Day 68: No substitutes! - Deuteronomy 4 vs 11 to 24

11 “You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, while flames from the mountain shot into the sky. The mountain was shrouded in black clouds and deep darkness. 12 And the Lord spoke to you from the heart of the fire. You heard the sound of his words but didn’t see his form; there was only a voice. 13-14 He proclaimed his covenant - the Ten Commandments - which he commanded you to keep, and which he wrote on two stone tablets. It was at that time that the Lord commanded me to teach you his decrees and regulations so you would obey them in the land you are about to enter and occupy.

15 “But be very careful! You did not see the Lord’s form on the day he spoke to you from the heart of the fire at Mount Sinai. 16-18 So do not corrupt yourselves by making an idol in any form - whether of a man or a woman, an animal on the ground, a bird in the sky, a small animal that scurries along the ground, or a fish in the deepest sea. 19 And when you look up into the sky and see the sun, moon, and stars - all the forces of heaven - don’t be seduced into worshipping them. The Lord your God gave them to all the peoples of the earth. 20 Remember that the Lord rescued you from the iron-smelting furnace of Egypt in order to make you his very own people and his special possession, which is what you are today.

21-22 “But the Lord was angry with me because of you. He vowed that I would not cross the Jordan River into the good land the Lord your God is giving you as your special possession. You will cross the Jordan to occupy the land, but I will not. Instead, I will die here on the east side of the river. 23 So be careful not to break the covenant the Lord your God has made with you. Do not make idols of any shape or form, for the Lord your God has forbidden this. 24 The Lord your God is a devouring fire; he is a jealous God. Deuteronomy 4:11-24 New Living Translation

In vs 11-14 Moses reminds the people of the very awesome way God had made His presence known to them when He gave His commandments for how they were to behave in the country He was giving them. It was an earthshaking and fiery display. But had the people actually seen God Himself? (vs 12)

Why do you think God had not let them see any physical form of Himself? (vs 15-18).

God knows people's hearts so well! If they'd seen a form of God they would've quickly painted a picture (they didn't have iPhone cameras then!) or built a statue of Him. And it wouldn't be long before they were satisfied with images, and not God Himself. Even today some people have St Christopher's in their cars and others deeply revere statues and pictures and so called 'relics of Saints'. Vs 15-19 speak of the sort of idols and 'gods' people have worshipped over the past 6000 years. But what does Moses command them in vs 21-24 - and why does he say it so strongly?

By reminding them of how strict God had been with him (vs 21-22) he shows that God's standards and expectations are very high! God desires our love and will tolerate no substitutes! People who aren't Christians might ask why should God be jealous? But imagine if you're married and your husband is forever ogling other women or your wife is unfaithful.

But this total obedience to God is not just an Old Testament thing. This is what the New Testament says to Christians in Hebrews 12: “Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.  You haven't come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, and whirlwind, like the Israelites did at Mount Sinai. They heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking! No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering. You've come to the assembly of God’s firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You've come to God himself, who is the judge over all things. You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people . . . be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel didn't escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven!

Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakeable, let us be thankful and please God by worshipping him with holy fear and awe. For our God is a devouring fire.” (Hebrews 12:14-29).