Daily Bread for Mar 2, Dt 8-10

Today's readings are Dt 8-10.

Dt 8:1-10 serves as a reminder that God has been with His people throughout their time in the wilderness. Furthermore, the reason for their wanderings has been to teach them to depend solely upon Him. They are warned against turning away from God and worshiping the idols of the pagan land.

God knows His people can be fickle, crying out to Him when they are in need or in trouble, then turning their backs on Him or taking Him for granted when things improve. He has shown them that He is able to sustain all their needs. God wants them to learn these lessons and bear them in mind when they occupy the new land.

In Dt 9:4-5, Moses makes it clear that any blessing or victory the Hebrews receive is not because of their righteousness. The Hebrew word for “righteousness” means “justice, right action, and right attitudes.

Regardless of how they may feel about themselves, their hearts and their behavior are not just, righteous or pure. They are in fact, stubborn people. He runs down a list of things they've done to support His accusation. All were an offense to God. Still, God is faithful and has promised they would have the Promised Land. The victory will go to the Jews not because of their own goodness, but because of the goodness of God and the wickedness of their enemies. This should make Israel realize that the only true difference between them and their enemies is the goodness of God in choosing the Jews as His people.

Moses reminds the Jews of their insolence and his position as he stands between them and God, once again establishing their need of a mediator (Dt 9:13-26). We see God's inimitable grace in that He provides new copies of the Law to replace the ones Moses shattered (Dt 10:1-5). The Jews remain His children. The Law is there to sanctify, not control (Dt 10:13). The Law is a gift to those who belong to God, reminding them that there is still heart-work that needs to be done if they are to be the holy people God calls them to be (Dt 10:15-16).

Moses also reminds them that they are to love God as part of the covenant He has formed with them. Their love for others will be evidence of their love for God (Dt 10:17-22). It's a pertinent reminder for us as believers today.