We're going to talk about Israel's forever covenant, is what that is. We're in our Master's Word series, and we'll be finishing up Deuteronomy tonight. This first section I wanna deal with some thoughts here is answers from the past for today's questions. That's really what we're dealing with. But in light of that, talking about inheritance, because after all the book of Deuteronomy is sort of like a last will and testament that Moses is describing for Israel. So let me ask you, have you lost a parent or someone in your family that made you an heir to whatever they left behind, an estate? And perhaps you've already thought, if you were to die, Are you ready to leave instructions for those who are left behind for an inheritance you're leaving to them? Now, for a lot of us, Thinking about, well, what would I leave with them? When you talk about inheritance, will, trust, something like that, is basically you're thinking, well, where's the social security, where's the security box key? Well, no, well, if I don't have a key, you're not getting access. You might find this interesting, but the US Unclaimed Property Group, the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators, the NAUPA, they report that there's over $70 billion of unclaimed properties and assets. And there are some people who like to go out and read those reports. I live with one of those people. And she has found all kinds of money for friends and family. I said, I mean, how does this even come to mind that I'm gonna type in so-and-so's name and see if they got something out there. And she finds unclaimed properties. You can do your own search, that's the NAUPA. You can do your own search and look for unclaimed properties. In fact, I was working on this message the other day and I mentioned to Colleen what I was doing and she said, oh, by the way, I found out your dad still has an unclaimed deposit on the gas tank out there in his driveway. Oh, look at that. Another $50 or something. I mean, $70 billion and billions of dollars added every year, unclaimed. Isn't that something? Now, before the days of computers and the internet and electronics, people relied on paper documentation to let their heirs know, hey, this is what's gonna happen, or verbal testimony. And in the days of Moses, a little over 3,000 years ago, so things were a little different, Inheritance automatically, everyone knew it's going to the sons first and then the daughters. The eldest son would always get the double portion that everyone else got after things were split up. But everything stayed in the family if possible. And inheritance was known from family to family what people were going to get. But the inheritance from God, and that's what we're talking about, the promised land was an inheritance, a gift from God to Israel. And that was a little different. It was given to the nation of Israel. And actually it was given to God's only begotten son, Jesus Christ, who is the heir of all things. However, God shared that inheritance with all of his children, becoming joint heirs with Christ. Romans 8, verses 16 through 17 says, the Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. And if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs. with Christ. If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. Now to be a joint heir with Christ means equal sharing. There wasn't a double portion. There wasn't a splitting up. It was, hey, it's everybody equally. What an inheritance. When you think about what God has done, He created all things to give away, which makes sense. A perfect God with perfect love. And what is love? Unselfish giving. How much are you going to give away with a perfect, infinite, unselfish love for others? You're going to give it all away. And that's exactly what God has done. What a remarkable manifestation of God's infinite love for us. All-inclusive as well. It's to all of his children. It's ours to lose, like the prodigal son. It's ours to lose. As with any inheritance in God's family, God gives, we receive. The only question to answer then is, how do I become a child of God? And an interesting side note to ponder is that if the inheritance is granted after death, then that would require that God die. In other words, Jesus must be God because the inheritance is from God himself. When Jesus died on the cross, that was the day God died. Hebrews 9 verse 16 says, for where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. The word testament here means will or covenant. Now getting into the book of Deuteronomy, The book of Deuteronomy can be thought of as Moses' last will and testament description on behalf of God to Israel. He was just days away from passing away. And Israel was just days away from receiving the promised land. This was God's gift to them. And in the book of Deuteronomy, Moses reviews and gives the most important final instructions to Israel about how to receive God's promises. But we need to remember that these final instructions must apply to all children of God at all times, because this is the same promise that God gave to Abraham. Deuteronomy 1, verse 8. Look at what it says here. See, I have set the land before you. Go in and possess the land which the Lord swore unto your fathers. It