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Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart are you going in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations the LORD your God is driving them out from before you, and that he may confirm the word that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. Deuteronomy 9:5 (ESV)

God reminds the people that it is not by their own righteousness that they are given the land. It is God who goes before them and he seeks to confirm his own word. It is the same for us, we are saved by Gods Grace, not by our own righteousness. Ephesians 2:5, 8

Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn. Deuteronomy 10:16 (ESV)

God points to the true meaning of circumcision, it was a sign pointing to cutting unclean and evil things from our lives. We need to have circumcised hearts too, see Romans 2:29

For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe. Deuteronomy 10:17 (ESV)

God is the great and mighty sovereign, what is comforting is that in all his supreme power he is not partial and can not be bribed. As we can see in the next verse Gods love extends to all people.

Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 2 Corinthians 3:5–6 (ESV)

We thank God for the new covenant we have in Jesus, the new covenant is better than the old one because we have the power of the Holy Spirit living inside us to enable us in our walk with God. The letter kills but the Spirit gives life should not be seen as the written Bible vs the Holy Spirit, in the context this is looking at the old covenant vs the new better covenant. Gods perfect law can only be kept through the Holy Spirit.

Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me! Psalm 35:1 (ESV)

As 1 John 2:1 states we have an advocate (Jesus) who can contend for us against the enemy.

Let them be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them away! Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them! Psalm 35:5–6 (ESV)

We can pray in the same way that Gods Angels will go into battle on our behalf

and when the LORD your God gives them over to you, and you defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. You shall make no covenant with them and show no mercy to them. Deuteronomy 7:2 (ESV)

God told the children to have no compromise or mercy when fighting the enemy, in fact God called for their complete destruction. We must apply this total destruction approach to our great spiritual enemy, sin. Romans 8:13 Reminds us to put to death the evil deeds of the flesh by the Spirit of God. We need to have no compromise when dealing with sin in our lives. We should not have pity or mercy on sin or sinfulness we need to exact Gods judgement on sin through the Holy Spirit.

but it is because the LORD loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Deuteronomy 7:8 (ESV)

We do not fully know God’s mind in his choices, and election but some light is shed on Gods motivation for choosing Israel specially from all nations and establishing his covenant with them. It is because he loves them. In the same way God has specially elected and chosen everyone who will be saved.

He doesn’t choose us because we are good or better than others but because he loves us. God does love everyone but has a particular, special, peculiar and electing love for his chosen people Israel and the Church. It is like the special love a man has for his wife as opposed to his love for others. see Romans 11:5 and Ephesians 1:4

you shall not be afraid of them but you shall remember what the LORD your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt, Deuteronomy 7:18 (ESV)

In our case we should remember Gods victory on the cross over sin, the world and the devil. see John 12:31

And you shall not bring an abominable thing into your house and become devoted to destruction like it. You shall utterly detest and abhor it, for it is devoted to destruction. Deuteronomy 7:26 (ESV)

This is still a very valid point for us today, we must be careful when picking up artefacts while on holiday for example or when receiving certain gifts, if they are cursed items they can carry demonic curses which can have a real affect in our homes so we need to ask for Gods guidance in this sort of thing so we don’t find our selves hindered in our walk with the Lord. See Acts 19:19

This also has spiritual implications in terms of compromise too.

And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. Deuteronomy 8:2 (ESV)

When we think back to how God carried us through difficult times, it should cause us to be humble and dependant on him in our present circumstance. If these recollections bring pride or bitterness to mind then our hearts are not in the right place. We are called to walk in humility. See Philippians 4:11, James 1:3, 1 Peter 5:6 and Romans 8:28

But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. 2 Corinthians 2:14 (ESV)

To help us understand Paul’s point here it is useful to understand what it meant to be led forth in triumph in the Roman world. This is a term meaning that conquered captives would be led forth with a victorious general as he marched in a victory procession. Paul sees himself as a prisoner of Jesus Christ and as one conquered by God being led forth in God’s victory procession before all.

The victory is not Paul’s but God’s, because God is shown as strong in our weakness and humble service. We should see our selves as willing and privileged captives, we are God’s trophies and although we were once enemies we have been led away to serve and bring Glory to our conquering king. Our service for the Lord demonstrates his victory in our lives.

I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 34:1 (ESV)

This can become like a cliche but it is so important to always praise The Lord no matter what we are or are not going through, this encouragement continues in the New Testament too in places like Thessalonians 5:18, Romans 8:28 (again) and verse 37.

