Follow them so that you may live…

Posted by Christopher on Apr 22nd, 2008
2008
Apr 22

Hear now , O Israel, the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers is giving you.
Deuteronomy 4:1

Moses serving as a vessel of God addresses the Israelites giving them two initial instructions, hear & follow (obey).

Something interesting that caught my eye while reading Deuteronomy 4:1, were the words Moses used in the first sentence: “…the decrees and laws I am about to teach you”. As I read this passage, I wondered… was Moses speaking in1st or 3rd person perspective or maybe a dual meaning? Was Moses speaking to the Israelites as though he were the author (I don’t think so) of the laws and decrees or was he saying to them:

“OK listen up you knuckleheads, I was just up there on the mountain. Yes the same one with the smoke and the fire and the booming voice from out of nowhere. I was up there with the Creator of all, our Father, God AKA I am; and He has given (end of Deuteronomy 4:2) these laws and decrees that I Moses have been entrusted by Him, to teach to you.” (See Deuteronomy 4:5)

See I think that perhaps God was reiterating from the onset through His spoken words, that it was He, not Moses that were the author. This thought is supported by what’s said next in Deuteronomy 4:2: “Follow them so that you may live…” In a biological sense of the word,(sarcasm alert!!) we can assume that the Israelites were already alive, because Moses was addressing them, or maybe Moses was a crazy person talking to corpses(not likely according to Mark 12:27 or Luke 20:38).

So this is my thought on concerning the Israelites. Through the decrees & laws the Israelites were being empowered to live, as a community, as well as a metaphorical “life” individually (holy/spiritual life). The decrees & laws though presented by Moses, were truly from God, which the Israelites didn’t seem take to heart or revere on a collective level (as we find out later); as originating as words spoken to them from the one who is I AM.

Grace and peace be with you.