Deuteronomy 5:28
And the LORD heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me; and the LORD said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee: they have well said all that they have spoken. And the LORD heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me; and the LORD said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee: they have well said all that they have spoken.
After God spoke the commandments from fire and darkness while the mountain burned, the people feared they would die if they kept hearing His voice directly, so they asked Moses to go near, hear all God would say and relay it to them, promising to hear and do it, and the Lord heard their words and affirmed that they had well and rightly said all they had spoken in asking for this mediation. With that approval He expressed the longing that they would always keep this resolve in their hearts to fear Him and keep all His commandments continually, so that it might be well with them and their children forever. The verse reveals that God takes no pleasure in punishing the transgressor, yet when His righteous laws are trampled He must maintain the honor of His throne, and He delights to bestow blessings on all who will value them. That longing covers all who live on earth till the close of time who come under the mediation of Jesus Christ, teaching that the prosperity of all depends on obedience to God's requirements, with a heart steadfastly fixed on the Lord that holds His law precious even as it is disregarded by the masses. Standing in what God required that His ancient people might be holy to Himself, it is to be studied with profit now because the day of God's great final review is near when every character will be investigated and every case decided for eternity, calling for full surrender in simplicity of obedience to all His commandments, with every soul searching the Scriptures and sanctifying himself daily.
Setting and Meaning
Moses' words here belong to his rehearsal of the commandments and Israel's experience at the mount before entering Canaan, in the repetition of God's law. The setting is God's speaking of His law at the mount, whose words were to be kept before children and allowed to govern the whole of life.
After God spoke the commandments from fire, with His voice out of darkness while the mountain burned, the people feared they would die if they kept hearing Him directly. Hearing His voice thrilled them, and they asked that they might not hear God's words spoken directly. So they asked Moses to go near, hear all God would say, and relay it to them, promising to hear it and do it. Their words acknowledged God's glory and greatness and their fear of dying if they continued to hear His voice from the fire.
The Lord heard the voice of their words to Moses and affirmed that they had well and rightly said all that they had spoken in asking for this mediation. With His approval God expressed the wish that they would always keep this resolve in their hearts to fear Him and keep all His commandments continually, so that it might be well with them and their children forever. Their fear of hearing God's voice showed unbelief. Their words were the covenant they had just made to fear God and keep His commandments, and the broken tables of stone represented that they broke that covenant by worshiping a calf, the work of man, in place of sincere devotion to the living God.
Teaching and Application
God heard Israel's request for Moses to hear Him for them and obey, and approved what they said as well spoken. He takes no pleasure in punishing the transgressor, yet when His righteous laws are trampled He must maintain the honor of His throne. He delights to bestow His blessings on all who will value them.
His approval carries His longing that they would fear Him and keep all His commandments always so that it might be well with them and with their children forever. That longing covers all who live on earth till the close of time who come under the mediation of Jesus Christ. The prosperity of all depends on obedience to God's requirements. A heart steadfastly fixed on the Lord will not think slightly of His law but will hold it precious in proportion as it is disregarded and despised by the masses.
The verse stands in Deuteronomy 4-8, which shows what God required of His ancient people that they might be a holy people unto Himself. It is to be studied with profit now because the day of God's great final review is near, when the people of this world must stand before the Judge of all the earth to answer for their deeds. This is the present time of investigation when every character will have been investigated and every case decided for eternity.
The verse stands within Deuteronomy 4-11, which gives instruction for understanding God's dealings with His people and means much to every soul carrying responsibilities in sanitarium work. All the directions God has given are to be carefully observed, from the greatest to that which may seem the least. Those engaged in that work are to have purified souls, reverent speech and deportment, and consecrated loving service in word, home, and sacred duties.
The verse is one of the important things specified in God's Word that are not to be neglected but to be read carefully and regarded. It calls for full surrender beginning and continuing in simplicity of obedience to all the Lord's commandments according to His special directions, with an interest to do them. Every soul is to search the Scriptures for himself and make the Word of the Lord his study book lest he be found in rebellion. Each is to sanctify himself daily according to the Word of the Lord so the Lord will be glorified through him.
The verse belongs to the instruction in chapter five, which calls for sanctification of mind, soul, and body and perfect obedience to God's will. This requirement applies to every person today, and no excuse is accepted for disobedience to God's commandments. It shows parents their duty to train their children from very infancy to form characters that will meet the approval of God. They are to take every precaution to prevent objectionable traits of character and to control themselves for the sake of Christ as Creator and Redeemer in order to be prepared for the present and future life.
The words God spoke at the mount were to be kept before children and allowed to govern the whole of life, including business dealings. Teaching and obeying these precepts will prepare a people to regain Paradise, lost through disobedience. Human teachings that oppose God's law, including a false Sabbath treated as an object of reverence, lead instead to coercion and punishment of those who refuse it.