KNOWING AND LIVING FOR THE LORD THROUGH ALL GENERATIONS (DEUTERONOMY 6:4-9)

Great to see you this morning. I got a pause for a minute. Just look around at some faces. My name is Aaron Johnson. I'm the youth director at Riverbend Community Church in Ormond Beach, Florida, and I've got a heart for you, honestly I've been eager to get up here and spend some time with you guys and Get back to Jonesboro.

I've been here twice already. This is my third time to Jonesboro and I'll explain that in a little bit. But just to just to have connection with you as extended family in Christ to see your fellowship here last night had a great opportunity to to be amongst you spend time with you seeing you face-to-face hearing of testimony of What's brought you to this church how the Lord is working through you and in you?

In this midst and just very excited to spend continued fellowship today beyond our opportunity to worship this morning. We hate to be on a plane and be leaving so quickly. It's a it's a fairly rushed trip for us as Pastor Jerry mentioned we'd love to come back and spend further time with you if we could but I get to Enjoy the privilege and the honor of sharing God's Word with you this morning.

It's nothing magical and and my oratory skills. Certainly, so if the rawness of the Word of God is enough for you today. That's what I aim to be faithful to bring so I hope that's your prayer. This morning and whoever might fill this pulpit and I don't take that responsibility lightly you have Tremendous men that serve well here at this church that are faithful to the Word of God.

They're servants of of the Lord and their study of the Word. They exposit well. Excited to jump online when I care it can to hear the sermons that are taking place here to see the decision-making of what's What's coming from the Word to shepherd you as a church?

I believe it's been extremely faithful and great concentrations recently as a church to consider the essentials of a healthy church to consider discipleship to consider the depths of theology even into Eschatology, it's exciting and risky right but praise the Lord for his faithfulness to us in the ministry of his Word.

Let me pray briefly before we continue, but I want the Lord to be over this. Okay Heavenly Father. Thank you for our time together this morning as we fellowship as a family of Christians together in community.

From Ormond Beach to Jonesboro and back to Ormond. What a great privilege it is to share in this body or thank you for the fruitful things that you're doing here in Jonesboro. And not just through 12 five church.

There are other churches that are meeting this morning that are Worshiping over your word that are praising your name Lord. I pray that you would continue to brought provide healthy churches in this community that put you first that are willing to submit to the fullness the whole counsel of the Word of God and Lord that you would be magnified and exalted in this town.

And beyond this town through the hearts of your people as you send others out. Lord, thank you for the privilege and joy of being with your people this morning and attending to your word. And we pray these things in Jesus name.

Amen. All right. Well, like I said, I'm not a stranger to this area my wife was born here in joint Jonesboro and Pastor Jerry. And his family were part of Philadelphia was the name of the church exactly Philadelphia Baptist and I've actually been over there to see that church where my wife comes from and It's we've had some time.

We've actually got family here this morning. Uncle Mike and aunt Lisa are here and my kids love them to pieces. They love their dogs even more and that brings us back here. But this is a great community and it's grown a lot over the years first time I was here.

My 14 year old was one at the time and just to see the growth in this community since then is amazing. There's no Loss for drive-thrus around here. I've noticed that's really cool the convenience of getting everything through a drive-thru.

But there are some things that I want to encourage you in. That I don't want you to ever take for granted. Okay, if I could share just two. Number one is the community and fellowship that you have together here as a church.

That's been very evident to us as pastor Jerry and I went back to get ready to to go to bed last night. We were talking about Just a sweet testimony that's coming from each of you as we get to know you through various angles and avenues.

You've been brought here to this church and you give testimony to what's happening here. And that's the centerpiece and that is the Word of God. That's very exciting to hear and with that comes the fellowship of the faith.

And you're very eager to be a part of this and as Nathan has commended you Before that fellowship that comes after service is so vital for a church. It'd be very easy to come in be under the ministry of the Word and then walk away.

But the fibers are brought together in your togetherness, right? That's how the Lord builds his church. It's part of Christ's design. We'll actually get into that a little bit this morning as we're in his Word, but there's a second thing I don't want you to ever take for granted Shadrach's coffee.

Okay, seriously if you guys ever feel like you don't need to frequent that place that they're okay and they go under I'm gonna be Really mad. That's part of why I get back up here. Shadrach's is the best.

