A Fresh Repetition Of Gods Law Pt 2

A Fresh Repetition Of Gods Law Pt 2

In Chapter 5, we find the 10 commandments repeated. Here, one more reason is given for keeping the Sabbath in verse 15: They were to keep the Sabbath in remembrance of the fact that they did not get deliverance from Egypt by their own power. It was the Lord Who brought them out of Egypt. They had tried for 430 years to get free, but they could not. Then the Lord set them free in one night. That then was the message of the Sabbath:

The man who trust in God accomplishes more than the man who is busy with activity.

But the Israelites forgot that lesson very quickly. We read later on in their history, that they disobeyed God and worked on the Sabbath again and again in order to make more money. They tilled their land in the seventh year when God told them not to. But what did they get for all that labour? God sent them into captivity for another 70 years in Babylon. But the one who trusts in God enters into God's rest and rests from his struggling, even as God rested from His work on the Sabbath day. This is the message of the Sabbath (Hebrews 4:9-10).

In Chapter 5:29, we read of one of God's greatest longings for His people. It is rare to find the word "O" in Scripture. But here we see God using it: "O that there were such an heart in them to fear me, and to keep all my commandments at all times, that it may be well with them and with their children for ever?" God longs for it to go well with us and our children forever. Do you know that? 

He wants us to have the very best always. And He has given us His commandments so that it might go well with us.

The Bible is the "Manufacturer's Manuel" If you buy an expensive electronic gadget, you will get a booklet of instructions along with it that tells you how to use it. You will be very careful to follow those instructions exactly, because you don't want that expensive gadget to blow up or be ruined. In fact, the manufacturer usually advises that the equipment should not be switched on or used  until you have read all the instructions. Who manufactured us? god! Here in the Bible are the instructions on how we can function best as human beings. If you don't follow these instructions, you can mess up your life or your marriage. many have done just that, because they did not do things God's way. Who can they blame for that? No one but themselves.

Even many believers have messed up their lives because they have not been careful to follow the "Manufacturer's Instructions." Even for physical health, I believe the best thing to do is to obey the Scriptures first of all. When the Lord says, I am your Healer," He means, "I am you health." We need to be healthy in order to serve God. And if you want to be healthy you have to follow certain laws concerning what you eat and what you don't.

A glutton can never be healthy. God says, "My son, hearken to my words, and incline thy ear to my sayings. Let them not depart from thy eyes, keep them in the midst of thy heart: For they are life to those that find them, and health to all flesh." (Proverbs 4:20-22)

In the same way, to be spiritual, you must follow certain laws concerning spirituality. You have to humble yourself if you want grace, for God gives His grace only to the humble. You have to believe in order to receive something from God, for God gives us according to our faith.

In Chapter 6:4, we read,

"Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord." We don't worship three Gods. God is one in three Persons.

Then in verse 5, the first commandment is de3scribed in another way. This is what Jesus quoted in Matthew 22:37 "Jesus said to him: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind." That is the first commandment. That means that we don't have any place in our hearts for family, property, job, or money because all our heart is given to God. This is Instruction No. 1 in the "Manufacturer's Instruction" Manual. don't operate the human machine before you have obeyed this commandment. What will happen when you love the Lord with all your heart? You will love your wife even better! You will love your neighbor better. You will even love your enemies, because you don't have any hatred in your heart anymore.

Jealousy, hatred, bitterness and all other sins against others are caused by not loving God with all your heart.

The part of your heart that should be loving God is filled with jealousy. We overcome sin not by battling sin primarily, but by loving God with all our heart. When we love god with all our heart, the love of money and property and evil lusts will all go away. Consider the girl who is in love with Mr. A, who is not such a  good person. Her parents try their best to stop her from loving him buy they can't succeed. Then one day this girl meets Mr. B who is far more handsome, richer and a more pleasant person. Suddenly all her love for Mr. A disappears. How did that happen? That can be called "the expulsive power of a new affection".  a new love drove out the first love. apply this to the Christian life. Here you are lusting after so many evil things that god forbids. You try to give up bad habits but cannot, because you love those lusts.

Then one day, you see the glory of Jesus and begin to love Him with all your heart. what happens? This new love has driven out the old affections. Then we have no more interest in the thing of this world.

It's "the expulsive power of a new affection." This is the secret of victory over sin. Love God with all heart and with all your soul which means with all your intellectual power.

If God gave you brilliant mind, that was not to enable you to make money, or to get on in this world and become a great man. No. The apostle Paul would have been a success in any field he chose, for he was such a brilliant man. He could have been a top-rate businessman. And if he were living today, he would have been a genius at computers. But he decided to use all the faculties God gave him for God alone. That's how he he made good use of his life. What have you used your faculties for?

In Chapter 6:7, we read how it is the responsibility of parents to teach the Word of God to their children at all times from morning to night under all types of circumstances.

Chapter 7:1-6 talks about seven nations greater and stronger than Israel that God would enable them to defeat utterly. This is a picture of the victory that God desires to give us over every sin-for seven is the perfect number in Scripture (that speaks of completion). It is clear that it was going to be God Who would deliver the enemies into Israel's hand because the enemies were stronger than Israel.

We must recognize that all our lusts are far too strong for us, Only the Lord can enable us to overcome them.

 

 

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