ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Tokonaki Siulai 31, 2021 

ke ke tokanga ki he ngaahi tu‘utu‘uni mo konisitūtone ‘oku ou ako ni

listen to the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you

Teutalonome 4 (Deuteronomy 4)

(v. 1) PEA ko eni, ‘e ‘Isileli, ke ke tokanga ki he ngaahi tu‘utu‘uni mo konisitūtone, ‘a ia ‘oku ou ako ni kiate kimoutolu, ke fai ki ai; koe‘uhi ke mou mo‘ui, pea ke mou hū, ‘o ma‘u ‘a e fonua ‘oku foaki atu ‘e Sihova, ko e ‘Otua ‘o ho‘omou ngaahi kui.

(v. 1) “And now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you, and do them, that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you.

 

David Guzik :: Study Guide for Deuteronomy 4

Now, O Israel, listen: Moses had reminded Israel of their many rebellions against God in the wilderness. Now, as they were ready to enter into the Promised Land, he wanted them to think about their need for present obedience in light of their past rebellions.

As noticed before, one of Satan's great strategies is to make us remember what we should forget, and forget what we should remember. If we don't remember our past sins and rebellions against God, we can easily repeat them, falling into the same sinful patterns and traps: Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. (1 Corinthians 10:12)

That you may live: In the larger sense, spiritual life and death depended on Israel's obedience. Yet also in the more immediate sense, physical life and death depended on their obedience. Israel was about to attack a strong nation and to push them out of the Promised Land - if they didn't have the blessing of the LORD upon them, they would soon be in a lot of trouble.

In fact, Israel's first military loss in the Promised Land (at Ai, Joshua 7) came specifically because they had disobeyed God. 36 men died at Ai, because one man in Israel (Achan) did not obey the command of the LORD.

You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take anything from it: This is an important principle regarding God's Word. We are not to add to it (in the sense of making the traditions and opinions of men equal to the law of God), nor are we to take away from it (by bad teaching or explaining away passages).

This same idea is repeated in Revelation 22:18-19: For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.