Anyways, if you guys can bring Shadrach's to Ormond Beach, I'd be I'd be thrilled. Well, I was I was saved. I became a believer and Cherished my Savior Jesus Christ At 17 years old. I grew up in a home that did not know Christ.

I grew up in a broken family around the time the Lord saved me. My my parents marriage was falling apart it was led to divorce and the Lord literally caused me out of desperation to pick up the dusty Bible off of the shelf in our living room and I started reading and by Reading and reading and reading the Lord simply brought me to the Savior and he saved me just in that rawness.

That's why we know the power of salvation is in the Word of God. I sat night after night in my bed in private. I didn't even want anybody to know I was reading the Bible. But he saved me in that brought me to conviction of my sin to turn to to fall into repentance in faith trusting that Christ and Christ alone is all I needed for salvation and Ever since then my he's been my greatest joy.

I've grown in him. I've been discipled in him. I was ministered to under the the ministry of Roy Hargrave Nathan's father. Spent many one-on-one times with him. He poured into me During that time felt a call to ministry got a healthy discipleship from Pastor Roy in that as well and Very excited to to share that with you today.

It's really part of the The longevity of what Christ is doing in the hearts of his people wherever. Geographically or even demographically, right? He's working. I joined Riverbend. The what I was excited about when I came to Riverbend was I Had spent 14 years in a church that really wasn't preaching the Word of God.

And I remember the first sermon I heard Pastor Roy preach. I was on the edge of my seat. Didn't have a Bible with me yet because I didn't know that you're supposed to bring your Bible to church Nobody in my church ever did but I heard Pastor Roy preach what I was reading at home.

For the first time it was matching my my home study and what was coming from the pulpit matched and I knew I had found My home at Riverbend under the ministry of these men. I was married to my wife Laura.

Back in.

2003 and what's funny is Pastor Jerry took a photo of me as a new member in 1998 on November 29th and looking back years later came to discover That particular date because I married his daughter exactly five years to the day.

After that that day of first meeting my father-in-law and we have four children. Jocelyn is 14 Eliza is 12. Natalie is 10 and Benji will be 8 next week and Raising four kids in our ministry. They're part of our school at Riverbend Academy and just Seeking to bring them up under the fear and admonition of the Lord.

Which is what we believe we're aimed to be stewards to do under his lordship. So that's who I am. I've been serving at Riverbend in a couple capacities. I was first the student ministry assistant under Michael harsh at Riverbend.

These guys were under his ministry. He spent 17 years there. Transition into Riverbend Academy where I was a teacher for 15 years. Erica was a teacher there also. Was the athletic director there also became the dean of students?

Working in student life and in that particular ministry and then transitioned back into the church side. Our current teaching pastor Scott Menez as he came aboard. Was seeking to fulfill that position full-time and asked me to to come on to the church side.

So I've been serving in that capacity for seven years. Loving the ministry that I have the leadership team that works with me. And I want to share a part of that heart with you today as well as we consider Deuteronomy chapter 6 Verses 4 through 9.

So if you've got your Bibles this morning Deuteronomy 6 verses 4 through 9 as.

A.

As youth director at Riverbend. I believe that I get to participate in One of the most exciting aspects of the church, and I'm not alone in that. I'm not alone when it comes to enthusiasm for next-generation ministry.

It's a concentration in ministry that's vital and While I'm excited and I'm not the only one that's excited. I'm also not alone in the responsibility of it. And we as a church believe that we must come together in our fellowship to be Faithful to the Lord first and that means being stewards and being faithful to the next generation.

That is to come to not only teach them but to equip them also for the years ahead. It's not solely for the youth guy as some churches put them to task. In Deuteronomy 6 Moses was speaking with the authority of God to a new generation in Israel.

And in this episode of Israel's history Moses Contrasts the rebellion of the previous generation to the faithfulness and the constant grace of God Yahweh. He's the Covenant God. He does not abandon his promises nor his people.

And in chapters 4 through 11 Moses calls upon his new job this new generation to be more faithful than their parents were. So as we study Deuteronomy 6 4 through 9 specifically, I want to propose to you that in this text We find that there are three practical truths to knowing and living for the Lord through all generations.

So let's read Deuteronomy 6 verses 4 through 9 Hear Oh Israel. The Lord our God the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.

You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house. When you walk by the way when you lie down and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.

You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. Firstly I want us to consider as we consider this text this morning that we should recognize that God is deserving of life devotion.

