Covenant Theology: Blessings, Curses, and Sanctions: Promises Of The Law

Heaven On Earth

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Covenant Theology

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2015-11-17

Synopsis: Pastor John Weaver teaches from Deuteronomy 11 that a measure of heaven on earth can be experienced now through obedience to God's Word, resulting in heavenly wisdom and a heavenly walk. He contrasts this with the failed utopian dreams of fallen man and emphasizes that biblical dominion comes through obedience, while disobedience leads to domination by the wicked.

[John Weaver] I want you to open your Bibles if you would please today to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 11. Deuteronomy chapter 11. And we are going to be looking mainly at chapter 11 today. We will look at some other passages. Deuteronomy 11 in our text happens to be 18-21 we will be looking at all of this in the context. But Deuteronomy 11, verse 18, Therefore shall you lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.

[John Weaver] and you shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, when thou risest up. And thou shalt write them upon the doorpost of thine house, and upon thy gates, that your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven So, the title of the message today is simply, Heaven on Earth. The message today is not primarily a message on eschatology, although it could easily dip into eschatology, the doctrine of last things. And in one sense of the word, it's almost impossible not to have any message without eschatology, because eschatology not only is a theology, it is a worldview as well. And whatever you preach or teach, certainly your worldview comes into play.

[John Weaver] But when we think of heaven on earth, We normally think of some utopian society that has been planned by a fallen man in seeking to restore innocence based upon some humanistic perspective or endeavor. Such utopian communities have been tried by the Quakers, by the Socialists, by the Communists, by some even Christians. In fact for years I've preached in Cahuilla, California. And Cahuilla happened to be a little town that began as a socialistic utopian society. Of course it closed down, but the town then continued.

[John Weaver] You remember that Henry David Thoreau of Alton Pond fame sought such an existence, although his existence was certainly not utopian by any stretch of the imagination. I've told you in time past I'm going to repeat it right now just because it's amusing. I came across the word utopia in the second year of my Greek class and I remember laughing the very first time I really discovered the meaning of this word. Because the Greek word utopia is actually made up of two Greek words. It's made up of oo which is a negative which means no. And topos which is the Greek word for place. So the word utopia literally means no place. There is no such place that exists. In other words, all of your socialistic, communistic, fascist utopian societies are nothing more than a figment of fallen man's imagination.

[John Weaver] Reality is not determined by man, reality is determined by God. So obviously there is no such thing then as a socialistic or communistic utopia. We have to remember that man without God and apart from Him can only produce what is known as a society of death. How can I say that? Well, the answer is based upon Proverbs chapter 8 verses 35 and 36. You remember in Proverbs chapter 8 Jesus Christ is wisdom personified, that is He is into a person and He is speaking.

[John Weaver] And in verse 35 He says this,"'For whoso findeth Me findeth life, and obtaineth favor of the Lord.' And that certainly is true. Whoever finds Jesus Christ finds life and obtains favor of the Father. But verse 36 says this, But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul. All they that hate me love death." Stop and think about that. All they that hate Christ love death. Thus, the only society that fallen man can produce is a society of death. And what fallen man always tries to do is he keeps seeking in himself that which only can be found in the one true and the living God in Jesus Christ His only begotten Son. So reality and the only order that will work is a biblical order that is rooted and grounded in obedience to God. So a fallen man will never find his utopia for a fallen man's utopia only exists in his depraved imagination.

[John Weaver] So, the New World Order crowd just happens to be barking up the wrong tree. That doesn't mean that they are not going to kill a lot of people. It doesn't mean that they are not going to try. But it does mean this, that their utopian society, and their utopian view will ultimately fail. Now I will tell you this as I've told you in time past, there will be a New World Order. it will not be man's New World Order it will be the New World Order that has been fashioned and ordained by God the Father through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] Now when we are talking about the phrase Heaven on Earth it could bring to mind an eschatological position based upon Revelation 21. If you will hold Deuteronomy 11 and look in your Bibles to the book of Revelation chapter 21 and let's look there at verses 1 and 2. Revelation 21 verses 1 and 2. I want you to see what John says and you can see the concept here of Heaven on Earth I'm sure. Revelation 21 verse 1 and I saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away and there was no more sea and I John saw the holy city New Jerusalem watch carefully coming down from God out of heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband so I Jerusalem, the Eternal City then is coming down out of Heaven from God. So, many based upon this text and other texts in the Bible believe that literally Heaven will indeed be here on earth. So, you could refer to Heaven on earth eschatologically speaking.

[John Weaver] However, there is another sense that we can speak of Heaven on earth, and that sense is when you have a home, or a church, or a community, or society that lives in obedience to God, and each individual fulfills his responsibility, keeps his heart, and is easily entreated. Now before we get through with Deuteronomy chapter 11 I'm going to show you that in essence that is what Canaan land was actually supposed to be. Canaan land according to Deuteronomy chapter 11 was supposed to be a little bit of heaven on earth as Israel obeyed God and God's blessing rested upon the people.

[John Weaver] So let me try to tie these thoughts together. So if you look in Deuteronomy chapter 10 let's begin reading it with verse 20 and we'll read through chapter 11 and verse 1. So let me just show you this, Deuteronomy chapter 10 verse 20 God says, Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name. For he is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen. Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons, and now the Lord thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for a multitude." Now watch this, He gives a command in verse 20 to fear the Lord, to serve Him, to cleave to Him, to swear by His name. He is to be their praise. He is to be their God. They remember the great things that He has done. In fact verse 22 tells how He has multiplied them.

[John Weaver] Now look at verse 1, is in light of these things, therefore thou shalt love the Lord thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments always." So God is saying very clearly here that godly fear produces service, loyalty, faithfulness, gratefulness, and obedience. So a first-hand knowledge of God's grace and God's greatness and God's chastisement is Designed to strengthen the bond that godly fear produces Let me explain let's continue with verse 2 and read through verse 7 watch this. I And know you this day, for I speak not with your children which have not known, and which have not seen the chastisement of the Lord your God, His greatness, His mighty arm, or His mighty hand and His stretched out arm, and His miracles and His acts which He did in the midst

[John Weaver] of Egypt unto Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and unto all this land. And what He did unto the army of Egypt, unto their horses, unto their chariots, how He made the water of the Red Sea to overflow them as they pursued after you. how the Lord destroyed them unto this day. And what He did unto you in the wilderness until you came into this place. And what He did unto Dathan, and to Baram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben.

[John Weaver] How the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and all their substance that was in their possession in the midst of all Israel. But your eyes have seen all the great acts of the Lord which He did."

[John Weaver] Now, let me just point out this passage clearly indicates and clearly teaches that fearing, serving, and knowing God is serious business. It's not something that you do flippantly, and it's not something that you do half-heartedly. In fact He is telling us in verses 2-7 that the judgment and the chastisements of God are real and effective. He judges and destroys His enemies, and He chastens His people.

[John Weaver] Now, here's what He's saying, if you have known, if you have seen first hand judgment and the chastisement of God it should make you fear and submit lest it fall upon you now you just stop and think had you been in Egypt when God was smiting the firstborn or all those plagues wouldn't you think well now it'd be a good time to really get close to the Lord it's the same thing when he drowned Pharaoh and all of his chariots you'd think, well I'm thankful I'm not an Egyptian at this particular point in time. You know it should make you thankful. Let me show you.

[John Weaver] I want you to hold Deuteronomy chapter 11, but go in your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 12. You see God's chastisement is designed to teach us submission, obedience, Righteousness and Holiness. So notice in Hebrews chapter 12 beginning there with verse 5, which by the way is a quote from the book of Proverbs. So Hebrews chapter 12 verse 5, And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him. So God says don't despise it. Now watch, For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth. and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth." If you endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons. For what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if you be without chastisement worth all our partakers, then are you bastards and not sons. Now watch carefully.

