Renewal of the Covenant
29 These are the terms of the covenant the Lord commanded Moses to make with the Israelites in Moab, in addition to the covenant he had made with them at Horeb.
2 Moses summoned all the Israelites and said to them:
Your eyes have seen all that the Lord did in Egypt to Pharaoh, to all his officials and to all his land. 3 With your own eyes you saw those great trials, those signs and great wonders. 4 But to this day the Lord has not given you a mind that understands or eyes that see or ears that hear. 5 Yet the Lord says, “During the forty years that I led you through the wilderness, your clothes did not wear out, nor did the sandals on your feet. 6 You ate no bread and drank no wine or other fermented drink. I did this so that you might know that I am the Lord your God.”
At Mount Sinai, God make a covenant or agreement with the Israelites. There were many parts to the covenant. But, the purpose can be summed up in two simple sentences. God promised to bless the Israelites by making them the nation through whom the rest of the world could know God. The Israelites promised to love and obey God in order to receive physical and spiritual blessings. Moses needed to remind the Israelites of this covenant because they were beginning to neglect their part. God was still keeping his part, and he always will. But, we as people have a tendency to backslide or get off track or be selfish. Do you find yourself neglecting God? Do you plan time to be with him every day, or do you forget about him? The Israelites needed to be warned about the agreement because they needed to be reminded that there would be discipline if they did not keep their part of the covenant. Do you find that the world is kicking you about or you are going through one bad thing after another? Take time to settle yourself and look to see where you are placing your confidence and faith. Take time to nurture your love and obedience to God.
Spirit and Truth
