Lesson 140 - Senior
Memory Verse
"Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the LORD God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?" (Ezekiel 18:23).
Cross References
I Great Mercies to the Penitent
1. The Lord promised to turn the captivity of the Israelites when they repented and returned to God, [DEU:30:1-3]; [1KG:8:46-52]; [JHN:8:32-36].
2. God would gather His people from all the nations and from the outmost parts of Heaven, [DEU:30:3-4]; [NEH:1:4-11]; [ZEC:8:7-8].
3. The Children of Israel would once more be brought into the Promised Land, and the Lord would do them good in the day they returned to Him, [DEU:30:5-9]; [ISA:62:1-5]; [LUK:15:6-10], [LUK:15:12-24].
4. These promises were on condition that the Israelites would keep God's commandments with all their heart, [DEU:30:6], [DEU:30:10]; [EZE:18:21-22]; [EZE:33:11], [EZE:33:19]; [MAT:22:36-40].
II Commandment Not Hidden
1. The Lord, through Moses, emphasised the fact that God's commandment was near at hand and easy to be understood, [DEU:30:11]; [PS:147:19-20]; [ISA:45:19].
2. The commandment was not left in Heaven, [DEU:30:12]; [JHN:1:9-10], [JHN:1:14].
3. The Word had not been scattered beyond the sea that Israel need send for it, [DEU:30:13]; [MAT:12:42]; [ACT:8:35].
4. When the Word is sought in sincerity, it will be found "in thy mouth, and in thy heart," [DEU:30:14]; [ROM:10:8], [ROM:10:10].
III Life and Death from Which to Choose
1. The Lord set before Israel and all humanity life and good, and death and evil, [DEU:30:15]; [MAK:16:16]; [JHN:3:16].
2. To love the Lord, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, would bring God's blessing to Israel in the land of possession, [DEU:30:16]; [JHN:14:21].
3. The curse of God would be visited upon all who would refuse to hear God, upon all who would turn away from Him and worship idols, [DEU:30:17-18]; [JOS:23:15-16]; [HEB:12:25].
4. Moses admonished the Children of Israel to love God and choose life, that both they and their children would dwell long in the land, [DEU:30:19-20]; [LUK:10:42]; [ACT:2:38-40].
Notes
God's Design
The verses of this chapter should be considered as a conditional promise; and as such, they belong not only to Israel but to all other people of the world as well. The design of this chapter is to assure all men that the most flagrant sinners, when they repent and are converted, shall have their sins pardoned and be restored to God's favour. God's Word contains many wonderful promises to the penitent, even under the Old Covenant, while the whole import of the Covenant of Grace is the salvation of immortal souls and the reconciliation of men to God. "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief" (I Timothy 1:15).
Israel in Captivity
Long before the Children of Israel entered Canaan Land, the Lord could see that they would break their covenant with Him and serve idols. As a result of this sin, God said that He would drive Israel into captivity among the nations. If Israel, while they were captives in the strange land, would call to mind the blessing and the curse, which God had set before them, would return unto the Lord their God, and would obey His commandments, then God promised to turn again the captivity and have compassion upon the Children of Israel.
Consideration is that first step towards conversion. "Bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors" (Isaiah 46:8). The prodigal son came to himself first, then, remembered the bountiful provisions of his father's house. If sinners would seriously consider the peace and happiness they have forfeited through sin, and the misery they have brought upon themselves, if they would consider that by repentance they could escape the misery and recover the happiness, they would be quick to return to God.
Returning to the Lord, and a willingness to obey His voice, are the heart and soul of repentance. Without these, all other expressions of repentance are in vain. The prodigal son was justified when he arose and went to his father's house. Had he stayed in the swine pen, he would have perished from hunger even amid all his thoughts of home and bread enough to spare. "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon" (Isaiah 55:7).
God's Boundless Mercy
The scope of God's mercy to the penitent is without bounds. "If any of thine be driven out unto the out-most parts of heaven, from hence will the LORD thy God gather thee" (Deuteronomy 30:4). God can take the filthiest and the vilest of sinners and fashion them into glorious beings; He makes them saints whereas they had been transgressors. How can this be done? Through God's mercy and the Blood of the Lamb when the penitent comes pleading mercy. "The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit" (Psalm 34:18). "And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted" (Luke 18:13, 14).
