Old Testament reading: Deuteronomy 1-2
Deuteronomy begins with what might be called “Moses’ farewell discourse.” After leading Israel for 40 years, Moses is about to be separated from the people he loved so much. It is the fortieth year and the first day of the 11th month. Moses had witnessed the death of every Israelite over the age of 20 at the time the wandering began. Very few who were present could remember the plagues, the Passover, the Red Sea crossing or Israel’s rebellion at Kadesh Barnea. Because this was a generation unfamiliar with their history, Moses recalls the history of why and how God had led them through the wilderness. He reminded them of their ancestors, who had forgotten how God “carried you as a man carries his son” (1:31). There also seems to be the sense that Moses is reminding them that they had done nothing to deserve this great inheritance they were about to receive. They were present only by God’s mercy and the “dumb luck” of being young enough to qualify. He also makes clarification concerning Joshua and Caleb, the only two “old guys” who remain. But all was not negative. Moses then moved to the conquests and victories given them by God as they journeyed to the place where they now stood, on the very precipice of a land flowing with milk and honey.
New Testament reading: Romans 15-16
A key phrase concludes this great book that also introduced it. This phrase is overlooked by most of the religious world, and is found in Romans 1:5 and 16:26… “obedience to the faith.” Tragically, (as we mentioned in Romans 4), many try to use Romans to teach salvation without any works of obedience. The obedience of faith is the common theme of salvation found throughout all of Scripture (including Romans). Hebrews 11 further illustrates this truth with statements such as, “By faith Abel offered,” By faith Noah…prepared an ark,” and, “By faith Abraham obeyed.” Not one of these men minimized or negated God’s grace through his obedience, but rather appropriated the grace of God extended to him through Divine command (law). Truly of these great men does Romans 15:4 speak, “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
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