When all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the Lord your God drives you, and you return to the Lord your God and obey His voice with all your heart and with all your soul … that the Lord your God will bring you back from captivity, and have compassion on you, and gather you again from all the nations where the Lord your God has scattered you. (Deuteronomy 30:1-3)
Today, I want to further contemplate the importance and value of knowing that, in spite of our mistakes, God always has an eye on redemption and restoration. In redeeming us, He liberates us from the bondage that keeps us in captivity. In restoration, He places us back where He always intended us to be in the first place — and where we were always supposed to be had it not been for our sin. Essentially, that is the message that Moses conveyed to Israel in the verses above — you have sinned and will sin, and as a result, you will be scattered among the nations. However, in time, you will turn back to the LORD and He will redeem and restore.
One of the key elements in this process however is a change of heart that must occur. He promised to redeem them when, after considering the reason for their circumstance, they decide to turn back to their God “with all your heart and soul.” In other words, when they began to fulfill the greatest of all commandments –- “to love the LORD with all your heart, soul and strength.” I think we should presume that this dramatic change of heart is what triggers God to take action on our behalf, meaning it is not likely to happen for those who are half-hearted or indifferent. Redemption and restoration occurs for those whose hearts are turned back to God.
The Jewish sage, Nachmanides, believed that what is discussed in these verses would occur just before the beginning of the Messianic era, meaning at the dawning of the Day of the LORD. In his view, this prophecy would be fulfilled when the people of God would take more than an intellectual interest in His Word, but would eagerly receive it with their heart. Doing so, they would recognize the need to repent and have a desire to “return to the LORD” (Hosea 6:1). More than anything, their heart’s desire would be to “know Him” rather than just knowing about Him.
I will be so bold to say that I am convinced we are living in those days, and if so, that means that the Day of the LORD is at hand. And so then, let us be sensitive to His Voice and Spirit; let us remove any and all impediments that would prevent us from following His Word wholeheartedly. And let us remember the words of Messiah: “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near” (Luke 21:28).
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
Recent Comments