When reading the Old Testament, one of the most frequent questions people ask is “Why?”

Why does God judge so harshly?

Why does he command entire groups of people to be killed?

Why does he allow his own people to suffer and go into captivity?

These are all valid questions and similar to many we might ask today. To help answer these questions and before we completely leave Deuteronomy (though I realize you’ve probably already finished it in the yearly reading plan), it’s important to remember as you read the rest of the Old Testament a key teaching in the book and that is: the importance of God’s covenant with his people.

A covenant has two sides

It’s easy to forget that God’s covenants, his agreements with his people to care for and save them are not one-sided.  God’s love, grace, and saving power are unconditional in that once you are one of his people, either his chosen nation or as a believer in Jesus today, you will always be his. However, as a child of God, he has certain expectations of what your behavior should be.

There are also consequences if your behavior does not follow this commands. This is the reality that answers many of the questions we have.Continue Reading