Deuteronomy 4

         The first three chapters of Deuteronomy are a review of Israel’s history following the exodus from Egypt. They’re also a review of God’s guidance, providence, provision, and protection of His chosen people as well as the rebellion and disobedience of the first generation that came out of Egypt. Now, here in chapter 4, the final section of Moses’ first address is an exhortation to the second generation as they stand on the threshold of the promised land once again. The whole point of the previous three chapters was a prologue to this one where Moses switches into a sermonic mode, preaching to the people in his final days as their pastor and shepherd.
            This section echoes the traditional format of the treaties that were customary in the ANE between a king and his subjects, especially those of the second millennium B.C. Hittites. (Refer back to my commentary of Exodus 19.) Moses is reminding the people what took place on Mount Sinai forty years earlier, when God first gave the law to the parents of the generation that he is addressing now. Many of the words and phrases in this passage are similar to what Moses relayed to the people four decades earlier.
 
            Verses 1-4: God had given the law to the Israelites so that they might live and, by their obedience, possess the promised land which God had given to them by a promise to Abraham. (v.1) The purpose of the law was twofold: 1) to keep Israel safe from physical and spiritual harm, and 2) provide a means of knowing and worshiping God, their Lord and king. That first point is what is meant by verse 1 when it says “…that ye may live…”. Obeying the law would keep the people from the consequences of sin, such as the physical diseases caused by sexual immorality, or the spiritual decay caused by the worship of idols and false gods.
            This is why Moses makes a distinction in verse 2 about the word of the LORD versus the word of men. The commandment not to add to the law except what God Himself has spoken is to prevent corruption of His pure, perfect word by sinful man. (Deuteronomy 12:32, Joshua 1:7, Proverbs 30:6, Revelation 22:18-19) Disobedience of the law would incur God’s wrath and judgment; obedience would result in His blessings and long life. This is why Moses mentions the incident at Baal-peor in verses 3-4. (Numbers 25:1-3, Joshua 22:17, Psalm 106:28) His warning to the Israelites is, in essence, “You saw what God did to those who disobeyed. They are all dead, but you who did obey are alive today.”
         But it’s a specific type of obedience that Moses is speaking of here. The original Hebrew word in verse 4 is “dâbêq” which the King James translators rendered in English as “cleave”. It means “clinging, or adhering to”, according to the Brown-Driver-Briggs Bible dictionary. This type of obedience is more than just simply doing what one is told. To cleave to something is to cling to it as if one’s life depends on it, the same way a drowning man will cling to a life preserver. Moses is exhorting the Israelites to “…cleave unto the LORD your God…” because He is the source of true happiness, fulfillment, and all blessings. He is the source of life itself, and to cleave to Him is to have a life of true purpose, joy, and peace.
 
       Verses 5-8: Moses reminds the people that what he is preaching has come directly from the LORD. (v.5) The only way in which they will possess the promised land is through obedience to God’s statutes and judgments. By doing so, Israel will be a beacon of wisdom and understanding in the eyes of all the other nations, as well as being blessed with happiness and long life. (v.6) (Deuteronomy 30:19-20, 32:46-47, Job 28:28, Psalm 19:7, 111:10, Proverbs 1:7, 2 Timothy 3:15) This is part of what God was referring to when he told Abraham, “…and in thee all families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:3) The primary reason God created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them – including mankind – is so that His name will be glorified. He chose Abraham and his seed as one method of drawing the nations around them to the LORD. Israel is to be a light unto the world, a way by which all nations would come to know God and worship Him.
           Moses illustrates this point at the end of verse 6. The people of the heathen nations will look at Israel and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” But more than that, Moses adds, there is no other nation on earth “…who hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon Him for?” (v.7) (2 Samuel 7:23) Because of who God is – holy, righteous, and perfect in all possible ways – His law is righteous and perfect as well. (v.8) That law is what sets the nation of Israel apart from all other nations on the earth. All the other peoples of the earth worship false gods and live wicked lives full of all manner of filthiness and depravity. They follow the law of their own hearts which are “…desperately wicked..” (Jeremiah 17:9), full of pride and rebellion against almighty God. It is that sin from which God redeemed Abraham and his seed, bringing the children of Israel out of the slavery and darkness of Egypt into a new life of light and freedom. But the only way to keep that freedom and enjoy the blessings that come with it is to obey the Lord their God by keeping all the statutes and judgments that He decreed within his law.
 
