Hear To Do God's Word

HEAR TO DO GOD’S WORD

Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8 September 1, 2002

Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8

1 Hear now, O Israel, the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you. 2 Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God that I give you.

6 Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people." 7 What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him? 8 And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?

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Dearest Fellow-Redeemed and Saints in the Lord:

Each one of us values the senses that we have—taste, sight, smell and hearing. Scripture reminds us that without the sense of hearing, you and I would almost be lost. The Lord reminds us that ‘faith comes by hearing the message and the message is the word of God.’ Hearing God’s message is only just the beginning. It is the very first beginning of our faith worked in our hearts by God’s powerful word. This morning we’re reminded of hearing and doing God’s word.

In the New Testament, Jesus gave us the account of two people. One built his house upon the sand. With a foundation like that, when the storms came and the winds blew, the house came down with a great crash. Then he tells of the person who built his house on solid rock. It had a rock solid foundation and the winds came, the storm blew and it stood. In the conclusion of the matter, Jesus said, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” (MATTHEW 7:24) That’s what we’re going to build on this morning. We will build on that solid foundation of the word of God, which is our sure foundation. We are here to hear, aren’t we? Here to hear to do God’s word.

HEAR TO DO GOD’S WORD

I. Not adding nor subtracting to it

II. But appreciating God’s wisdom

I. Not adding nor subtracting to it

Moses is speaking to the children of Israel. They are getting ever closer to the time when they are going to go into the Promised Land. He knows that when they’re in the Promised Land, they are going to have many things to distract them from God and His Word. Maybe they will even forget about God and His Word. You and I know that in the history of the children of Israel, they did just that. They turned to other gods.

Moses comes to them and says: Pay attention—pay attention to what the Lord God is telling you. Our text begins by saying, ‘Hear now, O Israel, the decrees and laws I am about to teach you.’ He wanted them to remember the commandments that God had given them. In the first four chapters of the book of Deuteronomy, Moses gives a brief history of the children of Israel. He tells them time and time again how God was faithful to His promises to them. Then he has to remind them sadly how time and again the people were unfaithful to God and His promises.

Now he says to them, ‘Listen, children of Israel. Here are the laws and decrees. They are there for a purpose. They are there that you might appreciate God’s wisdom.’ He goes on: ‘Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you.’ He didn’t give them the commands, the laws and the decrees just to give them. He gave them as guidance for them and direction. Moses reminds his people to follow them. He tells them why. They are going to be a benefit for you as you live in the Promised Land. He reminds them that it is the God who made this promise to their fathers who is giving these laws to them. Now they are going to enter into that Promised Land. We call it the Promised Land because God had promised it to their forefathers—Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Now the people were going to enter there, and God says, ‘Here are my laws’. They are important, they are valuable. They are so important and so valuable, He gives them these directions, ‘Do not add to what I command you, and do not subtract from it.’ God’s commands are good enough there is nothing more to add. God’s laws are good enough we don’t want to take anything away from it. This, Moses says to the people of Israel as they are about to enter that Promised Land. He says do not add to it, do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you.