The book of Deuteronomy, if you have your Bibles and want to turn and follow along as we do an overview on the book of Deuteronomy. This is the fifth book of the Pentateuch. And this is the fifth book of the writings of Moses. We know that Moses has a psalm. But this is the last of the books that Moses wrote. And so, when we think about the book of Deuteronomy, outside of reading through the Bible, or if, as we do here at our church, we select a book and take a chapter a week to read through, Outside of maybe a daily Bible reading, of reading through the Bible, and you come up on Deuteronomy, or even someone challenging you to read a chapter here and there, Deuteronomy is just not a lot of people's personal book to go to. But there are some verses in Deuteronomy that people quote and some people use as their verse of scripture, maybe what some have called a life verse, and some have used to encourage them in certain seasons of life, are found in the book of Deuteronomy. And this is not just for us today, but for the Jews still today. The book of Deuteronomy is still a book that is used and a book that is reverenced and read on multiple occasions. Now, with that being said, you know that in the book of Exodus that the Lord gave Moses the Ten Commandments, gave him the law. And when you get to the book of Deuteronomy, the word Deuteronomy literally means the second law. Now that is from a Greek word, deuteros, but it is the meaning of the second law. So I want to say this to you. Moses repeats the same laws. But there's also some different laws for them. And somebody has said before that the scoffer or the skeptic of the Bible would say, all right, now, one thing in Deuteronomy, it's not the same in Exodus. There's more in Deuteronomy. Well, a lot of these laws are laws that they're going to pursue when they get in the land. And they were in the wilderness. They were on Mount Sinai when the commandments were given. You'll notice that he starts telling them when you get in the land. You'll notice a phrase in the book of Deuteronomy, this side of Jordan. It was on this side of Jordan. They were on this side of the promised land. And that is a great phrase to develop a message from and talk about. But this book is written at the end of their journey and it wasn't a long period of time of this book being pinned down and what is said here being said. They were just right there in Moab, they were just outside of the promised land. And so Moses begins by giving them the book of Deuteronomy, or the second law. He is giving this to the next generation because you remember, because of rebellion, chapter 1 here, and we'll look at it. They died off. And then the generation that didn't know about the miracles that the generation that died off knew about, Moses is fixing to take some time and reflect on that and call them to remember. So let's just jump right into our three sections. I have given us three sections. In section number one, we're going to talk about listen. Now, I'll kind of jump ahead and just give you this, but I pulled that word listen from chapter six and verse number four, where he says here. He uses the word hear. And so that is understanding of listen, pay attention. So the first four chapters under this heading of listen, Moses reminds them of the journey in the wilderness. He's recapping all that had happened to them really before their time and of course towards the end. I mean, these that are going to get to go into Canaan had to be born and had to grow up, but there's so much that happened. And in chapter number one, this is Moses reminding them of the unbelief of their fathers concerning the promised land. You remember he sent out the two spies, we looked at that, numbers. He sent out Caleb and he sent out Joshua. And they came back with the other ten. There was twelve total. The ten said, we're not able. And the two said, God is able. And so what happened was that they all said, we just soon go back to Egypt. And so God sent them wandering in the wilderness and said, OK, those that are unbelievers of my promise of this promised land and that I'm going to go before you and I'm going to handle all of your enemies. You're going to wander in this wilderness. You're going to die. Save Joshua and Caleb. You remember that. And so this is what Moses is doing in chapter number 1. And then he keeps reminding them of the journey. He basically says to them, this is how we got here. We've come a long way to get here. But let me just say to you that remembrance is a key principle taught throughout the Bible. is a key principle. And as you go through the book of Deuteronomy, you're going to find that God, as he does in many books, reminds them of what he did for them in Egypt. Now, I say that to us because as a father, he's their father. They are the children of Israel, the children of God. And I know this as a father, and anybody that's ever had children understand this, that you want them to appreciate what you've done for them. I mean, if you're a child here tonight, or a teenager, and if I could give you one bit of advice, I'd first take you to Ephesians chapter 6 to honor your father and your mother, because that's a biblical advice, alright? But in honoring them, if you just acknowledge them, there's something about that acknowledging