The Covenant Renewed and a Call to Obedience

Deuteronomy 10 serves as a potent reminder of the depth and constancy of God's love for His people. Amid failures and forgetfulness, God renews His covenant, emphasizing not just ritualistic obedience, but the essence of a relationship founded on love, humility, and service. Today, this call resounds to every heart, beckoning a genuine relationship over mere ritual, and love over mere law.

Second Tablets at Horeb (Verses 1-5)

At God’s command, Moses crafts another set of stone tablets and constructs an ark of acacia wood. He ascends Mount Horeb, where God inscribes the Ten Commandments on the new tablets, just as He did on the original set. Moses places these tablets in the ark for safekeeping.

The Levites: Chosen Servants (Verses 6-9)

The Israelites travel from the wells of the Beni Jaakan to Moserah, where Aaron dies and is buried. His son Eleazar takes over his priestly duties. God designates the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant and to stand before Him as His ministers.

God's Gracious and Faithful Heart (Verses 10-11)

Moses stays on the mountain for forty days and nights. God listens to Moses' intercession and refrains from destroying Israel. Moses receives the tablets and is instructed to lead the people to the land God promised to their ancestors.

The Heart of the Law (Verses 12-22)

Moses reminds Israel of God’s requirements: to fear Him, walk in His ways, love Him, and serve Him wholeheartedly. They are reminded of God’s sovereignty and greatness, and yet how He shows love to the lowly. Israel is called to circumcise their hearts, to love the foreigner, and to remember their past as slaves in Egypt. They are to recognize God's mighty acts, His love for them, and their responsibility to reciprocate that love through obedience.

Deuteronomy 10 dives into a pivotal moment when God renews His covenant with Israel. Through Moses' narration, the chapter reveals the divine heart that continuously calls His people into a deeper relationship, based on love and obedience. Israel is reminded of their sacred history and their moral obligations, setting the stage for their imminent entry into the Promised Land.

1. Renewal of the Covenant
2. The Holiness of God
3. Israel’s Obedience to God
4. God's Elective Love
5. Moral Imperatives of Faith1. The second set of tablets
2. God's selection of the Levites
3. The character and demands of God
4. The call to love and obey1. Moses
2. Aaron (mentioned)
3. Levi and the Levite tribe1. Mount Horeb (Sinai)
2. The Promised Land

1. Why did God choose to renew the covenant despite Israel's disobedience?

2. What does the act of crafting the second set of tablets signify in the larger narrative?

3. How does the selection of the Levites for priestly duties highlight God's redemption?

4. What is the significance of the call to "circumcise your hearts"?

5. Why is the reminder of Israel’s past as slaves in Egypt important in this chapter?

6. How do the demands of God in verses 12-22 challenge conventional notions of obedience?

7. In what ways is the essence of God's commandments beyond mere ritual?

8. How can we apply the lessons of humility and service in our modern lives?

9. How does loving and serving God wholeheartedly manifest in today's society?

10. In what ways can you "circumcise" your heart in your current life circumstances?

11. How does the call to "love the foreigner" speak into today’s context of global migration and refugee crises?

12. What does it mean to fear God, and how does this intertwine with loving Him?

13. How can we continuously remind ourselves of God's elective love in our lives?

14. How does the story of Moses' intercession challenge our own prayer lives?

15. What elements in this chapter show God's balance of justice and mercy?

16. How do our personal failings and "broken tablets" become opportunities for renewal?

17. Why is remembering our personal histories and past struggles vital in our relationship with God?

18. How can we foster an environment of obedience based on love rather than fear or compulsion?

19. How does the essence of this chapter relate to the New Testament teachings on grace and relationship with God?

20. Drawing from this chapter, how can we develop a holistic approach to faith that marries both our beliefs and our actions?