The restoration into God's fellowship and favour will be complete. "He will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers." This promise was to Israel, but how much greater is the promise of God unto us. "Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses": (Acts 13:38, 39). What excuse can any man offer, then, for any sin that is found in his life? God has indignation against those who persist in sinning ([DEU:29:20]), but He has compassion upon those who will repent with all their heart ([JER:31:18-20]).
Commandment at Hand
Moses brought to the attention of the Children of Israel the fact that God's command was very plain and easy to be accomplished. Israel could never plead as an excuse for disobedience that God had enjoined any-thing that was impractical or unintelligible. The Law had been given to them on mount Sinai, from Heaven, and had remained with them through their wanderings, in permanent form, written on tables of stone. God's commandments and statutes were also written in the Book of the Law, which was kept in the Ark of the Covenant ([DEU:31:26). Whenever need required, Israel could refer to these commands of God; they need not send to Heaven for a new code, nor could it profit them to search to the ends of the earth for a new under-standing of God. "For I am the LORD, I change not" (Malachi 3:6). God once revealed is always the same. "I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right" (Isaiah 45:19).
Abounding Grace
When the Israelites put their heart and love into the service of God, they found that they could fulfill the commandments. No doubt the Law was heavy in comparison with the Dispensation of Grace under which we live today. The Bible says that the Law was a shadow of good things to come ([HEB:10:1]). Men are no longer living under the shadow, but have come into the blazing light of the Gospel. There is no need for any man to send to Heaven for Christ, for He came down in His incarnation and left a crystal-clear knowledge, by giving us His Word, of what men must do to be saved. There is no need to send into the deep for Jesus; for though He was crucified and buried, He arose again. In His ascension, He became our Advocate with the Father ([1JN:2:1]). "Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them" (Hebrews 7:25).
How can mortal man come to God? And what are the promises of mercy held out to the penitent? "Whoso-ever shall call upon the name of Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13). "Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:37). There is a way of coming to the Lord and calling upon Him that is acceptable. John the Baptist proclaimed that way when he said, "Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. . . . Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance" (Matthew 3:2, 8). Jesus later preached the same message, thereby adding emphasis to it. One time a little child was asked the meaning of the word "repent." The answer was, "Being so sorry for something that you will never do it again." That is the Bible idea of repentance. "For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death" (II Corinthians 7:10). These promises are to the truly penitent -" the man or woman who has a heartfelt sorrow for sins committed, who is yearning for deliverance, who is seeking for a life free from sin in the future; a cry of that kind will never fail to reach the throne of God.
Mental Acceptance
A mere mental assent to the truths of Jesus Christ and the Gospel, without any notice of sin in the life -" past, present, or future " will never be regarded by God. Mentally to accept Christ or confess Him will never avail for salvation. These are but the first steps towards conversion. God requires that the heart and soul be washed in the Blood of the Lamb; then the man is in Christ -" "he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (II Corinthians 5:17).
Heartfelt Advice
Moses finished his discourse to the Children of Israel with a very strong climax, holding out a bright light of hope to the obedient, but a strong fire of judgement to the disobedient. Every man wishes to obtain eternal life and good. Moses showed that by obedience and love to God and His commands, Israel would obtain all the blessings they desired and avoid all the misery they feared. Whatever the future held for Israel would be determined by their own decisions; Moses had delivered his soul. As a last word, however, he urged the Children of Israel to accept life, for those shall have eternal life who choose it. Those who die do so of their own will, and must blame themselves for it, because they refused eternal life upon the terms proposed.
"He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?" (Hebrews 10:28, 29).
It is a dangerous procedure for a man to live a whole lifetime for the world and sin, then depend upon praying the penitent's prayer on his deathbed. Sometimes the deathbed is the scene of such intense suffering and pain that all thoughts of repentance or prayer are forced completely out of the mind. Then, again, many people are removed from the earth very suddenly without a moment's notice or chance to pray. This happens to the young people as well as the old. If you are not already a Christian, make your decision today for Christ and life, happiness and eternity. Delay not another hour, for "Now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (II Corinthians 6:2).
Questions
1. When the Children of Israel found themselves captives in a strange land, what did God tell them to do?
2. If Israel would return to God, would God do good or evil unto them?
3. Was the commandment of God hidden or far off?
4. Where was the Word of God to be found?
5. How could Israel so live that they would be sure of life and good? How must we live today, to be sure of life and good?
6. What would bring death and evil?
7. Does the Dispensation of Grace give any hope to the penitent heart today?
8. Describe in your own words how a man can be saved. What must he do?