Deuteronomy 30 opens with the Lord telling what would happen if the people repented and turned away from their evil ways. What wonderful promises were offered them too!

Read Deuteronomy 30:1-10. What are the promises given them by God, even despite the fact that this is talking about what would happen to them if they disobeyed? What does this teach us about God’s grace?

That would certainly have been comforting to hear. However, the point was not that it doesn’t matter if they turn away from what God had commanded. The Lord doesn’t offer anyone cheap grace. If anything, it should have shown them God’s love, and thus, as a response, they would love Him back, revealing their love by being obedient to what He told them to do.

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Read Deuteronomy 30:11-14. What is the Lord saying to them there? What is the basic promise in these verses, and what New Testament texts can you think of that reflect the same promise?

With this beautiful language, and airtight logic, look at the appeal here. The Lord is not asking of them anything too hard to do. God’s command is not too “difficult” or “mysterious” for them to understand. Nor is it too far out of their reach to attain. It’s not way up in heaven, so far away that someone else has to get it for them; nor is it across the seas, so someone else must bring it to them. Instead, the Lord says: “But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it” (Deuteronomy 30:14). That is, you know it well enough to be able to speak it, and it’s in your heart so you know that you must do it. Hence, there is no excuse for not obeying. “All His biddings are enablings.” — Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 333.

In fact, the apostle Paul quotes some of these verses in the context of salvation in Christ; that is, Paul refers to them as an example of righteousness by faith. (See Romans 10:6-10)

And then, after these verses in Deuteronomy, the children of Israel are told, yes, to choose life or death, blessing or cursing. And if, by grace and by faith, they choose life, they will have it.

It’s no different today, is it?

<–Tuesday Thursday–>

Amen!(1)

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Key Thought: We didn’t choose to be born, but God does offer us the choice to remain in existence –to choose to have life in Him throughout eternity.
November 20, 2021

1. Have a volunteer read Deuteronomy 30:15-20..

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
2. What is the difference between life and death, blessings and cursing here?
3. Personal Application: What must we do in order to be faithful to the Lord? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your relatives states, “Is it God who directly brings punishment for disobedience, or it is a consequence of disobedience? Could it be both, or in some cases one causes the other?” How would you respond to your friend?

2. Have a volunteer read Deuteronomy 30:1-10..

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What are the promises given by God to Israel shown here?
3. Personal Application: Is it better to rebuke a child for his bad behavior, or to encourage him with promises for better behavior? Share your thoughts
4. Case Study: One of your friends states, “Does God get frustrated and discouraged by the actions and words of His professed followers? What reasons would He have to do so?” How would you respond to your friend?

3. Have a volunteer read Deuteronomy 4:19, 8:19, 11:16.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
2. What is the common warning in all these verses? Why are these warnings so essential to the actions of Israel?
3. Personal Application: How can we make sure that we are not leaving our allegiance to Jesus for some other god? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your relatives states: “?“ How would you respond to your relative?

4. Have a volunteer read Genesis 3:22,23.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What two options did God present to Adam in regard to his existence?
3. Personal Application: By our daily choices, how are we opting either for life or death? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.

(Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.”Ministry of Healing, p. 148).

Amen!(0)

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