation, he is acting in overflowing grace and love because this and this alone will satisfy the longings of the human heart.
John Piper, Exerpt from The Pleasure of God in Election [4]
God’s Requirement
12 “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to keep the Lord’s commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good? Deuteronomy 10 (NASB)
But why would we even consider doing that?
14 Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the [e]highest heavens, the earth and all that is in it. 15 Yet the Lord set His affection on your fathers, to love them, and He chose their descendants after them, you over all the other peoples, as it is this day. Deuteronomy 10 (NASB)
God did not need you, nor did He need me. By His pleasure He chose me to set His affections on me and to love me. Just as He chose Abraham, Ishmael, Jacob, and the nation of Israel. Not because they DESERVED salvation. Nor do I. Until I recognize the greatest of this gift I cannot ever win spiritual battles. When I remember the truth of history in my own life, including my failures, then I can never consider the need to circumcise my heart.
Cutting away the Dross
16 So circumcise your heart, and do not stiffen your neck any longer. Deuteronomy 10 (NASB)
Remove and cast aside anything surrounding your heart that keeps you from loving God with all your heart, mind, and soul. As the writer of Hebrews tells us.
1 let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12 (NKJV).
Why Do We Want to Do this?
17 For the Lord your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who does not show partiality, nor take a bribe. 18 He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the stranger by giving him food and clothing. Deuteronomy 10 (NASB).
And Because just as Moses Commanded the Nation:
19 So show your love for the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. 20 You shall fear the Lord your God; you shall serve Him, and cling to Him, and you shall swear by His name. 21 He IS YOUR GLORY, and He is your God, who has done these great and awesome things for you which your eyes have seen. 22 Your fathers went down to Egypt seventy persons in all, and now the Lord your God has made you as numerous as the stars of heaven.
Furthermore, when you know the truth of history, no fear
God has promised that He Himself will circumcise your heart. He will place His love inside you. His Holy Spirit will carry you all the way to the end. You are His Masterpiece.
The Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. Deuteronomy 30:6 KJV
15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, 16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; 17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Hebrews 10: 15-17 KJV
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.
Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.
For Prayer or Comments
If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here
Furthermore, if you would like to share your story or thoughts, you can comment here
Previously
DISCLOSURES
©Effie Darlene Barba, 2023
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Credits
New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Photo licensed through Goodsalt.com
[1] Theodore Roosevelt quote of the day, https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/thought-for-the-day/the-more-you-know-about-the-past-the-better-prepared-you-are-for-the-future-%E2%80%94-theodore-roosevelt-292492, accessed 3/12/2023
[2] Fallwell, Jerry, Introduction to Deuteronomy, The Liberty Annotated Study Bible, Copyright 1988, Liberty University, page 294
[3] https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/28955.Marcus_Garvey
[4] https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/the-pleasure-of-god-in-election