We see this in verses 4 through 5 in verse 4. We see here Hear Oh Israel here is a it's a call to listen. To give heed to give attention to hear Oh Israel. Israel means that this is personal it's an address to God's chosen people a chosen nation and in this Chosen people they find their corporate identity under Yahweh.

Consider this in this address here Oh Israel. That the attention to the individual cannot be separated from the attention to the corporate body. It's a corporate belonging. For the hearer for the individual in their midst he or she must be thinking Israel that's me.

That's us.

Here Oh Israel the Lord our God the Lord.

Yahweh.

He's been making himself known to this people for generations all the way up to this point. In Scripture they've come to know him through experience and Especially by his reputation they've been called to make his name great among the nations.

There to exalt him their altars are for him consider even geographically where the nation of Israel was placed at the center point of three continents. As people pass through they were to exalt the name of Yahweh among the nations.

Why. Because he's the faithful God. The covenant-making promise-keeping God the sovereign Creator the Protector the Deliverer for Israel. He's our God. Well, isn't isn't he everyone's God? Our God here reminds Israel and us as we study of all that he has been for them.

It should remind them of constant evidence that they have seen despite their lack of faithfulness to him. He has been their God and this is an intimate relationship, maybe not quite as intimate as You and I have access to the veil is torn.

Through Jesus Christ. We have access to the Father. But God's covenant relationship with Israel shows them and us. That God desires an intimate relationship. He desires to be near to his people his nearness.

Having made a special covenant with Israel. It's an exclusive relationship. No other nation in the world can claim what Israel had. It's incomparable. The relationship to God the Father through covenant relationship is incomparable.

First Samuel 2 2 says there is no one holy like the Lord indeed. There is no one beside you. Nor is there any rock like our God? He's the great deliverer the provider the long-suffering one the only God for the Israelites he has specifically set his affections upon Israel and Despite their false worship.

There are no true contenders. He alone is God. He's to be the object of their loyalty and their allegiance. His is the glory. To which they should exalt his name before the nations. He's to be glorified and he deserves it.

They should give ear to his instruction. Here Oh Israel the Lord our God the Lord is One the Lord is one. There's some debate theologically here over the meaning of the word one in this text. The Lord is one.

Could it be possibly that it's emphasizing a singularity as opposed to a plurality a Monotheistic understanding as opposed to a polytheistic understanding one God versus the idea that there are many gods.

Well, I believe the singularity of Yahweh being the only true God is true. I don't think that's the meaning of the word one here in the text. Maybe it's some type of or pointing to some type of unity or Internal consistency within the Godhead God the Father God the Son God the Holy Spirit.

Maybe it's a pointing to the Trinity. While that theologically is true. I'm not sure. That's what the verse is saying here through the word one. Maybe it's pointing to a particular uniqueness about God.

He's one of a kind That he is. But I don't think that's what the text is pointing to if we rely on the context as good Bible students I think if we determine a meaning that's particular.

This.

Command that Moses gives gives to Israel and. This word one here. The Lord is one is a response To the adulterous ways of Israel. They have cheated against their God. No, not only is he the God for Israel he is Yahweh alone.

They're called to narrow their focus in their relationship to God the Father. One of my favorite quotes in any movie Mel Gibson. Aim small Miss small. Amen. Israel aim small miss small. Know your God.

You've entertained the worship of so many false gods. Come to know.

Yahweh.

So this is in contrast to all other gods. The gods of the nations that seemingly content contend for Israel's attention. Israel has been in the habit of entertaining their worship for whatever earthly gain these idols may represent.

I Love taking our students to Psalm 115 8. There's so many things that contend for our hearts worship, right? So I'm 115 verse 8 says that basically those that worship false gods False idols become like them.

What worth what value are false idols? They're worthless. Those that worship them Become like them. Worthless were called to be image bearers were created to be image bearers to reflect the glory of God.

That's high privilege. I Always encourage our families and students students at Riverbend when you have opportunity to share the gospel don't start with our sinfulness. Start with the high privilege in our creation.

We were created to be image bearers of the one true God to reflect his glory. That's high privilege and guess what we turn from that privilege. That's when we bring in the understanding that we're all inherently sinful having turned from God.

