Deuteronomy
7:6-9 - The Lord is the faithful God,
keeping His covenant of love. We are loved and blessed because the Lord first
loved us. Yet this love must be reciprocated by His people to others. Thus in
the New Testament we are reminded, “We
love because He first loved us” {1 John 4:19}.
God’s faithfulness is guaranteed in his oath
concerning his people.
He swore to Abraham to bless his seed and to bring
blessing to the nations through his seed (v. 8). The oath is found in Genesis
22:16–18. This is the basis of his choosing of Israel.
That oath includes blessing for us. It was kept, and
still is kept, ultimately in Christ’s work and applies to all the believing
children and heirs of Abraham, including Gentiles with faith. (See Hebrews
6:13–19; Galatians 3:7ff.). Now both Jews and Gentiles who trust in Christ are
the new Israel and may trust that the Lord is faithful never to leave nor
forsake them.
All Christians are called to the holy purpose of
faithfully serving and testifying to the Lord who has redeemed them. We are the
new Israel, a holy “nation” to tell of his wonderful deeds to a world that
still needs his marvelous light.[1]
A prayer
before we study the Word – Almighty God, our heavenly Father, without
Your help our labor is useless, and without Your light our search is in vain.
Invigorate the study of Your holy Word that, by due diligence and right
discernment, we may establish others and ourselves in Your holy faith.
[1] https://concordiatheology.org/2014/07/proper-12-%E2%80%A2-deuteronomy-76-9-%E2%80%A2-july-27-2014/
Image “God so loved
the world” copyright © Ed Riojas, Higher Things
Prayer from Lutheran
Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis
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