Deuteronomy 4:37, commentary and pictures

Because He loved the fathers, He chose their seed after them, delighting in them and setting their descendants above all peoples to serve Him. He brought Israel out of Egypt in His sight, acting openly on their behalf with His mighty power. He took them out of the iron furnace to be a people of inheritance, taking a nation from the midst of another nation by temptations, signs, wonders, war, a mighty hand, a stretched-out arm, and great terrors before their eyes. He made them hear His voice out of heaven and His words out of the midst of the fire on earth to instruct them, so they might know that the Lord He is God in heaven above and upon the earth beneath and there is none else beside Him.

The deliverance was to make Israel His people, to drive out nations greater and mightier before them, to bring Israel in, and to give their land for an inheritance as at that day. His cloud accompanied them and encircled Christ as He drove out those nations before them. The verse is joined to the call to remember the covenant, to recognize that He alone is God, to take heed not to forget the covenant nor make a graven image or likeness of anything forbidden, for the Lord is a consuming fire and a jealous God. It is joined to the call to keep His statutes and commandments so it may go well with them and with their children after them and they may prolong their days upon the earth the Lord gives forever, with promise that when in tribulation in the latter days they turn and obey His voice He will not forsake nor destroy nor forget the covenant sworn to the fathers.

The verse belongs to sacred directions spoken by the voice of God from the pillar of cloud telling what to do and what not to do, expressing the mind of the infinite God and the principles of the law of God that never lose their force. The whole fourth chapter and the instruction in Deuteronomy 4-8 setting out what God required that they might be a holy people unto Himself are to be studied for the sacredness of God's law, for belonging to God's covenant-keeping people, and in relation to the law proclaimed at Sinai and the Sabbath given to be kept holy. The word spoken was verified when the people disobeyed and of the adults who left Egypt only two entered Canaan while the rest died in the wilderness, and God will vindicate His word today if the leaders of His people depart from His commandments. Its message as God's word to Israel applies to God's people in the present, and it is to be studied with profit now because the world is nearing the day of God's great final review when all must stand before the Judge of all the earth to answer for their deeds, in the present time of investigation when every character will have been investigated and every case decided for eternity.

The choice gives great privilege and lays sacred responsibility on those who carry responsibilities in God's work, including sanitarium work, to understand His dealings and to carefully observe all His directions from greatest to least. Those so chosen must purify their souls, fear God, walk in all His ways, love Him, serve Him with all heart and soul, keep His commandments and statutes for their own good, and seek the Lord. They must take heed to conversation and deportment, put away carelessness and cheapness of speech, and set before children, households, and associates an example of consecrated loving service. Their deliverance and victories call for humble dependence on God rather than self-exaltation, and for using their position to help others.

The chapter is to be cherished, preached, and acted out in principle in all religious service toward God and toward one another by loving as brethren, doing no injustice, and always showing liberality, tenderness, compassion, and true courtesy, so that God's people represent Him by correct principles in everything. To depart from His word in action misrepresents the character of God, who will not be trifled with. The chapter shows the practical work God specifies to be done in these last days, the same personal soul-saving work Christ did for the Samaritan woman. Because He so loved and delivered them He will give His Spirit and favor to those who combine faith with works in medical missionary service and in educating others to serve, while careless neglect of that light sets a wrong example.