We are not good image bearers in our sin. We are tainted image bearers our Worship. Israel's worship for should be for Yahweh alone. Let's look again at verse 5. You shall love the Lord your God. So what's Israel's proper response to their covenant-keeping God?

It's love. It's love. We're going through Malachi and in high school youth group on Sunday mornings right now and and Malachi 1 Yahweh reminds Israel through the Prophet Malachi of his particular love for them and Their response to him is in dispute and they say in their heart of hearts.

How have you loved us?

Really Israel?

Really how has Yahweh loved you? Need we remind you of his reputation? Need we remind you of all the things he's done in your midst. Need he remind need we remind you of the the truth? Of his counsel that brings fruit when we walk in his way.

Love on the basis of covenant. This love is an attitude of one party that seeks the other to be well-pleased. So love is the essence of covenant allegiance of that faithfulness. This love is not just a feeling it is an affection.

It's an affection of one party that seeks the other to be well-pleased in relationship to God the covenant maker. It is an affection that results in cheerful Obedience. To walk with him. To walk when in his way it aligns with Yahweh.

It joins with Yahweh it seeks to be under his will. So consider the ways that we show our devotion and enthusiasm in this life. There are a variety of ways that we show a Passion or enthusiasm or a devotion in this life, right?

Shadrach's coffee for instance. Okay, that's been evident me in me over the last 24 hours. I love Shadrach's coffee. Any sports fans in here. Do you love sports? Be honest. It's okay. It's Church. We can still bring up the context of life, right?

I'm a sports fan. I have been since I was two years old. If you have a favorite sports team, maybe a football team, you know that every given season. There's only one team out of the bunch that truly succeeds, right?

The rest of them are all failures when it comes to what we're fighting for, right? There's only one team that succeeds on a given year and how and what team name the team that's won every single year.

There isn't one. There isn't one. I'm an Ohio State fan. There's a Georgia sticker right behind me on the stage. All right, I felt the pain and agony of losing. I'm sure you have to Ohio State got a visit from ASU this year.

Bad things happen for ASU, right? Not everything works our way in sports. I'm a Cleveland Browns fan. That's not the depth of depravity in sports. I don't know what is. Constant heartache. Our teams constantly fail us for Israel.

Their God by reputation is one who makes promises and never fails. He's the promise-keeping God. He's never failed them. He never Will. He's worthy of their love of their commitment their allegiance and their obedience.

Love the Lord your God. While the address is to all of Israel the command resonates with the individual hopefully, right? Heart of a people is made up of the hearts of individuals. Here the Lord through Moses Challenges the hearts of every Israelite with this command.

They're called and commanded to love Yahweh and Yahweh alone. Yahweh specifically. It's a centralized focus an allegiance a devotion a worship. Such a people with a heart for the Lord as they come together.

Much like I see here can say the Lord is our God the Lord is one. By application, let's consider this. This is a mandate given to a corporate identity. Israel with individual impact and corporate manifestations.

So the investment Should have both the individual and the entire body in mind. How might my worship impact you and how might your worship impact me? When you worship something you talk about it Shadrach's coffee.

Hopefully, I don't worship Shadrach's coffee, right? Well, we talk about what we're enthused about. When you worship the Lord when you worship Christ, I pray that you share him. That you relate together in him.

For you and me it's Christ. Amen. The veil is torn. We have a fellowship with God the Father that we did not have before because we were set apart. Unhealthfully in our sin. But through Christ we have a right relationship with God the Father again.

We can enter into his presence. We have full worship with him whether we're studying our word and prayer in our closets or whether we're together as a body of believers in the faith. Amen, the heart of a people is made up of the hearts of individuals.

Can you share it? Can you relate together in it? So Israel, how are they to love Yahweh? What is the manner or what is the extent to which? They're to love their God. Well scripture says here in Deuteronomy with all your heart with all your soul and with all your might or with all of your strength.

So, how is the individual impacted here when Israel? Here's that the individual hears it with all of your heart with all of your soul with all of your might. The command penetrates to the individual. Be thoughtful as you study this text don't feel the urge that you need to Compartmentalize each of these aspects of heart and soul and mind.

They don't need to be separated rather it Promotes that each individual take inventory. Take inventory the heart the soul the might the strength right? It promotes an inventory of the whole self. It evokes a love that searches after its fullest extent and intensity.

It is to be far-reaching within the soul and This reminds me of Psalm 139 if you love to be a student of the Psalms, I love the transparency of the psalmist. Specifically David as we read through the Psalms.

