14 "The Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments , that you might perform them in the land where e you are going over to possess it.
15 "So watch yourselves carefully , since you did not see any form on the day the Lord spoke to you at Horeb from the midst of the fire , 16 so that you do not act corruptly and make a graven image for yourselves in the form of any figure , the likeness of male or female , 17 the likeness of any animal that is on the earth , the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the sky , 18 the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground , the likeness of any fish that is in the water below e the earth . 19 "And beware not to lift up your eyes to heaven and see the sun and the moon and the stars , all the host of heaven , and be drawn away and worship them and serve them, those which the Lord your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven . 20 "But the Lord has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace , from Egypt , to be a people for His own possession , as today . 21 " Now the Lord was angry with me on your account e , and swore that I would not cross the Jordan , and that I would not enter the good land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance . 22 "For I will die in this land , I shall not cross the Jordan , but you shall cross and take possession of this good land . 23 "So watch yourselves, that you do not forget the covenant of the Lord your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a graven image in the form of anything against which the Lord your God has commanded you. 24 "For the Lord your God is a consuming fire , a jealous God . 25 "When you become the father of children and children's children and have remained long in the land , and act corruptly , and make an idol in the form of anything , and do that which is evil in the sight of the Lord your God so as to provoke Him to anger , 26 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today , that you will surely perish quickly from the land where e you are going over the Jordan to possess it. You shall not live long e on it, but will be utterly destroyed . 27 "The Lord will scatter you among the peoples , and you will be left few in number among the nations where e the Lord drives you. 28 " There you will serve gods , the work of man's hands , wood and stone , which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell . 29 " But from there you will seek the Lord your God , and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul . 30 "When you are in distress and all these things have come upon you, in the latter days you will return to the Lord your God and listen to His voice . 31 "For the Lord your God is a compassionate God ; He will not fail you nor destroy you nor forget the covenant with your fathers which He swore to them. 32 "Indeed , ask now concerning the former days which were before you, since the day that God created man on the earth , and inquire from one end of the heavens to the other e . Has anything been done like this great thing , or has anything been heard like it? 33 " Has any people heard the voice of God speaking from the midst of the fire , as you have heard it, and survived ? 34 " Or has a god tried to go to take for himself a nation from within another nation by trials , by signs and wonders and by war and by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm and by great terrors , as the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes ? 35 "To you it was shown that you might know that the Lord , He is God ; there is no other besides e Him. 36 " Out of the heavens He let you hear His voice to discipline you; and on earth He let you see His great fire , and you heard His words from the midst of the fire . 37 " Because e He loved your fathers , therefore He chose their descendants after them. And He personally brought you from Egypt by His great power , 38 driving out from before you nations greater and mightier than you, to bring you in and to give you their land for an inheritance , as it is today . 39 "Know therefore today , and take it to your heart , that the Lord , He is God in heaven above e and on the earth below e ; there is no other . 40 " So you shall keep His statutes and His commandments which I am giving you today , that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may live long e on the land which the Lord your God is giving you for all time ."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Deuteronomy 4:14-40
Commentary on Deuteronomy 4:1-23
(Read Deuteronomy 4:1-23)
The power and love of God to Israel are here made the ground and reason of a number of cautions and serious warnings; and although there is much reference to their national covenant, yet all may be applied to those who live under the gospel. What are laws made for but to be observed and obeyed? Our obedience as individuals cannot merit salvation; but it is the only evidence that we are partakers of the gift of God, which is eternal life through Jesus Christ, Considering how many temptations we are compassed with, and what corrupt desires we have in our bosoms, we have great need to keep our hearts with all diligence. Those cannot walk aright, who walk carelessly. Moses charges particularly to take heed of the sin of idolatry. He shows how weak the temptation would be to those who thought aright; for these pretended gods, the sun, moon, and stars, were only blessings which the Lord their God had imparted to all nations. It is absurd to worship them; shall we serve those that were made to serve us? Take heed lest ye forget the covenant of the Lord your God. We must take heed lest at any time we forget our religion. Care, caution, and watchfulness, are helps against a bad memory.
Commentary on Deuteronomy 4:24-40
(Read Deuteronomy 4:24-40)
Moses urged the greatness, glory, and goodness of God. Did we consider what a God he is with whom we have to do, we should surely make conscience of our duty to him, and not dare to sin against him. Shall we forsake a merciful God, who will never forsake us, if we are faithful unto him? Whither can we go? Let us be held to our duty by the bonds of love, and prevailed with by the mercies of God to cleave to him. Moses urged God's authority over them, and their obligations to him. In keeping God's commandments they would act wisely for themselves. The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. Those who enjoy the benefit of Divine light and laws, ought to support their character for wisdom and honour, that God may be glorified thereby. Those who call upon God, shall certainly find him within call, ready to give an answer of peace to every prayer of faith. All these statutes and judgments of the Divine law are just and righteous, above the statutes and judgments of any of the nations. What they saw at mount Sinai, gave an earnest of the day of judgment, in which the Lord Jesus shall be revealed in flaming fire. They must also remember what they heard at mount Sinai. God manifests himself in the works of the creation, without speech or language, yet their voice is heard, verse 40, That it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee. He reminds them that their prosperity would depend upon their piety. Apostacy from God would undoubtedly be the ruin of their nation. He foresees their revolt from God to idols. Those, and those only, shall find God to their comfort, who seek him with all their heart. Afflictions engage and quicken us to seek God; and, by the grace of God working with them, many are thus brought back to their right mind. When these things are come upon thee, turn to the Lord thy God, for thou seest what comes of turning from him. Let all the arguments be laid together, and then say, if religion has not reason on its side. None cast off the government of their God, but those who first abandon the understanding of a man.