As “strangers and pilgrims” in this world, we need these exhortations in our lives today. We need to fear the Lord, keep His commandments, teach the ways of the Lord, and love Him with our all. By doing these things, the promise God made to Israel will apply to us, too.
Exhortation of Moses for Today
by John Sanderson

Israel had been enslaved in Egypt for many years. God told Moses that the people’s cries of deliverance had been heard. (Exodus 3:7-9) God said that Moses would lead them into a land that was “flowing with milk and honey.” (Ex. 3:8) God then showed His mighty power to the nations in delivering the Israelites out of Egypt. (Exodus chapters 7-12)

After the children of Israel had wandered in the desert for forty years, the younger generation (see Numbers 14:28-35) was about to enter into the land of Canaan. Since Moses would not be allowed to enter Canaan because of disobedience (Num.20: 12), he gathered Israel together for a final exhortation. In Deuteronomy, the sixth chapter, Moses gives them the instructions they need to prosper in this strange, new land, but was still fraught with dangers for the people whom God had called to holy living.

Because we are “strangers and pilgrims” (Heb. 11:13; I Pet. 2:11) in this world in a way similar to what they were, it behooves us to compare the words of Christ and the Apostles.

Exhortation of Moses -- Deut. 6

Keep the Commandments -- verse 1

Fear the Lord -- vs.2

Hear and do what the Lord says -- vs.3

Love the Lord with all -- vs.5

Teach the way of the Lord -- vs. 7

Beware lest thou forget -- vs. 12

Exhortation for Today

Ye are my friends, if ye do -- John 15:14

Serve God acceptably with .... godly fear -- Heb.12:28

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only -- James 1:22

Love the Lord with all -- Matt.22:37; Mark 12:30

The Comforter teaches -- John 14:26

Give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip -- Heb. 2:1

As “strangers and pilgrims” in this world, we need these exhortations in our lives today. We need to fear the Lord, keep His commandments, teach the ways of the Lord, and love Him with our all. By doing these things, the promise God made to Israel will apply to us, too:

“Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee...” (Deuteronomy 6:3)

(Reprinted from Number 364, March 1994 issue of “The Testimony of Truth” with permission from “People of the Living God”)

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