A Reminder to Remember

A reading from Deuteronomy 9:

"Do not say in your heart, after the LORD your God has thrust them out before you, 'It is because of my righteous-ness that the LORD has brought me in to possess this land,' whereas it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is driving them out before you. (vs. 4)

"Know, therefore, that the LORD your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteous-ness, for you are a stubborn people. Remember and do not forget how you provoked the LORD your God to wrath in the wilderness. From the day you came out of the land of Egypt until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against the LORD. (vs. 6-7)

You have been rebellious against the LORD from the day that I knew you. (vs. 24)

Moses is speaking to the nation of Israel just prior to their entering the promised land at this point and is giving his final admonition to them to remember who the are, whose they are, from whence they came, and to where they are going. Most important in this message is to remember that their esteemed position with God has nothing to do with they as a people. If anything, based on their merit, they should have long before been destroyed. But there they are, sitting along the Jordan River opposite of Jericho. It will become as history shows very important for the people to spend time reminding themselves of how they got there.

This is truly a message of grace. God is  bringing them into the land based on His character, not theirs. God made a promise to Abraham and now his is fulfilling it (in part at least).

In the same way it is with us. We are a sinful people, at war against God and yet he still brings us deliverance from ourselves and our bondage to sin. Our salvation is based on no merit of our own righteousness, for as Isaiah says; they are but filthy rags (64:6). Instead our salvation is brought to us solely based on the grace of God. To him alone belongs the glory, honor, and praise.