A superficial reading of these chapters will bring a person to the conclusion that God is a very controlling and vengeful deity. If one reads quickly and without reflection on all that precedes these chapters, this is a reasonable conclusion. But with careful and reflective reading, keeping in mind the context, the opposite conclusion can be drawn.
This is a very patient and merciful and gracious God! With all that he has done for this people, with all the miraculous deliverance and provision, with all the amazing display of power and might, it should not surprise us that this God acts to judge this people. It should surprise us that he does it so infrequently. Over and over again God gives instruction and over and over again these people disobey. God pleads with them to trust him and obey. He pleads with them to obey and be blessed. He even warns them what will happen if they do not. Over and over again they refuse to believe and obey. And yet he keeps trying!
This is one determined God! Not a God determined to punish, but a God determined to love. God is determined to be in a relationship of love that is reciprocal. We should not be surprised that he punishes and judges their disobedience and sin. We should be amazed that he is so patient and merciful. This God is constantly adjusting the plan to accommodate the faintest evidence of faith and trust. He brings swift and severe judgment at times, but we must remember what is at stake. It is not just the safe entry of the nation of Israel into the promised land. What is at stake is the salvation of the world!
God’s promise to bless all nations through the offspring of Abraham depends on keeping this rag tag group of people together long enough to bring about the birth of Christ. The promise is through the seed of Abraham and through the tribe of Judah. The deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt was only a very small demonstration of what was in the heart and mind of God–to deliver humankind of all nations from slavery to sin. Whenever anyone messes with this plan of God–to save the world–God responds swiftly and severely. But his severity is rooted in love. It is tough love, indeed! But it is love, nonetheless.
John 3:16 “For God so love the world that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. ” The rules and regulations of Deuteronomy are to guide this very rebellious people to the promised land, but also to guide them to deliver the child of Isaiah 9–the child that would be prophet, priest, and king all wrapped up in one! The severity of judgment in these pages is matched only by the depth of God’s love for the world.
Chapter 30 at the end lays out the proposition clearly. When confronted with God’s plan and instructions on how to live, a nation or a person can choose life or death. Obey and choose life. Disobey and choose death. Over and over again God set before them the opportunity to choose life and they chose death. It is the ultimate challenge for all persons–believe God and live or refuse to believe and die.
If God is God, and there is no other beside him, no higher court to appeal to, then we either believe God or we do not. But the consequences are clear. The God revealed in these chapters is a God relentlessly pursuing us in love. (Just wait till we get to the book of Hosea and see how God describes himself there–the jilted lover!) Unfortunately the human race seems to be a people relentlessly pursuing their own destruction. Thank God that he did not give up on us!