[John Weaver] Furthermore, we've had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence. In other words, when my daddy wore me out, I always said, Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. It may have been temporary, but I certainly said it at that particular time. This is what he's saying. We gave them reverence. Now watch. Here's the question, shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of Spirits and live? For they, that is the earthly fathers, verily for a few days chasten us after their own pleasure. But he, that is God, our Heavenly Father, for our profit we might be partakers of His holiness.

[John Weaver] Now no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous. Nevertheless, afterwards it yieldeth a peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby." So what God is saying is this, the result of your first-hand knowledge of God's judgment and God's chastisement should not make you weak or cowardly. should make you strong. It should encourage you. According to Hebrews chapter 12, it should give us more submissive, a more submissive spirit and attitude. It should make us more holy. It should make us more righteous. And consequently should make us strong and encouraged. You say, well how can you be strong and encouraged in chastisement? Well just stop and think about this. God is not against us, then God is for us. And God would not be chastening us if He was not for us. And if you will go back to Deuteronomy chapter 11, let's look there at verses 8 and 9. Look what he says. Now, he's just gotten through saying in verses 2-7, your eyes have seen His judgment. Your eyes have seen His chastisement.

[John Weaver] Now, watch if you would please be getting there with verse 8. He says this, Therefore, that is in light of what you have seen, in light of what you know, therefore shall you keep all the commandments which I command you this day, that you may be strong go in and possess the land whether you go to possess it. And that you may prolong your days in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give unto them and to their seed a land that is full of milk and honey." So if you understand God's judgments and God's chastening He said it is indeed to make you strong. In fact in Deuteronomy 29 verse 9 you don't have to turn there Bible says, keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them that you may prosper in all that you do. So, obedience then is designed to make us prosper.

[John Weaver] So, God is saying if we have no desire to be judged, if we have no desire to be chastened, what are we encouraged to do? Keep all the commandments which I command you this day that you may be strong. So, obedience strengthens us, and obedience is encourages us.

[John Weaver] Now, of course in this passage God is talking to Israel, ok? Now, I want you to look because here is another reason given unto them to be encouraged. And that is the gift that God gave them. Look in verses 10 and 11. He says, for the land which thou goest into possess, It is not as the land of Egypt from whence you came out, where thou sowest thy seed, and waterst it with thy foot as a garden of herbs. But the land whither you go to possess it is the land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven, a land which the Lord thy God careth for. The eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even to the end of the year." So God is saying, look I am giving you a gracious I'm giving you the land of Canaan." Don't stop and think, well it's like Egypt. No, in Egypt it was dry, it was a desert, it was barren. Yes, you could grow things but you had to have a water wheel, and you had to paddle with your foot, and you had to water your little garden and that kind of thing just to produce something.

[John Weaver] But God said, this land is not like this. This land has hills, and valleys, and mountains, and rain comes and drinks in the rain. Moreover, says God, my eyes are upon this land from the beginning of the year to the end of the year." So this is a special land.

[John Weaver] Now, let me ask you a question. Do you think in light of Deuteronomy chapter 11 that Israel got the best of the deal? And the answer is for that time they certainly did. because God gave them the best of the land. But do you realize that as Christians and in the New Covenant we have far more than He ever gave Israel? For instance, hold Deuteronomy 11 but go in your Bibles if you would please to the book of 1 Corinthians. 1 Corinthians. I want you to look In 1 Corinthians, we'll go to chapter 1 first.

[John Weaver] And notice what the Apostle says. 1 Corinthians chapter 1. Notice if you would please, beginning there at verse 29, he says that no flesh should glory in his presence. off Him, that is of God the Father, or you in Christ Jesus, who of God has made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, that according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." Now why in the world would we be glorying in the Lord like this?

[John Weaver] Why should we praise Him and serve Him constantly and consistently? Well, if you'll notice in verse 21, after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." So God has saved us by His Son in His grace through faith.

[John Weaver] Now let me show you something. In 1 Corinthians chapter 1, 2, and 3 the Corinthians were fussing and fighting over preachers. Believe it or not they were. Some of them were saying, well I like Paul. He's scholarly. Some would say, I like Peter. He's impetuous and he's fiery. Some would say, I like Apollos. I mean that guy can really preach. And some would try to be a little more sanctimonious and they'd say, well we just like Jesus. And of course the Apostle Paul is saying, who is Paul? Who is Peter? Who is Apollos?

[John Weaver] One sows, one waters, but God gives the increase. In other words, you don't have to pick and choose. if you would what Paul tells them in 1 Corinthians chapter 3 beginning there with verse 21. 1 Corinthians 3 verse 21, Therefore let no man glory in men, watch for all things are yours. Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas look or the world or Life or death or things present or things to come all are yours and your Christ and Christ is God's What?

[John Weaver] We didn't get a little puny land. We got the world. We got life. We got things present We got things to come and we got Christ Look in your Bibles to Romans chapter 8. Let me show you. I'm just trying to show you I want you to think about this if Israel had reason to serve and worship God For the gift that God gave them how much more do we have reason to serve and worship God for what he's given us? Watch it Romans chapter 8 let's begin reading there if you would please with verse 14, Romans 8 verse 14. He says, For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

[John Weaver] For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit Himself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. Now watch, and if children then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ. If so be that we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together." Note, if you would, if we're children, then we're heirs. What do we inherit? We inherit God. We're heirs of God. And then he says, on top of that, we're joint heirs with Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] Now, let me explain that. I have four children. If Alice and I died in a wreck, and I left a will, I could say, to my daughter Wendy I give this, to my daughter Leah I give this, to my daughter Laura I give this, to my daughter Rebecca I give this. I could say all that, but what I could say is, look, they're all joint heirs. All of them get everything, and then they can divide it as they please. are joint heirs with Jesus Christ we get everything that He gets.

[John Weaver] That's a little bit better than just that little strip of land over the Middle East. Moreover, look in verse 32, Romans 8 verse 32, He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? So, if Israel then had reason to serve and worship and obey God because of that gracious gift that He gave them of Canaan land, how much more do we have a far better reason to serve and worship and obey Him because He has given us His only begotten Son and everything we are and everything we have is in Him.

[John Weaver] Now, go back to Deuteronomy chapter 11. I want you to see the argument now. Follow with me please. So God gives him this land. But I want you to understand that when God gives him this land there are sanctions because there is a covenant. The sanctions are both positive and negative. You get a positive sanction that is you get a blessing if you obey. You get a negative sanction that is a curse if you disobey. impossible to have any covenant without sanctions.

[John Weaver] I don't care if you are talking about the Old Testament or the New Testament. Every covenant has sanctions. So look in Deuteronomy 11 beginning there in verse 13 after He tells them all about this Lamb that He is giving them He says in verse 13, and it shall come to pass if you shall hearken diligently unto My commandments which I command you this day, to love the Lord your God and

[John Weaver] to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul and to I will give you the rain of your land in due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and in thy wine, and in thine oil. And I will send grass in thy fields, and for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full. Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and that you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them. then the Lord's wrath be kindled against you, and He shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not a fruit, unless you perish quickly from off the good land which the Lord giveth you."

[John Weaver] So, God says here it is, if you obey Me you are going to be blessed. If you disobey Me you are going to be cursed. Even in the New Testament there are curses. Notice if you would, don't have to turn there but let me just quote it, the eternal state in Revelation 22 and verse 3 the Bible says this and there shall be no more curse now listen there shall be no more curse but the throne of God and of his Lamb shall be in

[John Weaver] it and his servants shall serve him stop Think about that. Notice if you would, there shall be no more curse and the throne of God and His Lamb and His servants shall serve Him.

[John Weaver] Now, let me ask you a question. According to Revelation 22 and verse 3 what will we be doing in the Eternal State? If you want to use the word Heaven, fine. What will we be doing in Heaven? The answer is we will be serving God. It will be a perfect service. The quality and the quantity will be absolutely phenomenal.

[John Weaver] Now, here's what I'm trying to show you. Let me ask you, What is eternal life? You see most people try to say that eternal life is just living forever. That's not true. Because if you interpret eternal life as just living forever, then if you believe in eternal punishment, well those people who are being punished forever in the Lake of Fire would have eternal life as well because they are forever being punished but they are never dying. Do you want to know what eternal life really is?

