Sermon Tone Analysis
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The dominant theme of the book is that the one God,
the Creator, has acted in history and called out a people,
rescued them from slavery, and entered into a covenant with them,
calling them to love Him with all their being.
All other allegiances are subordinate.
Also, there is an urgent need for the present generation to make a decision for the Lord is one of the main concerns in the book.
Repeatedly (48 times) the word “today” sounds in the ears of the people as they stand on the plains of Moab.
The word calls for decision now—not yesterday, not tomorrow, but today!
The previous generation failed to obey,
and they ended up wandering in the wilderness for 40 years before they all perished (1:41–46; 2:14–15).
The situation is urgent.
Israel must obey today!
As Moses presides over covenant renewal, he is aware of the eventual apostasy of his people.
Israel will be a witness to the nations that human beings—despite the best advantages—cannot do the will of God without God’s help (4:25–28; 29:22–28; 30:1–10; 31:14–29; 32:15–38).
Deuteronomy bears witness to the hope that the Lord will someday do for Israel what it could not do for itself:
circumcise the peoples’ hearts so that keeping the law was as natural as breathing (30:6; cf.
10:16; 30:14).
The prophets were influenced by this hope and called it the new covenant—
a covenant by which the Lord would forgive the sins of his people and write the law on their hearts (; cf. ).
Paul said that such a day finally arrived in Christ, who perfectly kept the law while suffering its curses—
not for himself but for covenant-breakers.
Now when such sinners confess Jesus as Lord,
they are fully justified by God and empowered to do his will (; cf. ).
Closing in on our passage the flow of the text takes us back to chapter 16 and idolatry.
"“Do not set up an Asherah of any kind of wood next to the altar you will build for the Lord your God, "and do not set up a sacred pillar; the Lord your God hates them.”
()
Merrill, E. H. (2017).
Deuteronomy.
In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.),
CSB Study Bible: Notes (p.
290).
Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
The Asherah and sacred pillar were cult objects representing the chief goddess and god (Baal).
Israel was told not to erect these pagan symbols next to the altar of the LORD.
Here you find the world and the worship of the One true and living God blended together.
What’s known as “syncretism”.
Idolatry perverts truth and violates the first commandment.
God demands exclusive worship and prohibits mixing worldly religious practices with true worship.
Beeke, J. R., Barrett, M. P. V., & Bilkes, G. M. (Eds.).
(2014).
The Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible (p.
277).
Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books.
Whenever the true God does not occupy the center of worship,
some aspect of His creation will take His place, and this false center cannot hold.
This passage concerning idolatry and even how Israel is to judge it, goes till 17:7.
From vv8-13 there a provision made for complex cases at the central sanctuary,
where a higher court consisting of Levitical priests and an appointed judge examined the cases.
Then our passage concerning the king which isn’t uncommon in the world of that day.
What’s radical is in God’s economy this King, chosen by God, is a living, breathing servant of God and the people.
This law finds its final expression in the coming of a fellow Israelite who is a Servant-King (Jesus Christ, the true King) and not only washes the feet of His people ()
but lays down His life for them as well (, ).
For our purposes this morning I want to draw your attention to this man appointed by God and his relationship with the word of God.
This king isn’t to just to not gratify the love of honor by multiplying horses.
Nor is he just not to gratify the love of pleasure by multiplying wives (v17) as did Solomon did to his undoing.
Nor is he just not to gratify the love of riches by greatly multiplying silver and gold.
This king is actually to apply himself to God’s Word, which is to be his rule.
God’s word must be to him, better than all riches and honors and pleasures, than many horses, wives, and better than thousands of gold and silver.
Main Point: Apply yourself to God’s Word, which is to be your rule.
Sub Point: Applying yourself to profit from God’s word as the king did ().
So how do you profit from the Scriptures?
He is to (first of all)
A. RECORD the Word.
"When he is seated on his royal throne, he is to write a copy of this instruction for himself on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests.”
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Even though there’s a good chance that the king could have had copies for himself, from his ancestors,
but he’s to have his own copy, that he is to write out by hand.
He is to record it.
As he takes the throne, he’s to first give himself to this task.
There would’ve been issues of the kingdom at home and abroad yet he’s to record a copy of God’s Word.
Then he’s to B. READ the Word.
"It is to remain with him, and he is to read from it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to observe all the words of this instruction, and to do these statutes.
"Then his heart will not be exalted above his countrymen, he will not turn from this command to the right or the left, and he and his sons will continue reigning many years in Israel.”
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Not only was the king to copy the law, but he was to read from it every day, it says, “he is to read from it all the days of his life” (in v19)
Having a Bible by him of his own writing, he must not think it enough to keep it in his cabinet, but he must read it.
Our souls require daily care and nourishment from the Scriptures!
It’s the manna that gives us strength in the wilderness.
We must persevere in the use of the written word of God as long as we live.
As scholars of Christ’s we never learn above our Bibles!
Actually we will have a constant need for the holy Scriptures till we come to that world where knowledge and love will both be made perfect!
He Read to be Possessed by the Word.
“so that he may learn” (v19)
To be possessed by Scripture is to have a reverent and awesome regard to the divine majesty and authority.
It says the king is to “learn to fear the Lord His God”.
Meaning this: as high as the king is, he must remember that God is above him.
He Read to be a Practitioner of the Word.
“to observe all the words of this instruction…to do these statues” (v19).
He doesn’t just make sure that others obey God, but as a humble servant to the God of heaven, he is to obey God!
He Read to be Preserved from evil (arrogance & apostasy).
“Then his heart will not be exalted above his countrymen, he will not turn from this command...” (v20a)
The scriptures are meant to humble him, and thus - preserve him.
He isn’t to trample upon his countrymen.
He’s greater than anyone but he’s less than the whole, so he’s not to be arrogant.
He Read to be Prolonged during his days.
“and he and his sons will continue reigning many years in Israel.”
(v20b)
So now look back to v19.
It says, “...he [the king] is to read from it [scripture]...”
Ignorance of scripture is the mother of all error not devotion.
“You are mistaken” says Jesus, “because you don’t know the Scriptures or the power of God.” ()
Adam was forbid, upon pain of death, to taste of the tree of knowledge: "...on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.””
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But there is no danger of touching this tree of holy scriptures;
if we do not eat of this tree of knowledge, we shall surely die.
So how do we seek to profit from our time in Scripture on a daily basis?
"Though I were to write out for him ten thousand points of my instruction, they would be regarded as something strange.”
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#1.
Remove the things that hinder your profiting.
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