is the land which the Lord swore unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give unto them and to their seed after them. and to their seed after them. This is an inheritance that was given to a nation for generation upon generation upon generation. It was a forever covenant. And Genesis chapter 12, verse three records the promise to Abraham, where God says, and I will bless them that bless thee and curse him that curses thee, and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. In other words, this is an all-inclusive promise from God to anyone and everyone who is a child of God. The question then that needs to be answered is what must be done to be a child of God so I can be a part of that inheritance? And this was a question that was asked in Acts chapter 16 with an answer. Acts chapter 16 verses 30 and 31. There was a jailer in charge of keeping, making sure that the prisoners were taken care of in the jail. Paul and Silas was in jail and in prison there. And after there was an earthquake and the doors were opened up and the jailer went and he was afraid because everyone was gone, everyone escaped. Paul reassured him, hey, we're still here. He went in and he said, in verse 30, he says, sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved in thy house. This is a promise, a gift of salvation to everybody, not just to you, but to everyone who believes. In other words, you and everyone else who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved, will be born again, will become a child of God, will become an heir to the promised land. Jesus said in John 3, 16, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Simply believe. John 20 verse 31, these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through his name. Believe, in other words, believe he is the Son of God. Romans 10 verse 9, that if thou shalt confess by thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe, and shalt believe in thine heart that God has raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Believe that God has raised him from the dead. In John 14 verse 6, Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me. In other words, believe he is the only way to be saved and there is no other way. Not your way, not someone else's way, only Christ's way. And when you change the way you believe to align with His way, you will be saved. If you don't, Jesus warned in Luke chapter 13 verse 3, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. He's not introducing a new, something different, a new way of being saved. Repentance is what you believe, it's believing. It's a change in what you believe. I'm wrong, you're right God, it's what you believe. A different way. Lord, you're right. I repent. I'm gonna believe your way is right now, not my way. Repentance is about changing what you believe. And if you refuse to believe God's way, then you have no part in God's inheritance. His way leads to life in his kingdom forever. Your way is headed towards eternal destruction. And this is God's message. This is the message of the Bible. This is the message of Deuteronomy. It's a message as timeless as God. It's a message for every hopeful generation preparing for their future, poised to move forward, carrying the banner of those who have already gone on before them. And remembering what Jesus said about his message is essential in order to grasp and make memorable his purpose for our lives, for his word and our responsibility. He said in Luke chapter four, verse 43, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also, for therefore am I sent. And he commissioned us to do likewise. To refuse to follow his example, to obey his command is sin. To dismiss his directive is sin. No, we are called to continue his mission. The heart of Moses' message in Deuteronomy is one of the most important things we could possibly remember, not only for the book and in the book of Deuteronomy, but the most important message in the entire Bible. And not only that, but the most important message God has ever given to us. And that message is found in Deuteronomy 6, verses 4 and 5, where Moses said, Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God is one Lord, and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And the importance of this one command cannot be overstated. Jesus said in Matthew 22, 37 through 40, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. And on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. In other words, if you love God, you will love others. And if you love others, you're going to fulfill all the law. Because as I like to point out, most of all the laws that exist are to protect us from each other. And if we love one another, most of all those rules and laws disappear. For this reason, the first commandment is the most important commandment of all. If you love God, you will do everything else. You'll obey him because you will want to. You will want to because you love him. Your love will compel you to obey him in everything and whatever his desire is, you will want to do that. If you love him with all your heart, soul, and mind, he will have your heart. And if he has your heart, you will have his vision. And this thought sums up God's message as