[John Weaver] You can look in John 17 in verse 3. I can quote it, but I want you to see it. This is our Lord's high priestly prayer, and He is telling us exactly what eternal life is. Notice if you would John 17 and verse 3. Here it is. John 17 and verse 3. Look at what our Lord says, and this is life eternal. So He's defining it. He's telling you what it is. This is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent. So, what is eternal life? Eternal life is knowing God. It is a personal, intimate relationship with the One True and Living God through the Lord Jesus Christ. So, let me say it like this, you don't have to wait until you die to experience eternal life. Eternal life can be experienced right here because it is a personal, intimate knowledge of God through Jesus Christ. Now, you will not have it here to the extent that you will have it in the eternal state, but it can be here.

[John Weaver] Now, here is what I am trying to share with you. So many people think that somehow, professing Christians, that when they die and they go to heaven, quote, unquote, that automatically they're going to love there what they hated here, or they're going to hate there what they loved here. Really? Well, let me tell you something if you don't love to worship and honor and serve and obey God now What makes you think you're going to love it when you get to heaven where it is there in perfection? You follow what I'm saying So eternal life is knowing the one true and the Living God obviously clearly We're going to be servants of his let me put it another way what we're doing here is just practice for what we are going to be doing there. So, obviously eternal life is far more than just living forever.

[John Weaver] Now, go back to Deuteronomy chapter 11 we are going to come to our text. Watch if you would in verse 18. He says,"'Therefore shall you lay up these My words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes, and And you shall teach them, your children, speaking of them, when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, when thou risest up, and thou shalt write them upon the doorposts of thine house, and upon thy gates, that your days may be multiplied, and that the days of your children in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give thee as the days of heaven on earth."

[John Weaver] Now there is a continuity of thought and action revealed in these verses. order to have a little bit of heaven on earth in your home and your church and your society in your community each individual must function biblically So what is required? Well, let's look if you would at verse 18 If we are going to have a little bit of heaven on earth lives must be filled with the Heavenly Word. Watch.

[John Weaver] God says, therefore you shall lay up these My words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. In other words our lives have to be consumed with God's Word. His Word is not just simply to be memorized. There is nothing wrong with memorization. encourage everybody to memorize the Word, that is true, but there is more than being able to memorize Scripture. Just because you can spout off Scripture doesn't mean that you love it, doesn't mean that you honor it, doesn't mean that you esteem it. So God is saying that you must lay these words up in your heart and in your soul there to be loved and cherished. In other words such laying up has to be serious business. What we normally do is we foolishly let the truths of God slip from our minds and slip from our memories and therefore we suffer very serious consequences.

[John Weaver] One of the biggest problems in Christendom today is that most professing Christians take doctrine lightly and receive it carelessly. Today we are much like those Hebrews in Hebrews chapter 5 verses 11 and 12. Listen to what the Apostle said to them. Listen carefully. He said,"'Of whom we have many things to say,' talking about Christ,"'and hard to be uttered, seeing you are dull of hearing.

[John Weaver] For when the time you ought to be teachers, you have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God, and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.'" So the apostle said, look at you. You should be a teacher. And now you have to be fed and burped and swaddled. You're just a little baby.

[John Weaver] You have no idea what reality is all about. Stop and think of it. That's where most professing Christians are. They have no idea what reality is really all about. And here's what God is saying. You have to bind these words up in your heart. The knowledge of God and all that lies in his will should always have place with us and govern us. When we're talking about God's word being in our lives, we're not talking about a Sunday meeting. We're not talking about special meetings during the week. We're talking about 24 hours a day, seven days a week. it's only right that Christians should live by the Word of God and by their general countenance and by their bearing and by their conduct everyone know that they are indeed Christians. We not only are expected but we must live by His Word. One old brother used to say that some Christians ought to carry a board around on their back saying that they were Christians because otherwise no one else would ever know it. Well that's the truth today as well.

[John Weaver] But look what God says. He says we're to bind them for a sign upon our hands and that they may be as frontlets between our eyes. You know as I was studying this passage the thought hit me. He said bind them upon your hands. Have you ever noticed How many times a day you look at your hands? Think about it. How many times you use your hands? Your hands are always present. And your hands are very easily and readily seen. You use your hands in work, you use your hands in play. So God says they should be on your hands. Then He said they should be as frontlets between your eyes.

[John Weaver] Now, there's only One or two in here old enough to remember this. But some of us who are a little bit older remember back during the days of farming and mule power days, four tractors came along. On the old mule's halter, you had blinders. Those blinders went around that halter just like this. And you know what those blinders did? They kept that mule looking straight ahead. That mule couldn't see to the left, couldn't see to the right. The only way that mule could see was straight ahead.

[John Weaver] This is what God is saying. These have got to be frontlets in our eyes. We've got to see them everywhere we turn, in every way we turn. They're to guide us. They're to lead us. They're to govern us. They're to be frontlets for our eyes. That's not all. Look in verse 19. He said, and you shall teach them your children. Speaking of them, when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up, thou shalt write them upon the doorposts of thine house, and upon thy gates." So God is saying here that care and diligence are to be used and pains to be taken to instruct our children as soon as they are capable in the knowledge of God and His commandments that they might learn to love Him, fear Him, serve Him, and worship Him.

[John Weaver] It's basically the same truth that the Apostle Paul gave us in Ephesians 6 and verse 4 when he said, And you fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and the admonition of the Lord. In reality what he is saying there that we are to wet them or sharpen them in His Word. It's expressive of diligence and industry in teaching His Word by frequent repetition, by inculcating these truths in their minds, and by endeavoring to imprint them there so that our children will be sharp and ready and expert in the things of God. And so God is just simply saying that His Word is basically to consume our lives.

[John Weaver] That's why He said that we are to talk about them when we walk by the wayside, when we sit in the house, when we lie down, when we rise up. And we are to write them upon the doorposts of thine house and upon thy gates. In other words you can have the Law of God hanging on your wall in Ten Commandments, that's true. I've been in many homes where stayed in many homes as I go to certain places and preach.

[John Weaver] And usually sometimes you go in the bathroom and there on the windowsill there is a little verse of Scripture. Then there is one sitting on the back of the toilet. Then there is one pasted on the wall right up over the sink. I see them in kitchens everywhere. I remember when I was at the University back many, many moons ago they had these Scriptures posted everywhere. One that I really remember was over the water fountain. It said, John 7, whosoever drinketh this water shall thirst again. But he that drinketh the water that I give him shall never thirst. You know, I still remember that. You couldn't take a drink of water without seeing that Scripture there.

[John Weaver] And so this is what God is saying, our lives should be consumed with His words. Heavenly words should order and direct our lives. Such inculcation and devotion to His Word will lead to my next point. Our lives must not only be filled with heavenly words, our lives must be filled with heavenly wisdom. want you to turn in your Bibles to James chapter 3 James chapter 3 as You're turning there. I want to quote from listen to what the scripture says For the Lord giveth wisdom out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding and He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous. He's a buckler to them that walk uprightly So listen again for the Lord giveth wisdom Out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous He's a buckler to them that walk uprightly. Well, what is walking uprightly? It's walking Obediently, so let me ask you a question. I Would it not be decorous, holy, and right for each of us to exhibit and exude heavenly wisdom?