       Verses 9-13: Moses recalls the initial meeting of the people and the LORD at the base of Mount Sinai. He exhorts the new generation of Israel to not forget what happened there, when God commanded him to gather the people in order to give them the law. (v.10) They are to pass on this knowledge and wisdom to each generation, “…that they may learn to fear Me all the days that they shall live upon the earth…”. (v.10) (Genesis 18:19, Deuteronomy 6:7, 20, Psalm 78:5-6, Proverbs 22:6, Ephesians 6:4) The presence of God appeared to the people as both fire and darkness and thick clouds (v.11), and they saw no physical being but heard only a mighty voice from within the fire. (v.12) (Exodus 19:17, 20:22, Deuteronomy 5:4, 22, 1 Kings 19:11) The summary and basis of the entire law, the ten commandments, were given to Moses at this time. (v.13) (Exodus 24:12, Deuteronomy 9:9, 11)
          The word “covenant” is used again here, indicating that God is initiating a relationship with His chosen people. While the Mosaic Law is similar in structure and pattern to an ANE treaty between a king and his subjects, the covenant that God created with Israel at Mount Sinai is far more than just a treaty. He is the LORD their God, their creator and sustainer of all life, and He is calling His people to more than just simple obedience in exchange for rewards and blessings. He is calling them to a life of holiness, a constant, daily striving to live in submission to His will and direction in all areas of their lives. Just as believers today strive for that same holiness through the ongoing sanctification of the Holy Spirit and our obedience to the commandments of God’s word, the Israelites listening to Moses here in Deuteronomy are being reminded of their covenantal obligations that they – and their fathers – agreed to at Mount Sinai forty years earlier.
 
        Verses 14-20: Moses now addresses the specific issue of idols and similar graven images. He uses the phrase “Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves…” (v.15), a variation of which was also used in verse 9. (Deuteronomy 12:13, 19, 30) Joshua repeats it again to the people after they have conquered the promised land. (Joshua 23:11) This command stresses a personal application of the statutes and judgments of the law on the part of the people. They must take the law to heart, making a free will choice every day to obey the LORD their God in all things.
         Moses reminds them that they saw no physical likeness of God in the fire and smoke at Mount Sinai. (v.15) Therefore, they are to make no likeness or graven image, neither male or female, nor any form of animal in an attempt to create an image of God in order to worship Him. (v.16-18) Nor are they to deify or ascribe any special powers to the sun, moon, and stars (v.19), as the other nations and peoples around them have done. In doing so, they will corrupt themselves. (Exodus 32:7, Deuteronomy 9:12, 31:29, Romans 1:23)
       This is one of the key differences between true, Biblical Christianity and all other world religions. The Catholics worship statues and images of Mary; the Mormons adorn the inside of their temples with paintings of Joseph Smith; statues of Buddha can be found in the temples and homes of his followers; and those who practice witchcraft and other similar New Age religions utilize a host of objects and symbols as part of their daily worship. The practice of astrology and ascribing supernatural powers to specific arrangements of the stars and planets is a form of idolatry. Even religions such as Islam that don’t allow images or paintings of Muhammed still practice idolatry by elevating their prophet and his words above God. They don’t allow the Koran to be translated into any other language except that in which it was originally written, treating Muhammed’s words as more sacred than those of the only true and living God.
       Israel was constantly surrounded by heathen nations that worshiped the creatures rather than the creator, and Moses is reminding the Israelites of the first and second commandments. (Exodus 20:3-4, Deuteronomy 5:7-8) God is a spirit with no physical form or likeness that can be seen with human eye. (It’s not even clear in scripture whether the saved will be able to “see” God when we are with Him in heaven, after we have received our new, uncorrupted bodies.) Because of this, the only true and proper worship of Him is in spirit (John 4:24), meaning that there should be no connection of our worship of God in any way with anything that is physical or fashioned by human hands.
            Moses gives the primary reason for this commandment: the children of Israel are a chosen people, delivered from “…the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto Him a people of inheritance…”. (v.20) (1 Kings 8:51, Jeremiah 11:4) The image and metaphor of an iron furnace calls to mind a crucible, a refining process whereby the dross and all other impurities are removed in order to bring forth a pure, perfect precious metal. The seed of Abraham is a precious treasure to God, and it’s one of the major reasons that He initiated His covenant with them at Mount Sinai. He allowed them to suffer in Egypt in order to better prepare them to be His inheritance. This same metaphor is used by the apostle Peter to picture the refining and purification of the New Testament believer’s faith. (1 Peter 1:6-7) We, too, have a similar inheritance: eternal life provided by God through the death of His only begotten son, Jesus. The trying our faith is the cornerstone of the process of sanctification as we strive for holiness in our daily walk with the LORD.
         The last phrase of that verse, “…as ye are this day…”, indicates that, despite the disobedience of the first generation, God still has a plan for Israel. Moses is reminding the second generation that they are still chosen, that God is still working on their behalf. All that is required of them is faith and trust in the LORD and absolute, unwavering obedience to His divine will.
 
            Verses 21-22: Moses once again interjects an example from his own life to demonstrate the necessity of obedience to God and the consequences for not doing so. This is the third time that Moses brings up his act of rebellion (Deuteronomy 1:37, 3:26), and he uses the same phrase as before, “…the LORD was angry with me for your sakes…” (v.21), meaning that God was displeased by Moses’ leading the people astray through his act of rebellion.
 
