Deuteronomy 5:28-29 And the LORD heard the voice of your words, when you spoke to me; and the LORD said to me… In this Divine saying there are several principal things concerned. 1. First there is a testimony of the great love of God. The words are, very expressively, the words of love and merciful regard. They strongly testify God's fatherly concern and disposition to do good towards His people. 2. There is a more melancholy feeling of regret that the people would not be found answering to this disposition of Divine love. God does not, indeed, plainly say that the people had not "such an heart," as is described in the text — an heart to "fear Him, and to keep all His commandments always"; neither does God say that they would not have such an heart; yet the impression left by the words is, that there would be a failure on the part of men, when God had done in His vineyard all that could be done, to keep it and to bless it. 3. It declares where the fountain of obedience must be; namely, in the "heart." There is the source of duty, as so many other scriptures testify: "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. So it is said of the righteous man, The law of his God is in his heart, and his footsteps shall not slide." So, again, "Thy words have I hid within mine heart, that I should not sin against Thee." 4. It is said, not simply "My commandments," but "all My commandments." And this difference will not be lost upon reflecting hearers. It is the building of integrity upon sincerity. It reminds us of the necessity of yielding to God, not a partial and divided obedience, but an entire one. 5. The word "always" is added, to guard us against "weariness in well-doing," as the words before it are directed to guard us against an imperfect and indolent aim. How many will be good for a while, and yet not endure to the end! How many begin a fair course, and break off from it! How many precepts and warnings are given us in Scripture, specially to guard us against this very thing! 6. It testifies the providential love and care of God towards His people from generation to generation; inasmuch as, after the preceding wish, the words run, "that it might be well with them and with their children forever!" This is certainly a very striking and touching proof of Divine regard. It strongly confirms the doctrine of an eternal Providence. It also speaks powerfully towards the maintenance of an hereditary faith — a faith in the true and living God, handed down from father to son, until the purpose of God in creating man for this world shall have been fully answered, and "the fashion of this world" shall then "pass away." (J. K. Miller.) Parallel Verses KJV: And the LORD heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me; and the LORD said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee: they have well said all that they have spoken. |
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