Deuteronomy 4:40
Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, for ever.
Keeping God's statutes and commandments means carefully and faithfully observing all His directions from the greatest to what may seem the least, and obedience is the condition for it going well with the obedient and their children after them and for prolonging their days upon the earth He gives. Knowing in the heart that the Lord alone is God in heaven above and on earth beneath, with none else, requires keeping them, and that truth is to be laid to heart. What He required of ancient Israel to make them a holy people for their good and continuance in the land includes the law proclaimed at Sinai, especially the true Sabbath kept holy, and the same word stands today for present believers living at the end of the world. Its sacred truth never loses its force because it expresses the mind of the infinite God, and its principles are to be acted out in all service toward God and one another by doing no injustice and always showing liberality, tenderness, compassion, and true courtesy. Diligent obedience brings life and well-being to body, mind, and spirit, with health, peace, and assurance, and is profitable preparation now that the day of God's great final review is near when every character will be investigated and every case decided for eternity.
Command and Promise
The statutes and commandments are directions from God, from the greatest to what may seem the least, to be carefully observed. They are to be kept faithfully, without neglecting any important instruction in His Word. Knowing in the heart that the Lord alone is God in heaven above and on earth beneath, with none else, requires keeping His statutes and commandments. That declaration that He is God in heaven above and upon the earth beneath and there is none else is to be considered in the heart.
Obedience is the condition for the promise that it shall go well with the obedient and with their children after them. The same obedience is the condition for prolonging days upon the earth which the Lord gives forever, meaning long life and continuance in the land He gives. This instruction belongs to children to understand, teaching them the Lord's statutes and commandments and joining obedience to well-being for them and their children and to long life in the land. Keeping God's statutes and commandments brings well-being to the people and their children and prolongs their life in the land as the call to be His covenant-keeping people.
The promise and its warning were verified when Israel disobeyed. Only two of the adults who left Egypt entered Canaan, while the rest died in the wilderness. The statutes and commandments given in Deuteronomy are sacred truth that never lose their force because they are expressions of the mind of the infinite God. Every word is to be cherished and preached.
Lasting Duty and Blessing
The verse sets forth what God required of ancient Israel in order to make them a holy people unto Himself, calling them to keep His statutes and commandments for their own good and for their continuance in the land He gave them. Its law embraces the commandment proclaimed at Sinai, especially the true Sabbath given to be kept holy, and obedience to that law marks those who identify as God's covenant-keeping people. The same word stands today and applies just as truly to present believers, to people living at the end of the world, and to those who have heard the truth for the last days, who must heed God's requirements and walk in obedience.
God will uphold and vindicate His word when the leaders of His people depart from His commandments. Keeping the commandments belongs to a faithful, continuing response to truth, not one taken up only at convenient times and laid aside at will. The principles of the law are to be acted out in all religious service toward God and toward one another by being Christian gentlemen, loving as brethren, doing no injustice, and always showing liberality, tenderness, compassion, and true courtesy, thereby representing God by correct principles in everything. All who depart from His word in action misrepresent His character and trifle with Him, while the righteous and upright in heart receive sown light and gladness.
The chapter's instruction is for children to understand, and it means much to every soul carrying responsibility in sanitarium work for understanding God's dealings with His people. Diligent obedience brings life and well-being, supporting physical, mental, and spiritual well-being and bringing life, health, peace, and assurance. The same requirement stands now when the day of God's great final review is near, when the people of this world must stand before the Judge of all the earth to answer for their deeds. The present is the time of investigation when every character will have been investigated and every case decided for eternity, so the whole fourth chapter of Deuteronomy together with the eighth and eleventh chapters is to be studied with special attention as profitable preparation for the times before us.