And this is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel:
This is the law Moses set before the children of Israel, proclaimed by God at Sinai by His voice from the pillar of cloud to tell them what to do and what not to do, opening the instruction in chapters four through eight in commandments and statutes and judgments to make them a holy people, and in chapters four through eleven explaining His dealings with them. It requires knowing in the heart that the Lord alone is God in heaven above and on earth beneath with none else, and keeping His statutes and commandments including the Sabbath He gave to be kept holy. Obedience brings well-being and prolonged days in the land the Lord gives for parents and children after them, while turning aside to other gods brings a curse, as shown when all but two of the adults who left Egypt died in the wilderness. Its specifications never lose their force because they are expressions of the mind of the infinite God and principles of His law, embodying the same practical religion later expressed in James 3 in liberality, tenderness, compassion, true courtesy, and doing no injustice toward God and one another. The whole fourth chapter with the lessons of the eighth and eleventh chapters is to be carefully studied, for its lessons on the sacredness of God's law belong to present readers as truly as to Israel, calling for full surrender, obedience to His commandments, and study of the Scriptures now because the world is nearing God's great final review when every character will have been investigated and every case decided.
Law Moses Set Before Israel
This is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel, identifying the teaching that follows as that law. That law was proclaimed by God at Mount Sinai and given by the Lord there, to be observed by all who identify themselves with His people. It was sacred truth spoken by the voice of God from the pillar of cloud, telling the people the acts they should do and the actions they should not do.
The verse opens the instruction in chapters four through eight, showing in commandments and statutes and judgments what God required of His ancient people that they might be a holy people unto Himself. The instruction is also opened as extending through chapters four through eleven, explaining God's dealings with His people.
What the Law Requires
The chapter calls for knowing in the heart that the Lord alone is God in heaven above and on earth beneath, with none else. The law requires keeping His statutes and commandments, including the Sabbath He gave to be kept holy. It came with wonderful promises that obedience brings well-being and prolonged days in the land the Lord gives, for parents themselves and for their children after them. Disobedience brings a curse if the people turn aside to other gods, verified when all but two of the adults who left Egypt died in the wilderness and only two entered Canaan, showing that God's word is fulfilled.
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. It embodies the same practical principles later expressed in James 3, to be acted out in principle in all religious service toward God and toward one another. That means being Christian gentlemen, loving as brethren, doing no injustice, and always showing liberality, tenderness, compassion, and true courtesy.
Study and Obedience Today
The whole fourth chapter is to be carefully studied for its lessons on the sacredness of God's law, together with the lessons of the eighth and eleventh chapters. Its lessons belong to present readers as truly as to Israel, and its words are to be studied for their lessons and lived out through obedience. This study belongs especially to those who would belong to God's covenant-keeping people and to those who have heard the truth for the last days. The law set forth in Deuteronomy 4-8 shows what God required of His ancient people to make them a holy people to Himself.
Its charge and warnings are to be heeded as a call to surrender fully and obey the Lord's commandments. They call for studying the Scriptures so as not to fall into rebellion. Truth is not something to take up only when convenient and lay aside at will.
God will vindicate His word today in the same way as in the wilderness if leaders depart from His commandments, so the warning applies to leaders. God is not to be trifled with, though many have made this truth a thing of naught. All who depart from His word in their actions misrepresent His character instead of representing Him through correct principles in everything.
The instruction means much to every soul carrying responsibilities in connection with sanitarium work. All the directions God gave there are to be carefully observed, from the greatest to that which may seem the least. It is the instruction for the work to be done in these last days, calling for faith and works combined, walking in the light shining across the pathway. That work includes educating students to do service for the Lord, setting a right example, and doing practical medical missionary service for others that the churches have neglected to do.
That instruction is to be studied and read with profit now because the world is nearing the day of God's great final review. In that day all must stand before the Judge of all the earth to answer for deeds. The present is the time of investigation, when before that review every character will have been investigated and every case decided for eternity.
