Deuteronomy 4
In Deuteronomy 4, Moses continues his farewell address, urging Israel to obey God’s laws. He highlights the importance of obedience as the key to life and prosperity in the Promised Land. Moses recalls the greatness of God’s revelation at Mount Sinai and warns against idolatry. The chapter underscores God's uniqueness and faithfulness, emphasizing that He alone is worthy of worship.
Deuteronomy 4:1-3 (NKJV)
1 “Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I teach you to observe, that you may live, and go in and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers is giving you.
2 You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.
3 Your eyes have seen what the Lord did at Baal Peor; for the Lord your God has destroyed from among you all the men who followed Baal of Peor."
Moses reminds the Israelites to follow God's commands without alteration, as these commands are the foundation of their covenant relationship with Him. He recalls the sin at Baal Peor, where Israel worshiped a foreign god, and the subsequent punishment, warning them that disobedience leads to destruction. By obeying God's law, Israel ensures their survival and ability to possess the Promised Land.
Deuteronomy 4:4 (NKJV)
4 "But you who held fast to the Lord your God are alive today, every one of you."
Moses contrasts the fate of those who remained loyal to God with those who turned to idolatry. While the unfaithful were destroyed, the faithful survived and remained under God’s protection. This reinforces the importance of unwavering commitment to God as the source of life and blessing.
Deuteronomy 4:5-6 (NKJV)
5 “Surely I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess.
6 Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’"
Moses stresses that Israel’s obedience to God's laws will demonstrate their wisdom and set them apart from other nations. By living according to these statutes, they will not only thrive but also serve as a testament to God's greatness and the unique relationship He has with Israel, prompting admiration from surrounding peoples.
Deuteronomy 4:7-8 (NKJV)
7 “For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the Lord our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him?
8 And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day?"
Moses underscores the privilege of having God so intimately involved with Israel. No other nation can claim such closeness to God, nor possess such righteous laws. This is a powerful reminder of Israel’s unique status among the nations, with the law being a direct reflection of God's holiness and justice.
Deuteronomy 4:9-10 (NKJV)
9 “Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren,
10 especially concerning the day you stood before the Lord your God in Horeb, when the Lord said to me, ‘Gather the people to Me, and I will let them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.’"
Moses warns the people to be vigilant in remembering God's commands and the miraculous events they witnessed. Forgetting God’s deeds would lead to spiritual downfall. He emphasizes the responsibility of passing down these teachings to future generations, ensuring that the fear and reverence for God remain strong in Israel.
Deuteronomy 4:11-13 (NKJV)
11 “Then you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, and the mountain burned with fire to the midst of heaven, with darkness, cloud, and thick darkness.
12 And the Lord spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. You heard the sound of the words, but saw no form; you only heard a voice.
13 So He declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, the Ten Commandments; and He wrote them on two tablets of stone."
Moses recalls the awe-inspiring scene at Mount Sinai (Horeb), where God manifested His presence in fire and spoke to the people. They heard His voice but saw no form, emphasizing that God is beyond physical representation. The Ten Commandments, given on stone tablets, were the core of the covenant, symbolizing the foundation of their relationship with God.
Deuteronomy 4:14 (NKJV)
14 “And the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that you might observe them in the land which you cross over to possess."
Moses reiterates that God specifically instructed him to teach Israel His statutes and judgments to guide them in the Promised Land. These laws were not arbitrary but were meant to govern their lives in the land, ensuring their prosperity and alignment with God’s will.
Deuteronomy 4:15-16 (NKJV)
15 “Take careful heed to yourselves, for you saw no form when the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire,
16 lest you act corruptly and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of any figure: the likeness of male or female."
Moses cautions the Israelites against idolatry, reminding them that God revealed Himself without a physical form. To make any carved image, even in God’s likeness, would be a direct violation of His commandments. The invisible, formless nature of God stresses His transcendence and the danger of reducing Him to mere human representations.
