Deu 10:12-16 “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD, which I am commanding you today for your good? Behold, to the LORD your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it. Yet the LORD set his heart in love on your fathers and chose their offspring after them, you above all peoples, as you are this day. Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn.
God requires from us a reverential honor towards Him; not a fear that would make us shrink back, but a heart that so honors God that we would be hesitant to offend Him. God requires us to live our lives after the pattern He has set for us; to walk on His road not on our own. God requires us to love Him. This means the love He expects isn’t a love that just happens, but it is a love that comes from a decision to set our affection upon Him. God requires us to serve Him, to see all that we do as service unto Him, and to do all that we do as if doing it unto Him. God requires us to not only know His word, but to keep it – in the sense of possessing it in ourselves, and in the sense of protecting it. Every command of God is given for our good. They are never given so He can exercise His power, or so He can feel important. Every command He makes is with our best interest in mind, even if we cannot sense it or understand it. God requires this conduct from His people because they are His special possession. Being chosen – having the special attention of God focused upon you – is a place of great privilege, but also a place of great responsibility.
This theme would be repeated later in the prophets. Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your hearts (Jeremiah 4:4). To fulfill God’s law, it takes more than being given a command – it takes an inner transformation, a transformation that only God can bring. God commanded them to do something that only He could do in them to show them the need to have the inner transformation, and to compel them to seek Him for this inner work. (Guzik)
We are here taught our duty to God in our principles and our practices. We must fear the Lord our God. We must love him, and delight in communion with him. We must walk in the ways in which he has appointed us to walk. We must serve him with all our heart and soul. What we do in his service we must do cheerfully, and with good will. We must keep his commandments. There is true honour and pleasure in obedience. We must give honour to God; and to him we must cleave, as one we love and delight in, trust in, and from whom we have great expectations. Circumcise your hearts. Cast away all corrupt affections and inclinations, which hinder you from fearing and loving God. (Henry)
God had showed great favor to Israel; what return did he require? Only what, without any prescription, they were bound to render – fear, love, and obedience. To fear the Lord thy God. To walk in all his ways; to receive his truth, accept his law, and follow the course of conduct which he prescribes. (Unknown)
