What is the meaning of Deuteronomy 10:15? Yet the LORD has set His affection on your fathers • Moses reminds Israel that God’s relationship with them did not begin with their own generation; it traces back to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Genesis 12:1-3; Genesis 15:5-7). • “Set His affection” signals a deliberate, personal choice—God moved toward the patriarchs first, not because of their merit but because of His sovereign love (Deuteronomy 7:6-8). • This affection underscores covenant faithfulness: God promised their forefathers a land, a lineage, and His lasting presence, and He is still acting on those promises (Exodus 2:24; Leviticus 26:42). and loved them • Love is the motive behind election; God’s love initiated, defines, and sustains the covenant (Jeremiah 31:3; 1 John 4:19). • Unlike human love that can waver, divine love is steadfast (Psalm 136:1-3). The fathers experienced protection in famine (Genesis 45:7) and deliverance from Egyptian bondage (Exodus 3:7-8) as tangible expressions of that love. • This love model confronts Israel—and us—with gratitude and obedience (Deuteronomy 6:4-5; John 14:15). And He has chosen you, their descendants after them • Election extends beyond the patriarchs to every generation of Israel, confirming continuity in God’s plan (Deuteronomy 4:37-38; Romans 9:4-5). • “Chosen” highlights privilege and responsibility. Israel is called to display God’s glory to the nations (Isaiah 42:6; 1 Peter 2:9). • The covenant community’s identity is rooted in God’s choice, not cultural superiority or personal righteousness (Deuteronomy 9:4-6; Titus 3:5). above all the peoples • God set Israel apart for a distinctive role: bearer of His Word, custodian of His law, and channel through whom Messiah would come (Psalm 147:19-20; Romans 3:1-2). • Being “above” speaks to purpose, not inherent worth—Israel’s calling was missional, to bless every family of the earth (Genesis 12:3; Acts 13:47). • Separation from pagan practices safeguarded their witness and preserved the lineage of promise (Leviticus 20:26; 2 Corinthians 6:17-18). even to this day • At the plains of Moab, about to enter Canaan, Israel could look back on forty years of wilderness mercy and see the continuity of God’s affection (Deuteronomy 8:2-4; Nehemiah 9:19-21). • The phrase affirms God’s unbroken commitment; centuries have not diminished His love or canceled His promises (Malachi 3:6; Romans 11:1-2). • It invites every reader to trust that the same faithful God keeps covenant today, culminating in Christ who confirms the promises to the patriarchs (Luke 1:72-73; 2 Corinthians 1:20). summary Deuteronomy 10:15 declares God’s sovereign, steadfast love: He first set His affection on the patriarchs, embraced them in covenant love, extended that choice to their descendants, assigned them a unique role among nations, and has preserved that relationship right up to the moment Moses speaks—and beyond. The verse calls us to marvel at divine initiative, rest in His unchanging commitment, and live in faithful obedience as heirs of a love that never ends. |
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