“Now therefore hearken (prick up your ears) O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the ordinances, which I teach you, to do them, that you may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers giveth you.”  Deut. 4:1

“And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and ordinances which I speak in your ears this day, that you may learn them, and keep, and do them.”  Deut. 5:1.

“Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the ordinances, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that you might do them in the land to which you go to possess it.”  Deut. 6:1.

The words ‘Teach and Learn’ (lamed) are the exact same word in Hebrew, to goad, to teach, to learn, to be a teacher, to train or practice for war, how appropriate, (Isa. 2:4), it can refer to a rod which was an oriental incentive for learning.  So, by specific scripture if you are not learning then I am not teaching, and visa/versa.  Chapter four of Deuteronomy is a very special chapter involving the “Law of God,” one we should all spend some time studying, but our focus is on prayer.  Ps. 33:12 does say, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD;” and Prov. 14:34 states ‘Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.”  So, it would do us well to spend some time studying chapters 4-6.  Moses urges his people to spend time in God’s word and obey it, which he knows is the medium of effective prayer in verse 7, and he speaks this from personal experience.

As a way of focusing attention on the blessings of a walk close to the LORD in obedience, He asks two questions about our closeness in prayer to God.  First – v. 7, “What nation is there so great, who has God so near unto them as the LORD our God in all things that we call on Him?”  Answer – None!  Second – v. 8, “What nation is so great that has statutes and ordinances as righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?”  Answer – None!  No nation, no people, has a GOD so near that when they call He answers, in fact many times He answers before they call.  There is a nation, the ‘Apple of His eye,’ the one He chose (bachar) above all the people on the face of the earth, and there are a people, His Son’s betrothed bride, who can ask anything in His name and He will do it, anything!  God has shown them His nearness in the Sea, in the desert, when there was no food or water, against armies and giants, and every obstacle they could imagine.  They saw GOD’s power, His presence, His perfection and His principles performed right before their eyes.  Prayer in calling on the God of the Word, is a key factor because He is also the GOD who is near and that should motivate us in how we conduct ourselves in the law of a God so near.  He is Omnipresent, that means that He is never nowhere, but He is always everywhere!  The Word itself is not far away but always very near, “in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it. Deut. 30:11-14. In fact Moses goes on in that passage to explain not only is obedience to God’s word the key to prayer it is a matter of ‘Life and Death.’ “Deut. 30:15-20”.  Many times we say, “I’m not getting answers to my prayers!”  Moses would say, “How much time do you spend in His word and how much time does His word spend in you?” You see it’s not how many times you go through the Bible that matters to God it’s how many times His book goes through you.  So, you are better off to read one chapter or several verses and meditate on them, chew them up, read them several times, let the Spirit speak to you, take something from them to share with others, then to read five chapters and check them off.  It’s not a race, it’s a love letter, from your Father; how many love letters did your earthly father write you?  So if you had one you would savor every word wouldn’t you and then talk to Him – so do it, that’s what Moses is trying to tell you.  God’s intent for Israel was as it is for the Church today to be a blessing and a light to the nations.  Gen. 12:18, 22:26 and Isa. 42:49: and 51.

Moses now calls some witnesses to stand against God’s people if they fail  to obey Him.  We call this “Imprecatory Prayers” and there are many in the Scriptures.  His first is in v.26, where he calls heaven and earth, GOD and probably His angelic messengers who carry out His will to stand ready to judge us.  It appeals to God’s honor to bring this judgment to uphold His glory against defiance.  This prayer is not capricious, or vindictive nor unloving, no!  It is in perfect accord with what a glorious God must do and has every right to do when we drag His word and name through the muck and mire of sin.  There are about 20 imprecatory psalms such as psalm 109 and several imprecatory prayers in the Book of Revelation by men in Rev. 6:10 and by an angel in Rev. 16:5.

Moses knows he is praying according to God’s will and person, v. 24 says, “For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.”  He does not share His glory with anyone, so be careful!  He must act against sin, and bring the fire of judgment against what is defying Him, after all He put His Son on the Cross for your sin and mine and abandoned Him!  Moses also calls the earth, the world, the nations outside of Israel who watch and see the blessings of God when they obey and the cursing of GOD when they disobey to bear witness.  The world knows when Israel and the Church sins.  Deut. 29:24-28; 1 Kings 9:8-9.

When a Pastor falls the world knows, and the bigger the tree, the more noise it makes.  Right now (4,000 churches/year are closed) that makes a loud noise.  God said, “If you disobey Me, you will be scattered all over the land.” (4,000 churches every year)  Where are the sheep?  Scattered over the land, why?  Disobedience, lack of prayer, not in to Word, no Gospel preaching, etc., etc.  Isn’t it amazing how powerful sin is and how sad it’s consequences are.  What’s the first thing to go in our churches, prayer-meeting, followed by Sunday night service, then Sunday School and Bibles and hymnals and missions. Then Revivals, Evangelistic Crusades, Mission Conferences or Prophecy Conferences, Wow!  You are talking about things 100 years ago, no, just a moment ago if I remember them I’m sure you do too!  However, v. 29-31 it is never too late to seek the LORD if you seek Him with your whole heart holy!  There is the key, we have to seek Him wholly and holy!  Now you need to read Deut. 4:32-40 out loud – go ahead, I’ll wait——-!  Amazing wasn’t it?  I have written Wow! at the end of v. 40 in my Bible.  My prayer is that you and I might know the power of His presence and the Presence of His power just like the early nation of Israel did before they crossed the Jordan.

What’s wrong with the church today?  I think I know, the same thing that was wrong with Israel in the wilderness in Deut. 5:5, (“I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to show you the word of the LORD; for you were afraid by reason of the fire, and went not up into the mountain) (Ex. 20:18-21)  They were afraid of the fire, and that’s the trouble with Christians today, they area afraid of the “FIRE!”  Afraid He might want too much, ask too much, require too much;  maybe want them to serve or give up something, or love Him more or their neighbor.  Fire always purify’s, removes dross, impurities, flack, unwanted debris; Fire hurts, scars, leaves a mark, disfigures, deforms, but always warms, heals, cauterizes, illumines for the Master.  Pray and Obey for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus then to Pray and Obey.  Till next time, I’ll see you, ………”Between the Lines…..”