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Day 54 – Thru the Bible
Today we continue in Deuteronomy and Psalms.
Video – Shema:Listen
You can learn more about The Shema prayer here About – The Shema.
How does this video help you understand the Shema?
Deuteronomy 4 – This section on God’s “statutes and rules” starts and stops on the same note: “do them”. With regard to God’s teachings, Moses exhorts the people to “listen” and “do them”. Listening is not enough; doing must follow.
You “do them, that you may live” and to demonstrate “your wisdom”. “Live” coupled with “wisdom” refers NOT to earning eternal life by obedience but to experiencing abundant life by living in keeping with the principles that God has established for life in the world He has made.
Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus alone, who has perfectly obeyed the law in our place. The law reveals God’s character and standards—which we realize we can never keep.
How does this realization point us to our need to be rescued by Jesus?
Covenant relationship in the ancient Near East requires exclusive loyalty. That God is “a jealous God” simply means that He tolerates no rivals in His relationship with His covenant people. Idols are anyone or anything that we make ultimate in our lives in place of the true and living God. When we are “drawn away and bow down to them and serve them”, God corrects us, but He does not abandon us.
How do we experience God’s mercy and His eternal promises to Jesus in the new covenant? Hint: John 6:40.
“The Lord is God; there is no other besides Him.” In keeping with this truth, Jesus said, “No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). There is one way to the one true God, and Jesus is that way. The reason for this truth is that Jesus is Himself the one true God (John 1:1).
Deuteronomy 5 – Deuteronomy 5–26 contains the laws that Israel was to keep in the land they were about to enter.
Law follows grace. God saved Israel before He gave them His law to follow. God rescued Israel not because of their obedience to the law but because of his promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Exodus 3:15–16). Israel’s deliverance was therefore not because of their obedience to the law but because God saw their affliction and cared enough to deliver them from their suffering to an abundant life. This truth provides the context in which to read all of Deuteronomy 5–26.
Indeed, this gospel rhythm provides the context in which we carry out our obedience to God. Law follows grace. We obey from, not for, God’s favor.
How does this truth set you free?
Deuteronomy 6 – This great declaration of the nature of the redeeming, covenant-keeping God of Israel, provides the motivation for the whole-person engagement with God commanded here.
How does Jesus point is to this same truth? Hint: Matthew 22:37–40.
It must be noted in each case that God covenants, redeems, and rescues before such obedience is possible.
Starting with today’s video, over the next week or so, we will see multiple videos looking at the Shema—”Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5) The richness of this prayer is incredible, as we’ll soon discover.
Psalm 54 – When David is betrayed, he seeks the Lord rather than seeking revenge. It is a poignant pain when, like a “stranger,” a countryman/neighbor sells you out. So here is a hymn for a believer to sing when such an unthinkable thing occurs. No matter how close the treachery, God is closer still.
Since God’s “might” is greater than the strength of the worst enemies, He is not only near but powerful enough to help. And since He is faithful, David “set God before” himself, which produced a defiant hope.
How does this hope enable you to rejoice in an invincible future even in the midst of today’s trouble?
God’s almighty and present grace even provokes David to generosity. Since he is responding to grace, his offering is a “freewill” offering, celebrating the peace he has with a reconciling God. So sure is David of final deliverance from all evil, he can speak of it as if it has already come. What makes him confident in future grace is his prophetic vision that his Lord will triumph over all enemies.
How is this ultimately revealed by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus?
What other thoughts or questions does today’s video and reading bring up?
Some of these notes are from the ESV Gospel Transformation Bible study notes. We highly recommend this study Bible.
Videos produced by www.TheGospelProject.com.
All links you need to be a part of this are here – Thru the Bible in 2018.