God Still Reveals Himself To Us Today
Scripture Passage: Deuteronomy 4:32-40 (NASB)
32 “Indeed, ask now concerning the former days which were before you, since the day that God created man on the earth, and inquire from one end of the heavens to the other. Has anything been done like this great thing, or has anything been heard like it? 33 Has any people heard the voice of God speaking from the midst of the fire, as you have heard it, and survived? 34 Or has a god tried to go to take for himself a nation from within another nation by trials, by signs and wonders and by war and by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm and by great terrors, as the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? 35 To you it was shown that you might know that the Lord, He is God; there is no other besides Him. 36 Out of the heavens He let you hear His voice to discipline you; and on earth He let you see His great fire, and you heard His words from the midst of the fire. 37 Because He loved your fathers, therefore He chose their descendants after them. And He personally brought you from Egypt by His great power, 38 driving out from before you nations greater and mightier than you, to bring you in and to give you their land for an inheritance, as it is today. 39 Know therefore today, and take it to your heart, that the Lord, He is God in heaven above and on the earth below; there is no other. 40 So you shall keep His statutes and His commandments which I am giving you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may live long on the land which the Lord your God is giving you for all time.”
SUMMARY
Moses reminds the people of Israel of the greatness of God, that they have heard the voice of God and survived (4:33), what He did before their eyes in Egypt (4:34), how God personally brought them out of Egypt by His great power (4:37), and how He drove out nations mightier than them to bring them to to the promised land of inheritance (4:38). Therefore, His people must know that there is no other God besides Him, in heaven above or earth below. Moses admonished His people to keep God’s statutes, that it may go well with them and their children that they may fully enjoy the land the Lord God is giving to them (4:40).
MEDITATION & REFLECTION
The people of Israel have heard God’s voice and have seen with their very eyes God’s great deliverance from Egypt and the surrounding enemies they conquered. Their enemies had gods that were made by man’s hands and they worshiped them. God reminded them that they were to worship God who they can not see and no man could ever make an image of. He is nothing like the other gods, which are graven images, whereas the God of Israel is the Creator of the universe, the Deliverer of Israel, the Promise Keeper who brought them to the land flowing with milk and honey, and the God who wanted to bless them by teaching them to obey His commands.
Some may say, “It would be easier to believe if I could see God’s power and hear His voice like the Israelites did, then I would believe.” God did... He sent His Son, Jesus to be the perfect image of who God the Father is. “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? I am not speaking the words which I am saying to you from Myself, but the Father abiding in Me is doing His works” (John 14:10). “I and the Father are One” (John 10:30).
Today, Jesus still speaks, through His words and the Holy Spirit shows us the way. In fact, we do hear Him and we do see His great works still in our personal lives, as well as in the lives of other believers. We can not make an image of god from our limited understanding of who God is, He can not be contained by man’s thoughts and ways. However, He willingly came and bore the cross so we can see and know His eternal and unconditional love in action.
APPLICATION
While vacationing in Oregon these past few days, I was surrounded with speechless natural beauty. The picturesque coastlines, the ubiquitous forests, the rolling winds from the mountains and the glorious sunsets were formidable. I can see and hear God’s handiwork all around me. I even saw the end of the rainbow for the first time in my life! They are all creations God allowed me to see and hear that I may remember the Creator and worship Him. I realized my weakness in wanting God to fit into a box that I can understand or open up at my convenience — God is bigger and greater than I could ever contain in my mind. So I repent from today, and from now on I commit my heart to trust God and not limit Him. I will remember how He delivered His people and faithfully brought them to the promised land. God desires my heart of worship and allegiance to Him that I may have the blessing of knowing and walking with Him. Knowing God is a privilege I have and it is my responsibility to pass this truth down to the next generation. I commit to pray and read God’s word to my children who are with me and to send texts to them when we’re apart, reminding them of His greatness and that it is truly our privilege and honor to worship the living God.
PRAYER
I thank You, Lord, that You remain faithful when I have failed to do so. I have done nothing worthy or deserving of Your great love and mercy. You have given me all that is good, thank You, Lord. Help me not to take these blessings for granted, but to worship You humbly and to teach my children and to pass on to the next generation the heritage of faith. How awesome You are!
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