Deuteronomy

1:6 – You have stayed here long enough... and in Exodus 33:1-6 expulsion for being “stiff-necked” – here the bid to enter the Promised Land is emphasized. But God initiates according to his plan – and so with us as he bids us move onward.

1:12 – the burden... alone – they need often for subdivisions – elders or whatever to more adequately serve the people of God – equipped the saints for the work of ministry etc.

1:17 – for the judgment is God's – and the fear of man is nothing compared to it – so judge wisely.

1:21 and 28 – God's word to press on and man's word that melts our trust and courage. Murmurings indicate our lack of faith in God's might and promise. Without the help of God and operating in his way we are doomed to whatever we get ourselves into – hence the abortive attack.

1:36 – on “wholly following the Lord”.

1:41-43 – following is a constant thing and we dare not keep going in some direction when God changes his direction – we must stay with him – “where I am there will my servant be also”.

2:25 and 30 – God seems to do his preparation work in adequate time – we need not fear that he won't – and need not prepare “ahead of time” when he does not say so -- we go on his timetable.

4:25-31 – prosperity – forgetfulness – scattering to own fate – despair – search – renewal. And that's what happened too – all of it.

6:1 – God centered life of Horeb to be maintained in the land of milk and honey – details to be spelled out.

6:11b and 12 – eat and are full – lest you forget to God – oh how true. They did and so do we do this so easily.

6:16 – the doubt of God's presence, was – the testing of God – Exodus 17:7 – “is God amongst us or is he not?”

6:24 – obedience to God is for our deliverance – our “righteousness” or justification by our obedience – actually our faithful abiding in his love and direction which will show itself in our “being there as his servant, wherever he is” doing his will. Emphasis is really more on presence and then the ensuing activity, though they are inseparable.

7:1-5 – bear in mind this is written to the people who didn't do it and the result did happen. He holds this up to bring them up short regarding the abominations around him (this doesn't negate the moral problems involved however).

7:6 – God's chosen people and why – his grace not our “worth” – loving loyalty is the bond.

8:3 – we live by God's gifts of everything both spiritual and material.

8:18 and 19 – idolatry – the other gods, or if more sophisticated – “self”– I did it.

9:4f – not for their righteousness was it done (especially verse 6), but because God stood by his covenant promise.

10:11 – righteousness expels from Horeb and his grace provides needed alternatives.

10:18 – the Sojourner again – some (same?) rights but often oppressed – things don't change much.

13:3 – God testing us by giving us men to do signs by leaving the discerning of quality of preaching in terms of content and end to us by his guidance – we are to love him no matter how great the miracles are of so-called men of God.

13:6 – end of kinship and friendship bond of advice and relationship – and hear death last contaminate the whole group – boy these guys were serious! God serious? Cf.______ in ____. (Withheld).

13:12 – so too with whole towns.

15:1-11 especially 10 and 11 – the poor and our attitudes. Where there is a loophole we so easily act like the men here – reluctant. And where there is constant poverty, we harden our hearts – and yet this stands before us and judges us.

15:14b –“ as the Lord God has blessed you, you shall give to him: you shall remember...” (severance pay!).

16:16 –“ they shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed”!

16:18 – the judicial system is God's gift to them.

17:19f – head of state to be familiar with the law -- read, obey, and not raise himself above it – Solomon style – Nixon style.

18:18 – the prophetic role – God ordained – raised up within – to speak for God – a “buffer” most these – mediate God's Word, presence, and his authority -- and will be tied him if he presumes to “run ahead of” God! Cf. our demands for a prophetic voice from our ministers when they have no word. “Blessed is the man who has nothing to say, and can't be persuaded to say it!”

21:15-17 – regarding “favourite kids”!

21:18f – juvenile delinquents!

22:3 – lost and found – help and restore.

25:16 – unfair business practices are an abomination to God.

26:5f – how to do a feast – relate present blessings to larger faith history.

26:12f – on giving to the poor – still a sacred thing even though not to God as such. Regarding the spirit of giving. See Jesus’ development of this in Matthew 25:40.

27:1-8 – Israel's entry purpose stated in

and this was her heritage gift to the world. First meal around the altar in worship and rejoicing.

28:20 – (the?) Source of confusion, frustration and cursed is wandering from God. Idolatry is the gateway to death and the farther we go from God, the worst life gets.

28:20ff – total social breakdown here described is not so far off! Many of these things can be observed as a “lifestyle” of whole sections of our population -- and a great deal of it, I believe, is caused by our wandering from God and [2 words?] Towards holiness -- idolatry and social sin on a massive scale often. Verse 32 -- kids out of ______ (withheld). Verse 4:14___________ (withheld).

28:47 –“ by reason of the abundance of all things” the routing environment/situation of idolatry.

29:2-9 – (4) vision and understanding in worship from the Lord in third person truth of the Lord in first person – now they see what they could not during the event. God reveals his presence in worship.

29:18-19 – the root of bitter (deathly) fruit – can be any man, woman, or group – who rests in his physical presence inside the covenant group (church) but does not participate in his heart. He is not only outside the covenant – but he is a danger to the rest. Contrast that with the inclusion of those who are not physically present in the ceremony of reaffirmation in verse 15.

29:29 – future belongs to God and is known only to him, the past is our heritage and revealed help – and this serves to inform us of our present duty and obey.

30:1 – on learning in exile and repenting winter just before the exile likely – and in assurance – they will.

30:11-14 – God's word in the mouse and hearts of us not far off and of no use to us. Even with sacrifice at a single shrine there is a basic relationship with God in worship possible where his word is in our heart.

30:19 and 20 –“ therefore choose life” – by loving, obeying, and cleaving. For that means life to you and length of days and Promised Land.

31:14 – that I may commission – God's activity – Moses fetched him at God's direction not his own initiative.

31:19f – Moses the song of winter on hundred and 20th birthday – songs abide where words fade – and through this Will they be challenged. Says a lot about the role of hymns and songs in the hearts of people – they stick and go with them into idolatry – and they're the challenge.

31:21 –“ the purposes they are already forming”– imagination, our schemes, are taking hold of the future – good, neutral and bad distorted often. Our activity continuous with later activity and God knows it now – do we heed?

31:27f – rebellion when I'm gone – I see it now. The realistic insight of the great, old, man. Today many old men see this same thing as they move on.

32:15 –“waxed fat – forsook God – and scoffed at the rock of his salvation”.

32:17 – demons – whom your fathers never dreaded – nonexistent beings.

32:21 – remedy to fit the problem – they stir me with “no gods”; I'll stir them with “no peoples”.

32:30 and 31 – a route of God's people is only possible if God has given them up – for otherwise even our enemies can see that there “rock” is not as our “Rock” is to us.

32:37 – God's not afraid of the “opposition”. Let men chase after them, and when they find they are just – he will ask, “where did they go!?”

32:39 – there is none besides me – the central theme of Judeo-Christian heritage – that realization and that saving relationship of trust in the only God – open to all.

32:47 – “for it is no trifle to you – for it is you your life”– in the land – so lay it to heart, and live.

32:51 – Moses’ sin – breaking faith with God and not revealing God in the midst of the people of God – and us?

34:9f – Moses, what a guy!

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