My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad. Psalm 34:2 (ESV)

Our boast is in the Lord, we rejoice in his triumph (like we read in the New Testament today). If we walk in true humility, we rejoice in and boast for others, especially God. See 2 Corinthians 11:30-33

The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. Psalm 34:7 (ESV)

It is encouraging to remind ourselves that Gods Angels work on our behalf as mentioned in Hebrews 1:14

He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken. Psalm 34:20 (ESV)

This is a prophecy of the Messiah fulfilled by Jesus as mentioned in John 19:36

You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day. Deuteronomy 5:15 (ESV)

The reason given for the keeping of the Sabbath day is different here than the account in Exodus 20:8-11 (). In this case the Lord connects the keeping of this commandment to the redemption of the people of Israel from Egypt, This is still connected to the exodus account as in the deliverance from Egypt a new Nation was born / created.

This is what is sometimes called a sign commandment which is related to a specific covenant. In this case it is the Mosaic covenant which has been superseded by Jesus Christ. We still keep this command in principle because our reasoning is the same, we remember the Lords day (1st day of the week) because it commemorates his resurrection and our redemption, being a new creation in Christ and entering God’s rest.

You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. Deuteronomy 6:5 (ESV)

Jesus is the greatest commentator on this command, he tells us this is the greatest and most important of all in Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:30 and Luke 10:27. To love and serve God is one of the very reasons we were created.

So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. 2 Corinthians 2:8 (ESV)

Paul was encouraging the church to walk in love even in their discipline of one of their members who sinned but then repented. This is in line with Jesus teaching on forgiveness in Luke 17:3–4, Matthew 18:15–18 and John 20:22

Our forgiveness does not ignore or excuse sin, it acknowledges the sin and the repentance of the sinner and grants pardon and restores relationship. An important distinction is that a position may not necessarily be restored, in many cases a relationship may be restored while a position (say in church leadership) is forfeited.

so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs. 2 Corinthians 2:11 (ESV)

The ultimate weapon against the Devils plans to destroy Gods people is love. We need to be loving enough to enforce church discipline (1 Corinthians 5:1-5) at the same time as being loving enough to extend forgiveness and reconciliation. This is the best offence and defence against the Devil’s schemes which include pride, division, discouragement, casual sin and false confidence.

Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, Psalm 33:18 (ESV)

A theme in all todays readings is the love of God, We can hope in God’s steadfast and faithful love and kindness. Because we know who God is, we can place all our hope in him

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.

‘Rise up, set out on your journey and go over the Valley of the Arnon. Behold, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land. Begin to take possession, and contend with him in battle. Deuteronomy 2:24 (ESV)

God was quite specific in his instructions to Israel, they were not to fight with the giant defeating people that were essentially family to them (mount Seir were the people of Esau, their brother and Moab and Ammon their cousins).

When it came time for this new generation to fight, they could do so with confidence and faith because God speaks through Moses saying he has already given Sihon into their hands. God calls us today like he called the new generation in the wilderness to begin to take ground and fight the enemy in battle, we must respond in faith because he has given us the victory already. See 2 Corinthians 10:4

just as you did partially understand us—that on the day of our Lord Jesus you will boast of us as we will boast of you. 2 Corinthians 1:14 (ESV)

When Paul speaks about boasting (verses 12-14) it can seem strange to us as boasting usually has a negative image of pride and lifting up ourselves. However the boasting Paul is talking about is a different kind of boasting, it is closely connected to the word confidence and declares he can boast in God and the cross.

This was a contradiction to the Corinthians who were still caught up in pride and had brought into the culture around them which taught them to belittle others and boast in ability, opportunity and status.

Paul’s life and the Gospel was a stark contradiction of these values as he was meek, humble and weak, not virtues esteemed among the Corinthians, they did not respect this about him or his ministry. Therefore Paul wants them to understand the core of the gospel and the life it produces, one of servanthood and humility and he wants their value system to be so transformed that they will boast in this weakness (ultimately the cross) with him.

Because I was sure of this, I wanted to come to you first, so that you might have a second experience of grace. 2 Corinthians 1:15 (ESV)

This second experience of grace would come through Paul’s visit, through which he would show them Gods grace, remind them of the message of Gods grace and give the opportunity to show Gods grace by giving to the poor saints in Jerusalem.

My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors! Psalm 31:15 (ESV)

God is sovereign over our lives, he determines how long we live, when we live and the amount of time we are allotted in particular circumstances. With that sort of power we should trust him, knowing that our future is not in the enemies hands but God’s

Love the LORD, all you his saints! The LORD preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride. Psalm 31:23 (ESV)

We can have confidence in Gods eternal preserving power over us if we love him in faithfulness Jesus prayed this in John 17