Deuteronomy: At Journey's EndSample

Two unchangeable things

We have already noticed how surprising chapter 10 is. After all that chapter 9 has recorded – Israel’s unrighteousness, sinfulness and unworthiness – things continue as before! The Lord does not change course or make adjustments in his purposes. We should learn to marvel at this – with wonder, love and praise. It is what we mean by ‘the faithfulness of God’. Two things in particular we should note. First, his law does not change – with his own hand he writes exactly what he had written the first time (vv. 1–11, particularly vv. 2, 4). Secondly, the call to live according to his law does not change (vv. 12–22). 

In each of these sections there is a potent and important symbol. In the first, Moses makes a direct link between the giving of the law and the making of the ark (vv. 2–3, 4–5). The law is not received till its ‘home’ is ready; it is not simply deposited with Israel but housed in the special box. Exodus 25:16–21 directs that the tablets of the law are perpetually under the atonement cover (or mercy seat, nkjv); Leviticus 16:14– 17 directs that the blood of atonement be sprinkled on the atonement cover. The Lord’s people are always under his law; and his law is always under the atoning blood. The call to obey and the provision for disobedience cannot ever be separated (cf. 1 John 1:7). 

The powerful symbol in the second half of the chapter is circumcision (v. 16). According to Genesis 17 there are two aspects to the Lord’s covenant. It is, first, a series of promises (domestic, v. 2; national, v. 4; personal, v. 5; royal, v. 6; spiritual, v. 7; territorial, v. 8). Secondly, it is ceremonial (vv. 9–14). Circumcision marks out the people to whom these great promises have been made, or, to put it differently, it marks out those who are within the covenant, with all its promises of transforming grace and blessing. The call in Deuteronomy is, ‘Circumcise your hearts’ (10:16): we are to bring all our capacities of thought, emotion, mind, will and imagination – all that is within us (cf. Prov. 4:23) – within the embrace of God’s all-sufficient grace, so as to obey his law, love his name, reverence him and give him our total loyalty.

Reflection

All of God’s children have hearts that have been circumcised by the Spirit of Christ (Romans 2:28–29; Col. 2:11).