Deuteronomy 27:9-15: a reflection

9Moses and the Levitical priests spoke to all Israel, saying, “Be silent and listen, Israel! Today you have become the people of the LORD your God. 10You shall therefore obey the LORD your God’s voice, and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command you today.” 11Moses commanded the people the same day, saying, 12“These shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people, when you have crossed over the Jordan: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. 13These shall stand on Mount Ebal for the curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. 14With a loud voice, the Levites shall say to all the men of Israel, 15‘Cursed is the man who makes an engraved or molten image, an abomination to the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ All the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen.’

As Israel prepares to enter the land, Moses says something that grounds all the obedience that follows: Be silent and listen, Israel! Today you have become the people of the LORD your God. You shall therefore obey the LORD your God's voice. Notice the order: first, you have become the people of the LORD; therefore, obey him. Their obedience was to flow from their identity, from the fact that they were now God's own people. Because they belonged to God, they were to obey him; the belonging came first, and the obedience flowed from it.

Notice how obedience is grounded: in identity, in belonging to God. Moses does not simply command obedience; he first declares who they are, the people of the LORD, and then says, therefore obey. Their obedience was not to be a way of earning God's favor or becoming his people; they already were his people, and their obedience flowed from that. Because they belonged to God, they were to live as his; the obedience was the expression of an identity already given, not the means of earning one. Belonging grounded obeying.

That order is worth taking to heart, for our obedience too flows from our identity as God's people, not the other way around. We can imagine we must obey God in order to become his, to earn his favor or a place among his people; but Moses declares that they had become God's people, and therefore were to obey. For those who belong to God through Christ, obedience flows from that belonging, the grateful response of those already his, not the means of earning it. Do not obey God as a way of earning your place as his; you belong to him already, and your obedience flows from that belonging. Let your obedience be the expression of your identity as one who belongs to God, a grateful response to being his, rather than a striving to earn it, as Moses told Israel, you have become the people of the LORD; therefore obey his voice, grounding obedience in the belonging already given.

Lord, as Israel prepares to enter the land, Moses says something that grounds all the obedience that follows: be silent and listen, Israel! Today you have become the people of the LORD your God; you shall therefore obey the LORD your God's voice. Notice the order: first, you have become the people of the LORD; therefore, obey him. Their obedience was to flow from their identity, from the fact that they were now your own people. Because they belonged to you, they were to obey you. Show me how obedience is grounded: in identity, in belonging to you. Moses does not simply command obedience; he first declares who they are, your people, and then says, therefore obey. Their obedience was not to be a way of earning your favor; they already were your people, and their obedience flowed from that. Belonging grounded obeying. Take that order to my heart, for my obedience too flows from my identity as your person, not the other way around. I can imagine I must obey you in order to become yours, to earn your favor; but Moses declares that they had become your people, and therefore were to obey. For those who belong to you through Christ, obedience flows from that belonging, the grateful response of those already yours. Keep me from obeying you as a way of earning my place as yours; I belong to you already, and my obedience flows from that. Let my obedience be the expression of my identity as one who belongs to you, Lord, a grateful response to being yours, rather than a striving to earn it.