Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Deuteronomy
Book: Deuteronomy
Chapter: 30
Overview:
Mercies promised to the repentant.
(1-10) The commandment
manifest.
(11-14) Death and
Life set before them.
(15-20)
1-10 In this
Chapter is a
Plain intimation of the
Mercy God has
in store for
Israel in the latter days. This
Passage refers to
the prophetic warnings of the last two chapters, which have been
mainly fulfilled in the
Destruction of
Jerusalem By the
Romans,
and in their
Dispersion to the present
Day; and there can be
No
doubt that the prophetic promise contained in these verses yet
remain to come to pass. The Jewish nation shall in some future
period, perhaps not very distant, be converted to the
Faith of
Christ; and, many think, again settled in the land of
Canaan.
The language here used is in a great
Measure absolute promises;
not merely a conditional engagement, but declaring an event
assuredly to take place. For the
Lord himself here engages to
"circumcise their hearts;" and when regenerating
Grace has
removed corrupt nature, and Divine
Love has supplanted the
Love
of
Sin, they certainly will reflect, repent, return to
God, and
obey him; and he will rejoice in doing them good. The change
that will be wrought upon them will not be only outward, or
consisting in mere opinions; it will reach to their souls. It
will produce in them an utter
Hatred of all
Sin, and a fervent
Love to
God, as their reconciled
God in
Christ Jesus; they will
Love him with all their hearts, and with all their soul. They
are very far from this state of mind at present, but
So were the
murderers of the
Lord Jesus,
On the
Day of
Pentecost; who yet in
one
Hour were converted unto
God.
So shall it be in the
Day of
God's power; a nation shall be born in a
Day; the
Lord will
hasten it in his time. As a conditional promise this
Passage
belongs to all persons and all people, not to
Israel only; it
assures us that the greatest sinners, if they repent and are
converted, shall have their sins pardoned, and be restored to
God's favour.
11-14 The
Law is not too high for thee. It is not only known
afar off; it is not confined to men of learning. It is written
in thy books, made
Plain,
So that he who runs may read it. It is
in thy mouth, in the tongue commonly used
By thee, in which thou
mayest hear it read, and talk of it among thy children. It is
delivered
So that it is level to the understanding of the
meanest. This is especially true of the
Gospel of
Christ, to
which the
Apostle applies it. But the
Word is nigh us, and
Christ in that
Word;
So that if we believe with the
Heart, that
the promises of the
Messiah are fulfilled in our
Lord Jesus, and
confess them with our mouth, we then have
Christ with us.
15-20 What could be said more moving, and more likely to make
Deep and lasting impressions? Every
Man wishes to obtain
Life
and good, and to escape
Death and evil; he desires happiness,
and dreads misery.
So great is the compassion of the
Lord, that
he has favoured men,
By his
Word, with such a knowledge of good
and evil as will make them for ever happy, if it be not their
own fault. Let us hear the sum of the whole matter. If they and
theirs would
Love God, and serve him, they should live and be
happy. If they or theirs should turn from
God,
Desert his
service, and
Worship other gods, that would certainly be their
ruin. There never was, since the fall of
Man, more than one way
to
Heaven; which is marked out in both Testaments, though not
with equal clearness.
Moses meant that same way of acceptance,
which
Paul more plainly described; and
Paul's words mean the
same obedience,
On which
Moses more fully treated. In both
Testaments the good and right way is brought near, and plainly
revealed to us.