            Verses 23-28: Moses now returns to the theme of what will happen to Israel if they don’t obey God after they have conquered the promised land. He begins with that familiar phrase, “Take heed unto yourselves…” (v.23), and then describes a hypothetical scenario. If Israel forgets her covenant with the LORD, and builds themselves idols to worship in place of God, and by doing so corrupts their children, grandchildren, and so forth (v.25), then God will pour out His wrath upon them, withholding His blessings and instead bring chastisement upon them by scattering them among the heathen nations. (v.26-27) Israel will be slaves again in a foreign land, just as they were in Egypt, where they will be forced by their captors to continue in their idolatry. (v.28) (Deuteronomy 28:36, 64, Jeremiah 16:13) The reason for this judgment and punishment is because Israel will have broken her covenant with God (v.23), and “…the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.” (v.24) (Exodus 20:5, Isaiah 42:8)
 
            Verses 29-31: But if, after all that, Israel returns to the LORD and seeks Him “…with all thy heart and with all thy soul…” (v.29), while they are still in the midst of captivity and suffering (v.30), then God will have mercy, for He has never forsaken them nor forgotten “…the covenant of thy fathers which He sware unto them.” (v.31) (Leviticus 26:39, 44, Deuteronomy 30:1, 2 Chronicles 15:4, Nehemiah 1:9, Jeremiah 30:11) Even in the “…latter days…” (v.30) of Israel’s judgment, when they have been suffering for many generations, no matter how long it takes them to finally turn back to the LORD and repent, He will hear their cry, forgive their sin, and save them. (Genesis 49:1, Deuteronomy 31:29, Jeremiah 23:20, Hosea 3:5)
 
        Verses 32-40: Moses challenges the people to consider how truly unique they are among all the nations of the earth. Nowhere in the history of mankind had God ever  redeemed an entire nation of people in the way that he delivered the children of Israel from their bondage in Egypt. (v.34) No other people have seen such powerful signs and wonders and heard the voice of God from the midst of fire as have the Israelites. (v.33-34, 36) (Exodus 19:9, 19, 20:18, 22, 24:11, Deuteronomy 5:24, Nehemiah 9:13, Hebrews 12:19, 25) No other people have been victorious over other nations far more powerful than they, nor has any other people been given an inheritance of land such as God has promised to the seed of Abraham. (v.38) The primary reason and purpose that God showed Himself to Israel in the way that He did, beginning with the plagues in Egypt, and then the miracles of food and water in the desert, and culminating with the giving of the law at Mount Sinai, is so that Israel would believe that He is the only true and living God. (v.35) There is no other like Him “…in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath…”. (v.39) (Joshua 2:11)
     For that reason alone, Israel is to keep all of God’s commandments, all the statutes and judgments of the law, that they might live long and prosperous lives in the promised land, and that their children and children’s children might also be blessed in the same way. (Leviticus 22:31, Deuteronomy 5:16, 32:46-47) Moses is continually emphasizing in this whole passage – and throughout this book – Israel’s uniqueness among all the nations of the earth. Because of the covenant that God made with their father, Abraham, and because of all that God has done for his seed in redeeming them from slavery in Egypt and making a new covenant with them in the form of the Mosaic Law, the children of Israel are to cleave to God alone. They are to obey and worship Him not only because of who He is and what He has done for them, but also because of what He will do. Moses is giving the second generation a persuasive argument for why they must obey and trust God as they prepare to conquer the promised land. Without the LORD going before them and giving them the victory, they will fail. And the only way to achieve that victory is through obedience to God and faith in Him and His promises.
 
        Verses 41-43: The reference to Moses in the third person in verse 40 signals a break between his sermon that ended in verse 40 and his next address to the people that begins in chapter 5. The interjection here about the three cities of refuge on this side of the Jordan – where Israel had already conquered and begun to settle – might seem a bit odd and out of context after the exhortation from Moses in verses 1-40. But the explanation about the cities of refuge in verse 42 relates directly to what Moses had just finished encouraging the people to do, which was keep the law of God. The cities of refuge, remember, are for the manslayer, the one who accidentally takes another human life. This brief interlude is a reminder that God has made provision for all circumstances in His law, and the specifics of that law is what Moses is going to expound on in his second address.
        The only reason that Moses could name these three cities (v.43) is because the land this side of the Jordan had already been conquered by Israel. It was that which had once belonged to the kings Sihon and Og, victories that Moses had just finished reviewing for the people in chapters 2 and 3.
 
           Verses 44-49: This chapter closes with a brief review of where Israel is currently camped and settled as Moses gives his second address to the people. The sermon in this chapter was a call to continued obedience of God by keeping His statutes and judgments (v.45), and now Moses is going to review exactly what those are in chapters 5-26.