them and being thankful for them that will cause them to parent you in a way that you've never known. The complaining and the griping and all of that, it even turned God toward His people. I'm just trying to remind you that God, he just kept on and on saying, now, look, don't you remember what I did in Egypt? The book of Deuteronomy is the same. And so God's in a he is in a reminding mode for Moses to give them a remembrance to those that may remember some. But he went way back to those that would not be had been there. They'd only heard it. But what's interesting about Moses giving them this remembrance is Moses is trying to get them, once they get into Canaan, to not do as their fathers did in the wilderness and erect idols. that they had learned about in Egypt, because once they got into Canaan, there was going to be all types of idols that could be... He's going to deal with this later on. He's going to say, listen, if somebody comes up to you and tries to get you to worship an idol, you can kill them. And I believe the process of that would have been, you know, due justice in the sense they had to have been brought up before the gate and brought up before the judges, if you will. But matter of fact, he said, even if it's your wife. She starts trying to lead you to worship an idol. I'm talking about God was serious about His idol worship and He did not want them to do that. So Moses in these first four chapters starts reminding them of how they got to this point. You're going into Canaan. without your fathers because of this. This is what they did. And he starts giving them this second law, if you will, and reminding them, as he starts in chapter number 5 in our notes, he repeats the Ten Commandments to them. Goes back over the Ten Commandments to them. I know that sometimes we think that a new generation needs some new thing and the only way we're going to reach a new generation is with... No, no. It's a great principle right here. The same Ten Commandments that was given to their fathers was given to them. The same one. And the difference between the Ten Commandments in its era was not the commandments. It was the obedience. There's nothing wrong with the commandments of God. It's just, are you going to do differently than your fathers and obey? And so he gives them ten commandments. How interesting is it that this new generation of people got the same message that God had given their fathers? What a great reminder to us that we do not need new revelation, but we need a fresh reminder of the Word of God. Now, I'm not staying here, but I will make a point or two. We're living in a time where everybody's wanting to hear something new from God. Okay? And we've got all this Bible. We got all this about, nobody wants to, when I say nobody wants to, that's a general statement. I know that you're here tonight because you want to hear the Word of God, but it seems that everybody's wanting the new thing or the new, they want the new saying. They want the new preacher that's coming with, you know, people ask me sometimes, have you heard this guy? And it'd be some new guy. Now I'm not wrong, nothing wrong with meeting new people. I like to meet new people. But they, some people have been saying the same thing all my life. They need to be heard. And my point is that in this day and time, we don't need anything new. What we need is a fresh reminder of the old. That's what we need. And so that's what Moses is doing, chapter number 5. Chapter number 6. If you want to turn along with me, chapter number six is an interesting chapter because in chapter number six, verses four through nine, you can study this historically. You can look at it here in the Bible, of course, but you probably heard the term the Shema. That is the Jewish prayer that for many years has been prayed twice a day. And that prayer is prayed to put emphasis on the oneness of God and love toward God. The book of Deuteronomy is a book where one of the main themes is love. Matter of fact, love in its various forms, love, loved, loveth, are beloved, is mentioned 22 times in the book of Deuteronomy. But let me just remind you that they are not only to love God, but they are to listen to what they hear attentively so they can obey it. Obey it. Now, this is a great principle in the Word of God throughout, especially in the book of Deuteronomy. Love God, but do the commandments. And in doing the commandments, you reveal that you love God. It's a full circle thing. You say, well, I love God, but I'm not going to do what he says. Well, then you don't love God. I love God and I'm going to do what He says. What you're doing is you're loving God, doing what He says, which builds a greater love toward Him, to love Him more, to do more what He says, to love Him more. If you understand, it's just a circle to go around. And in the book of Deuteronomy, they say in verse number 4 of chapter number 6, interesting verse, Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. And verse number five, this is really an emphasis of the Shema. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might. Amen. I mean, you realize that in the wilderness, when Satan tempted Jesus, he quoted, or he came back at him with, it is written, all three times out of the book of Deuteronomy. That's how important this book is. