DEUTERONOMY 8:1-10: Stop! Look! Listen! Think!

TOPIC: Blessing; Obedience, Preparation, Sanctification, Voice (of God)
TITLE: "Stop, Look, Listen and Think! Hear the voice of God!"

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: Why did God encourage Israel to stop, look, listen and think?
CONCISE OUTLINE

I. That they might profit from their past! (v. 2a)
II. That they might be perfected in their present! (v. 6)
III. That they might be possessors of His promises in their future! (vv. 7-10, 16b)

TRUTH CLAIM/CONTEXT: [Cf. Deuteronomy 1:1-14] Israel's forty years in the wilderness has come to an end; Moses' life is also at an end; God tells Moses to confront His children with His words . . . one last time.

They are to leave the plain of preparation and go to the land of promise to possess it!

Here in chapter 8, God has Moses challenge the people to think (a.k.a.: reflect) upon their past, their present and their future.

The question we will want to answer is WHY?

[RR Crossing] In the mid-west, as a youth, I recall rail crossing signs . . . each looked like a big, white, letter ex. Three arms had a single word written on it: one read, STOP; another, LOOK; the third, LISTEN; while the last was unmarked.

Considering those who take liberties at railroad crossings today perhaps that fourth arm should read, THINK! The money and effort consumed in the attempt to prevent accidents at these crossings is staggering. Why? Because . . .

1. people don't focus on what is important in life
2. people don't think before they act and
   
3. people are prone to take risks . . . ignoring consequences!

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: Why did God encourage Israel to stop, look, listen and think?
EXPANDED OUTLINE

I. That They Might Profit from Their Past! (v. 2a)

"And you shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years . . . "

Deuteronomy 8:2

A. "all the way which the LORD your God has led you"
B. What was God's purpose for wanting to remind them of this?

1. Read v. 3 (to be humbled, to hunger, to understand)
2. Read v. 4 (clothing=provision)
3. Read v. 5 (to know in their heart that God, as any good father, was at work in their discipline and that it was for their own good)

"Listen to counsel and accept discipline, that you may be wise the rest of your days."

Proverbs 19:20

II. That They Might Be Perfected in Their Present! (v. 6)

"Therefore, you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God . . . "

v. 6a

Why?

A. "to walk in His ways"
B. "to fear Him"

III. And That They Might Be Possessors of His Promises in Their Future! (vv. 7-10, 16b)

"... to do good for you in the end."

v. 16b

How?

A. By ...

"bringing you into a good land . . . "

v. 7a

B. To ...

"a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing forth in valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; a land where you shall eat food without scarcity, in which you shall not lack anything; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper."

vv. 7b-9

APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: Now that we've answered the question "How?" let's answer the question "Why?"

So that . . .

"When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you."

v. 10

So how did things turn out? Not well, as we know. People tend to get familiar with things and then take them for granted . . . like trains at rail crossings.

[HEAVENS] In a book by H.G. Wells, Wm. Clissold, one of his characters is quoted as saying: "There was a time when my little soul was uplifted at the starry enigma of the sky. That's absolutely gone. I remember looking at the stars one might, and I was in ecstasy . . . but now I can go out to look . . . [like I would] at the pattern on the wallpaper [on a theater wall]." [H. G. Wells; in Outlines and Illustrations, MacPherson, p.46]

But you don't do that with God. Israel and all they experienced were "examples for us, that we should not crave" what God does not want for us! [1 Corinthians 10:6]

God challenged Israel to remember what He had done for them but , by the end of their 40 year camping trip, they had taken Him for granted and still longed for the garlic and onions of Egypt.

READ ALOUD: Deuteronomy 8:11-20

As a nation we have the same dilemma . . . do we look at the history of our great nation and see the hand of God in every blessing. And we claim its wealth comes from the power of our own hand?

In the light of God's unchanging character, would He encourage us to STOP, LOOK, LISTEN, and THINK about this latter day failure? Would He want us to look forward and consider His promises in the shadow of this time?

1. If so, what lessons would He have us learn?

[LIVING STONES] That we aren't bricks made by human hands in a kiln over a few hours. We are "living stones." [1 Peter 2:5]

Stones take ages and ages to form in the crucible of the earth's crust; followed by ages of washing and weathering . . . to smooth out the roughness and round them. This is done to so they can be clearly differentiated from plain old rough, ragged rocks.

Francis de Sales said, "This [life] is but a quarry where the living stones of the heavenly Jerusalem are cut and washed."

God is preparing us to be good "Christians"; He is preparing us for our place in the wall of His eternal Holy Temple.

2. If so, what commands are we to keep?

We are not of the law but of righteousness by faith!

"If you love Me, you will keep My commandments."

John 14:15

"If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love ..."

[John 15:10a

This is the paradox of obedience: We can't keep His commandments unless we first acknowledge His authority to command; yet we cannot (it seems) acknowledge His right to command unless we begin by desiring to keep them.

"For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day."

2 Timothy 1:12

3. If so, what promises have we been given?

"seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, . . . for by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust."

2 Peter 1:3a,4

"But it isn't as though the word of God has failed. For they're not all Israel who are descended from Israel; neither are they all children because they are Abraham's descendants, but: THROUGH ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS WILL BE NAMED. That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants."

Romans 9:6b-8

Above us are the blinking reminders of our heavenly future; below us is the dust of our earthly past; and in between . . . ???

Well, between:

"there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."

1 Timothy 2:5

And we have taken to heart the promise of Jesus our Lord, our God, and our Savior: "lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." [Matthew 28:20]

Christianity, Deuteronomy, Expository,
Homiletics, Outlines, Preaching, Sermons

DEUTERONOMY: Full Sermons

The following are links to full sermons, preached at FBC La Verne (FBC/LV) in Southern California or at San Carlos Community Church (SCCC) in San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico ...

