God’s Love

Deuteronomy 7

August 4, 2002

Background

A.     Deut.: “The Second Law”

B.     Keys to understanding the OT

Old Testament

New Testament

·      The Promised Land

·      The bondage of Egypt

·      The war against Amalek

·      Promised Messiah

·      The bondage of sin

·      The war against the flesh

C.     Some significant differences between the OT and the NT

Old Testament

New Testament

·      Citizenship in the Land

·      Accepted in the congregation

·      Reward = prosperity now

·      Enemies were destroyed

·      Weapons are carnal

·      Worship in a place

·      Diets restricted

 

·      Citizenship in Heaven

·      Accepted in the beloved

·      Reward = in heavenly places

·      Enemies are blessed

·      Weapons are not carnal
(2 Cor. 10:5)

·      Worship in the spirit (John 4)

·      No dietary restrictions

o       Nevertheless, “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.” (1 Cor. 10:11)

D.     We are in the second section: The Law – when Moses breaks into some of their history and lessons that they should learn from it when he makes a remarkable declaration. God loves them because of a promise He made to their fathers. God expected them to love him back by being obedient.

E.      What did God expect of Israel in return for His love?

I. Their Character/Walk in the Promised Land

A. Be Holy (1-6)

1.      “You are a holy people” and more than that but God’s “treasured possession.”

2.      To remain holy, they were going to have to not mix with the people they were replacing.

3.      They could not show mercy to these enemies. What is that all about? Nearly every aspect of the pagan’s life was influenced by their pagan worship. They were into the sacrifice of babies to the God Molech, etc.

4.      We are not to make peace with the sin of this life nor are we to tax it or live near it.

2 Cor. 16:14-16 “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their  God, And they shall be My people.”  Therefore “Come out from among them  And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” “I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty.”

5.      If you try to make peace with them “for they will turn your sons away from following Me, to serve other gods” and that is exactly what happened.

"do not love the world or the things in the world" (I Jn 2:15).

B. Be Humble (7-10)

1.      God was doing a lot for Israel and they were in danger of thinking too highly of themselves. Moses tells them why they were chosen. (7)

2.      Chosen simply because of love. (8)

3.      Chosen and Loved because of a promise (9)

C. Be Obedient (11-12)

1.      “therefore you shall keep the commandment, the statues, and the judgments

2.      This obedience is the only appropriate response to all that God has done. (9-11)

E. Love God (Deut. 10:12 – “And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.”)

(God loved Israel first. “We love God because He first loved us” (John 4:19)

II. God’s Character: assurance for Life in the Promised Land

A.     The LORD your God is God (9)

1.      There was so much pagan worship among the people they were going to replace, it would be easy to begin to give the power of God and the praise due to God to pagan deities.

2.      e.g. of the pagan farmer’s advice to an Israelite farmer

3.      While facing 7 nations greater than they, Israel could take comfort in knowing that God is God. It was God working through them that would guarantee success.

4.      v. 17 Remember how what God did for you in Egypt

5.      v. 1 God is the one bringing them in and casting out the others (see also v. 22, 23).

B.     The LORD is faithful (9)

1.      1 Cor. 10:13

C.     The LORD keeps His covenant of love (9b-12)

1.      It was not based on their performance but God’s promise to Abraham.

D.    The LORD will bless you (13-14)

E.     The LORD will protect you

1.      from every disease (15)

2.      from other nations (18)

F.      The LORD is powerful

1.      over pests (20)

2.      over other kings (21-24)

G.    The LORD is practical (22)

1.      The victory would be over what they could manage: i.e. not more territory than they can handle.

H.    The LORD is holy, so you be holy (25-26)

1.      1 Peter 1:15-16“but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

2.      Rev. 22:11 “He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.The search has not been started. Use the Continue Search button to start the search.There were no results for this search.

 

 

 

 

Pastor Bob Fromm, North Valley Calvary Chapel, Yuba City, California