This ROADMAP I found while reading DEUTERONOMY, chapters five through eight.  It is crucial to understand the mind of God through the words of Moses who is reminding the second generation since the first generation of Jews wandered and died in the desert during their forty years' sojourn, indeed, a stiff-necked people.  Now Moses is warning this next generation before they embark on taking the land of Canaan (promised to them by the Lord God,) but the first group (save Caleb & Joshua) were not worthy to enter the PROMISED LAND.

     Since Moses had a excellent understanding of his God - speaking to Him face to face, and seeing what happened to the original group who were taken from bondage to freedom by the mighty hand of the Lord, is now giving this next generation a warning as to what to do "very carefully" in observing all things that the Lord demands of His servants, veering neither to the right nor to the left.

     If we (as the extended children of Abraham) obey what Moses lists, then we also will be able to go into the PROMISED LAND - but our reward is eternal life!  The ROADMAP has to be adhered to perfectly, since the Lord our God does not tolerate disobedience, so Moses urges them to be very careful in obeying the ten commandments which he summarizes in chapter five.  

    In chapter six, Moses reviews the heart of the law which keeps us on the straight & narrow: "and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might, and you shall teach them diligently to your children" (vs. 4-7.)  "And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates" (V.9.)  If you do all the Lord commands, things will go well for you (in the land you are about to occupy) and also for us (the extended children of Israel) as we prepare for eternity.  Remember that God is a jealous God and will not tolerate ANY idol before Him. (We should think of this as meaning ANYTHING that we would put in front of our God - or have it take precedence over Him.)

      Chapter seven reviews how the enemies (seven groups) must be utterly destroyed with nothing remaining that may lead you into a snare - since they are Godless people so have nothing to do with them, since they would lead you astray if given the chance.

    Chapter eight contains the admonition that man does not live by bread alone, but that man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord. The warning is repeated to take heed also not to forget the Lord your God, for if you do, you shall surely perish as the peoples before you.

      This ROADMAP is very strict-very narrow and very focused.  If we follow it in complete obedience, it will lead us to eternal life.  This is the promise of God in the Old Testament, reflected in these four chapters, and repeated BY THE SAME CHANGELESS GOD in the New Testament in the presence of the Word made flesh - JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF!  Moses did not want the second generation to suffer the same fate as the first...and the analogy goes for us also!  God wants us to strive to be perfect, like your heavenly Father is perfect!  God hates sin, so if we wish to have a relationship with our God, we must do the same!  This is the counsel of Moses. WISE WORDS INDEED - and the end result: Happiness and peace in heaven forever and ever with the one true TRIUNE God.

Byron LeBeau

PS: FOR MORE INFO ON ABOVE, GO TO THE FOLLOWING WEB PAGES:

"DOUBLE PROMISES OF GOD..."

MISSLER CHUCK COMMENTARY ON THE OT & NT....AND SCROLL TO #3 Deuteronomy....