To Hearken Diligently
The book of Deuteronomy is the printed version of Moses’ farewell
messages to the second generation of Israelites following the 40 years
of wandering in the wilderness. These messages were given on the
plains of Moab just east of Jericho. Deuteronomy has been appropri-
ately called “The Book of Remembrance.”
In this book, Moses reviews God’s faithful dealings with Israel. He
recounts the travels from Mount Sinai to Kadesh Barnea on the edge of
the Promised Land, as well as the rebellion and the 40 years of wilderness
wandering. He restated the Ten Commandments, the requirements of the
tithe and the central storehouse. But the primary focus of Deuteronomy is
the counsel to obey God and receive His blessings. Moses portrays God
as One who has the ability, and the desire, to care for His people.
Read Deuteronomy 28:1–14. What great blessings are promised the
people? But what must they do to receive them?
Moses was very eager for the people to understand that God had
wonderful, even miraculous, blessings in mind for them. His words, “If
thou shalt hearken diligently,” let them know that their eternal destiny
was at stake here. What a powerful manifestation of the reality of free
choice. They were God’s chosen nation, recipients of great blessings
and great promises, but those blessings and promises were not uncon-
ditional. They needed to be accepted, received, and acted upon.
And nothing God had asked of them was too hard for them to do
either. “ ‘For this commandment which I command you today is not too
mysterious for you, nor is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should
say, “Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may
hear it and do it?” Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, “Who
will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and
do it?” But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart,
that you may do it’ ” (Deut. 30:11–14, NKJV).
Of course, besides the blessings, there were the warnings of the
curses, what would come upon them if they were to disobey (Deut.
28:15–68); that is, what consequences their sin and rebellion would
bring.
What does it mean for us, today, to “hearken diligently” to what
God tells us to do?