[John Weaver] I pointed out earlier when it comes to heavenly words, one of our problems is we're dull in hearing and we receive doctrine lightly and carelessly. In James chapter 3, another problem that is exposed. And I would say that here is the problem in the average home, in the average church, in the average community, and in the average society, and you might even say in the average nation. What is it? There is a distinction and there is a contrast given in James chapter 3 between hellish wisdom and heavenly wisdom. And I will say this, probably most professing Christians are full of hellish wisdom, not heavenly. Because you cannot get heavenly wisdom apart from the heavenly Word. Watch James chapter 3 verse 13, Here's the question, who is a wise man and a dude with knowledge among you? Did you get that? Who is a wise man? Where does wisdom come from? It comes from knowledge. Knowledge of what? Knowledge of God and His Word. Let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

[John Weaver] Now watch, but if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not and lie not against the truth. Now look, this wisdom That is this wisdom that's bitter envying and strifeful This wisdom descendeth not from above but is earthly sensual devilish Watch for where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work Now watch the contrast But the wisdom that is from above that is heavenly is first pure peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy, and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

[John Weaver] And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace." So, let me ask you a question or two. As you take notice of the contrast between a hellish wisdom and heavenly wisdom, you would want to ask yourself, which wisdom do I exhibit? You can ask yourself this question as well. Which wisdom do I prefer to be around? Would you prefer to live in a home where there's constant fussing, fighting, arguing, envying, strife, railing, criticism, hatefulness, arrogance, pride, Or had you preferred to live in a home where there is love and kindness and gentleness and purity and peace? What kind of church would you want to be a part of? I got news for you folks, most of our churches today, they could just about contend for the championship in the UFC because they are full of fighting and strife all the time think about your community do you realize here we are in this room you know there's an old saying no house is

[John Weaver] big enough for two families because ultimately somebody's going to be in somebody's throat you understand that what if we all lived in one community and I saw you every day It's all frank every day and we have to interact every day. Do you realize if we want such a community to work we have to make sure that each of us are filled with the Heavenly Word and then with Heavenly wisdom as well. Because otherwise it's not going to work.

[John Weaver] Now that means this that each of us would have to be careful to be biblical and and to keep our hearts, and to do that which is right. For instance, look if you would in verse 17 when he is talking about the heavenly wisdom. He says, but the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then is peaceable, gentle.

[John Weaver] Now look at this next phrase, easy to be entreated. I'm not going to take the time to go over this verse but just stop and think about easy to be entreated or easily entreated. Do you know what that literally means? It means that you're not hard to get along with, that you have a workable and an agreeable spirit, and that you can work together with others for a greater good and a greater benefit. It means that you're not selfish, demanding, manipulating, and controlling. No. He says, Heavenly wisdom is easily entreated.

[John Weaver] So I could come and say, Frank, could you help me on this? Yes, brother, I'll be glad to. Steve, I hurt you, would you please forgive me?" Yes, I'm more than willing to. David, I need some help here, will you help me? Yes. That's easily entreated, but I need to be the same way. In other words, when you have just this one grace, it's absolutely remarkable what happens in homes and churches. By the way, I want you to understand that this grace is not natural. Man cannot produce it. It is supernatural.

[John Weaver] It only comes from heavenly wisdom, which comes from the heavenly word. Okay? This is going to lead me to my third point. Our lives must not only be filled with the Heavenly Word, they must be filled with Heavenly Wisdom. And thirdly, they must be filled with a Heavenly Walk. I hope you see the progression as well as the connection between these points. If your life is filled with the Heavenly Word, inevitably you are going to have Heavenly Wisdom. If you have Heavenly Wisdom, inevitably you are going to have a Heavenly and a Holy Walk.

[John Weaver] Now, are multitudes of Scriptures in the Old Testament and in the New Testament that deals with our walk. Our walk is how we live. It's our conduct. It's our behavior. It's what we are every day. Let me just read a couple of passages for you and then I want you to turn to a couple of passages. then we are going to make some applications and try to tie this together. But let me just give you some samples of our walk in the Old Testament and then in the New Testament. And Deuteronomy 5 in verse 33 the scripture says, you shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess. know it is amazing to me as I read these verses, especially about walking with the Lord, how many times God connects living a long life or prolonging your days. You remember the passage, Enoch walked with God and was not before God took him.

[John Weaver] Noah walked with God. Moses walked with God. All of these you understand that. But God is saying here, you shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God commanded you that it may be well with you. prolong your days. In Deuteronomy 8 and verse 6 He said it like this, Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, to walk in His ways, and to fear Him. What is to fear Him? It is to walk in His ways. What is to walk in His ways? It is to keep His commandments. Psalm 84 verse 11, For the Lord God is a sun and shield, the Lord will give grace and glory. No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly. What is it to walk uprightly? It is to walk obediently. It is to love Him and to fear Him. David said in Psalm 86 and verse 11, teach me thy way, O Lord, and I will walk in thy truth. Unite my heart to fear thy name. How do we know that our hearts are united to fear God's name?

[John Weaver] We walk in his truth. What is walking in his truth? It's obedience. David said in Psalm 89 and verse 15, blessed is the people that know the joyful sound. They shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance. walk, O Lord, in the light of Thy countenance." In other words, God is smiling upon them as they walk obediently to His Word. When you get to the New Testament, in Galatians chapter 5 and verse 16, the Apostle Paul wrote, this I say, walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5 and verse 25, if we live in the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit. Galatians 6 and verse 16, one of my favorites, and as many as walk according to this rule, that is God's Word, peace be upon them and mercy upon the Israel of God.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Colossians. Colossians chapter 1 Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians Colossians chapter 1 that I want us to look at verses 9 and 10 Colossians 1 verse 9 Paul is praying for these Colossian Christians And look what he prays Colossians 1 verse 9 For this cause we also since the day we heard it. I not cease to pray for you, and to desire that you might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding."

[John Weaver] I hope you see this point now. I hope you see this. He says, we are praying for you that you might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. So you have a heavenly Word, You have a heavenly wisdom now watch in verse 10 now. Here's a heavenly walk that you might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing Being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God strengthened with all might and according to His glorious power unto all patients, and longsuffering with joyfulness, giving thanks unto the Father, who hath made us meet

[John Weaver] to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in life." But note if you would, we are to walk worthy. I wish I had time just to go through the book of Ephesians. In fact one of these days I'm going to just come back and preach on a walk through Ephesians because word is used so many times and God is telling us basically how we are to walk there. But you cannot have a heavenly walk unless you have heavenly wisdom. And you cannot have heavenly wisdom apart from the Heavenly Word.

[John Weaver] All of these things simply go together. One connects to the other and you progress from one to the other.

[John Weaver] Now, let me make some applications. The first one is this, a little bit of Heaven and Earth can be ours if we live and act obediently. Stop and think about that. Have you ever thought about a heavenly home? And I'm not talking about some home up in glory, I'm talking about between husband and wife, children. Years ago I told Alice, we were, hadn't been married too long, I was preaching, and I told her, I said, listen, I can take all the trash the world throws at me. I can take all the hatred and all the fighting the enemies throw at me. That doesn't bother me. But when I come home, I don't want any fussing and fighting and feuding at home because this is my refuge. This is where I come to rest and relax and refresh."

[John Weaver] And she said, I understand. So I'm just simply saying, you look at the average home today, it's full of fussing and fighting and feuding, one right after the other. If you are an obedient child, You may have a little bit of Heaven, even if the world is in turmoil and confusion, and war drums are thundering on every side, and the wicked are up in arms, yet the godly, obedient child of God can, by the grace of God, possess His mind, and His frame, as well as His soul, in His home, in His community, in His society, peace and prosperity because there is a little bit of heaven on earth in His life.

[John Weaver] And He lives by that heavenly wisdom not by hellish wisdom. Now, here is the second application. I want you to go back if you would to Deuteronomy chapter 11 and then go ahead and turn to Deuteronomy 28 because we will be going there next. Deuteronomy 11, Then we're going to Deuteronomy 28 The second application that I want you to see is this May shock you but here it is Biblical dominion is tied to obedience Biblical dominion is tied to obedience Let me make another statement. I'm going to show it to you domination by the wicked is tied to disobedience and Now look what God says in Deuteronomy 11 beginning there with verse 22. Deuteronomy 11 verse 22.

