2026.02.18 Hopewell @Home ▫ Deuteronomy 30:1–10

Read Deuteronomy 30:1–10

Questions from the Scripture text: What will come upon them (Deuteronomy 30:1)? What will they do, among the nations? How will they get there? But to Whom will they return (Deuteronomy 30:2)? By doing what? Who will return with them? In what manner? What will YHWH do for them (Deuteronomy 30:3)? Why? To whom, particularly (Deuteronomy 30:4)? Even from where? What will YHWH do? Where will YHWH bring them (Deuteronomy 30:5)? What will He do to them there? More than to whom? What else will YHWH do to them (Deuteronomy 30:6)? And to whom? To do what? With what? What will YHWH do to their enemies (Deuteronomy 30:7)? But what will His people do (Deuteronomy 30:8)? In what five areas will YHWH make them abound (Deuteronomy 30:9)? What will He do “over them”? For what? Like what? What will they do (Deuteronomy 30:10)? In what manner will they return to Him? 

How can God’s people return to Him? Deuteronomy 30:1–10 looks forward to the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these ten verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that God’s people return to Him by the work of His sovereign grace.  

Israel will fail (Deuteronomy 30:1) to keep the first great commandment (cf. Deuteronomy 6:5). But YHWH will turn them (and their children!) back to love Him with all their heart and all their soul (Deuteronomy 30:2, Deuteronomy 30:6, Deuteronomy 30:10). They are commanded to circumcise their hearts unto Him in this way (cf. Deuteronomy 10:12–16), but the history of Israel will show that He must do this for and in them by His grace (Deuteronomy 30:6). This grace is patient: it will still seek them, after they have brought upon themselves all the curses (Deuteronomy 30:1-3). This grace is particular: it seeks out every elect individual (Deuteronomy 30:4a). This grace is powerful: it overcomes any distance or obstacle (verse 4b), including the obstacle of an unregenerate heart (Deuteronomy 30:6). This grace prospers, bringing upon them all covenant blessings (Deuteronomy 30:5, Deuteronomy 30:7, Deuteronomy 30:9). And this grace perseveres, bringing them to love Him with all the heart and soul, and to obey and do all His commandments (Deuteronomy 30:6, Deuteronomy 30:8, Deuteronomy 30:10). 

In what ways do you need to turn to the Lord? In what ways do your children? What is your hope for this?

Sample prayer: Lord, forgive us for how we have transgressed Your commands. It exposes that we do not love You with all the heart and all the soul. Our only hope is that grace which would find us, no matter how far we are, and give us new, consecrated hearts. Save us, and our children, by that grace, we ask through Christ, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP32AB “What Blessedness” or TPH433 “Amazing Grace”