8:1-10

STOP! LOOK! LISTEN! THINK! - Recognizing the Sovereignty of God to Command!

33:27

FOUNDATION FOR LIVING LIFE TO ITS FULLEST - Fear Not For He Is With Us!

CrossLinked: Spurgeon's Morning & Evening Proclaimed Series (November 11 "Morning")

quick link: DEUTERONOMY Seed Archive

Deuteronomy, Expository, Homiletics,
Outlines, Preaching, Sermons

NUMBERS 6:23-27 - Invoking God's Name!

TOPIC: Blessings (God’s); Name (the LORD’S)

TITLE: INVOKING GOD'S NAME - Remembering the Lord's Blessing!
TEXT: Numbers 6:23-27

Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, “Thus you shall bless the sons of Israel. You shall say to them:

‘The LORD bless you, and keep you;
The LORD make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you;
The LORD lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace.'

So they shall invoke My name on the sons of Israel, and I then will bless them.”

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What Is It God Wants You To Know?
CONCISE OUTLINE: He wants you to know that He wishes ...

I. SPEAK WELL OF YOU!
II. TO PERSERVE YOU!
III. TO ILLUMINATE YOU!
IV. TO REVEAL TO YOU!
V. TO COMMUNE WITH YOU!
VI. TO BE PLEASED WITH YOU!

TRUTH/CONTEXT: What we have here is what I call “the Lord’s Prayer” of the Old Testament (not the “Our Father” one but the real prayer of the Lord in the Gospel of John) … I put this right along side the 2 Chronicles 7:13, 14.

The greater context of our passage is the book of Numbers, a book of wanderings and organization: wanderings in a wilderness and organization out of the disorganization for a people fresh from the oppression of slave masters.

How reassuring Israel was used by God to bequeath us an example … a example of fallen-man’s life in this world’s wilderness, needing organization and discipline. But the story of Numbers is also the story of rebellion by God’s people and their missing of a blessing from God.

God organized the people for His work immediately following their escape from Pharaoh and then again just prior to their entry into the Promised Land. But the people did not accomplish God’s work as He planned it, so God withheld His blessing.

The immediate context of our passage is in the period of Israel’s preparation for Kingdom living; during the section of the book dealing with cleansing. I suggest we’ve forgotten a key role of the Aaronic priesthood (pastors/leaders) as it relates to the sheep: that of blessing the sheep … now priests themselves (albeit Levitical).

Then Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them, and he stepped down after making the sin offering and the burnt offering and the peace offerings. [Leviticus 9:22]

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What Is It God Wants Us To Know?
EXPANDED OUTLINE:

This is a comprehensive and wonderful prayer, it should be understood like this:

I. May God speak well to you, by keeping His promises for you!

II. May He preserve you in the possessions, providing good things and hedging you in from all evil by which you are threatened!

III. May God illuminate your heart, giving you true knowledge of yourself and of your God!

IV. May He show you His grace, forgiving your sins and sanctifying your walk with Him!

V. May God have communion with you, in each of the persons of the Godhead - Father, Son, and Spirit.

VI. And may God give you a constant sense of His pleasure, granting you prosperity in your heart and in your soul, and in all your temporal affairs!

APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: And so how is this done?

Verse 27 brings to mind the fourth commandment:

You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.

[BARNES] Put my name upon the children of Israel - i.e. pronounce My Sacred Name over them in blessing them. God will give effect to the benediction pronounced by the priests.

Some suggest the blessing reflects the Trinity or Godhead by the repetition of the LORD (Jehovah) three times. Might be?

That, I believe, is His desire, what is yours?

This passage focuses on the Israelite need for consecration unto God for total service (free of guile and iniquity; honoring vows they’ve made). This is the whole sacrifice of the child of God. It’s a body and soul offering to Jehovah.

Never did God have in mind Aaron getting up each morning and saying, “I need to go bless the people or their day will be miserable.”

No, they were to bring their offerings in, the priests were to perform their functions, and the people would then be blessed by Aaron. What is our offering?

I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. [Romans 12:1]

And how are we to accomplish this?

"YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.” This is the great and foremost commandment. [Matthew 22:37, 38]

Oh how God would bless us if we were but obedient to Him in His desire to bring us out of our wilderness and chaos; God desires to bless and to lead us into organization.

I have been forced by the Holy Spirit to admit my complicity as a stumbling block to your blessing … certainly Hebrews 13:20-21 is a benediction of blessing, but my heart was motivated by a desire to remind you God supplies each of you each day to do the work of ministry … not that you would be blessed by the invocation of His name.

[BLESSING] Suppose for a moment you were to receive an inheritance from a rich Uncle; the only stipulation was you must behave in a way not natural for you, and this only for a time. Even then, a provision was made for forgiveness if you mess up! Now suppose you didn’t and you wouldn’t!

This is what Israel did!

Now, the bible says,

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. [Ephesians 1:7-12]

[KMV BIBLE] Howard Hendricks reminds us it is not the version of the bible a person uses that separates him from God, but rather what version he makes of the version he has. Sadly, many people edit the Word of God as they go, creating their own King Me Version (KMV).

God had intended for our obedience to Him to be clearly visible to Him and His sub-shepherds (you will know them by their fruit) … as a result they could freely bless the people with this blessing. To the extent you’ve made yourself a living sacrifice unto God …

The LORD bless you, and keep you;

The LORD make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you;

The LORD lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace.

Blessings, Christianity, Expository, Name of God,
Numbers, Outlines, Preaching, Sermons