Deuteronomy 30:19 says, “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live.” This verse comes near the end of Moses’ farewell address to the Israelites before they entered the Promised Land. It summarizes a key theme running throughout Deuteronomy – the choice between obedience and blessing versus disobedience and cursing.
The verse sets forth two stark alternatives that the Israelites faced as they prepared to enter Canaan – “life and prosperity” or “death and destruction” (NIV). Their future depended on the choice they made. If they loved God, walked in His ways, and kept His commandments, they would experience His blessing and live long in the land He was giving them (Deuteronomy 30:16). But if they turned away from God and embraced idolatry and wickedness, the result would be God’s curse, death, and removal from the land (Deuteronomy 30:17-18).
By calling on heaven and earth to witness or testify against Israel, Moses was emphasizing the gravity and enduring nature of the choice he set before them. All creation would hold them accountable for the decision they made. There would be no escape from the consequences, blessings or curses, that flowed from that decision.
The options Moses set before the people were “life and prosperity” versus “death and destruction.” Obedience led to blessing and life while disobedience led to cursing and death. Some key points:
- Life meant longevity in the Promised Land of Canaan (Deuteronomy 30:20). It included national security, fruitful harvests, large families, and God’s favor and presence.
- Death meant exile from the land, war, disease, famine, and removal from God’s presence (Deuteronomy 28:15-68). Ultimate death meant eternal separation from God.
- Blessing included material prosperity, health, victory over enemies, and intimate fellowship with God (Deuteronomy 28:1-14).
- Curse meant divine discipline designed to promote repentance and return to God. Curses encompassed sickness, drought, military defeat, and foreign domination (Deuteronomy 28:15-68).
After laying out the choice, Moses exhorted the Israelites to “choose life” (v.19). This was not just a one-time decision but a call to continual commitment and obedience. Choosing life meant loving and clinging to God by walking in His ways and keeping His commands (Deuteronomy 30:16, 20). It required circumcising their hearts – humbling themselves and turning wholeheartedly to the Lord (Deuteronomy 30:6, 10).
This verse lays down a principle that remains relevant today. All people face a choice between life and death, blessing and curse. The choices are submitting to God in loving obedience or rejecting Him and going one’s own sinful way. Like the Israelites, we reap tremendous blessings when we choose to love and obey God. But if we turn away from Him, we bring tragedy and destruction on ourselves. God calls all people to choose life by submitting to Jesus Christ, who is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).
1. The Context of Deuteronomy 30:19
To fully understand Deuteronomy 30:19, we need to understand the overall context of the book of Deuteronomy. Some key points:
- Deuteronomy records Moses’ final words to Israel before they entered Canaan after 40 years in the wilderness. It reiterates the law and Israel’s covenant with God.
- Moses warns Israel repeatedly of the dangers of idolatry, rebellion, and forgetting God once they became prosperous in the land.
- He calls them to love God, cling to Him, and obey His commands (Deuteronomy 10:12-13; 11:1,22; 13:4). Obedience would lead to blessing and life.
- Disobedience would incur God’s curse and discipline, leading ultimately to exile from the land if they did not repent (Deuteronomy 28:15-68).
Deuteronomy 30 comes near the end of Moses’ final exhortation to Israel. He has set before them the stark choice between blessing and curse, life and death. Now He pleads with them one last time to choose life by loving and obeying God alone.
2. Key Themes in Deuteronomy 30
Deuteronomy 30 highlights key themes that shed light on the meaning of verse 19:
- Repentance and restoration: Even after disobeying God, Israel could find forgiveness and restoration through repentance (Deuteronomy 30:1-10). This foreshadowed God’s gracious promise to restore them after exile.
- Choice: Moses set before Israel the clear choice between life and prosperity versus death and adversity based on obeying or disobeying God (Deuteronomy 30:15-18). The choice was up to them.
- Love and obedience: Choosing life meant wholeheartedly loving God by walking in His ways and keeping His commands (Deuteronomy 30:16, 20). Outward obedience was to flow from inner love for God.
- Circumcision of heart: True repentance required circumcising their hearts – humbling themselves and turning wholly to the Lord (Deuteronomy 30:6, 10). God wanted sincere inner transformation.
These key themes help illuminate the meaning of the climactic verse 19. God’s people faced a clear choice between life and death hinging on loving obedience to God from the heart. The same choice faces us today.
3. The Meaning of Key Terms in Deuteronomy 30:19
Examining key terms in Deuteronomy 30:19 sheds further light on its meaning:
- Life and good: A full life blessed by God in the Promised Land through obedience to Him.
- Death and evil: The consequences of disobedience – defeat, exile, loss of land and God’s blessing.
- Heaven and earth: Called as permanent witnesses against Israel. The choice was fixed in creation itself.
- Choose: Israel had to make the choice; God set options before them but did not force their decision.
- You and your offspring may live: Obedience would bring blessed and long life for them and their descendants in the land.
These terms underscore the importance and eternal consequences of wholeheartedly choosing to love and obey God.
