A New Call for Faithfulness

GOLDEN TEXT: “Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them.” —Deuteronomy 11:16

DEUTERONOMY 6:4-17

MOSES sensed that a new form of temptation would come upon the Israelites when they entered Canaan. During their wanderings in the wilderness they faced many privations. They lived in tents and enjoyed few of the advantages and comforts of home life. Their principal food was the manna from heaven, from which, however, tasty though it might have been, they would naturally long for a change. Probably to many the journey in the wilderness must have seemed like an aimless affair by which nothing was being accomplished.

But conditions would be different once they crossed the Jordan into the Promised Land. At first they would be compelled to fight battles with the Canaanites; but there would be an incentive for this. It was a land flowing with milk and honey. The people had homes and supplies, all of which would fall to the Israelites when the land was conquered. The temptation then would be to forget that it was God who provided all these blessings for them.

Another thing they would encounter was false gods and corrupt forms of worship in which the Canaanites indulged. It would be easy for the less faithful among the Israelites to conclude that the gods of the Canaanites were responsible for their prosperity, and thus be tempted to join in with them in their idolatry. As the record shows, the Canaanites were not all driven out of the land. Many of them were allowed to remain, and this posed a constant threat to the integrity of the Israelites’ worship of Jehovah the true God.

In view of these circumstances, it was fitting that Moses should admonish this people to faithfulness when they entered the land which God promised to give to them. They were to have a whole-hearted love for the Lord. Anything less than this would leave the way open to worship other gods.

Moses admonished the Israelites to remember God’s past dealings with them, and to realize that he continued to love and care for them, and that he was capable of fully taking care of them. No doubt many of the Israelites did believe this; others did not.

They were to train their children in the Law and the ways of the Lord. This was important, for unless they did the younger generation would be left knowing little or nothing about the great God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as the older Israelites died off.

The Israelites were also directed by Moses to treasure the Word of the Lord, his laws—“Thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes; and thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.”—vss. 8,9

Centuries later the psalmist David observed the value of the Word and law of the Lord. He wrote, “The law [margin, or, doctrine] of the Lord is perfect, converting [margin, or, restoring] the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.”—Ps. 19:7-11

Moses’ instructions to the Israelites are appropriate for spiritual Israel today. We have much advantage over God’s ancient people in that we have the Word of the Lord in much greater detail and clarity. To us, through the Word, has been revealed the great divine plan of the ages, and we should treasure this precious truth and make it a very part of our lives.

We may not be especially tempted to worship heathen gods, as were they of natural Israel, but we do need to be on guard lest we set up “idols” of pleasure, ambition, and other things which appeal to the flesh. Such idols could wean us away from our wholehearted devotion to our loving Heavenly Father. Almost anything which we may permit to remove God from our hearts would be an idol. Let us resolve to be wholly devoted to the Lord and to the doing of his holy will.

We also have a responsibility to teach the truth to our children. Indeed, we are commissioned to bear witness to all the world, telling all who will listen the glad tidings of the kingdom now so near. Let us be faithful in so doing, for thus the truth will become all the more precious, and powerful in our own lives.

QUESTIONS

Describe the changed situation in which the Israelites would find themselves when they crossed over Jordan into Canaan.

Mention the highlights of Moses’ admonition to the Israelites.

Why is it important for spiritual Israel to treasure the truth, and use it properly?

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