Deuteronomy 10: What Does The Lord Require of You? By Ho King Swee dated 12.7.15

V.12 "And now, Israel,

What does the LORD your God require of you,

but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways,

to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,

V.13 and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD, which I command you this day for your good?

V.20 and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD, which I command you this day for your good?

1. The LORD's mercy (10:1 - 11)

  1.1 Spare Israel (v.1-9)

a) Remake the tablets of Ten Commandments (v.1-5)

The LORD God is merciful and gracious to the Israelites not because of the righteousness of the people but because of His everlasting steadfast love and faithfulness to His covenant with Abraham.

b) Tribe of Levi to carry the ark and serve Him (v.6-9)

The Lord is more gracious to us now

Not only we are chosen to serve Him

God Himself dwells in us!

What inheritance do we have on earth?

Do we want God or earthly inheritance?

  1.2 Moses‘ successful forty-day intercession (v.10-11)

Exo 32:30 to 33

Deu_9:18  , Deu_9:25 

2. The LORD's requirement (10:12 – 22)

   2.1  Fear and love the LORD your God

Deut.10:12

Before Joshua died:

Jos 24:14 

1Sa 12:14 

     (b) The LORD loves you above all (v14-15)

v.14-15  to God belong all heaven……and all in it

Yet He loves only you!

Do people deserve to be so specially and deeply loved?  This is God’s grace.

     (i) Circumcise your heart and (v.16)

Be purified and set apart for God alone

      (ii) be no longer stubborn (v.16)

                - Humble ourselves

     (c) for the LORD is awesome, almighty, just and impartial (v.17-22)

Mat 19:16  to 22.

Psa_111:10  , Pro_9:10  , Pro 8:13, Psa 85:9, Psa 33:18, 147:11

1 Jn.4:8

Are we not afraid of God's justice and punishment?   Is our love perfect?

Growing in Fear of punishment/judgment

Fear of displeasing God- love righteousness and hate evil

Profound fear/awe for God’s infinite holiness, majesty and transcendent glory

The fear of God is the personal attitude towards God that comes from our hearts adoration, love, reverence and honor.
It focuses not upon the wrath of God but upon His majesty, holiness and transcendent glory

We shall and should grow to fear God not because of the fear of punishment by God

(1) to fear God for His infinite holiness, beauty and transcendent glory

(2) to love God with a deep appreciation of His  infinite mercy, grace and sacrificial love for us

The fear of God is also the
all-pervasive sense of our dependence upon God and responsibility or obligation to Him

2Co 7:1  Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion (perfecting holiness) in the fear of God.

How much we appreciate God’s love is conditioned by how deeply we fear Him.
God is most reverenced when He is most loved.

The deeper our perception of God’s love to us, the more profound is our fear of Him.
The fear of God and the love of God are like two sides of a coin and are inseparable.

The fear of God and the love of God will lead us to trust, obey and know God more and more intimately.

Application

Set apart & Devote to Fear and love God above all

Deu 4:7 to 10.  Deu 17:18, 19, Deu 31:10-13, Prov 2:1-5, Matt 22:37-40, Luke 14:26, Deu 10:12-13,

Are we able to grow in love or be perfected in love that we grow out of fear of punishment ?

or dread of God's presence?

Heb 12:18-21, Rev 1:10-18, Heb 5:7,

Because of His perfect fear or reverence and love for God the Father Jesus was probably the only person who was not fearful of punishment nor dread the full glorious presence of God the Father