The Second Law
"And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that I set before you today?" 9“Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children's children..." (Deuteronomy 4:8-9)
Deuteronomy literally means "second law." Beginning in chapter 4, Moses "re-presents" the law to Israel in order for them to hear, again, of the covenant love between God and Israel. When Old Testament authors were writing about the God of the covenant in scripture, you will see it as "the LORD."
The shortest psalm, Psalm 117:1-2 (just two psalms before the longest psalm - 119) gives us an example of this:
"Praise the LORD, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples. 2For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the LORD."
The God of the covenant, Yahweh (LORD), is a faithful God to His people, Israel. He cares enough to instruct them how the people of God are to act and behave when it comes to Him and to others. Israel then, and believers now, are to share this "steadfast, covenant love" with new generations in story and in learning His Word.
This is what God, the LORD, has done for us. His love and faithfulness toward us resulted in His sacrificing His Son as the ultimate atonement for our sin, shown to us through the law.
Paul writes in Romans 7:9-12 on the law and its use: Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. 11For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. 12So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.
In Romans 8:1-2, Paul tells us of the LORD's plan: Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.
Pray with me: Heavenly Father, LORD of all, we are grateful for your commands, laws, statutes, rules and teachings as they remind us of your covenant love for us. We seek to teach it to every new generation as they grow in faith. Yet, we are grateful for your plan of salvation, our only redeeming grace as we know we cannot by our own actions come to salvation other than through faith in Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen
For Further Reflection
What causes us to not teach God's Word - laws, commands, and faith in Christ - as we ought?
What methods could you share in a group of men, dads specifically, that could give ideas as to how you've worked to overcome those obstacles mentioned in question one?
Pastor Stephen, in last week's Tapping the Faith devotion, mentioned the "tools" we keep in our tool belt to help us navigate as men (husbands and dads) who seek to teach faith to their family. What "tool" do you find most helpful?