[John Weaver] He says, For if you shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you to do them, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, and to cleave unto Him, then will the Lord drive out all these nations from before you, and you shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves. So what did He say? If you will love Me, if you will obey Me, if you will keep My commandments, if you will do them, if you will walk in them, I will drive out all these nations for you. You can conquer. You can have dominion.

[John Weaver] You will be the ruler. You will be on top. You will be the head. It is just that simple.

[John Weaver] Now, if you will go to Deuteronomy 28, and I hope you know that Deuteronomy 28 deals with blessings and curses. going to be dealing with some of the curses, one particularly if you look in Deuteronomy 28 beginning there in verse 43. This is when we disobeyed God and here is what happens. Deuteronomy 28 verse 43, the stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high and thou shalt come down very low. He shall lend to thee thou shalt not lend to him. shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail. Now watch, for over all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed, because thou hearkenest not unto the voice of the Lord thy God to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee. And they shall be upon thee for a sign, and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever, because thou servest not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things.

[John Weaver] Therefore thou serve thine enemies which the Lord shall send against thee in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and the one of all things, and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck until he have destroyed thee." Wow! We are where we are today in our nation because of the disobedience of the children of God. God has promised us that if we would obey, we would conquer.

[John Weaver] If we disobey, we would be conquered. So the problem is not in the White House, although the White House is wicked and wrong. The problem is not in Congress, although Congress is wicked and wrong. It's not in the judicial system, although the judicial system is wicked and wrong. The problem is with God's people being disobedient. pointing fingers. That's the truth. That's the truth. But if we want it reversed we need to be filled with the heavenly word, heavenly wisdom, and exhibit a heavenly walk. And God's promised He'll enable us to conquer and have dominion.

[John Weaver] Father in the name of Jesus Christ we bow to you this day. We thank you for your word. We thank you for your truth. We do pray for these on the prayer list, Lord, again. We pray for our brother Dale, Lord, that you would help him and help the family. Give grace and mercy there. We think of Henry Klingler today and Ernest Allen. We think of John Sutton today, our brother Chris, and so many, Lord, that need our prayers. And we just, Lord, hold them up to thee and ask that you would undertake for them. Give us grace now, Lord, that we may serve thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In thy name we pray, Amen.

[John Weaver] so

Heaven on Earth

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	oHpSmTxsHDk
Subject	Covenant Theology
Course	Covenant Theology: Blessings, Curses, and Sanctions: Promises Of The Law
Genre	Sermon
Date	2015-11-17
Dictation Name
Book	Book 042: Covenant Theology: Blessings, Curses, and Sanctions: God's Answer to America's Problems — Chapter 23
Source Timed Segments	78

Formatted Transcript

Opening

I want you to open your Bibles, if you would please, today to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 11. Deuteronomy chapter 11. And we are going to be looking mainly at chapter 11 today. We will look at some other passages. Deuteronomy 11 in our text happens to be 18-21; we will be looking at all of this in the context. But Deuteronomy 11, verse 18:

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 11:18-21

"Therefore shall you lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes." "And you shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, when thou risest up. And thou shalt write them upon the doorpost of thine house, and upon thy gates, that your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven."

So, the title of the message today is simply, "Heaven on Earth." The message today is not primarily a message on eschatology, although it could easily dip into eschatology, the doctrine of last things. And in one sense of the word, it's almost impossible not to have any message without eschatology, because eschatology not only is a theology, it is a worldview as well. And whatever you preach or teach, certainly your worldview comes into play.

Introduction: The Meaning of 'Heaven on Earth'

Weaver introduces the topic, noting that 'heaven on earth' is often thought of as a utopian society, but the Greek word 'utopia' means 'no place.' True reality is determined by God, not man.

But when we think of heaven on earth, we normally think of some utopian society that has been planned by a fallen man in seeking to restore innocence based upon some humanistic perspective or endeavor. Such utopian communities have been tried by the Quakers, by the Socialists, by the Communists, by some even Christians. In fact, for years I've preached in Cahuilla, California. And Cahuilla happened to be a little town that began as a socialistic utopian society. Of course it closed down, but the town then continued. You remember that Henry David Thoreau of Walden Pond fame sought such an existence, although his existence was certainly not utopian by any stretch of the imagination. I've told you in time past; I'm going to repeat it right now just because it's amusing. I came across the word "utopia" in the second year of my Greek class, and I remember laughing the very first time I really discovered the meaning of this word. Because the Greek word "utopia" is actually made up of two Greek words. It's made up of "ou," which is a negative which means "no," and "topos," which is the Greek word for "place." So the word "utopia" literally means "no place." There is no such place that exists. In other words, all of your socialistic, communistic, fascist utopian societies are nothing more than a figment of fallen man's imagination.

Reality is not determined by man; reality is determined by God. So obviously there is no such thing then as a socialistic or communistic utopia. We have to remember that man without God and apart from Him can only produce what is known as a society of death. How can I say that? Well, the answer is based upon Proverbs chapter 8 verses 35 and 36. You remember in Proverbs chapter 8 Jesus Christ is wisdom personified, that is He is into a person and He is speaking.

Eschatological vs. Present Experience of Heaven on Earth

Heaven on earth can refer to the future New Jerusalem coming down (Revelation 21), but also to a present reality when God's people live in obedience.

Now when we are talking about the phrase "Heaven on Earth," it could bring to mind an eschatological position based upon Revelation 21. If you will hold Deuteronomy 11 and look in your Bibles to the book of Revelation chapter 21, and let's look there at verses 1 and 2. Revelation 21 verses 1 and 2. I want you to see what John says, and you can see the concept here of Heaven on Earth, I'm sure. Revelation 21 verse 1: "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem," watch carefully,

Scripture Reading — Revelation 21:1-2

"coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."

So Jerusalem, the Eternal City, then is coming down out of Heaven from God. So, many based upon this text and other texts in the Bible believe that literally Heaven will indeed be here on earth. So, you could refer to Heaven on earth eschatologically speaking.

However, there is another sense that we can speak of Heaven on earth, and that sense is when you have a home, or a church, or a community, or society that lives in obedience to God, and each individual fulfills his responsibility, keeps his heart, and is easily entreated. Now before we get through with Deuteronomy chapter 11, I'm going to show you that in essence that is what Canaan land was actually supposed to be. Canaan land according to Deuteronomy chapter 11 was supposed to be a little bit of heaven on earth as Israel obeyed God and God's blessing rested upon the people. So let me try to tie these thoughts together. So if you look in Deuteronomy chapter 10, let's begin reading it with verse 20 and we'll read through chapter 11 and verse 1. So let me just show you this. Deuteronomy chapter 10 verse 20, God says:

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 10:20-22

"Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name. For he is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen. Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons, and now the Lord thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for a multitude."

Now watch this. He gives a command in verse 20 to fear the Lord, to serve Him, to cleave to Him, to swear by His name. He is to be their praise. He is to be their God. They remember the great things that He has done. In fact verse 22 tells how He has multiplied them.

The Gift of Canaan as a Picture of Heaven on Earth

God gave Israel Canaan as a gracious gift, a land of hills and valleys cared for by God, unlike Egypt. This was to be a little bit of heaven on earth through obedience.

So let me try to tie these thoughts together. So if you look in Deuteronomy chapter 10, let's begin reading it with verse 20 and we'll read through chapter 11 and verse 1. So let me just show you this. Deuteronomy chapter 10 verse 20, God says:

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 10:20-22

"Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name. For he is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen. Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons, and now the Lord thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for a multitude."

Now look at verse 1: "Therefore thou shalt love the Lord thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments always." So God is saying very clearly here that godly fear produces service, loyalty, faithfulness, gratefulness, and obedience. So a first-hand knowledge of God's grace and God's greatness and God's chastisement is designed to strengthen the bond that godly fear produces. Let me explain. Let's continue with verse 2 and read through verse 7. Watch this: "And know you this day, for I speak not with your children which have not known, and which have not seen the chastisement of the Lord your God, His greatness, His mighty arm, or His mighty hand and His stretched out arm, and His miracles and His acts which He did in the midst of Egypt unto Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and unto all this land. And what He did unto the army of Egypt, unto their horses, unto their chariots, how He made the water of the Red Sea to overflow them as they pursued after you, how the Lord destroyed them unto this day. And what He did unto you in the wilderness until you came into this place. And what He did unto Dathan, and to Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben.

