When thou shalt beget children, and children’s children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, and shall do evil in the sight of the LORD thy God, to provoke him to anger: I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it; ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed. And the LORD shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the LORD shall lead you. And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell. But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find Him, if thou seek Him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto His voice; (for the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) He will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which He sware unto them.
Deuteronomy 4:25-31
Deuteronomy is the writings of Moses before the wilderness sojourners are crossing into the Promised Land. They are near to the very place they will be crossing. Moses is reminding them of their covenant with the LORD God. That covenant includes their keeping His statutes and obeying His commandments.
Now Moses is telling them that after many years, they will start falling away, turning their backs on the LORD, and making their own gods.
Then. Moses warns them that they will be scattered among the nations, losing their land of milk and honey; and doing so they will be serving the gods of stone, wood which neither hear, see, smell, or hear – meaning of course that they are without life giving power.
That word from God is fulfilled many times in the beginning of there years before they had a king, and afterwards as well.
God tells them, “But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find Him, if thou seek Him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.” When they come to the place they realize that they need the LORD, then they seek for Him with all their heart and soul – that is their whole being – then He will hear them, and deliver them.
According to our text today. “The LORD your God is a merciful God,” that we all can see He is by the many times He has redeemed Israel, and taken her back to Himself.
This is indicative of the loving, merciful, and gracious character of God seen in His sending His Son Jesus Christ into a dark world of sin, and death; to die on a cross for the sins of the world.
Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God is the essence of love, mercy, and grace. He had to be perfect, without spot or blemish. He was, He is, and forever shall be the Lord and Savior of all who will come to Him, believing Him.