4. The Choice Between Life and Death
The choice set before Israel in Deuteronomy 30:19 contains several key elements:
- The options were absolute – stark opposites allowing no middle ground.
- The choice was fixed and permanent before the heavenly court.
- The choice determined their destiny and that of generations to come.
- The choice depended on their relationship with God – loving Him or turning from Him.
- God appealed to them to choose life by obeying Him wholeheartedly.
Sadly, Israel failed to consistently choose life throughout her history. But God remained gracious, providing forgiveness and spiritual life through Christ. And the same choice faces us today with the same eternal consequences.
5. Principles for Us Today
What principles from Deuteronomy 30:19 apply to Christians today?
- We face the same choice between spiritual life and death based on our relationship to God through Christ.
- Choosing life means loving and obeying God from the heart, clinging to Him wholeheartedly.
- Disobeying God leads to spiritual barrenness, broken relationships, and ultimate death.
- Through Christ, God graciously provides forgiveness and spiritual life to all who repent and believe.
- God wants our hearts fully devoted to Him in loving obedience by the power of the Spirit.
- Our choices impact future generations, so we must choose life and lead others to do the same.
The life or death decision faced by Israel has ongoing relevance. May God give us grace to choose spiritual life by clinging wholly to Him!
6. Choosing Life Through Christ
How do we choose life and gain eternal blessing like Israel was called to do?
- We must place our faith in Christ alone for salvation from sin (John 3:16).
- We choose life by abiding in intimate loving relationship with God through Christ (John 15:1-11).
- We choose life by obeying Christ’s commands empowered by the Holy Spirit (John 14:15-21).
- We choose life by fixing our minds on Christ and things above rather than earthly things (Colossians 3:1-4).
- We choose life by crucifying worldly desires and becoming new creations in Christ (Galatians 2:20; 5:24).
Choosing life means we no longer live for ourselves but fully for Christ who gave Himself for us (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). Only He can transform our hearts to enable us to love and obey God wholeheartedly as Deuteronomy 30:19 commands.
7. Blessings of Choosing Life in Christ
What are some blessings of choosing life by following Christ wholeheartedly?
- Forgiveness of sins and freedom from condemnation (Romans 8:1).
- The indwelling Holy Spirit and power to live obediently (Ezekiel 36:27).
- Eternal life and abundant life now (John 3:16; 10:10).
- Peace with God and strength for trials (Romans 5:1; Philippians 4:13).
- Guidance, purpose, hope (Proverbs 3:5-6; Romans 15:13).
- Transformation into Christ’s image (2 Corinthians 3:18).
- Intimate relationship with God as His beloved child (John 1:12-13).
Choosing to follow Christ leads to tremendous spiritual blessings now and for eternity. We receive the very life of God as His dearly loved children.
8. Warning Against Choosing Death
Deuteronomy 30:19 pleads with us to choose life by obeying God from the heart. What warnings does it give if we choose the path of spiritual death instead?
- We will experience the curse and discipline of God rather than His blessing (Deuteronomy 30:19).
- We will forfeit intimate fellowship with God and endure His wrath (Psalm 5:4-5).
- We will experience broken relationships, loss of spiritual vitality, emptiness, and lack of purpose.
- We will defile our consciences, corrupt our souls, and perish eternally if we do not repent (1 Timothy 4:2; Romans 6:23).
- Our sinful choices may negatively impact generations to come.
Moses’ cry to choose life warns us not to pursue sin’s fleeting pleasures at the cost of incurring God’s eternal curse. May we heed this warning through repentance and faith in Christ.
9. The Urgency of Choosing Life Today
Why is it so urgent that we choose life by committing to Christ today?
- No one knows if they will have another chance to repent (2 Corinthians 6:2). Death may come unexpectedly.
- Hardening our hearts today may make us less receptive to God’s Spirit tomorrow (Hebrews 3:7-8, 15).
- Willful sin has a deceitful, addictive nature that traps us (Hebrews 3:13).
- The pleasures of sin are short-lived, while the consequences are eternal (Hebrews 11:25-26).
- Without Christ, we are helpless, doomed sinners already under God’s wrath (Ephesians 2:1-3).
- Now is the day of salvation – choose life in Christ today while you can (2 Corinthians 6:2).
The eternal stakes could not be higher. May God impress on our hearts the urgent need to choose life and salvation in Christ while we still can.
10. Choosing Life Is an Ongoing Decision
Choosing life in Christ is not a one-time decision but an ongoing process as Deuteronomy 30 makes clear. We must:
- Continually reaffirm our commitment to follow Jesus wholeheartedly.
- Daily crucify worldly desires and embrace Christ’s will for us (Luke 9:23).
- Regularly repent when we fail and turn back to God.
- Consistently obey God’s commands enabled by His Spirit.
- Fix our eyes on Jesus and things above rather than earthly temptations (Hebrews 12:1-2).
- Walk by faith, looking forward to the fullness of life in God’s presence.
By God’s grace, may we persevere in choosing life, love, and obedience to Christ all our days. Then we will experience the full blessed life He promises both now and for eternity.