You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you. Deuteronomy 4:2 (ESV)
As Jesus states in Revelation 22:19 we are not to add to or take away from the word of God. Cults and Heretics will always add to the word of God some additional revelation and take aways from the divinity of Christ. We have seen this recently with the gnostic blasphemy of the Noah film (2014). We are called to take God at his word, believe, cherish, obey, think about it, study and live it.
Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ Deuteronomy 4:6 (ESV)
This is what distinguishes and defines the church, obedience to the word of God. Jesus said they will know us by our love and our love would be know by our obedience in John 13:34-35 and 14:15. We are seen as wise and understanding only when we walk in obedience and love.
“Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children— Deuteronomy 4:9 (ESV)
Passing the truth unto our children is a sure way for them to know the truth. Teaching the truth to them will help make it firm in our own hearts and help us watch over our own souls too.
For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. Deuteronomy 4:24 (ESV)
This is an awesome attribute of God, he is not cold and indifferent or without emotion but is full of love, passion and emotion. God burns with holy love for his people and for his own name, he is jealous over his people in a holy way, they are precious to him and he will not sit ideally by while they are stolen away.
Our great passionate God pursues us with holy jealousy. This image of God as a consuming fire should fill us with confidence if we are in Christ, but fear if we are not. See Hebrews 12:28-29
To you it was shown, that you might know that the LORD is God; there is no other besides him. Deuteronomy 4:35 (ESV)
One of the great narratives of the old testament is God establishing himself through his revealed words and act with the people of Israel that he is the only God and there is no other god. This monotheism seems normal to us now but in the bronze age when Israel was coming into the promised land this was a radical new concept, as the rest of the world had been deceived into believing in many gods and idols.
This is a great attribute of God to mediate on, God is one, he is unique and is God alone, he has no equals or superiors. Our God is God!
For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. 2 Corinthians 1:20 (ESV)
Jesus has firmly fulfilled the promises made in the old testament to Israel, he is Gods great and sure yes for us today too. He calls himself the Amen. The strong yes of God to every promise. All of scripture points to Jesus. He fulfils the promise that the seed of Abraham would be a blessing and the promise to David concerning his kingdom. Jesus is the promised Messiah, the Saviour of the world.
We say amen to Gods fulfilment of his promise, we boldly affirm that yes Jesus is the Messiah, the prophecies and promises have been fulfilled and we joyfully praise God for his great affirmation of his love and faithfulness in his Son Jesus Christ. We affirm that God is true, dependable and the Gospel is the truth. The following is a useful definition of the word Amen.
Amen is a transliteration of the Heb. ’āmēn, derived from ’āman, show oneself firm, dependable, be durable, last; know oneself to be secure, have faith, and so it means certain, true.
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