Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Deuteronomy
Book: Deuteronomy
Chapter: 10
Overview:
God's mercies to
Israel after their rebellion.
(1-11) An
exhortation to obedience.
(12-22)
1-11 Moses reminded the Israelites of
God's great
Mercy to
them, notwithstanding their provocations. There were four things
in and
By which the
Lord showed himself reconciled to
Israel.
God gave them his
Law. Thus
God has intrusted us with Bibles,
sabbaths, and sacraments, as tokens of his presence and favour.
God led them forward toward
Canaan. He appointed a standing
ministry among them for holy things. And now, under the
Gospel,
when the pouring forth of the
Spirit is more plentiful and
powerful, the succession is kept up
By the
Spirit's work
On
men's hearts, qualifying and making some willing for that work
in every
Age.
God accepted
Moses as an
Advocate or intercessor
for them, and therefore appointed him to be their
Prince and
leader.
Moses was a
Type of
Christ, who ever lives, pleading for
us, and has all power in
Heaven and in
Earth.
12-22 We are here taught our duty to
God in our principles and
our practices. We must fear the
Lord our
God. We must
Love him,
and delight in
Communion with him. We must walk in the ways in
which he has appointed us to walk. We must serve him with all
our
Heart and soul. What we do in his service we must do
cheerfully, and with good will. We must keep his
Commandments.
There is true honour and pleasure in obedience. We must give
honour to
God; and to him we must cleave, as one we
Love and
delight in, trust in, and from whom we have great expectations.
We are here taught our duty to our neighbour.
God's common
Gifts
to mankind oblige us to honour all men. And those who have
themselves been in distress, and have found
Mercy with
God,
should be ready to show kindness to those who are in the like
distress. We are here taught our duty to ourselves. Circumcise
your hearts. Cast away all corrupt affections and inclinations,
which hinder you from fearing and loving
God.
By nature we do
not
Love God. This is original
Sin, the source whence our
wickedness proceeds; and the
Carnal mind is
Enmity against
God,
for it is not subject to the
Law of
God, neither indeed can be;
So then they that are in the
Flesh cannot please
God, Ro
8:5-9. Let us, without delay or reserve, come and cleave to our
reconciled
God in
Jesus Christ, that we may
Love, serve, and
obey him acceptably, and be daily changed into his image, from
Glory to
Glory,
By the
Spirit of the
Lord. Consider the
greatness and
Glory of
God; and his
Goodness and
Grace; these
persuade us to our duty. Blessed
Spirit! Oh for thy purifying,
persevering, and renewing influences, that being called out of
the state of strangers, such as our fathers were, we may be
found among the number of the children of
God, and that our
Lot
may be among the saints.