Coffee & Devotions

Deuteronomy 30:11-20

Deuteronomy 30:11-20

With Bryan Schneider · Sharon RP Church

Published September 26, 2024

Watch the devotion

Prepare

Opening Prayer

Father, thank you for the blessing of reading your Word. Give us circumcised hearts by your Spirit so we not only hear but believe and live it. Teach us to walk in your paths. In Jesus' name, amen.

Read

Scripture Passage

The Choice of Life or Death

11 “For this commandment which I command you today is [a]not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 13 Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 14 But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.

15 “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, 16 in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, 18 I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess. 19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; 20 that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”

New King James Version (NKJV)

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.

A — About

What Is This Passage About?

God's command is near and understandable, setting life and good against death and evil. Israel must love, obey, and cling to the Lord as their covenant King rather than turn to idols, choosing the life he promises in the land.

B — Best Verse

Which Verse Best Summarizes the Passage?

Deuteronomy 30:19-20

Bryan explicitly says the end of verse 19 and verse 20 are underlined because they state the passage's appeal to choose life by loving, obeying, and clinging to the Lord.

C — Called or Christ

C — Christ Connection

Choose life by turning from sin and trusting Jesus Christ, the only hope in life and death. Cling to God's promises and walk in the new obedience produced by faith through the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Additional Notes

Join us in this Coffee and Devotions study of Deuteronomy 30:11-20, where we explore the call to choose life by following God’s commands, living in faith, and turning to Christ. Discover how we are called to cling to the Lord and walk in His ways.

Devotional Study

Transcript of the devotion. Minor transcription errors may remain.

hey hey good morning good morning welcome to coffee and devotions this morning we're at Deuteronomy chapter 30: 11-20 we're going to be talking about the reality of the choice that was before the Israelites what they would do and how they would live let's have some coffee we'll pray and get into God's word let's pray father we thank you so much for the blessing of being able to read your word father we pray that we would not just hear the words that come from your page but that your spirit would truly give us circumcised hearts that we would believe it and that we would live it please Lord teach us your ways let us walk in your paths in Jesus's name amen Deuteronomy chapter 30 beginning at verse 11 for this commandment which I have commanded you today is not to mysterious for you nor is it far off it is not in heaven that you should say who will Ascend into heaven for us and bring it down bring it to us that we may hear it and do it nor is it beyond the sea that you should say who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us that we may hear it and do it but the word is very near to you in your mouth and in your heart that you may do it see I have set before you today life and good death and evil and that I command you to today to love the Lord your God to walk in his ways and to keep his Commandments his statutes his judgments that you may live and multiply and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess but if your heart turns away so that you do not hear and are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them I announce to you today that you shall surely perish you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess I call Heaven and Earth as witness today against you that I have set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore choose life that both you and your descendants may live that you may love the Lord your God that you may obey his voice and that you may cling to him for he is your life in the length of your days and that you may dwell in the land the Lord swore to your fathers to Abraham Isaac and Jacob to give them we need to ask ourselves are three questions a what's this about be what's the best verse to summarize this and see what are we called to do Moses here is speaking for the Lord to the people and he's telling them that these Commandments are somehow not unattainable not that they're going to ever accomplish them perfectly because we know that the whole ceremonial law is there to point especially in the sacrifices to some how for the Lord to propitiate them that they could be in a right standing with them to expiate their sin right to take away their sin to take away their their guilt all these things were pointing that they weren't ever going to do this perfectly they really could live by faith they really could walk in his statues they really could not be slaves to sin and he was telling them to live by that Faith that's what he's telling them here I call Heaven and Earth as witness today against you that I have set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore choose life that both you and your descendants may live that you may love the Lord your God that you may obey his voice that you may cling to him for he is your life and the length of your days right the whole point here is that they needed to cling to the Lord this whole point of all the law was pointing to this part it wasn't about the individual little bitty statutes and things like that but it was about would they love the Lord and follow him would he the Lord of Heaven and Earth who redeemed them out of Egypt with a mighty hand and a outstretched right arm would he be their Covenant king would they follow him would they worship Him would they walk in the ways of life that's what the Lord's calling to them to hear to love him to follow after him to go in his ways he's challenging them here to have faith to have an obedient faith that would love him that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to Abraham Isaac and Jacob to give them this was based on God's promise God was doing it God was bringing them into the promised land but he's kicking out all the pagans who are living there to bring in his people would they act like his people would they follow him as his people would they love him as his people what's the best verse to summarize this well in my Bible I have the very end of verse 19 underlined I have also verse 20 underlined so what are we called to do why tell you today the command to believe in Jesus Christ is not over a far ocean where you have to wonder how will we ever send someone over there to get it nor is it up in the skies where you wonder how could I ever attain unto it but life is there for you today will you believe in Jesus Christ will you recognize your sins and transgressions against the Lord will you turn away from your sins and will you turn towards life will you see that Jesus Christ Alone is your only hope in life and death and that you can be sprinkled in the blood of Jesus cleansed from all your sins you're never going to be perfect will you love the Lord will you turn towards him will you walk in The Obedience the new obedience that comes from Faith by his holy spirit living in you if you are one of his his command is not far from you choose life today choose eternal life in Christ Jesus let's pray Lord you have made a true offer for us to turn from sin to turn from guilt Lord to turn from the ways that lead unto death Lord we know that is the wages of our sin is death but the free gift that you have given us is life in Jesus Christ our son your son and our savior father we pray that you would please help us help us to trust you Lord help us to cling to your promises help us to know who you are and to live Lord you are our God forgive us for our sins purify us consecrate us sanctify us make us more and more into the people you have us to be thank you for your Holy Spirit Who does these things in US Lord I pray for anybody hearing today who's been sitting on a fence who doesn't know whether or not they should choose the way of life or death Lord I pray that they might find it in your son that they might repent and believe and have life Everlasting in Jesus's name I pray amen may God bless you because though you may die if you are in Christ Jesus you will live forever that choose life in Jesus and may that hope carry you even to your dying breath I'll see you next time bye

Continue Your Bible Study

Explore more devotions or check out our Bible reading plans to develop a consistent study habit.