BIG PICTURE

Deuteronomy 17-24

Little picture—big picture—landscape—detail of flower.  Which is best?  Neither—depends on what you want—your perspective. 

General Law—10 Commands

Case Law—specific ways of living out the general law—10 commands 

Deut 12-26  Specific laws to live out 10 Commands 

Specific—“If … then …” 

General things we see in the bird’s eye view of Deut 17-24: 

1. God loves everyone

     2. God wants love and worship from everyone

 

3. God expects those who love/worship Him to love everyone

 

Apostle John—writer of Gospel, Revelation and Letters of John says this: 

¹¹ Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  (1 John 4:11, NIV) 

¹⁹ We love because he first loved us. ²⁰ Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. ²¹ And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.  (1 John 4:19-21) 

That is general law—love God, love others.  How do you do it? 

1. If someone does something to you, you confront them and seek to forgive them. 

2. If you do something to someone else, you are to go and ask forgiveness. 

3. So, “if they … then you.”  You are not let it go—not to hate and move to bitterness—not to ignore it—not to break relations over it.  Talk it out—confront the situation—deal with it—forgive and move on. 

4. That’s how marriages work.  That’s how relationships among family members continue.  That’s how friendships continue. 

5. If you truly belong to God, then you will do these things, because belonging to God, and loving God changes us.  It causes us to become more like Him! 

God loves you. 

God wants you to love and worship Him back. 

God wants you to love others, since you belong to Him.

 

Are there any of your relationships today that need mending—either with God or with other people? 

Time of silent prayer