Conscious and Clear Choice - Deuteronomy 30:11-14
"For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, 'Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, 'Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.
Moses Declares The Right Choices Are Close
In one way the entire Exodus experience was all about making choices. Beginning with choosing not to be a slave in Egypt and ending with the choice to enter into covenant with God Moses gives here. As you read the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, God, through Moses, lays out the choices the people must make, to follow, obey and trust God or to go in the paths of their past, their pleasure and the pagans around them. With each choice would come the consequence with God’s blessing or punishment.
Here in this ceremony, that Joshua will perform once they are in the Promised land, Moses wanted the people to fully understand that they must make the right choices or suffer the terrible consequences.
Moses tells the people, “The word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart. That you may do it.” He is telling them this is not a hard thing to understand, it is not hard to know what to choose. The right answer is not hidden but directly before them. It is so close that he says it is in their mouth and in their heart so that they can understand and then they must make the choice.
God beginning in Egypt and continuing throughout the wilderness has revealed Himself to His people. God has revealed His word, His way and His will. Now in full view and knowledge of that undeniable revelation of God, they must choose.
The reason the tribes were split between the two mountains was to show that there is no neutral ground, no gray areas when it comes to God’s revealed will, their choices as symbolized by Mt. Ebal or Mt. Gerizim, would bring God’s blessing and fulfillment of His promise or it would bring his punishment and curse.
God’s Word Makes the Right Choices Even Closer
The Word of God reveals the will of God and challenges us to make the right choices. This Word is even closer to us than the word of God given to the Israelites. It is right here and as Moses said it should be, “in our mouths and in our hearts, that we may do it.”
Just look at a few examples. Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
1 Kings 18:21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
Proverbs 1:20-26 Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying, How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.
By our choices we face God as our Lord or as our adversary. By our choices, we find Heaven or Hell as our eternal destination. By our choices we have forgiveness of our sin or judgment of our sin. By our choices we find the blessings of God or the curses of God. The difference is but a choice, and you must make that choice.
These choices continue even after we are saved. We can choose to surrender to our Savior or to serve ourself. We can choose to love and forgive one another or to hate and condemn our brother and sisters in Christ. We can choose to give of our substance to God or to we can choose to rob God in our tithes and offerings. And yes that is what God calls it robbery.
All these choices are right before our eyes. Just as they were for the Israelites, they are in our mouth to say yes or no. They are in our hearts to accept or reject.