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, with all thy soul, with all thy might. This is one of the greatest and one of the key verses in the book of Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy 6 and verse 5. And so that is chapter 6. Now, chapter 7 through 11, he just reminds them, you know, to not only love God, but to obey his commandments as they enter the promised land. The word obey is mentioned 10 times throughout Deuteronomy. And in Deuteronomy chapter 11 and verse 1, he said, Thou, or therefore thou shalt love the Lord thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments always. And so that is the first 11 chapters. Listen. Let me give you the next chapters, chapters 12 through 26, and I give you this word, live. Because what he's fixing to do in chapter 12 through 26, is he's fixing to give them some laws about living. Everyday living. Now, I want to premise this by saying to you, if you've never read Deuteronomy chapter 12 through chapter 26, It is some interesting reading, okay? And there are some verses in there that many pastors have tried to run and hide when somebody asks them, what exactly are they talking about? He deals with all kinds of things. And so we're just going to go down the list here. We won't stay in this section long, but chapter 12, Moses gives him the laws of the sanctuary. Chapter number 13, turn to chapter number 13, if you have your Bibles open, or listen, I want to read a few verses to you. He starts teaching them about idolatry. This is interesting. Verse 6, If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods which thou hast not known, thou nor thy fathers, namely the gods of the people which are round about you, nigh unto thee, are far off from thee. From the one end of the earth, even unto the other end of the earth, thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him, neither shalt thou eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him, but thou shalt surely kill him. Thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and upward the hand of all the people. And thou shalt stone him with stones that he die, because he hath sought to thrust thee away from the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage. And all Israel shall hear in fear, and shall do no more any such weakness as this is among you." Now, we'll stop right there. Let me just say this to you. When we go through these chapters here, there is going to be some serious punishment from God if you commit these sins. It doesn't mean that anybody committed those sins. It does mean if you do commit, if you're crazy enough, to try to talk your brother or your husband or your wife or your mom or your daddy to walk away from the true and living God and go worship an idol. If you know this and you still do that, you are crazy. And I just want to say to you that a lot of times when people read the book of Deuteronomy, they say, I don't like that God. But let me tell you, God is so serious about idolatry that He puts some severe punishments in order in case some... He is the... If there's anybody that knows there is no other God besides Him, it's the God that told us that. He knows there's no other God. You and I believe that we're to put no God before God. We know that God is the only true and living God. We know that because God has told us that. God knows that because He's God. And so how, how are they upsetting God? How are they mocking God when they take and say, hey, let's just go worship some God from the land of Canaan. Let's go worship some God from the land of Egypt. And God knows that those gods are man made, stone made. They're worshiping the moon, the sun, the stars, all of these things. And God's the one that made everything they're worshiping. So I just remind you that when you look at Deuteronomy, if you come away with, I don't like that God, we ought to come away with, I don't like that disobedience. That's what we ought to come away with. We ought to come away and say, you know what? I better take serving God a little more serious because God's serious about this thing. When I put something before Him, He's serious about that. And so He deals with idolatry in chapter 13. All right, let's roll right here. Chapter 14, Moses instructs him concerning clean and unclean animals. Chapter 15, at the very first verse, he said, at the end of every seven years, thou shalt make a release. You remember that that you can only be in debt six years and in the seventh year, then you were released from that. I will say I said I wasn't going to stop and try to expand on this, but I think we ought to say something here. God always had an economy where he didn't want people to be poor. He didn't want to have classes of people, he wanted all people. But he goes on later and says, he talks about the poor people, because God knew, you'll find Moses tells him later on before he dies, he said, now you're going to go back. He'd been with them long enough to know they were stiff-necked and hard-hearted. Well, God knows it too. Even though God did not want poor people among them, He tried to make it to where all men... There was going to be times you'd fall on hard times, but He all wanted everyone to be really the same level. Even though He wanted that, He knew that there would be people