Deuteronomy 4:17-19 (NKJV)
17 "the likeness of any animal that is on the earth or the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air,
18 the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground or the likeness of any fish that is in the water beneath the earth.
19 And take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the Lord your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage."
Moses expands the warning against idolatry, covering various forms of creatures and celestial bodies. These things are part of creation, not to be worshipped. The worship of nature or created things would distract Israel from the Creator, who alone deserves worship. Such practices were common among other nations, but Israel was called to remain distinct in their allegiance to God.
Deuteronomy 4:20 (NKJV)
20 "But the Lord has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be His people, an inheritance, as you are this day."
Moses reminds Israel of their special status as God's chosen people, redeemed from Egypt (referred to as the “iron furnace,” symbolizing intense suffering). God brought them out to make them His inheritance, a treasured possession among all nations. Their deliverance from Egypt is a defining moment in their identity as God's people.
Deuteronomy 4:21-22 (NKJV)
21 “Furthermore the Lord was angry with me for your sakes, and swore that I would not cross over the Jordan, and that I would not enter the good land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.
22 But I must die in this land, I must not cross over the Jordan; but you shall cross over and possess that good land."
Moses recalls that due to the incident at Meribah (where he struck the rock instead of speaking to it), he was prohibited from entering the Promised Land. Even though he had led Israel faithfully, this disobedience led to severe consequences. Moses uses his own experience as a lesson in the importance of strict obedience to God’s commands.
Deuteronomy 4:23-24 (NKJV)
23 “Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything which the Lord your God has forbidden you.
24 For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God."
Moses again stresses the importance of staying faithful to the covenant and avoiding idolatry. He describes God as a "consuming fire" and a "jealous God," meaning He demands exclusive worship and will not tolerate any rivals. God’s holiness and justice necessitate judgment against those who break the covenant through idolatry.
Deuteronomy 4:25-26 (NKJV)
25 “When you beget children and grandchildren and have grown old in the land, and act corruptly and make a carved image in the form of anything, and do evil in the sight of the Lord your God to provoke Him to anger,
26 I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that you will soon utterly perish from the land which you cross over the Jordan to possess; you will not prolong your days in it, but will be utterly destroyed."
Moses warns that if future generations turn away from God and commit idolatry, they will face severe consequences. He invokes heaven and earth as witnesses, indicating the seriousness of the warning. If they break the covenant, they will not only lose the land but face total destruction. This foreshadows the eventual exile of Israel due to their disobedience.
Deuteronomy 4:27-28 (NKJV)
27 "And the Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the Lord will drive you.
28 And there you will serve gods, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell."
Moses prophesies that if Israel falls into idolatry, they will be scattered among the nations and live in exile. In these foreign lands, they will ironically serve false gods made by human hands. These idols are powerless, unlike the living God who rescued them. This prophecy came to pass during Israel’s exile in Assyria and Babylon.
Deuteronomy 4:29-30 (NKJV)
29 "But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.
30 When you are in distress, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, when you turn to the Lord your God and obey His voice."
Moses offers hope, assuring the people that even in exile, they can return to God if they seek Him wholeheartedly. In times of distress, when they realize the consequences of their disobedience, God is merciful and willing to restore them. This is a powerful reminder that God’s grace is always available for those who repent and seek Him.
Deuteronomy 4:31 (NKJV)
31 "For the Lord your God is a merciful God, He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them."
Moses reassures the people that despite their failures, God remains merciful. His promises to their forefathers (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) will not be forgotten. God’s covenant faithfulness ensures that He will not utterly abandon them, even in the face of their disobedience. His mercy tempers His justice, offering hope for restoration.
Deuteronomy 4:32-33 (NKJV)
32 “For ask now concerning the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that God created man on the earth, and ask from one end of heaven to the other, whether any great thing like this has happened, or anything like it has been heard.
33 Did any people ever hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and live?"
Moses invites the Israelites to consider the uniqueness of their experience. No other nation has ever had such a direct encounter with God, who spoke to them from the fire at Sinai. This unparalleled event highlights Israel’s privileged position and the greatness of their God, who revealed Himself so personally to them.
