March 13

As one reads through the first five books of the Bible, we cannot help but be overwhelmed by the number of laws, rules, and regulations God had given the Israelites. There were many for them to remember and while some may seem trivial to us, God had a definite reason and purpose for each and every one of them. Jesus said they could all be summed up in two commands; love God and love your neighbor (Matthew 22:37-39; Mark 12:28-33). He further reduced these two commands into one, “Do for others what you would like them to do for you. This is a summary of all that is taught in the law and the prophets” (Matthew 7:12). There is a right way to live and a wrong way to live. God wanted His people to compare the way they lived and the consequenc-es when they did so, to the ways the pagan people around them lived and the consequences they had received for doing so. Jesus further said, “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and it’s gate is wide for the many who choose the easy way. But the gateway to life is small, and the road is narrow, and only a few find it” (7:13&14). There are not many ways to live life. Neither are there many gods, each with their own correct rules for living. And contrary to what many would have us believe, there are not many ways to the One God (John 14:6).
“What great nation has a god as near to them as the Lord our God is near to us whenever we call on Him? And what great nation has laws and regulations as fair as this body of laws that I am giving you today?” (Deuteronomy 4:7&8) “Today, I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you. If you disobey me, you will quickly disappear from the land you are crossing the Jordan to occupy. You will live there only a short time; then you will be utterly destroyed” (4:26). On the other hand, “If you obey all the laws and commands that I will give you today, all will be well with you and your children. Then you will enjoy a long life in the land the Lord your God is giving you for all time” (4:40). Therefore, they were told, as are we, “stay on the path that the Lord your God has commanded you to follow” (5:33). But, like the Israelites, we cannot obey that which we don’t know. If we are to obey God’s commands, we must know God’s commands. It is absolutely crucial that all of us, “study to show thyself approved of God; a worker who is not ashamed and correctly explains the Word of God” (II Timothy 2:15). For, ignorance of God’s Word results in our living a life contrary to God’s way, which in turn, leads to death (Hosea 4:6). So, go do the right thing.