4:30Deuteronomy 4:30

Moses spoke it before Israel entered Canaan as part of what God required for them to be holy, warning that they would abandon His covenant and suffer the consequences after their deliverance from Egypt.7MR 309.1–3+2
The tribulation is distress, scattering and exile coming upon disobedient Israel because of idolatry and rebellion.Ms 93, 1908, par. 47–49+2
The latter days when these things have come is the time now being lived in, calling for turning back to the Lord God in penitence and faith and being obedient to His voice by keeping His commandments.Ms 93, 1908, par. 47–49+4
Turning and obeying brings the assurance that God is merciful and will hear and forgive, and will not forsake or destroy His people or forget the covenant sworn to their fathers, but will gather them though cast out to the uttermost part of heaven.Ms 119, 1903, par. 15–17+4
The whole chapter is to be read and studied with profit and heeded today as people prepare for God's great final review, because it shows the sacredness of His law proclaimed at Sinai, including the true Sabbath, with deliverance conditioned on obedience.7MR 309.1–3+4

The instruction was given through Moses before Israel entered Canaan as part of what God required for them to be a holy people, with warning that they would abandon His covenant and suffer the consequences.7MR 309.1–3+2 It stands set within their deliverance from Egypt and His call to keep His commandments, and its lessons are given to later generations as well.Lt 188, 1903, par. 30–35 It was spoken to the people by the voice of God from the pillar of cloud telling them what to do and not do, as directions of sacred truth to be acted out in principle in all religious service toward God and toward one another.Ms 40, 1891, par. 42–45 Its specifications never lose their force because they are expressions of the mind of the infinite God and principles of the law of God, with every word to be cherished and preached, requiring loving as brethren, doing no injustice, being Christian gentlemen, and always showing liberality, tenderness, compassion and true courtesy.Ms 40, 1891, par. 42–45 The chapter is to be read with profit as people prepare to answer for their deeds in God's final review, when every character will have been investigated and every case decided for eternity.7MR 309.1–3

The tribulation and foretold troubles come upon disobedient Israel because of idolatry and rebellion, including distress, scattering and exile.Ms 93, 1908, par. 47–49+2 After rebellion and exile bring tribulation, the way of return is turning to the Lord God and obedience to His voice.Ms 65, 1906, par. 21–22+1 The word spoken to Israel was verified when the people disobeyed and only two of the adults who left Egypt entered Canaan while the rest died in the wilderness, showing that God's word is fulfilled.Ms 65, 1906, par. 21–22+1

The verse places Israel in the latter days when these things have come upon them, calling them to know God and understand His claims.Ms 187, 1907, par. 10–12 The latter days are the time now being lived in.Ms 120, 1909, par. 19–20

The response called for in the latter days after tribulation has come is to turn back to the Lord God in penitence and faith, in loyalty and truth and submission, and to be obedient to His voice and keep His commandments.Ms 93, 1908, par. 47–49+4 Obedience to God is the response to trouble and the way back to His covenant care, with promises connected with keeping His commandments.Ms 119, 1903, par. 15–17+1

Turning and obeying brings the assurance that God is merciful and will hear and forgive, and will not forsake or destroy His people or forget the covenant sworn to their fathers.Ms 119, 1903, par. 15–17+4 That promise encouraged those seeking forgiveness and renewing their allegiance and loyalty to God during Hezekiah's reform.PK 334.2–335.2+1

The promise given through Moses stands unchanged through the centuries: though cast out to the uttermost part of heaven He will gather His people and bring them to the place He has chosen to set His name and bring them again into their own land.PK 629.2+1 He will deliver them out of their calamities when they obey Him and call upon Him, for deliverance is conditioned on obedience and calling upon God.Ms 120, 1909, par. 24 He will not leave them in weakness and oppression, for to do so would cast dishonor upon Him; when His people have returned to Him the promise will not fail.PK 629.2

The whole fourth chapter is to be read and studied with profit now, for it sets out what God required in order for His people to be holy unto Himself.7MR 309.1–3+1 It is to be heeded today as the world nears God's great final review, when all must stand before the Judge of all the earth to answer for their deeds.7MR 309.1–3+1 That present time is the time of investigation, when every character will have been investigated and every case decided for eternity.7MR 309.1–3+1

The chapter is to be carefully studied by those who would be numbered among God's covenant-keeping people, because it shows the sacredness of God's law proclaimed at Sinai, including the true Sabbath.Lt 6, 1909, par. 5+1 It sets forth God's law and the promises connected with keeping His commandments, with turning back to the Lord in the latter days after tribulation has come and obeying His voice as the response called for.Ms 65, 1906, par. 21–22+1 Deliverance is conditioned on obedience and calling upon God, including obeying Him about what day to keep, since what He says is truth and righteousness, accountability to Him requires heeding it, and perishing follows disregarding it.Lt 176, 1907, par. 11–12+1

The chapter calls God's people back to the true platform of truth and warns them not to be misled by Satan's insinuations.Lt 42, 1910, par. 6+1 Its charge must be carefully read and obeyed, teaching full surrender and simple obedience to all the Lord's commandments without neglecting anything important in His Word.Lt 42, 1910, par. 6+1 The truth is not to be treated as something to put on and take off at will by those who have heard the truth for these last days, and its lessons are given to later generations as well.Lt 188, 1903, par. 30–35+1 Truth will triumph and win the victory.Lt 116, 1906, par. 3

The directions plainly given are sacred truth to be acted out in principle in all religious service toward God and toward one another.Ms 40, 1891, par. 42–45+1 Its specifications never lose their force because they are expressions of the mind of the infinite God and principles of the law of God, with every word to be cherished and preached.Ms 40, 1891, par. 42–45 They require loving as brethren, doing no injustice, being Christian gentlemen, and always showing liberality, tenderness, compassion and true courtesy.Ms 40, 1891, par. 42–45 God is to be represented by correct principles in everything, and to depart from His word in action is to trifle with the infinite God and misrepresent His character.Ms 40, 1891, par. 42–45 The instruction to be read and obeyed in these last days calls for faith combined with works in practical service such as medical missionary service and educating students to do service for the Lord, walking in the light shining across the pathway instead of carelessly neglecting the light and failing to set a right example.Lt 55, 1897, par. 9–11

Israel's disobedience and its consequences show that God's word is fulfilled, for the word spoken was verified when the people disobeyed and only two of the adults who left Egypt entered Canaan while the rest died in the wilderness.Ms 65, 1906, par. 21–22+1 The Lord will vindicate His word in the same way today if the leaders of His people depart from His commandments, and the chapter calls God's people to obey His commandments.Ms 65, 1906, par. 21–22+1 When His people failed to be His missionaries and built walls of division between themselves and those around them, He permitted them to be overcome by their enemies, their city destroyed by fire, and themselves carried into heathen lands.Ms 22, 1903, par. 3–4 He uses such calamity as an admonition whose meaning must be understood, scattering them so that the knowledge of His truth might be carried to the world, with return to their own land joined to turning to the Lord their God in loyalty and truth and submission and obedience to His voice when in tribulation in the latter days.Ms 22, 1903, par. 3–4

The assurance that when Israel faces distress and trouble and turns back to the Lord with obedience God in His mercy will hear and forgive, and will not forsake or destroy His people or forget the covenant sworn to their fathers, encouraged those seeking forgiveness and renewing their allegiance and loyalty to God during Hezekiah's reform and reformation.PK 334.2–335.2+1