A consuming fire  

     Deuteronomy

Chapter 4 continued. "For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God." This refers to God's holy jealousy, anger and judgment against those who depart from his ways and adopt some form of idolatry. He will not tolerate unfaithfulness. Likewise in marriage, a holy jealousy guards the love of one spouse for the other. 

     Moses gives six predictions about Israel's future in the event they become disobedient and unfaithful. To find God and know him, a person must seek him with wholehearted devotion. This does not come easily; it happens only to those who earnestly seek God and desire his nearness, his Spirit and his gift of eternal life.

Chapter 5. The Ten Commandments, repeated from Exodus 20. Plus...

     "Oh that their hearts would be inclined to fear me." The Biblical history of salvation is God's tireless attempts to draw people away from their sin, and to himself. 

Chapter 6. "Hear, O Israel. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." This one command (repeated in Matthew and in Mark) will attach them to himself. They will know and enjoy him in a covenant relationship. True obedience is possible only when it springs from faith in and love for God.

Chapter 8. The Lord tested and brought troubles in the desert to teach them that life does not consist merely in the physical, but spiritual...a relationship with God and obedience. Difficulty/discipline trains us to depend on him more firmly and willingly. 

Tomorrow: Not by righteousness