WATCH

WORD OF WISDOM
WATCH ~ Hebrews mishmereth, one who watches (Nehemiah 4:22), or a watch-station (7:3; 12:9; Job 7:12).

Source: Easton's Bible Dictionary

Deuteronomy 4:9 Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons;

Moses adds all these words, to show that we can never be careful enough to keep the law of God and to teach it to those who follow us in our life's cycle.

The power and love of God to Israel are here made the ground and reason of a number of cautions and serious warnings; and although there is much reference to their national covenant, yet all may be applied to those who live under the gospel.

What are laws made for? To be observed and obeyed.

Our obedience as individuals cannot merit salvation; but it is the only evidence that we are partakers of the gift of God, which is eternal life through Jesus Christ, Considering how many temptations we are surounded with, and what corrupt desires we have in our bosoms, we have great need to keep our hearts with all diligence. Those cannot walk aright, who walk carelessly.

Moses charges particularly to take heed of the sin of idolatry. He shows how weak the temptation would be; for these pretended gods, the sun, moon, and stars, were only blessings which the Lord their God had imparted to all nations. It is absurd to worship them; shall we serve those that were made to serve us?

Take heed lest ye forget the covenant of the Lord your God. We must take heed lest at any time we forget our God. Our duty corresponding to these advantages as a people, is twofold: 1. our own faithful obedience to that law; and 2. our obligation to impress the minds of the young and rising generation with similar sentiments of reverence and respect for God and His Laws.

We must beware with extreme vigilance and diligence lest we should fail through the want of them; for the slothfulness of the flesh must be urged on by such reminders as these words given to us by Moses, and at the same time our weakness must be streghtened, and we must take measures against our unsteadfastness; for nothing is more easy than that all our zeal should suddenly be forgotten, or should gradually grow cold.

God had established the certainty of His law, as far as was necessary, for the grateful and attentive, yet not without reason does He desire the people to remember how great is the carelessness of men. Nor does He command those only to remember who were eye-witnesses, but also to hand down (what they had seen) to their sons and grandsons, that the memory of such remarkable things might be preserved.

Care, caution, and watchfulness, are helps against a bad memory.

God's Blessings to each of you,
LJG/rECj