How the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and all their substance that was in their possession in the midst of all Israel. But your eyes have seen all the great acts of the Lord which He did." Now, let me just point out this passage clearly indicates and clearly teaches that fearing, serving, and knowing God is serious business. It's not something that you do flippantly, and it's not something that you do half-heartedly. In fact He is telling us in verses 2-7 that the judgment and the chastisements of God are real and effective. He judges and destroys His enemies, and He chastens His people.

Now, here's what He's saying: if you have known, if you have seen first hand judgment and the chastisement of God, it should make you fear and submit lest it fall upon you. Now you just stop and think: had you been in Egypt when God was smiting the firstborn or all those plagues, wouldn't you think, "Well now it'd be a good time to really get close to the Lord"? It's the same thing when He drowned Pharaoh and all of his chariots; you'd think, "Well I'm thankful I'm not an Egyptian at this particular point in time." You know it should make you thankful. Let me show you. I want you to hold Deuteronomy chapter 11, but go in your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 12. You see God's chastisement is designed to teach us submission, obedience, righteousness, and holiness. So notice in Hebrews chapter 12 beginning there with verse 5, which by the way is a quote from the book of Proverbs. So Hebrews chapter 12 verse 5:

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 12:5-11

"And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him."

So God says don't despise it. Now watch:

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 12:5-11

"For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth."

If you endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons. For what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if you be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are you bastards and not sons. Now watch carefully.

Furthermore, we've had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence. In other words, when my daddy wore me out, I always said, "Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, sir." It may have been temporary, but I certainly said it at that particular time. This is what he's saying. We gave them reverence. Now watch. Here's the question: "Shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of Spirits and live? For they," that is the earthly fathers, "verily for a few days chasten us after their own pleasure. But he," that is God, our Heavenly Father, "for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness."

"Now no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous. Nevertheless, afterwards it yieldeth a peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby." So what God is saying is this: the result of your first-hand knowledge of God's judgment and God's chastisement should not make you weak or cowardly. It should make you strong. It should encourage you. According to Hebrews chapter 12, it should give us a more submissive spirit and attitude. It should make us more holy. It should make us more righteous. And consequently should make us strong and encouraged. You say, "Well how can you be strong and encouraged in chastisement?" Well just stop and think about this. If God is not against us, then God is for us. And God would not be chastening us if He was not for us. And if you will go back to Deuteronomy chapter 11, let's look there at verses 8 and 9. Look what he says. Now, he's just gotten through saying in verses 2-7, your eyes have seen His judgment. Your eyes have seen His chastisement.

Now, watch if you would please, beginning there with verse 8. He says this: "Therefore," that is in light of what you have seen, in light of what you know, "therefore shall you

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 11:8-9

keep all the commandments which I command you this day, that you may be strong, and go in and possess the land, whither you go to possess it. And that you may prolong your days in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give unto them and to their seed, a land that

is full of milk and honey." So if you understand God's judgments and God's chastening, He said it is indeed to make you strong. In fact in Deuteronomy 29 verse 9, you don't have to turn there, the Bible says, "Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that you may prosper in all that you do." So, obedience then is designed to make us prosper.

So, God is saying if we have no desire to be judged, if we have no desire to be chastened, what are we encouraged to do? Keep all the commandments which I command you this day that you may be strong. So, obedience strengthens us, and obedience encourages us. Now, of course in this passage God is talking to Israel, okay? Now, I want you to look because here is another reason given unto them to be encouraged. And that is the gift that God gave them. Look in verses 10 and 11. He says: "For the land which thou goest into possess, it is not as the land of Egypt from whence you came out, where thou sowest thy seed, and waterst it with thy foot as a garden of herbs. But the land whither you go to possess it is the land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven, a land which the Lord thy God careth for. The eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even to the end of the year." So God is saying, "Look, I am giving you a gracious gift. I'm giving you the land of Canaan." Don't stop and think, "Well, it's like Egypt." No, in Egypt it was dry, it was a desert, it was barren. Yes, you could grow things but you had to have a water wheel, and you had to paddle with your foot, and you had to water your little garden and that kind of thing just to produce something.

But God said, "This land is not like this. This land has hills, and valleys, and mountains, and rain comes and drinks in the rain. Moreover," says God, "my eyes are upon this land from the beginning of the year to the end of the year." So this is a special land. Now, let me ask you a question. Do you think in light of Deuteronomy chapter 11 that Israel got the best of the deal? And the answer is for that time they certainly did, because God gave them the best of the land. But do you realize that as Christians and in the New Covenant we have far more than He ever gave Israel? For instance, hold Deuteronomy 11 but go in your Bibles if you would please to the book of 1 Corinthians. 1 Corinthians. I want you to look in 1 Corinthians, we'll go to chapter 1 first.

The Greater Gift to New Covenant Believers

Christians have received far more than Israel: we are joint heirs with Christ, inheriting all things, which should motivate greater obedience and worship.

And notice what the Apostle says. 1 Corinthians chapter 1. Notice if you would please, beginning there at verse 29, he says:

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 1:29-31

"That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of Him,"

that is of God the Father,

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 1:29-31

"are you in Christ Jesus, who of God has made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, that according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."

Now why in the world would we be glorying in the Lord like this? Why should we praise Him and serve Him constantly and consistently? Well, if you'll notice in verse 21: "After that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." So God has saved us by His Son in His grace through faith.

Now let me show you something. In 1 Corinthians chapter 1, 2, and 3 the Corinthians were fussing and fighting over preachers. Believe it or not they were. Some of them were saying, "Well I like Paul. He's scholarly." Some would say, "I like Peter. He's impetuous and he's fiery." Some would say, "I like Apollos. I mean that guy can really preach." And some would try to be a little more sanctimonious and they'd say, "Well we just like Jesus." And of course the Apostle Paul is saying, "Who is Paul? Who is Peter? Who is Apollos?

One sows, one waters, but God gives the increase." In other words, you don't have to pick and choose. Look if you would what Paul tells them in 1 Corinthians chapter 3 beginning there with verse 21. 1 Corinthians 3 verse 21: "Therefore let no man glory in men," watch,

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 3:21-23

"for all things are yours. Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas,"

look,

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 3:21-23

"or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's."

What? We didn't get a little puny land. We got the world. We got life. We got things present. We got things to come and we got Christ. Look in your Bibles to Romans chapter 8. Let me show you. I'm just trying to show you, I want you to think about this: if Israel had reason to serve and worship God for the gift that God gave them, how much more do we have reason to serve and worship God for what He's given us? Watch it. Romans chapter 8, let's begin reading there if you would please with verse 14. Romans 8 verse 14. He says: "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit Himself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God." Now watch: "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ. If so be that we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together." Note, if you would, if we're children, then we're heirs. What do we inherit? We inherit God. We're heirs of God. And then he says, on top of that, we're joint heirs with Jesus Christ.

Now, let me explain that. I have four children. If Alice and I died in a wreck, and I left a will, I could say, "To my daughter Wendy I give this, to my daughter Leah I give this, to my daughter Laura I give this, to my daughter Rebecca I give this." I could say all that, but what I could say is, "Look, they're all joint heirs. All of them get everything, and then they can divide it as they please." We are joint heirs with Jesus Christ; we get everything that He gets. That's a little bit better than just that little strip of land over the Middle East. Moreover, look in verse 32, Romans 8 verse 32:

Scripture Reading — Romans 8:32

"He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?"

So, if Israel then had reason to serve and worship and obey God because of that gracious gift that He gave them of Canaan land, how much more do we have a far better reason to serve and worship and obey Him because He has given us His only begotten Son and everything we are and everything we have is in Him.

