Tokens of mercy.
Various pledges of his forgiveness were given by God to the people.
I. THE RENEWAL OF THE TABLES. (Deuteronomy 10:1-5.)
1. Reconciliation to God is only possible through return to obedience. God cannot but require that we accept his commands, and make them the rule of our life (Matthew 5:19, Matthew 5:20; Romans 6:13-23). Such return to obedience is involved in gospel faith (Romans 7:4). "Repent ye" (Mark 1:15).
2. The Law is one and unalterable (Deuteronomy 10:4). We must change; God cannot.
3. The Law underlies the mercy-seat (Deuteronomy 10:2). A testimony against sins, yet the foundation of the covenant. In redemption, the covenant obligation is not annulled, but fulfilled representatively in the spiritual Head—Christ. In receiving Christ, the Law's Fulfiller, we bind ourselves to be fulfillers of it also, as no longer servants of sin, but of righteousness (Romans 6:1-23.). Our justification is in him; his Spirit of life is in us (Romans 8:1, Romans 8:2; Hebrews 10:16).
II. THE SETTLEMENT OF THE MINISTRY OF RELIGION. (Deuteronomy 10:6-10.) The renewal of the high priesthood in the person of Eleazar (Deuteronomy 10:6); the separation of the tribe of Levi for the service of the sanctuary (Deuteronomy 10:8, Deuteronomy 10:9). The existence of ordinances is a proof of continued mercy. God punishes unfaithfulness by removing the candlestick out of its place (Revelation 2:5). The gospel ministry is Christ's gift to his Church (Ephesians 4:11). Means of grace end with the close of the day of grace (Matthew 28:20; 2 Corinthians 6:1, 2 Corinthians 6:2), and the removal of the individual from their midst ends the day of grace to him (Hebrews 9:27).
III. THE COMMANDMENT TO GO FORWARD. (Deuteronomy 10:7, Deuteronomy 10:11.) We also are commanded to go forward—to advance to the conquest of the world—to press to heaven. So long as that command stands unrepealed, so long may sinners be assured that the day of grace lasts, and that they are warranted in believing in the mercy of God towards them.—J.O.
The supreme requirement.
With this Moses began (Deuteronomy 6:4), and with this he ends. The sum of the Law, and the sum of all his exhortations. It all and always comes back to this (Ecclesiastes 12:13): "What doth the Lord require of thee?" etc. We have here:
1. The central requirement.
2. The all-embracing requirement.
3. The indispensable requirement; that for which nothing else can be accepted as a substitute.
4. The requirement of kindness—"for thy good."
5. A reasonable requirement. This love and obedience were due from Israel for God's mercies to them. As in the gospel, grace precedes, obedience follows. Saved by grace, we are to make such return as is possible by loving and fearing God, and diligently keeping his commands (Luke 7:47; Romans 6:13; Romans 7:6; Ephesians 2:8-11).—J.O.