Old Testament Book of Deuteronomy

As Seen Through New Testament Gospel Eyes: The Power of God

Many times here, Moses exhorts the people to “Go in and possess the land the Lord has given you.” He was exhorting the people to live in the ways of God so that they would be blessed and not cursed in life.

This speaks to us today, even if God does not give us ‘land’ to possess.

Moses Exhorted People to Live In God’s Law Jesus Exhorts Us to Live in God’s Gospel

But the gospel is called ‘the gospel of (God’s) Kingdom,’ which is our LAND, so to speak. Jesus says, “Seek first the Kingdom of God, and all things will be added unto you… it is your Father’s pleasure to give you his Kingdom” (Luke 12:31–32).

The CHOICE is ours as to how we live (Deut 30:19). This verse mentions both blessing and curses. Jesus took the curse for us, leaving us only his blessings — IF we live his gospel (Gal 3:13–14). Paul says to live in the law brings a curse on us (Gal 3:10).

Deuteronomy shows us that our calling is to trust the Lord and be faithful to believe and live what he tells us. The gospel makes this much easier for us in that its blessings draw us closer to God and cause us to love him more and more. Jesus says his way is much easier.

The gospel is the power of God that produces good from us, that could only be demanded by the Old Testament law, not produced.

Moses Predicted the Coming of Jesus

Moses was the first to predict the coming of the Messiah, who of course is Jesus, the Messenger of God. And he says this Messenger would bring God’s Message for us to believe and live, and God would REQUIRE us to live it (Deut 18:15–19).

Jesus says that Moses wrote about him (John 5:46–47).

Deuteronomy and the Gospel Give Us Victory

Deuteronomy is preparing the people for VICTORY in the Promised Land, just as the gospel is about preparing us for VICTORY in living in God’s family and Kingdom now. We are called ‘more than conquerors.’

We are told our faith overcomes the world. If we don’t live the power of the gospel we are more VICTIMS than we are VICTORS. Or as Acts 3 says, we are ‘destroyed.’ This doesn’t mean we go to hell, but our lives are much less than they could be in God’s gospel power.

Acts Says God Just Wants to Bless Us

Acts 3:23–26 says the same thing basically that God said to Moses in Deuteronomy 18 (we just read it above). And it closes saying the reason God requires us to live by his truth is so he can BLESS us.

People want the blessing of God, pray for it, — and yet it is so easy to be blessed. We are told repeatedly that God gives us ALL blessings if we live in his ways. Those ways were HARD in the Old Testament, but Jesus says his ways are EASY in the New.

God’s desire and goal is to bless and empower us to live this life in the best possible, most fruitful way, just as he did the ancient Jews in the Promised Land.

The Gospel Produces Good Things From Us

So Paul says the gospel is what produces good fruit from us (Col 1:5–6), and the gospel is the power of God in us (Rom 1:16). It establishes us in all ways of life (Rom 16:25). It is what causes us to live what Jesus says is his abundant life (John 10:10).

Isn’t this something we all want out of life? John puts this in terms of having (1) prosperity in life and (2) health in life (3 John 2). He says the way this is experienced is by having God’s truth inside of us, and us living in that truth (3 John 3).

But our choice is not just for God’s BLESSINGS, which are many, but for his BEING. The gospel produces a closer relationship with God than anything else possible, and it’s in the fellowship of the gospel that God accomplishes his good work in us that he has begun (Phil 1:5–6).

The Gospel Is God’s Seed He Plants Into Us

The gospel is God’s good SEED in us, that produces good ROOTS in us so that good FRUIT grows from us. Nothing else in any type of religion or theology can accomplish this.

All other choices DEMAND from us. The gospel GIVES to us. All we have to do is receive it, and then releasing it is automatic, just as the fruit grows from the seed and the root.

When God looks at our hearts does he find the power of his gospel truth residing deep inside of us? Or does he not find it?

Here Are the Other Books in this Series

The Book of Genesis: https://tinyurl.com/y59vsnfy The Book of Exodus: https://tinyurl.com/y3taggt9 The Book of Leviticus https://tinyurl.com/y2wyjfhq The Book of Numbers : https://tinyurl.com/y2xqknqf