Covenant Sanctions: Blessings and Curses

Every covenant has sanctions. Obedience brings blessing (rain, harvest), while disobedience brings curses (drought, destruction). This principle applies to both Old and New Testaments.

Now, go back to Deuteronomy chapter 11. I want you to see the argument now. Follow with me please. So God gives him this land. But I want you to understand that when God gives him this land there are sanctions because there is a covenant. The sanctions are both positive and negative. You get a positive sanction, that is you get a blessing if you obey. You get a negative sanction, that is a curse if you disobey. It's impossible to have any covenant without sanctions.

I don't care if you are talking about the Old Testament or the New Testament. Every covenant has sanctions. So look in Deuteronomy 11 beginning there in verse 13 after He tells them all about this land that He is giving them. He says in verse 13:

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 11:13-17

"And it shall come to pass if you shall hearken diligently unto My commandments which I command you this day, to love the Lord your God and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, that I will give you the rain of your land in due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and in thy wine, and in thine oil. And I will send grass in thy fields, and for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full. Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and that you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them. Then the Lord's wrath be kindled against you, and He shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not a fruit, unless you perish quickly from off the good land which the Lord giveth you."

So, God says here it is: if you obey Me you are going to be blessed. If you disobey Me you are going to be cursed. Even in the New Testament there are curses. Notice if you would, don't have to turn there but let me just quote it, the eternal state in Revelation 22 and verse 3 the Bible says this: "And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of his Lamb shall be in it and his servants shall serve him." Stop. Think about that. Notice if you would, "there shall be no more curse and the throne of God and of His Lamb and His servants shall serve Him."

Now, let me ask you a question. According to Revelation 22 and verse 3, what will we be doing in the Eternal State? If you want to use the word Heaven, fine. What will we be doing in Heaven? The answer is we will be serving God. It will be a perfect service. The quality and the quantity will be absolutely phenomenal.

Eternal Life Defined as Knowing God

Eternal life is not just living forever but knowing God intimately through Christ. This can be experienced now, and our present service is practice for heaven.

Now, here's what I'm trying to show you. Let me ask you, what is eternal life? You see most people try to say that eternal life is just living forever. That's not true. Because if you interpret eternal life as just living forever, then if you believe in eternal punishment, well those people who are being punished forever in the Lake of Fire would have eternal life as well because they are forever being punished but they are never dying. Do you want to know what eternal life really is? You can look in John 17 in verse 3. I can quote it, but I want you to see it. This is our Lord's high priestly prayer, and He is telling us exactly what eternal life is. Notice if you would John 17 and verse 3. Here it is. John 17 and verse 3. Look at what our Lord says:

Scripture Reading — John 17:3

"And this is life eternal."

So He's defining it. He's telling you what it is.

Scripture Reading — John 17:3

"This is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent."

So, what is eternal life? Eternal life is knowing God. It is a personal, intimate relationship with the One True and Living God through the Lord Jesus Christ. So, let me say it like this: you don't have to wait until you die to experience eternal life. Eternal life can be experienced right here because it is a personal, intimate knowledge of God through Jesus Christ. Now, you will not have it here to the extent that you will have it in the eternal state, but it can be here.

Now, here is what I am trying to share with you. So many people think that somehow, professing Christians, that when they die and they go to heaven, quote unquote, that automatically they're going to love there what they hated here, or they're going to hate there what they loved here. Really? Well, let me tell you something: if you don't love to worship and honor and serve and obey God now, what makes you think you're going to love it when you get to heaven where it is there in perfection? You follow what I'm saying? So eternal life is knowing the one true and the Living God. Obviously clearly we're going to be servants of His. Let me put it another way: what we're doing here is just practice for what we are going to be doing there. So, obviously eternal life is far more than just living forever.

Now, go back to Deuteronomy chapter 11; we are going to come to our text. Watch if you would in verse 18. He says: "Therefore shall you lay up these My words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes, and you shall teach them your children, speaking of them, when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, when thou risest up, and thou shalt write them upon the doorposts of thine house, and upon thy gates, that your days may be multiplied, and that the days of your children in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give thee as the days of heaven on earth."

Requirements for Heaven on Earth: Heavenly Word, Wisdom, and Walk

To have heaven on earth, our lives must be filled with God's Word (Deut. 11:18-21), leading to heavenly wisdom (James 3:17) and a heavenly walk (Col. 1:9-10).

Now there is a continuity of thought and action revealed in these verses. In order to have a little bit of heaven on earth in your home and your church and your society in your community, each individual must function biblically. So what is required? Well, let's look if you would at verse 18. If we are going to have a little bit of heaven on earth, lives must be filled with the Heavenly Word. Watch. God says: "Therefore you shall lay up these My words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes." In other words our lives have to be consumed with God's Word. His Word is not just simply to be memorized. There is nothing wrong with memorization. I encourage everybody to memorize the Word, that is true, but there is more than being able to memorize Scripture. Just because you can spout off Scripture doesn't mean that you love it, doesn't mean that you honor it, doesn't mean that you esteem it. So God is saying that you must lay these words up in your heart and in your soul there to be loved and cherished. In other words such laying up has to be serious business. What we normally do is we foolishly let the truths of God slip from our minds and slip from our memories and therefore we suffer very serious consequences.

One of the biggest problems in Christendom today is that most professing Christians take doctrine lightly and receive it carelessly. Today we are much like those Hebrews in Hebrews chapter 5 verses 11 and 12. Listen to what the Apostle said to them. Listen carefully. He said:

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 5:11-12

"Of whom we have many things to say,"

talking about Christ,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 5:11-12

"and hard to be uttered, seeing you are dull of hearing. For when the time you ought to be teachers, you have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God, and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat."

So the apostle said, "Look at you. You should be a teacher. And now you have to be fed and burped and swaddled. You're just a little baby."

You have no idea what reality is all about. Stop and think of it. That's where most professing Christians are. They have no idea what reality is really all about. And here's what God is saying. You have to bind these words up in your heart. The knowledge of God and all that lies in His will should always have place with us and govern us. When we're talking about God's word being in our lives, we're not talking about a Sunday meeting. We're not talking about special meetings during the week. We're talking about 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It's only right that Christians should live by the Word of God and by their general countenance and by their bearing and by their conduct everyone know that they are indeed Christians. We not only are expected but we must live by His Word. One old brother used to say that some Christians ought to carry a board around on their back saying that they were Christians because otherwise no one else would ever know it. Well that's the truth today as well.

But look what God says. He says we're to bind them for a sign upon our hands and that they may be as frontlets between our eyes. You know as I was studying this passage the thought hit me. He said bind them upon your hands. Have you ever noticed how many times a day you look at your hands? Think about it. How many times you use your hands? Your hands are always present. And your hands are very easily and readily seen. You use your hands in work, you use your hands in play. So God says they should be on your hands. Then He said they should be as frontlets between your eyes.

Now, there's only one or two in here old enough to remember this. But some of us who are a little bit older remember back during the days of farming and mule power days, before tractors came along. On the old mule's halter, you had blinders. Those blinders went around that halter just like this. And you know what those blinders did? They kept that mule looking straight ahead. That mule couldn't see to the left, couldn't see to the right. The only way that mule could see was straight ahead.

This is what God is saying. These have got to be frontlets in our eyes. We've got to see them everywhere we turn, in every way we turn. They're to guide us. They're to lead us. They're to govern us. They're to be frontlets for our eyes. That's not all. Look in verse 19. He said: "And you shall teach them your children. Speaking of them, when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up, thou shalt write them upon the doorposts of thine house, and upon thy gates." So God is saying here that care and diligence are to be used and pains to be taken to instruct our children as soon as they are capable in the knowledge of God and His commandments that they might learn to love Him, fear Him, serve Him, and worship Him.

