WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday October 6, 2019
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OBEDIENT
FAITH
(Moses
urges Israel to obey)
(Deuteronomy
4:1-14)
In
the Old Testament Hebrew the word used for “law” is “torah”. It is a word that
is broadly applied to the writings of Moses (the Pentatuech), the Ten
Commandments, and the over 600 specific rulings that are identified by Jewish
Rabbis that are found throughout the Old Testament Scriptures.
In Deuteronomy 4, we find, perhaps, the
most common definition of the word “torah”, in all of Scripture. Here Moses seeks
to explain to the people of Israel how the “Laws of GOD” must be instilled at the
very foundation of their everyday lives.
In essence, “The Law” of GOD is “a body of
specific divine instructions from GOD that were given to Moses (including “The
Ten Commandments” and other additional rules and regulations) to be used by those
who wish to follow HIM. This body of laws clearly defines, directly from GOD,
just what “morality” looks like when those laws are applied and obeyed.
In addition, these laws clearly demonstrate
the intimacy that should exist between GOD and HIS greatest creation, which is “mankind”.
Specifically they were given to Israel, “GOD’s chosen nation”, so that they
might, through their behavior, show “the unsaved world” what GOD is like. However,
GOD wants HIS laws, and HIS character, to be exemplified through all mankind,
so as to show how superior HIS laws are to our own laws, which are concocted
through our own “human ingenuity, and, how HIS law should always overrule our
laws.
The greatest difference between man’s law
and GOD’s law is that “the letter of GOD’s law” (that which is written) and “the
spirit of GOD’s law” (how it is justly applied) always agrees. However,
contrastingly, with man’s law, “the letter” and “the spirit” of the law oftentimes
do not agree. That is why man, who has given himself over to an “unrighteous
nature”, will always hand down unjust jail sentences, and regularly incarcerate
innocent people, for example.
GOD’s Law is remarkable because of its “righteous
decrees”. It holds “a moral and ethical normalcy” that cannot be achieved by unrighteous
man in the strength of his own character. Because of the sinful nature in all
men, it is impossible for man to righteously rule over another man, or judge
another man correctly, without following the law of GOD. GOD’s law is the only
barometer by which human behavior can be measured (v.8).
When we say that a person is “righteous”,
we are using that term in a relative way, because we really know that that
person is not sinless. What we are really saying is, “that person is actually striving
to live his or her life in accordance to the standards of behavior that are
laid down by the Laws of GOD”.
GOD’s
Law defines what a GODly lifestyle should be like, and it serves as the
blueprint for future judgment. At one and the same time, however, GOD’s law also
shows us how we should first, “judge ourselves” personally (anakrino judgment)
so that HE won’t have to, and, by familiarizing ourselves with HIS Word and laws,
make ourselves able to make a determination, or, form a GODly assessment of
others (diakrino judgment). However, final judgment, “the judgment of
condemnation” (krino judgment), can only be made by GOD HIMSELF. In fact, it is
impossible for man to “effectively” judge (anyone other than himself) in this
manner.
JESUS makes it plain when HE warns us not
to try and (krino) judge (condemn) each other as only GOD can (Matthew 7:1-2). We,
as mere human beings, need to be more concerned about “self-judgment”, judging
ourselves according to the Word of GOD (Matthew 7:3-5), before we can be able
to make a judgment regarding someone else, according to the Word of GOD, as
JESUS commands us to do in Matthew 7, verse 6.
We can hear and read the Word of GOD still
today, but because “GOD is abstract”, just like the Israelites couldn’t back
then, we too, are not able to see GOD’s form (v.12). However, GOD has now proclaimed
“HIS Covenant” (the Holy Bible), through JESUS CHRIST, to the whole world (not
just Israel). And HE has commanded us to adhere to its contents (The Ten
Commandments), lest we condemn our own selves to Hell (v.13).
The Ten Commandments (its wording) was
physically issued to us by GOD, through Moses, and they adhere perfectly to the
whole “SPIRIT” of the LORD HIMSELF. The wording of the Law of GOD and the
SPIRIT of those words will always agree with each other in their “just” application.
And GOD’s Law will always be manifested in perfection upon whosoever it touches,
and upon whosoever chooses to apply it to their personal lives, and, to the
lives of their families, based on their obedient faith and trust in HIM, “the
GOD WHO sees us”.
A Sunday school lesson
by,
Larry D. Alexander
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website
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