Lessons from Deuteronomy 1: You Mean EVERYTHING?

When God says everything. He means EVERYTHING!

As soon as I started studying Deuteronomy 1, verses 3b and 5b caught and held my attention—the word “everything” radiating from the page.

Curious, I went to my lexical aides to see if there was more to these verses in Hebrew. There wasn’t. What’s stated in our English translations is exactly what Moses was communicating. Exactly!

That’s when I realized Moses was more than God’s messenger, he was His microphone! It was his responsibility to carefully reiterate everything God said to the people.

Everything!

When you think about it, the implications of this are PROFOUND!

So, as I read and reread these verses, I wrestled with those implications—and my calling.

All of us are responsible for everything in Scripture—as it is written. Nothing left out. Nothing added. Nothing embellished, softened, downplayed, or magnified. Nothing tweaked to fit our social groups or culture.

Everything.

You’re probably thinking, “Okay, Lady, what’s your point?”

God called me to be an author, a speaker, and a podcaster.

My purpose is to spread the Gospel. To further His Kingdom. To encourage Believers by teaching His Word. To direct people to Him and His Scriptures. AND to do His will HIS way.

My message is no different from yours, nor is my purpose or responsibility—even if your calling is distinctly dissimilar.

But my struggle was this:

To teach God’s Word is counter-cultural—even in most American churches. And to teach God’s Word as it’s written is radical because it goes against social norms and beliefs. Heartbreakingly, doctrines such as sin, depravity, repentance, justice, righteousness, judgment, and prophecy are not being taught in most churches. I’ve learned if you aren’t “Progressive” and teaching Woke Theology, you can expect to be canceled, censored, discredited, defamed, slandered, maligned, crushed, abused…persecuted.

And this seriously terrified me.

I mean, what’s the point in doing what God’s called me to do if people are not just going to ignore me but are going to try to forcibly shut me up? But, on the other hand, I am His Disciple and therefore responsible for my calling and everything the Spirit has given me to say.

Everything.

I firmly believe the Bible is the inerrant Word of God.

It’s how we get to KNOW Him in a deep and personal way. It’s living, breathing, and active. It’s the well-spring and bread of life. And it’s useful for teaching and encouraging; to discipline, correct, and rebuke.

The Bible exposes our true selves. It strips away the facade to reveal our true character. It blows through our polite smiles and goes straight for the heart. Every hidden thought, desire, and intention is laid bare for examination. Every social, political, and moral stance is up for inspection. And the standard? Jesus, The Word made flesh.

Therefore, we’re to incorporate everything Scripture teaches into our lives and ministries—NOT JUST OUR FAVORITE PASSAGES AND THOSE THAT MAKE US FEEL GOOD.

Everything.

Nothing left out. Nothing added. Nothing embellished, softened, downplayed, or magnified. Nothing tweaked to fit our social groups or culture.

Everything. Regardless of the consequences.

Interestingly, after God took me through Deuteronomy 1, He led me to Revelation and then on a few trips through all the Old Testament Prophets.

And now He has me back in Jeremiah.

Jeremiah was a priest whom God called to be a prophet during Josiah’s reign over Judah. This was an incredible time to be both a priest and a prophet because Josiah was Judah’s last honorable king. He was a bright spot in a long string of wicked men who did evil in God’s eyes. He chased after God’s heart as David did, destroyed the idolatrous worship centers and accouterments in the land, and repaired the Temple his predecessors let fall into a ruin. (See 2 Chronicles 34 & 35)

During the renovation, a priest found Moses’ book of Deuteronomy and had a scribe take it to read to the king. After hearing the book read, Josiah tore his robes in agonizing lament and authentic repentance.

Later, he gathered the people in a mass assembly to first renew the covenant between God and himself and then to lead everyone else to do the same. Next, he destroyed all the remaining idols in the land, reestablished the celebration of Passover, and had all who were in Israel serve the LORD their God.

As long as he lived they did not fail to follow the LORD, the God of their ancestors. (34:33c)

However, after he died, that all ended!

And the hard part of Jeremiah’s ministry began.