well as for the book of Deuteronomy and as well as for the entire Pentateuch. the first five books of the Bible. This is the final message Moses reviewed and summarized that he wanted to leave with Israel, that he wanted to emphasize that they ought to remember and not forget. And it all comes down to loving God. That's what it comes down to, that final message. For all the laws that had been given and all the experiences recorded in the Pentateuch, and for all the details recorded in those first five books, it all comes down to loving God being the exhortation. Because if they did that, everything else would fall into place. And at the end of Moses' message in Deuteronomy 30, verse 19, he says, I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing. Therefore, choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live. This is what the book of Deuteronomy is all about. And this is why this is the perfect theme verse for the book of Deuteronomy. Choosing life is choosing God. As we know, Jesus Christ, and choosing Jesus Christ is life. As 1 John 5, verse 12 says, he that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. In the previous lesson I listed seven of nine takeaway points from the book of Deuteronomy. Now I'll just do a brief, just read the titles for the first seven and then I'll Continue developing the ideas out of the next two points, eight and nine. We start out with chapters one through four. Learn from the past. That was Moses' message to Israel. Learn from the past. Remember what God has done for you and the mistakes you made. Number two, remember the covenant, chapters five through 11, that God made with your fathers at Mount Sinai. Remember that covenant. Number three, love the Lord thy God, chapters six through 11. And yes, that does overlap with point number two, but you've got more than one theme and one point to remember in those chapters. And number four, live as a holy nation, chapters 12 through 26. Live as a holy nation by keeping the law that God has given to you. And then chapters 27 through 30, think and remember the consequences of the choices you make. And number six, prepare the next generation to go into the promised land as well. And that's just throughout the entire book. And then seven, Love or live with God at the center of all things, of all life. Everything you do, God should be at the center of the hub of life and community. Chapter 17, 18, and 31. And that brings us to the eighth point, and that is, sing the song of the covenant. Chapter 32. Now the passage of Deuteronomy chapter 32 is known as the Song of Moses, which is a poetic warning and reminder of God's justice and mercy set to song. What would that sound like? Well, the lesson for us is this. Memorialize God's message in song. Let truth be sung into the memory to be reminded of God's promises. Encourage God's word to ring in our ears and be strummed into our hearts. Let the blend of words and music imprint deeply into our minds and our souls. We don't think about talking as singing, but it is there nonetheless. Music is a powerful medium of communication. It makes messages memorable, drives them deep into the heart, stirs our emotions, strengthens our faith, and helps us remember truth long after words fade. I'm sure that Probably most if not all of us can remember some sort of tune even though we can't remember the words. Moses finally ended up his message there in chapters 33 and 34 with a blessing and saying goodbye. Deuteronomy ends with Moses' final words and the announcement of his death. And he concluded his message by blessing each of the tribes. And then according to Deuteronomy 34, Moses climbed up Mount Nebo where God showed him the promised land from a distance at about five to seven miles away across the Jordan River there. And that's where Moses died. The lesson for us to hear in these last couple of chapters is finish well, leave a legacy of blessing, trust God to carry the mission forward, live with purpose, lead with faith, and inspire those who follow to continue God's work. And like Moses, though the promised land looks far away, in reality, it's just a breath away. Lord, I believe. Deuteronomy is more than a review and recounting of memories. It's a clear and unmistakable message from God saying this, and this is how to remember Deuteronomy. You need me. That's God's message in Deuteronomy. You can't live well without God. In fact, you can't live without me, he says. Every example and event is so well demonstrated. Story after story in all five books of the Pentateuch recounts how Israel was in trouble beyond their control. God intervened and saved them again and again and again. God showed them love and mercy regardless of their stubborn, brass-browed, stiff-necked behaviors. God was always there even though they walked away from him. All he asked of them was, believe me. So in the spirit of song and poetry, I prepared a poem, Karen, that expresses this message succinctly. The poem is, You Need Me. In desert winds and mountain shade, a voice through Moses' lips conveyed, not just a tale of journeys past, but love that holds, that longs to last. You need me, says the Lord Most High, when storms arise and rivers dry, when giants rise and hopes