Deuteronomy 4:1-24 NKJV
4 “Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I teach you to observe, that you may live, and go in and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers is giving you. 2 You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you. 3 Your eyes have seen what the Lord did at Baal Peor; for the Lord your God has destroyed from among you all the men who followed Baal of Peor. 4 But you who held fast to the Lord your God are alive today, every one of you.
5 “Surely I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess. 6 Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’
7 “For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the Lord our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him? 8 And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day? 9 Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren, 10 especially concerning the day you stood before the Lord your God in Horeb, when the Lord said to me, ‘Gather the people to Me, and I will let them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.’
11 “Then you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, and the mountain burned with fire to the midst of heaven, with darkness, cloud, and thick darkness. 12 And the Lord spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. You heard the sound of the words, but saw no form; you only heard a voice. 13 So He declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, the Ten Commandments; and He wrote them on two tablets of stone. 14 And the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that you might observe them in the land which you cross over to possess.
15 “Take careful heed to yourselves, for you saw no form when the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, 16 lest you act corruptly and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of any figure: the likeness of male or female, 17 the likeness of any animal that is on the earth or the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air, 18 the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground or the likeness of any fish that is in the water beneath the earth. 19 And take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the Lord your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage. 20 But the Lord has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be His people, an inheritance, as you are this day. 21 Furthermore the Lord was angry with me for your sakes, and swore that I would not cross over the Jordan, and that I would not enter the good land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance. 22 But I must die in this land, I must not cross over the Jordan; but you shall cross over and possess that good land. 23 Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything which the Lord your God has forbidden you. 24 For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
In our reading for today, Moses calls God’s people to remember His Word and His works. He urges Israel to obey God’s statutes, not to add or subtract from them, and not to forget what they had seen at Mount Horeb (Sinai), where God spoke from the fire.
Moses’ words are a striking call to reverent obedience—to take God seriously. His jealousy is not petty or insecure. It’s holy and righteous, born of love. He made us for Himself. And He knows that idols—whether made of gold, wood, or human ambition—lead only to death.
As Confessional Lutherans, we know this weight of the law. We hear Moses’ warning and recognize our guilt. We, too, are forgetful. We, too, chase after created things. God’s law exposes our hearts—but it also drives us to the cross.
We confess with Luther that the law is good and necessary—it reveals our sin and need for a Savior. But it is Christ who fulfills the law on our behalf. It is Christ who stands between the holy fire of God and our trembling hearts. The same God who thundered from the mountain is the One who speaks mercy from the cross.
And so, while Deuteronomy 4 urges faithfulness, it also prepares our hearts for the gospel. It shows us that we need more than warnings—we need grace. And in Christ, we have it fully. He is our righteousness, our peace, our refuge. In Him, we are free to return to God again and again—not in fear, but in repentance and trust.
Let us remember the Lord—not to earn His favor, but because we already have it in Christ. Let us teach our children not just what God has done, but who He is: a God of justice and mercy, law and gospel, truth and grace.
Let us pray: Almighty and merciful God, You are holy, and Your Word is true. We confess that we often forget Your commands and chase after the things of this world. Have mercy on us. Thank You for sending Jesus to fulfill the law for us and to redeem us with His blood. Help us to hold fast to Your Word, to treasure Your commands, and to teach them to the next generation; through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.