This week's scriptures: Deuteronomy 29:10-30:20; Isaiah 61:10-63:9; Romans 10:1-12
God is unfailing in His love and covenant relationship with mankind, whom He created in His own image; and He has given us a heart to love (both Him, and people). We have been given 'eyes to see' and 'ears to hear' His word of truth and His instructions for life (Torah). But the nature of love is not to force or coerce, but to give the option of choice, even to reject His love.
The Choice That Love Offers
Before God allowed His people Israel to enter the land that He promised them, He brought them to a place of choice as He renewed the covenant He made with them at Horeb. To underline the solemnity of this choice, He had all Israel stand in His Presence to hear His words. He adjured them not to turn away from Him to worship the gods of the pagan nations, and specified the poison of idolatry and rejection of the Lord (Deut 29:18).
He gave the example of a man who invokes the covenant blessing on himself, but thinks, I will be safe even though I persist in going my own way (Heb. 'walking in the stubbornness of my own heart'). Such rejection would bring disaster, and God's wrath would burn against him (Deut 29:20). This serious warning to those who would abandon the covenant (Deut 29:25) of the Lord who brought them out of slavery in Egypt, was echoed by the Apostle Peter to those who deny Jesus, who paid the ransom to bring them out of slavery to sin (2 Peter 2:1).
Repentance is the Benchmark of Our Walk with the Lord
Moses summarises Torah by calling heaven and earth as a witness to their choice: life or death, blessing or curse, and he exhorts them to choose life in obedience to the covenant (Deut 30:19). Seven times in Deuteronomy 30 Moses uses the word shuv (repent, or return), and encourages the people to turn back to the Lord when they go astray.
May we also in these days of change and shaking love the Lord our God, listen to His voice, confess our faults to Him, and through His forgiveness hold fast to Him (Deut 30:20). The word dav'kah (translated 'hold fast'), means to adhere, cling to, catch hold of by pursuit – a lovely picture of how we might express our love for the One who is our life. For He desires to dwell with us each day by living close to Him. How do we respond?
Repentance begins with a change of heart (Deut 30:1) and this must lead to a change in conduct – to cease going our own way (Isa 53:6) and return to the way of hearing and obeying (Sh'ma). To such repentance God will respond and turn to the penitent, thus restoring relationship. The final days of Elul before the Days of Awe (Yamim noraim) are a time to examine our heart and deeds and to confess our sin. God's word to all at this time is, "Return to Me and I will return to you" (Mal 3:7).
Just as human hands circumcise the physical foreskin, eight days after birth, as a sign of God's covenant with Israel, so circumcision of the heart made without hands (Col 2:11) is the removal of a spiritual impediment that is designed to transform all people, Jew and Gentile, by His Spirit. It is a sign of the new birth into the renewed covenant in Messiah (Rom 2:29). Nicodemus, a teacher of Torah, didn't fully understand this (Jn 3:9-10) but Torah points to a God who will change us from within. In this new life in Messiah, it is keeping God's commandments that is the sign of this new covenant transformation (1 Cor 7:19) and of our love for Jesus. It is the fruit of repentance.
God's Desire for Salvation and Restoration
In Isaiah's day, even following destruction by Babylon, he looked forward to the time when the Lord would make righteousness and praise spring up in Israel before all nations (Isa 61:11). Zion will be called Hephzibah (My delight is in her) and the land Beulah ('married' - to His people), because He is true to His covenant promise. They will be a Holy People, saved by and separated to the Lord (Isa 62:12).
So He calls both to His people returned from the exile, and now to Gentile believers grafted into His Israel to 'Build up the highway! Remove the stones!' and to 'Raise a banner for the nations', that He will bring His people home. Such is His covenant-keeping nature. But He warns that nations who hate Israel will meet the wrath of God in judgment (Isa 63:2, 6). Paul, also proclaims his desire for Israel's salvation and describes the righteousness that is by faith, and the word of faith that proclaims: Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead. For by belief in Him we are justified and through confession we are saved (Rom 10:6-10).
The Nature of God's Love - and Our Response
The nature of love, seen so well in Jesus, is to teach by example but to give the option of choice. We can respond by choosing to open our hearts in love and thanks, or to close our hearts (to God and to each other) and refuse His love.
God gives three steps on this path of covenant love:
- Da'ah lifnei omdim – Know before Whom you stand; the Lord your God (Deut 29:10)
- Shuvu v'hashivu – Repent, Turn; from your idols (Ezek 14:6)
- Shuvu elai – Return to Me; and I will return to you (Zech 1:3)
His promise to those who follow this pattern of love, is: I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the Lord...for they will return to Me with all their heart (Jer 24:7). This is the choice we have in these coming Days of Awe: to know before Whom we stand, to repent (or not); and to return (or continue to go our own way). One choice brings life, blessing and joy; the other brings death, fear and despair. How often our loving God exhorts us: CHOOSE LIFE!
On Monday it is Rosh Hashanah - Jewish New Year. Le'Shanah Tovah – have a 'good year' - filled with His love, goodness and abundant life.
Author: Greg Stevenson
