Articles
Such A Heart To Hear – Deut. 5:29
Such A Heart To Hear – Deut. 5:29
After reminding the people of the 10 commandments, Moses tells them that God said: "Oh that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear Me and keep all My commandments always, that it may be well with them and with their sons forever!" (Deut. 5:29). The psalmist repeated this thought: "Oh that My people would listen to Me, That Israel would walk in My ways!" (Psalm 81:13).
We have seen Israel refuse to listen to God for these 40 years in the wilderness.
They showed themselves to be a "stiff-necked and stubborn' people. (Deut. 9:6, 13; 31:27). They TESTED the Lord (Deut. 6:16). They REFUSED to obey and walk in the ways of the LORD.
When Nehemiah later 'confesses the sins of the people', he confesses that "...our fathers, acted arrogantly; They became stubborn and would not listen to Your commandments. “They refused to listen, And did not remember Your wondrous deeds which You had performed among them; So they became stubborn and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt..." (Neh. 9:16–17).
Because of such hardness of heart, God was not well pleased with them (1Cor. 10:5), and refused to let that generation cross into the promised land.
Moses now warns this 2nd generation that they must do better, they must hear and walk in all the ways of the LORD. They don't.
Thus, Isaiah said: "If only you had paid attention to My commandments! Then your well-being would have been like a river, And your righteousness like the waves of the sea" (Isaiah 48:18).
Even later, Jesus would say: "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling." (Matthew 23:37).
God still desires that His people would have a heart to fear Him and keep all His commandments. Are you such a person?
Hugh DeLong