Jeremiah’s ministry totaled 40 years. During that time, he:

• Served under 5 kings
• Saw Jerusalem invaded and plundered by the Babylonians
• Witnessed the first wave of captives be led away into exile
• Watched in horror as Jerusalem fell and the Temple was destroyed

And in that time, he saw
NO ONE repent.
NO ONE turn back to God.
NO ONE take God or His Words seriously.

All through his book, you can feel his agony over the messages God has him deliver and his frustration over his people’s callousness. But Jeremiah had to face more than their hard hearts, he had to contend with their hostility. From his family, friends, and neighbors to the false prophets, priests, and kings they all tried to shut him up by conspiring to kill him; throwing him into a cistern, tossing him into prison, and taking him to Egypt against his will. But nothing worked. He would not be silenced.

Jeremiah’s ministry, obedience, and sacrificial way of living are oddly encouraging to me. But it’s his call that resonates in my heart. (See 1:5-19, exerts below)

“Look, I have put my words in your mouth!
Today I appoint you to stand up
against nations and kingdoms.” (9b-10a)

“Get up and prepare for action.
Go out and tell them everything I tell you to say.
Do not be afraid of them,
or I will make you look foolish in front of them. (17)

They will fight you, but they will fail.
For I am with you, and I will take care of you.
I, the LORD, have spoken!” (19)

How I pray for God’s words to infuse my mouth, pen, and keyboard because I can’t seem to escape these words:

Go out and tell them everything I tell you to say.

Everything.

But this time, these words are followed by a warning…and a promise. A promise you and I need to hear.

They will fight you, but they will fail.
For I am with you, and I will take care of you.

Unlike with Moses, God knew no one would listen to Jeremiah. No one would heed His warnings. No one would repent and turn back to Him. But that wasn’t the point.

The point was: The warnings needed to be given.

The people needed to be reminded of their choices. The consequences of their sin needed to be laid out—again. In detail. Consequences they all heard from Josiah’s lips as he read Moses’ book of Deuteronomy.

The second point is that Jeremiah (and Moses) needed to faithfully obey the LORD their God.

They needed to speak God’s Words with boldness and confidence. They needed to proclaim His Truth with courage and faith. They needed to prove their love for their people, family, friends, neighbors, etc. by not compromising or taking away from the Truth or by glossing over or ignoring the hard stuff. They had to tell it like it is if any were to repent and be saved. Regardless of the cost.

And so do I.

And so do you.

Do not be afraid of them,
or I will make you look foolish in front of them.

This is a “scary time” to be teaching God’s Word.

The World is becoming more and more anti-God, anti-Jesus, anti-Bible, anti-Truth. Scripture is watered-down so much it no longer resembles what the Bible actually says. And hostility against those who faithfully obey Jesus and adhere to His Word is on the rise—not just around the world but here in America. It’s in our businesses, schools, communities, and churches.

But you know what?!

This is also an EXCITING time to be sharing the Gospel!

People are lost, confused, afraid, broken, and HUNGRY. All they’ve known is the Jesus the World preaches. But when they meet Jesus the Christ, they’re amazed! A God who loves them AND wants a relationship with them—regardless of what they’ve done? Yes, please! And WE get to tell them! God doesn’t need us to do this, but He thrills to give us the opportunity so we can share in HIS joy as His family grows!

During this time in God’s Story, we have the privilege to see the Spirit move like never before. But it comes with a cost.

Contrary to a lot of teaching out there, Jesus never promised us a perfect, happy, healthy, wealthy life. In fact, He told us it would be the opposite because we have an Enemy who wants to destroy us and keep us from obeying our Savior. So, we will suffer. We will hurt. We will struggle. We will have enemies who hate us. We will be inflicted with illness, limited by disabilities, lose people we love, suffer joblessness, and endure financial nightmares.

BUT…

Jesus, said, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Our lesson: When God says everything. He means EVERYTHING! No more. No less. And it’s our privilege to do just that. It’s our joy to live out our role in His plan for His glory REGARDLESS of the cost.

To give Him our EVERYTHING.

Until next time~