grow thin, remember where your strength has been. He led them out with mighty hand through wilderness to promised land. When hunger struck, he sent them bread. When thirst arose, his mercy spread. They wandered, stumbled, turned away, yet still he stayed day after day. A pillar by night, a cloud by day, a faithful guide when feet would stray. He gave them laws, not just commands, but wisdom shaped by loving hands. Choose life, he said, walk in my ways, and I will bless your nights and days. Not rules to bind, but truth to free, a covenant of loyalty. Not earned by might, nor bought with gold, but by a trust both brave and bold. So hear, O Israel, and see this sacred call. You need me not once, not twice, but every breath from cradle's cry to shadowed death. an understanding of the gospel and a grasp of the overall message in the book of all five books, in the Pentateuch itself. reveals how the gospel message is portrayed, and progresses through all five books from Genesis through Deuteronomy. In Genesis, we have the message of humanity's incorrigibility, his tendency to sin, his hopelessness. to rebel against God. In Exodus, it shows how salvation is impossible without God. Leviticus demonstrates we cannot attain God's righteousness on our own. And Numbers documents how each person's persistence to rebel is matched only by God's persistence to forgive. And Deuteronomy declares, Without love and trust in God, citizenship in the kingdom of God is impossible. This gospel message that is so clearly announced by God, His prophets in the Bible and in Deuteronomy and in the Pentateuch, It's woven from one end to the other of creation, from one end of the Bible to the other, from Genesis to Revelation. It's a message that's very clear. We can and must believe God's promise to give us eternal life in his kingdom. In Genesis, God's promise begins where we fall. In Exodus, God's promise breaks every chain that binds us all. In Leviticus, God's promise shows us how to be cleansed. In Numbers, God's promise stays faithful when we stray. And in Deuteronomy, God's promise prepares us to live as citizens of his kingdom, in his kingdom, ready to inherit his blessings. Moses' song and poetry inspired me, so I had to write that. Well, I've got three in here, but I'm just gonna read one more. And this is the Pentateuch Gospel. That is the Gospel in the Pentateuch. From Genesis' fall where shadows grew long, a whispered promise tender and strong. Chains broke in Exodus, night turned to day, a call to freedom to follow God's way. Leviticus' mirror reflecting our strain, yet cleansing waters wash away pain. In Numbers' desert through lost, though lost and astray, mercy pursued us, never to sway. At Deuteronomy's gate, With hearts made new, we step toward a kingdom faithful and true. God's promise endures, a radiant flame guiding his people forever the same. That's the gospel message in the first five books of the Bible. So I end with this, Deuteronomy stands as Moses' final charge to Israel, a powerful call to choose life, choose life, Moses said, choose life by choosing to love God, the key and the beginning point to obeying God. It's a covenant renewal. for a new generation preparing to enter into the promised land and live as faithful citizens of God's kingdom. This book of Deuteronomy reminds us that the battle for the promised land begins with the battle for the heart. Before Israel could possess the land, they had to commit to a wholehearted devotion to the one true God, embracing his law as the foundation for life and community. Moses' farewell message is timeless. Number one, remember God's faithfulness. Number two, teach future generations. Number three, live holy lives. And number four, choose obedience that leads to blessings. And the Shema cry, as I pointed out, which is Deuteronomy chapter six, three and four, hear oh Israel, hear oh people, the Lord our God is one. This is the one call of one message from the one true God, urging us to love him with all our heart, soul, and minds. And this is how to choose life, eternal life. Deuteronomy reveals that true kingdom citizenship is not about heritage or ritual. but about trusting God's promises and walking in his ways. It warns of the consequences of rebellion and the blessings of obedience, making clear that our choices have eternal significance. As Moses blesses each tribe and prepares to pass leadership on to Joshua, the book closes with a call to finish well. Leave a legacy of faith and trust God to carry his mission forward. The application for us today, Deuteronomy, is a challenge to us to examine ourselves and examine our hearts. Are we living as citizens of God's kingdom? Are we choosing life by loving God and obeying him? Because the promise is clear in this farewell speech, choose life and you and your descendants will live forever. And in this way, Deuteronomy is not just a farewell speech, it's a prophetic invitation to every generation to embrace God's promise, live in his kingdom and inherit his blessings forever. And it's the key to explaining the rest of the story that we'll read about in the Bible, including why Israel never and can never receive the promised land until Jesus returns. Amen? All right, let's stand.