Now Choose Life

Deuteronomy 30:1-20

Key Verse 30:19b

This passage talks about the home work we need to do, that is, making a choice. This home work cannot be done by anyone other than you. This is the burden and the privilege given to only those who are set free from the bondage to the power of sin and Satan, for slaves are not given the possibility to choose the destiny of their life; they remain condemned to work and then perish. 

Read verses 1-2. What will cause the Israelites to return (after dispersion or Diaspora) to the Lord and obey Him? 

** When they disobey God, curses will overtake them. Then they will come back to their senses, so they will come back to the Lord. This is just like the prodigal son in Jesus’ parable. 

Read verses 3-10. As the Israelites return to the Lord and obey him, what will the Lord do for them? What does this passage show us about the Lord? 

** The Lord will make them more prosperous than ever.

** He is good and good all the time. He is like the good father with two sons in Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son.

Read verses 11-14. What does it mean that the word is near you? Is it possible that the word is either in one’s mouth or in one’s heart, and yet that person does not obey it? 

** This means that the truth on life has been made available to you, so it would stay at your disposal/use/application, ready to work for you.

** Yes. 

Read verse 15 and think about two different sets of ideas: “life and prosperity” and “death and destruction”. How is “life” different from “life and prosperity”? How is “death” different from “destruction”? 

** Life is just life, whereas life and prosperity means life whose potential is made fully fulfilled. 

** Death might mean cessation of communication; destruction might mean the ongoing process following one’s death.

Read verse 16 and think about the command: to love the LORD your God; to walk in his ways; and to keep his commands, decrees and laws. How are these commands related to one another? What will happen when one follows these commands? 

** They are progressive

** Life and prosperity

Read verses 17-18. What are “other gods”? 

** They are what the devil (also known as Satan) causes man to believe in and worship.

Read verses 19-20 and think about the command, “Now choose life.” Who must choose? What is life?  

** Each individual

** The LORD

The end