The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Deuteronomy 10:16,
"Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer."
As Moses recounted the rebelliousness of the previous generation of Israelites the Lord had consigned to wander and die in the wilderness for forty years, he warned and exhorted this new generation to love the Lord, to fear the Lord, and to serve the Lord from their hearts and souls. "And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?" Verses 12-13.
He tells the Israelites the Lord had set his affection on the patriarchs and loved them. Since this generation was now the current descendants of their ancestors, he tells them to not follow in the path of the previous generation, a generation of rebellious and stiff-necked people, but, rather, to circumcise their hearts.
Circumcision is the removal of the male foreskin, a mark of being a member of the Lord's people. The Gentiles of the day were not among the Lord's camp and were considered outsiders to God's people, "unclean" people. Moses tells the Israelites to not follow in the footsteps of the previous generation, but to circumcise their hearts - a metaphor for removing that sinful rebelliousness that marked their parents.
Paul uses Moses' metaphor in Romans 2:29 where he talks about the uselessness of only circumcision and the law to commend oneself to God as a Jew. There he speaks of the fulfillment of a Jew to be everything God looked for through an inward circumcision of the heart (by the Spirit) as well, and not merely just the outward physical circumcision the law required.
There are those who represent the "do-gooders' amongst believers today. Focused entirely on ensuring we all "behave" ourselves with a list of "dos and don'ts" our love and passion for the Lord himself becomes obscured. A circumcision of the heart is indicated here as well.
So, whether people are stiff-necked and rebellious, or, on the other hand, cold-hearted law-keepers and do-gooders, Moses' (and Paul's) exhortation bears repeating: "fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good": a circumcision of the heart!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
"Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer."
As Moses recounted the rebelliousness of the previous generation of Israelites the Lord had consigned to wander and die in the wilderness for forty years, he warned and exhorted this new generation to love the Lord, to fear the Lord, and to serve the Lord from their hearts and souls. "And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?" Verses 12-13.
He tells the Israelites the Lord had set his affection on the patriarchs and loved them. Since this generation was now the current descendants of their ancestors, he tells them to not follow in the path of the previous generation, a generation of rebellious and stiff-necked people, but, rather, to circumcise their hearts.
Circumcision is the removal of the male foreskin, a mark of being a member of the Lord's people. The Gentiles of the day were not among the Lord's camp and were considered outsiders to God's people, "unclean" people. Moses tells the Israelites to not follow in the footsteps of the previous generation, but to circumcise their hearts - a metaphor for removing that sinful rebelliousness that marked their parents.
Paul uses Moses' metaphor in Romans 2:29 where he talks about the uselessness of only circumcision and the law to commend oneself to God as a Jew. There he speaks of the fulfillment of a Jew to be everything God looked for through an inward circumcision of the heart (by the Spirit) as well, and not merely just the outward physical circumcision the law required.
There are those who represent the "do-gooders' amongst believers today. Focused entirely on ensuring we all "behave" ourselves with a list of "dos and don'ts" our love and passion for the Lord himself becomes obscured. A circumcision of the heart is indicated here as well.
So, whether people are stiff-necked and rebellious, or, on the other hand, cold-hearted law-keepers and do-gooders, Moses' (and Paul's) exhortation bears repeating: "fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good": a circumcision of the heart!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
No comments:
Post a Comment