I think you guys are going through the Psalms as a church together. Cling to that transparency because we need to talk that way more often, right? Part of our worship is just speaking to God and realness about who he is.

About our shortcomings about our struggles and what we're walking through and you know what the Lord's faithful to do. Constantly remind us of his word. Sometimes he even helps us to counsel ourselves in the truth and he brings our hearts around to worship in him.

We tend to forget about the trials and the negatives of it rather We begin to enjoy the trial and what the Lord's doing in us to grow us and that's not just true for the individual. But also for the corporate body there to love Yahweh.

Psalm 139 a Favorite text of mine to teach because of the fullness or the extent that's brought about in in this text about God. David alludes to in Psalm 139. Specific locations to ill illustrate simply the omnipresence of God that he's everywhere, right?

He says if I take the wings of the dawn as it races as dawn races across the horizon. Even there you are there. If I dwell in the remotest parts of the sea and the uttermost Recesses of the ocean even there your hand will lead me.

He's speaking to a fullness to an extent About God. He's omnipresent. He's everywhere. He's everywhere. Israel you're to love the Lord your God with all of your heart with all of your soul with all of your might.

Israel your love for God is to know no bounds love with the all of you. Each individuals to love Yahweh with all of their heart with all of their soul with all their might. Love him with the all of you your entire being.

So this commitment is not meant to be exercised in modes heart soul might. But rather in the absolute in your everything. Your thoughts your will your intentions your desires your energies your capacities.

Israel. Yahweh is a faithful God. Give yourself to him. Revere him fear him in a healthy way serve him. Keep his commands walk according to his character cling to him. Trust him here. Oh Israel. Listen to him.

So the main issue here I think for Israel is whether or not Israel truly knows Yahweh to be their Lord. If they truly know him, they will love him if they love him. They'll obey him. Do you see that the God of the Bible is the one true God?

He's the one true God. Have you come to trust in Christ provision of? Righteousness and his substitutionary death on the cross for your salvation. Consider the the aspects of the gospel if we could take the truths of the gospel and put them together to build a structure.

We will find a sound structure. The gospel is true and right and it fits. It's reasonable. It's supernatural. But it's reasonable. The question is do you know him because you're standing on it or are you not?

Are you trusting it in it to support you? Are you trusting in the gospel alone for your salvation or are you adding anything to your faith in the gospel? Is there anything that you are doing? To find the favor of God.

The best thing we can do is fully trust in Christ provision. Amen. If you know him as Savior then you must also come to know him as Lord. It's not our will but his. We can find obedience in him. Why. Because we're freed from the bondage of sin and death and we're freed on to obedience.

That's well-pleasing to the father. We're free to walk in what he loves. So not only should we fully devote ourselves to him. Not only is Israel called to devote themselves to Yahweh their Lord secondly we also should prioritize attention to God's Word for ourselves and As scripture tells us for the next generation we see this in verses 6 and 7.

Look at your Bibles again, if you will. Verse 6 in these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house.

When you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise. Moses has just commanded all of Israel to love the Lord their God with all their entire being. But how do they intend to do to do this or how should they intend to do this?

Well, the Lord provides the answer here in the text. He is faithful in his word. It's through these words Moses says. It's not limited to the immediate context that we find here in Deuteronomy 6 rather I think it's pointing to the entirety of the law of God that is presented by motive.

Moses in the greater context. These words is representative of God's words. This has great significance in the complete hysterical narrative of Israel and their life and walking with Yahweh and Beyond it's it gives vision to the whole of scripture.

The importance of God's Word if we were to go back to Genesis 3. God's Word is vital we find in Genesis 3. His Word was questioned and disputed in Genesis 3. Twisted and misrepresented. Rejected and dishonored.

What was the result the fall of man? Sin entered the world through one man's sin. This opened the door for man to justify his or own or his or her own sin and to seek autonomy apart from God and. At the fall of man man walked out from under the lordship of God.

Out from under the lordship of Yahweh and his will by rejecting the authority of his word in Contrast with the authority given to God by Moses. Israel is commanded to cling to God's Word. These words which I am commanding you today shall be on your heart.

So often I think we we consider God's Word as something that we must submit to right that is true. But if we leave it leave it at just that it's cold, right? If we consider his affections for his people The the value in his word, I think we'll think otherwise.