Deuteronomy 4:34-35 (NKJV)
34 "Or did God ever try to go and take for Himself a nation from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?
35 To you it was shown, that you might know that the Lord Himself is God; there is none other besides Him."
Moses recounts the miraculous deliverance of Israel from Egypt as a demonstration of God's supreme power. No other god has ever intervened in human history as God did for Israel, performing great signs and wonders. These acts were meant to teach Israel that the Lord alone is God, reinforcing the central message of monotheism.
Deuteronomy 4:36-37 (NKJV)
36 "Out of heaven He let you hear His voice, that He might instruct you; on earth He showed you His great fire, and you heard His words out of the midst of the fire.
37 And because He loved your fathers, therefore He chose their descendants after them; and He brought you out of Egypt with His Presence, with His mighty power."
Moses explains that God’s interaction with Israel was motivated by His love for their ancestors, particularly Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God’s voice and His mighty acts were given to instruct and guide the nation. Their deliverance from Egypt, accompanied by His visible Presence, is a sign of His continuing faithfulness and love.
Deuteronomy 4:38 (NKJV)
38 "Driving out from before you nations greater and mightier than you, to bring you in, to give you their land as an inheritance, as it is this day."
Moses reminds the Israelites that it was God who enabled them to conquer nations stronger than themselves. Their possession of the Promised Land was not due to their strength but because of God’s power and promise. This serves as a reminder of God’s provision and the importance of remaining humble and obedient to Him.
Deuteronomy 4:39-40 (NKJV)
39 "Therefore know this day, and consider it in your heart, that the Lord Himself is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.
40 You shall therefore keep His statutes and His commandments which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which the Lord your God is giving you for all time."
Moses concludes by urging the Israelites to acknowledge that there is no other god besides the Lord. Their well-being, prosperity, and longevity in the land depend on their obedience to His commands. Keeping God’s statutes is not just a legal requirement but a pathway to blessing for themselves and future generations.
Deuteronomy 4:41-43 (NKJV)
41 Then Moses set apart three cities on this side of the Jordan, toward the rising of the sun,
42 that the manslayer might flee there, who kills his neighbor unintentionally, without having hated him in time past, and that by fleeing to one of these cities he might live:
43 Bezer in the wilderness on the plateau for the Reubenites, Ramoth in Gilead for the Gadites, and Golan in Bashan for the Manassites.
Moses designates three cities of refuge east of the Jordan River. These cities provided protection for those who accidentally killed someone, allowing them to flee for safety. This law shows God’s justice and mercy, ensuring that those guilty of unintentional harm were protected while maintaining the sanctity of life.
Deuteronomy 4:44-45 (NKJV)
44 Now this is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel.
45 These are the testimonies, the statutes, and the judgments which Moses spoke to the children of Israel after they came out of Egypt.
These verses serve as a summary of the laws Moses delivered to the Israelites. They encompass the testimonies, statutes, and judgments that were to guide Israel in their covenant relationship with God. The instructions were given after their deliverance from Egypt, emphasizing the importance of their newfound freedom being governed by divine law.
Deuteronomy 4:46-49 (NKJV)
46 "On this side of the Jordan, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt at Heshbon, whom Moses and the children of Israel defeated after they came out of Egypt.
47 And they took possession of his land and the land of Og king of Bashan, two kings of the Amorites, who were on this side of the Jordan, toward the rising of the sun,
48 from Aroer, which is on the bank of the River Arnon, even to Mount Sion (that is, Hermon),
49 and all the plain on the east side of the Jordan as far as the Sea of the Arabah, below the slopes of Pisgah."
These verses describe the geographical area where Moses gave these laws. After defeating Sihon and Og, two Amorite kings, Israel took possession of their land. This territory, east of the Jordan, was where Moses delivered his final instructions before Israel crossed into the Promised Land. It highlights the extent of God’s blessings as Israel prepares for their inheritance.