Deuteronomy 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
Context: Deuteronomy 30:17-18,20 But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, 18I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess. … 20loving the LORD your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”
From the lexicon: curse=vilification
In other words: Deuteronomy 30:19. I call on all that is in heaven and all that is on earth to witness that I have set this out to you to choose life or death God’s blessing or cursing. Choose life so that both you and your descendants shall live.
Pulling it together: God offered Israel His promise of life and possession of the Land of Promise. It does not sound like much of a question to you or me, for who wouldn’t choose life over death. However, in verses 17-18 Moses explains that life comes by not serving other gods and by loving and serving the true living God through obeying His commands. Israel failed the test and chose death, and are scattered among the nations to this day.
The same choice is given to the people of our modern world. Will we choose life or death? Will we seek our idols–anything that comes between us and God–those things we live for? Or will we seek to honor and serve Him? Romans 6:23 states this: The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Choose life. Choose Jesus.
Lord, I pray for grace to follow You in all that I do and to honor You in obedience to Your Word.