Reading: Deuteronomy 29
In this passage, Moses again reminds Israel of all that God did for them in Egypt. He reminds them of “the signs, and those great wonders.” (vs. 3) How often do we need to be reminded of things that God has done for us? I believe we need to remind ourselves often because when the next trial comes along, we can be encouraged by what God has done for us in our past. I would encourage you to write these things down in a journal and read them often. Do not forget what God has already done for you.
After Moses reminds the people of all these things, he follows with this statement: “Yet the LORD has not given you a heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear, to this very day.” Why does God not give them the heart to perceive or eyes to see and ears to hear? I sat thinking about this and praying about why God did not give them a heart to perceive or eyes to see and ears to hear? As I was praying, I had a realization that they were all walking in the flesh. They did not have the Holy Spirit as we do today. They had Moses that spoke to the Lord on their behalf and would tell them what the Lord commanded. They had refused to hear the Lord for themselves out of fear. They had a mediator, a man, named Moses, who had flaws himself. Thankfully our mediator today is Jesus. He sent the Holy Spirit, to all that ask for it, to guide us and comfort us. It is a gift, but we must ask for that gift.
Israel had to be reminded while in the wilderness for forty years that their clothes and sandals did not wear out. How many of us can say we have had clothes that we have worn day in and day out for forty years that have not worn out. That my friends is provision from God. Yet how can they not see and perceive who God is. They had had the cloud leading them by day and fire by night directing them everywhere they went. Can you imagine seeing that with your physical eyes but still not being able to see spiritually? Manna had come down from heaven to provide them with food, and yet they have no eyes to see. This seems so crazy to me.
God wanted to make His people known. Moses wrote, “keep the words of this covenant, and do them, that you may prosper in all that you do.” (vs. 9). Do you know when you prosper in all that you do, people notice. Others will look at you and try to figure out what you’re doing and why things are different for you. What do you have and how did you become so successful? In seeing Israel, people would know the God they served. He would and should get all glory and honor for their success. It is no different today. We are no longer cursed but have the blessing of Abraham upon us. God will bless us abundantly not because of anything we have done but because of our relationship with His son, Jesus.
In addition, God gave them this covenant with the blessings and curses in hopes to establish Israel as God’s people. (vs. 13). In thinking about this He wants to establish His covenant with you as well today. He wants you to know Him and make Him known, by the love that you have for others. We can love others, because Christ first loved us. (John 13:34) It is the goodness of God that leads man to repentance. (Romans 2:4) We need to love others and show His goodness, now more than ever. His perfect love will cast out fear. (1 John 4:18) Fear of socialism. Fear of government overreach. Fear of failure. Fear of the unknown. His love can cover and will cover all of these things. But we must seek Him.
The last verse in this passage, speaks so much to us especially today. “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” The secret things are being revealed now in this time because of the Holy Spirit in each of us. The time had not come for the people of Israel to see and perceive but it is now for all who believe.
Paul tells us, “In Him (Jesus) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself” (Eph 1:7-9) We know the will of the Father because Jesus was a living representation of the Father. He demonstrated love by forgiving our sins, healing the sick, casting out demons, and giving sight to the blind. He gave His very life for us.
Jesus had revealed to the disciples who He was and the purpose in which He was there. Yet even with all that information being given to them they still did not understand because they too did not have the Holy Spirit inside of them giving them a heart to perceive or eyes to see and ears to hear. I love that when Jesus came back, He walked with some of the disciples and yet they did not know it was Him. Yet while walking with them He reveals Himself through the prophecies that had been spoken. Without the Holy Spirit we are unable to understand the things of God.
When Jesus was answering His disciples regarding why He spoke in parables Jesus said this, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven but to them it has not been given.” (Matt. 13:11) Jesus was revealing mysteries to his disciples and they did not even have a great understanding of all that he was saying until the Holy Spirit came upon them at the day of Pentecost. He promised them the Holy Spirit that they received and which we too can receive today.
My prayer today is that you have not received the baptism of the Holy Spirit that you would ask today for this gift, and it will be given to you. Then I pray that you would perceive, see, and hear into the spiritual realm and that you would have wisdom and understanding in His word. Ask and it will be given to you. Our God is faithful to give to those who ask.