The book of Deuteronomy is about obedience, and God’s enduring love. The greatest Prophet to come, our Lord Jesus Christ is foretold. “The Lord said to me: “What they say is good. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him. I myself will call to account anyone who does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name.” (18:17)
Moses says farewell to the children of Israel as they were preparing to enter the Promised Land. At the age of 120, Moses reflects over a century crammed full of turbulent events. In this book he delivers the eloquence of the Holy Spirit in his final oratories. He reminds the Israelites of their slow learning, and of God’s faithfulness through the 40 years they wound around in the desert.
Before the Israelites walked into the Promised Land, Moses gave a sermon that forecasts the Messiah coming. God’s anointed prophets filled in details later on, but Moses unveiled the events that would occur in world history. Today, the Jewish people are returning to the ancient land before the Messiah returns. 7 million Jews are now living in Israel and the other 7 million are making their way home. These are the final recorded words of Moses.
“When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the Lord your God and obey him. For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath. Ask now about the former days, long before your time, from the day God created human beings on the earth; ask from one end of the heavens to the other. Has anything so great as this ever happened, or has anything like it ever been heard of? Have any other people heard the voice of God speaking out of fire, as you have, and lived? Has any god ever tried to take for himself one nation out of another nation, by testings, by signs and wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, or by great and awesome deeds, like all the things the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your very eyes? You were shown these things so that you might know that the Lord is God; besides him there is no other. From heaven he made you hear his voice to discipline you. On earth he showed you his great fire, and you heard his words from out of the fire. Because he loved your ancestors and chose their descendants after them, he brought you out of Egypt by his Presence and his great strength, to drive out before you nations greater and stronger than you and to bring you into their land to give it to you for your inheritance, as it is today. Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other. Keep his decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the Lord your God gives you for all time.” (4:30-40)
World history has unfolded according to these prophetic words. “See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the Lord my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. 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.” (4:5)
After his farewell of blessing, Moses died on Mount Pisgah and the Lord wisely buried His servant so that the gravesite would not become an object of idolatry. A massive community of former slaves wept for Moses for 30 days. Allow the Holy Spirit to bless you as you read what Jesus quoted during His temptation in the wilderness. “man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. Fear the Lord your God, serve him only” (8:3)
Copyright © 2019 by Barbara Alley Hoyle.
All rights reserved.
(click on BLOGGER TAB “Books of Bible” for the rest of the story)
“It is finished.” 5/20/19
Living Abroad 
The Lord’s Prayer: The exactness of this prayer is in the Authority of the Author. As the moral law was written with the finger of God on the stone tablets and heart of Moses, so this prayer was spoken from the lips of the Son of God. This prayer gives us a view of the passions of Christ, and to His zeal for His Father and His compassion for men. Jesus is not indicating that we pray this prayer in some kind of mystical or rote way. In fact, He sets this prayer in contrast to the way that the Jews and Gentiles pray: “When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.” (Matt. 6:5,7) Francis of Assisi regularly prayed The Lord’s Prayer; This is a paraphrased rendition of it. OUR FATHER most holy, our Creator and Redeemer, our Saviour and our Comforter. WHO ART IN HEAVEN in the angels and the saints, giving us light to know You. You Lord God are the Light, the Truth and the Way. Set me afire to love You with my body, mind and soul. You are Love, and You dwell within me to give me the fullness of Joy in the Lord. Oh holy God, You are the supreme, eternally good Father of all creation. HALLOWED BE THY NAME, may all Your children grow to know You better and better that we will appreciate the extent of Your favor, the scope of Your promises, as we willingly submit to Your Authority, and Your majesty, as we honor all Your judgments. THY KINGDOM COME, so that You may reign ‘in us’ by Your grace. Increase our faith Lord that we may enter Your kingdom, where we shall see You clearly, love You perfectly and be totally fulfilled in Your company, as we enjoy You forever and ever. THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN, so that we may love You with all our heart, by always having You in mind, in our gut; with all our soul. Increase our hunger for You Oh God, saturate the mind within our bowels that we may glorify You with all the words we speak. Help us to see Your glory in everything that we may serve Your purpose on earth as it is in heaven. Help us to love our neighbors as ourselves, as we encourage others to seek You, and to obey Your commands, Your ways. GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD, your beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, so that we may remember and appreciate how much He loved us. Give us His words to speak AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES, by Your immeasurable mercy, by the bloodshed of Your Son. AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US, we ask that You enable us Lord, to forgive easily, so that we may be forgiven. Help us to forgive our enemies, and fervently pray to You for them, returning no evil for evil. AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION, be it hidden or obvious, sudden or persistent. BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL, past, present or future, FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM AND THE GLORY FOREVER ER AND EVER. AMEN
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