Deuteronomy 21 – 28

If I told you I would either give you an ice cream cone or smash your finger with a hammer, which would you choose? Aside from the truly strange among us – and you know who you are – the choice is easy. Deuteronomy 28 is a pivotal moment in Hebrew history. In preparation for passing over the Jordan and claiming the land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Moses is reminding them of the Law given to them by God. In very clear terms, they learn that trusting obedience in faith will result in an abundance of blessing to them and their descendants. Conversely, breaking faith and disobeying God will break this covenant and result in unimaginable harm to the Hebrew people.

Today, we are reading about unexplained murders, mean-spirited husbands, rebellious kids, and divorce. Notice how at each offense, Yahweh says “Make it right with Me and get the sin out”. They were not meant to be sinless, they were meant to be forgiven. The blessing would be poured out.

Sitting with a book in your lap reading this to yourself, it seems obvious. Just do what you know is right. Right? As a preacher, a father, a husband and a friend, I’ve come to the realization that is so much easier to “see” what others should do in a given situation than it is to actually DO what I should do in a given situation. That part of our nature makes the choice between blessing and curse much more difficult than it “should” be.

The Apostle Paul shared the same struggle. Before coming to Christ, he was a pious and observant Hebrew man. In the promises of these blessings and curses he came face-to-face with his own shortcomings.

What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

ROMANS 7:7-25

The problem is not with God or His law … the problem is with me. The solution does not lie with me, the solution has always been God.

As Jesus told the Apostle Paul and Paul responded,

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

I CORINTHIANS 12:9

The choice is not between flawless obedience and utter destruction. The choice is between the grace of God displayed in our recognition of our own weakness and the way of the flesh and the “strength” to go our own way without Him. Sadly, there came a point when the Hebrew people just quit trying. They gave up on Yahweh in exchange for the lifeless idols of their neighbors.

Graciously, Yahweh never gave up on them and when the fullness of time came, He became a man. He is our atoning sacrifice for sin. Yahweh makes it right with us and gets the sin out.

Consider His nature. Consider His ways. Strive to love Him more!