This is the law Moses set before the children of Israel, proclaimed by God at Sinai by His voice from the pillar of cloud to tell them what to do and what not to do, opening the instruction in chapters four through eight in commandments and statutes and judgments to make them a holy people, and in chapters four through eleven explaining His dealings with them.
It requires knowing in the heart that the Lord alone is God in heaven above and on earth beneath with none else, and keeping His statutes and commandments including the Sabbath He gave to be kept holy.
Obedience brings well-being and prolonged days in the land the Lord gives for parents and children after them, while turning aside to other gods brings a curse, as shown when all but two of the adults who left Egypt died in the wilderness.
Its specifications never lose their force because they are expressions of the mind of the infinite God and principles of His law, embodying the same practical religion later expressed in James 3 in liberality, tenderness, compassion, true courtesy, and doing no injustice toward God and one another.
The whole fourth chapter with the lessons of the eighth and eleventh chapters is to be carefully studied, for its lessons on the sacredness of God's law belong to present readers as truly as to Israel, calling for full surrender, obedience to His commandments, and study of the Scriptures now because the world is nearing God's great final review when every character will have been investigated and every case decided.
Law Moses Set Before Israel
This is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel, identifying the teaching that follows as that law. That law was proclaimed by God at Mount Sinai and given by the Lord there, to be observed by all who identify themselves with His people. It was sacred truth spoken by the voice of God from the pillar of cloud, telling the people the acts they should do and the actions they should not do.
The verse opens the instruction in chapters four through eight, showing in commandments and statutes and judgments what God required of His ancient people that they might be a holy people unto Himself. The instruction is also opened as extending through chapters four through eleven, explaining God's dealings with His people.
What the Law Requires
The chapter calls for knowing in the heart that the Lord alone is God in heaven above and on earth beneath, with none else. The law requires keeping His statutes and commandments, including the Sabbath He gave to be kept holy. It came with wonderful promises that obedience brings well-being and prolonged days in the land the Lord gives, for parents themselves and for their children after them. Disobedience brings a curse if the people turn aside to other gods, verified when all but two of the adults who left Egypt died in the wilderness and only two entered Canaan, showing that God's word is fulfilled.
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. It embodies the same practical principles later expressed in James 3, to be acted out in principle in all religious service toward God and toward one another. That means being Christian gentlemen, loving as brethren, doing no injustice, and always showing liberality, tenderness, compassion, and true courtesy.
Study and Obedience Today
The whole fourth chapter is to be carefully studied for its lessons on the sacredness of God's law, together with the lessons of the eighth and eleventh chapters. Its lessons belong to present readers as truly as to Israel, and its words are to be studied for their lessons and lived out through obedience. This study belongs especially to those who would belong to God's covenant-keeping people and to those who have heard the truth for the last days. The law set forth in Deuteronomy 4-8 shows what God required of His ancient people to make them a holy people to Himself.
Its charge and warnings are to be heeded as a call to surrender fully and obey the Lord's commandments. They call for studying the Scriptures so as not to fall into rebellion. Truth is not something to take up only when convenient and lay aside at will.
God will vindicate His word today in the same way as in the wilderness if leaders depart from His commandments, so the warning applies to leaders. God is not to be trifled with, though many have made this truth a thing of naught. All who depart from His word in their actions misrepresent His character instead of representing Him through correct principles in everything.
The instruction means much to every soul carrying responsibilities in connection with sanitarium work. All the directions God gave there are to be carefully observed, from the greatest to that which may seem the least. It is the instruction for the work to be done in these last days, calling for faith and works combined, walking in the light shining across the pathway. That work includes educating students to do service for the Lord, setting a right example, and doing practical medical missionary service for others that the churches have neglected to do.
That instruction is to be studied and read with profit now because the world is nearing the day of God's great final review. In that day all must stand before the Judge of all the earth to answer for deeds. The present is the time of investigation, when before that review every character will have been investigated and every case decided for eternity.