One of the delights of interstate travel is the welcome sign and the visitor center. As you cross the border, seeing the sign, you announce, “We are in ______ now (supply the state).” The road sign marks progress made. It is also good to stop in to the visitor centers. The one for Florida, coming out of Georgia on I-95, not only has brochures, maps, restrooms, but also fresh orange juice!
As you travel through the Bible, starting at Genesis and make your way through to Revelation, be sure to stop in at the visitor center, i.e. in a good study Bible, the “introduction” to each new book you are about to read. Although I have read through the Bible cover to cover many times and therefore I know what to expect, I always enjoy reading the introduction in each new study Bible I happen to be going through. I have never been disappointed. May I challenge you, if you are reading through a study Bible, to be sure to read all of the notes. You will get so much more out of your reading. However, never forget, the notes are not inspired, only the Biblical text is.
Our church just purchased a very nice ESV Study Bible, an excellent study Bible, for a graduating senior. I wondered if I should point out a few passages where I disagree with the notes. For example, recently in a Sunday School class I felt the ESV notes missed the point, whereas the McArthur Study Bible hit it spot on. Remember, please carefully evaluate what you read in the notes. However, having read a number of study Bibles, let me say by first-hand experience, overall, you will not be led astray, but you will benefit greatly, just like you would benefit from a seminary education, even though you will never find two teachers who see eye to eye on every particular.
Back to Deuteronomy
The Introduction to Deuteronomy in the Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible, is first rate. There is an excellent piece upon Mosaic authorship, date and overview of the book. So far in our reading from Genesis, we have seen a calling out and development of the seed of Abraham into a mighty nation. In this book, so widely quoted in the New Testament, we find God’s love expressed, and as a Father would lay out, the “rules of the house” are delineated. In this book you will find expectations that the LORD had with respect to His people. Deuteronomy lays out these expectations in the form of a covenant between two parties with blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience.
Deuteronomy chapter one starts with Moses identifying himself as the author. It also lets us know the time and the place where they are located on their journey and begins to rehearse what they have experienced together. It has the feel of Olympic runners getting set at the starting line. You know that what is written here is preparatory.
Today, as you read this chapter. Stop and ponder your journey with God to this point. You are not only about to turn the page on a new chapter of a new book, but today affords you new opportunities and adventures. We write the chapters of our lives sentence by sentence, step by step. Out in the future we will look back at today. Then we will realize that we’ve become where we were headed. Will it be closer or further away from God? You are in the process of becoming. Is your heart becoming hardened or more tender to God? It is good to take a break from the journey and to head into the visitor center. Welcome to Deuteronomy! You won’t find orange juice here, but you will, if you read carefully, see the love of God for His people prompting us to love and obey Him in return.
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