that would disobey, get in trouble, they would fornicate, they would marry and divorce, they would do different things that would cost them rights and cost them land and cost them and forfeit money. And so God, in His mercy, still set up for the poor, even though in his plan, he made it to where everybody could be on the same level. To me, that's a big God, to me. Chapter 16, Moses tells them of the Feast of the Passover, weeks, booths. He really, all the way back to chapter 1, he talks about the Day of Atonement, the sacrifices. Chapter 17, Moses teaches them on matters of administering justice and manners. They had a justice system and they had a way and a process of doing justice. Chapter 18, Moses instructs them about taking care of the Levitical priest. He also warns them about deviation and witchcraft. We need our pastor. When y'all see him, you talk to him. Tell him I said so. We need our pastor to preach out of chapter 18 because we got a lot of this spiritualism and witchcraft and all that. And people from our churches is getting involved in that. And it's beyond a Ouija board in our day. And Moses instructed them don't don't get caught up in all this stuff. And then chapter 19. And if you're listening to this tonight, I am the pastor. I was talking to myself. But in chapter number 19, Moses teaches him about the three cities and the landmarks. That was a big deal, the landmarks and getting and taking somebody's landmark. Chapter 20, Moses interacts with them or should say instructs them. That's my bad. Instructs them on the ways of warfare against the enemies. Moses in chapter 21 deals with an unknown slain man and how you're to go about that. If you come up on a man who has been slain and you didn't do it, how all that is supposed to go. And then he talks about domestic issues. Does he ever talk about the home? In chapter 22, Moses teaches him about helping a brother in need. That was a big deal in their day. And Moses teaches them about morality and the conduct of men and of women. And boy, we need that preaching today as well. Chapter 23, Moses instructs them concerning who cannot come into the assembly. That was a big deal. You remember Korah and him tried to do some things way back when. And so here's some instructions on that. In chapter 24, Moses deals with divorce. barring, leprosy, and gleaning. And he goes in detail on all of those subjects. Chapter 25, Moses teaches about disputes. Remember, don't muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. Y'all remember that verse? Chapter 25, he talks about wife and brother-in-law. Wife interfering with the fight of her husband. Better not do that. Gonna cut your hand off. I'm just telling you, if your husband is somebody else into it, the wife just need to stay out of it, apparently. So, I mean, that's some serious thing. And then there was a remembrance of Amalek and all that happened when they went in and overtook them. And so and then in chapter 26, Moses teaches them about the first fruits in Canaan and their tithing. And let me just say to you that they were to be joyous in the fact that they had been in Egypt. and they have worked for somebody else's land. He's going to give them land that they can work, and when they have the harvest, they're to bring the firstfruits to the Lord. And what an interesting principle that is taught throughout the Bible. Alright? So chapters 1 and 11, listen. Chapters 12 through 26, live. Let's end it with chapters 27 through 34, legacy. I put that word legacy in because this is the last of Moses. In chapter 27, they are to write the law upon these stones, and they were to put it beside the Ark of the Covenant, and they are to warn of any graven images or idols. Now, here's God again. They're almost fixing to go in. He's reminding them, do not go in my blessing and then start living for idols. I can't help it, I just got to help us tonight. So many times when God's blessing us is when we get away from him. When we're in need and we're a needy people. We come to, you ever seen anybody at our church? I'll just give you, I'll give you a couple for instances. You ever seen anybody, uh, that, uh, uh, was really fixing to face some hard time in prison and all of a sudden they got close to the Lord. Wanting me to be character witnesses. And then they get a good ruling, a good judgment, and then all of a sudden, because they're free, then they move back away. Have you ever seen anybody get sick? Maybe they get cancer, maybe they get news that they're sick, got something wrong with their kidney, or something like that. And all of a sudden, they'll come on Wednesday night, because they want everybody praying for them. Then they'll get healed, and then all of a sudden, they're back out in the world. That didn't just start happening with the Grace Memorial Baptist Church. That's been happening with God's children ever since the beginning. I mean, from the beginning in the Garden of Eden, what else do you want? You know what they wanted? What they couldn't have. what they couldn't have. And God is just reminding, this book of Deuteronomy, listen, this is, I know I'm jumping notes, but this is the number one book, if you sit down and listen to Muslims and Christians debate, this is the book that You may not know the book of Deuteronomy, but you