Have you considered the Word of God to be a gift? It is a gift in the the context of Israel's rejection of God. Israel's now given away. Back into right relationship with God to be restored in right relationship with God.

And how? Through the Word of God and This Word of God is a progressive revelation. You and I have the whole counsel of the word as we study it. We must study it Progressively that doesn't mean liberally.

I mean from cover to cover. Not to pull one book out from the other 65 but to study them in their wholeness and the Lord is faithful to reveal himself from the beginning to the end and it is a gift. And what is he doing through this he's seeking to Redeem you and to restore you and me into right relationship with him.

Amen. It is a gift. These words which I am commanding you today shall be on your heart. It is a gift. The ultimate concentration here is not on works. We're broken in relationship to God rather. It's on faith and even for Israel.

We don't see specifically the told the totality of the gift of the gospel here yet. That is being revealed over time and the fullness of that comes. Especially can which can be celebrated as we've celebrated recently through the incarnation of Christ God with us Emmanuel.

Amen. But Israel is being pointed to that reality and it's the gift of his word and they're come to come alongside him by faith. Faith in his word and his counsel and in his instruction is vital here because that is the means for their restoration.

There's no other way. They must be under his counsel to be under his counsels to be under his will. So what God is showing them through their lack of? Obedience is that their dilemma is resolved through the word.

Through truth through counsel it points to them to the Messiah. If the Lord has brought you to faith in Jesus Christ, then he has done that through his word. If You have the certain hope of being Transformed into the likeness of Christ to love what he loves and hate what he hates then he's going to accomplish that through his word.

Sanctification will come through the Word of God. If the Bible's been enough to save you don't set it on your coffee table. It's the very means to which he'll bring you into the likeness of Christ. Be faithful as a student of the word.

Are you grateful for this gift the Word of God? Give ear to his word. Lean in. God's people are called to have an intimate relationship with the Lord through his counsel. Amen. Look at verse 6 again. Notice that this is a command.

Commands demand a response. Will Israel draw near to the Lord's instruction or will they live their remaining days in rejection of his counsel? It shall be on their heart. God's laws to be perpetually kept in mind.

Accompanying and informing man's will when he studied the Word of God. I think one thing that you'll see is the word heart. Mind intentions desires and will as they're all brought up. They're synonymous.

They go together. It's about the will of man if that's in subjection to the will of the Father. Restoration is being had if it's in rejection of the authority of God's Word. Man walks according to his will and his will only.

It shall be on your heart. So this should remind us to be cautious of what we allow to inform our hearts and to beg for our allegiance. Let's be careful here not to be legalistic, but let's be cautious.

Movies books pithy memes social media trends. Advertisements. Even giving in to worldly fears. This doesn't mean that we need to Stubbornly ignore what is truly good in our midst that's freely given to us, right?

But we want to avoid self-righteousness. Instead we want to practice biblical discernment. This is a Romans 12 church. Amen. Romans 12 1 and 2 reminds us that the will of God is dependent upon the renewal of the mind for us and How do we have that we only have that through the Word.

You want to think like he thinks you better know him through his.

Word.

The Word is vital. God's Word must inform the heart helping us to make decisions. So let me ask you as I often ask myself. What is the supreme word in your life? What are you giving yourself over to my prayers that it's the Word of God?

Deuteronomy 6 is not a blind call. Or merely it's a call to external obedience to Yahweh. The Lord is after the heart. He hates empty forms of religion. So it's not a called a blind external worship through some form of obedience.

That is empty of Heartful worship the Lord of God through his word. Should be cherished. Consider Deuteronomy 4 7 through 9. I'll read that for us. Moses says for what great nation is there that has a God so near to it as is the Lord our God whenever we call On him.

Or what great nation is there that has statutes and judgments as righteous as this whole law. Which I am setting before you today. Only be careful for yourself and watch over your soul diligently. So that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and they do not depart from your heart All the days of your life, but make them known to your sons and grandsons.

Israel walked seeing what the Lord was actively doing. Maybe you feel cheated. Scripture is faithful to tell us we have something even greater. We have the whole counsel of his word through which through this lens we can see God walking with Israel.

We see through the progressive revelation of who he is of what he is known to do. The reputation of God is sound and he's worked it through his son Jesus Christ. Amen. We have the whole counsel so let us not forget the things which our eyes have seen through his word.