better know the Muslims know those that debate know this book because they want to come with this book and say, this is your God doing all of this, all of these things. And of course, I love to hear the Christian apologetics. And I love to hear them when they're debating because they're like, yeah, and God tells us how to live and we better. Make sure we live for Him because we believe the book of Deuteronomy just like you say we don't believe the book of Deuteronomy. We do believe it. And they'll say, well, I thought you said that God was a Trinity God. I thought He was God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost. But all you want to talk about is the New Testament Jesus. That's what the Muslims would say. And then we all say, just as anybody that's in the debate, no, no. We believe the God of the Old Testament just like the God of the New Testament. And what we find is that still to this day, God does not like anybody that worships anybody besides Him. So you're actually proving our point. Somebody amen that. But I just say to you that this is an interesting thing in chapter 27. He's back on graven images and idols. And they are instructed concerning being cursed in many manners. Chapter 28, blessings and cursings are mentioned. That is one whole night on itself. God is talking about these blessings and these cursings. Chapter 29, Moses reminds them of how God took care of them in the desert and warns them of disobeying God going forward. Chapter 30, the Lord promises restoration when they return to Him. We ought to stop in chapter 30 of the book of Deuteronomy and thank God that when we literally, they're commanded to choose life and live. Aren't you thankful that when we choose to serve God, there's mercy? And there's grace, and there's forgiveness. And if we see anything in the children of Israel's life, it is, and when we get over to the book of Judges, you're really going to see, you're going to see God bless them. They're excited and thankful. Then they get to wondering and rebelling. God has to send a judge. They get right. It's just a cycle and a cycle. And let me tell you something. Carrie Nelson is not exempt. from the cycle of rebellion and repentance. I'm just thankful tonight that when I rebel, and then I repent, that there's restoration. And he talks to them about that in chapter 30. Then chapter 31, Joshua's appointed as Moses' successor, as their leader, and the Word of God is entrusted to the Levites. Well, it's a great chapter, chapter 31. Chapter 32, the Song of Moses. is written. Me personally, it's just me personally, I believe that's seen in the book of Revelation. And so the song of Moses is written. And then chapter 33, Moses' words of blessing for each of the tribes except Simeon is given. And then in chapter 34, Moses was not allowed to see. He was allowed to see, but not allowed to enter the promised land. And the prophet Moses dies, this great leader. And when you get to chapter 34, When you get to Deuteronomy chapter 34, some interesting closing remarks about Moses. And it was, you know, when you get to the end, Joshua is, you remember the joke about Joshua? You remember Joshua didn't have no parents? Y'all ever heard that? Verse number nine said, Joshua the son of none. Anyway, that's N-U-N. But he was full of the spirit of wisdom. For Moses laid his hands upon him, and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and he did as the Lord commanded Moses. And then verse 10 says this, And there arose not a prophet since in Israel, like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face. and all the signs and wonders which the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all his servants and all his land, and in all that mighty hand, and in all that great terror which Moses showed in the sight of Israel." How interesting it was. He was 120 years old when he died, verse 7. His eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated. There's a whole lot of commenting on that. But what I believe that to mean was that Moses just died. Meaning that it was just his time. And does anybody want me to tell you why I believe that? Because if he'd have lived, they couldn't have went in. I don't have nothing deeper than that. They finna go in, but there's one person that was alive that could not go in. And I believe he's still in his prime, so to speak. But the Lord just took him because of his rebellion at the rock. Well, interesting book. Amen. Any questions? Any questions? Any questions? Not between chapter 12 and 26. Go. No, I would answer any. No kidding. Matter of fact, I did a little extra study just in case you did want to know some things about that. I can tell you this. I am thankful that I live in the grace age, in the grace period, I'm not doing away with this Old Testament. I'm thankful that if something happened to my brother, or something happened to me, that he wouldn't have to marry Michelle and I wouldn't have to marry Robin. And if I refuse to marry her, that she take me before the judges at the gate and spit in my face. Now that's in there. You read the Deuteronomy. A lot of that in there, God is putting some severe consequences to persuade a wicked people to be holy. That's the way I see it. So, all right. We're under 35 minutes. Somebody ought to say amen to that.