It's basically the same truth that the Apostle Paul gave us in Ephesians 6 and verse 4 when he said: "And you fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and the admonition of the Lord." In reality what he is saying there is that we are to wet them or sharpen them in His Word. It's expressive of diligence and industry in teaching His Word by frequent repetition, by inculcating these truths in their minds, and by endeavoring to imprint them there so that our children will be sharp and ready and expert in the things of God. And so God is just simply saying that His Word is basically to consume our lives. That's why He said that we are to talk about them when we walk by the wayside, when we sit in the house, when we lie down, when we rise up. And we are to write them upon the doorposts of thine house and upon thy gates. In other words you can have the Law of God hanging on your wall in Ten Commandments, that's true. I've been in many homes where I've stayed in many homes as I go to certain places and preach.

And usually sometimes you go in the bathroom and there on the windowsill there is a little verse of Scripture. Then there is one sitting on the back of the toilet. Then there is one pasted on the wall right up over the sink. I see them in kitchens everywhere. I remember when I was at the University back many, many moons ago they had these Scriptures posted everywhere. One that I really remember was over the water fountain. It said, "John 7, whosoever drinketh this water shall thirst again. But he that drinketh the water that I give him shall never thirst." You know, I still remember that. You couldn't take a drink of water without seeing that Scripture there.

And so this is what God is saying: our lives should be consumed with His words. Heavenly words should order and direct our lives. Such inculcation and devotion to His Word will lead to my next point. Our lives must not only be filled with heavenly words, our lives must be filled with heavenly wisdom. I want you to turn in your Bibles to James chapter 3. James chapter 3. As you're turning there, I want to quote from Proverbs 2 verses 6 and 7. Proverbs 2 verse 6 and 7, listen to what the scripture says: "For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly." So listen again: "For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly." Well, what is walking uprightly? It's walking obediently. So let me ask you a question. Would it not be decorous, holy, and right for each of us to exhibit and exude heavenly wisdom?

I pointed out earlier when it comes to heavenly words, one of our problems is we're dull in hearing and we receive doctrine lightly and carelessly. In James chapter 3, another problem that is exposed. And I would say that here is the problem in the average home, in the average church, in the average community, and in the average society, and you might even say in the average nation. What is it? There is a distinction and there is a contrast given in James chapter 3 between hellish wisdom and heavenly wisdom. And I will say this, probably most professing Christians are full of hellish wisdom, not heavenly. Because you cannot get heavenly wisdom apart from the heavenly Word. Watch James chapter 3 verse 13:

Scripture Reading — James 3:13-18

"Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you?"

Did you get that? Who is a wise man? Where does wisdom come from? It comes from knowledge. Knowledge of what? Knowledge of God and His Word.

Scripture Reading — James 3:13-18

"Let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom."

Now watch: "But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not and lie not against the truth. Now look, this wisdom," that is this wisdom that's bitter envying and strifeful, "this wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. Watch: for where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work." Now watch the contrast: "But the wisdom that is from above," that is heavenly, "is first pure, peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy, and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy." "And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace." So, let me ask you a question or two. As you take notice of the contrast between a hellish wisdom and heavenly wisdom, you would want to ask yourself, which wisdom do I exhibit? You can ask yourself this question as well. Which wisdom do I prefer to be around? Would you prefer to live in a home where there's constant fussing, fighting, arguing, envying, strife, railing, criticism, hatefulness, arrogance, pride? Or had you preferred to live in a home where there is love and kindness and gentleness and purity and peace? What kind of church would you want to be a part of? I got news for you folks, most of our churches today, they could just about contend for the championship in the UFC because they are full of fighting and strife all the time. Think about your community. Do you realize here we are in this room? You know there's an old saying, "No house is

big enough for two families because ultimately somebody's going to be in somebody's throat." You understand that? What if we all lived in one community and I saw you every day? It's all frank every day and we have to interact every day. Do you realize if we want such a community to work we have to make sure that each of us are filled with the Heavenly Word and then with Heavenly wisdom as well. Because otherwise it's not going to work.

Now that means this: that each of us would have to be careful to be biblical and to keep our hearts, and to do that which is right. For instance, look if you would in verse 17 when he is talking about the heavenly wisdom. He says: "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then is peaceable, gentle." Now look at this next phrase: "easy to be entreated." I'm not going to take the time to go over this verse but just stop and think about "easy to be entreated" or "easily entreated." Do you know what that literally means? It means that you're not hard to get along with, that you have a workable and an agreeable spirit, and that you can work together with others for a greater good and a greater benefit. It means that you're not selfish, demanding, manipulating, and controlling. No. He says, "Heavenly wisdom is easily entreated."

So I could come and say, "Frank, could you help me on this?" "Yes, brother, I'll be glad to." "Steve, I hurt you, would you please forgive me?" "Yes, I'm more than willing to." "David, I need some help here, will you help me?" "Yes." That's easily entreated, but I need to be the same way. In other words, when you have just this one grace, it's absolutely remarkable what happens in homes and churches. By the way, I want you to understand that this grace is not natural. Man cannot produce it. It is supernatural. It only comes from heavenly wisdom, which comes from the heavenly word. Okay? This is going to lead me to my third point. Our lives must not only be filled with the Heavenly Word, they must be filled with Heavenly Wisdom. And thirdly, they must be filled with a Heavenly Walk. I hope you see the progression as well as the connection between these points. If your life is filled with the Heavenly Word, inevitably you are going to have Heavenly Wisdom. If you have Heavenly Wisdom, inevitably you are going to have a Heavenly and a Holy Walk.

Now, there are multitudes of Scriptures in the Old Testament and in the New Testament that deal with our walk. Our walk is how we live. It's our conduct. It's our behavior. It's what we are every day. Let me just read a couple of passages for you and then I want you to turn to a couple of passages. Then we are going to make some applications and try to tie this together. But let me just give you some samples of our walk in the Old Testament and then in the New Testament. In Deuteronomy 5 and verse 33 the scripture says: "You shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess." You know it is amazing to me as I read these verses, especially about walking with the Lord, how many times God connects living a long life or prolonging your days. You remember the passage, "Enoch walked with God and was not, for God took him."

Noah walked with God. Moses walked with God. All of these you understand that. But God is saying here, "You shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God commanded you that it may be well with you, and prolong your days." In Deuteronomy 8 and verse 6 He said it like this: "Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, to walk in His ways, and to fear Him." What is to fear Him? It is to walk in His ways. What is to walk in His ways? It is to keep His commandments. Psalm 84 verse 11: "For the Lord God is a sun and shield, the Lord will give grace and glory. No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly." What is it to walk uprightly? It is to walk obediently. It is to love Him and to fear Him. David said in Psalm 86 and verse 11: "Teach me thy way, O Lord, and I will walk in thy truth. Unite my heart to fear thy name." How do we know that our hearts are united to fear God's name?

We walk in His truth. What is walking in His truth? It's obedience. David said in Psalm 89 and verse 15: "Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound. They shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance." "Walk, O Lord, in the light of Thy countenance." In other words, God is smiling upon them as they walk obediently to His Word. When you get to the New Testament, in Galatians chapter 5 and verse 16, the Apostle Paul wrote: "This I say, walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh." Walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5 and verse 25: "If we live in the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit." Galatians 6 and verse 16, one of my favorites: "And as many as walk according to this rule," that is God's Word, "peace be upon them and mercy upon the Israel of God."

Now I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Colossians. Colossians chapter 1. Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians. Colossians chapter 1. I want us to look at verses 9 and 10. Colossians 1 verse 9. Paul is praying for these Colossian Christians. And look what he prays. Colossians 1 verse 9:

Scripture Reading — Colossians 1:9-10

"For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that you might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding."

I hope you see this point now. I hope you see this. He says, "We are praying for you that you might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding." So you have a heavenly Word, you have a heavenly wisdom. Now watch in verse 10 now. Here's a heavenly walk: "That you might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all might and according to His glorious power unto all patience, and longsuffering with joyfulness, giving thanks unto the Father, who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light." But note if you would, we are to walk worthy. I wish I had time just to go through the book of Ephesians. In fact one of these days I'm going to just come back and preach on a walk through Ephesians because the word is used so many times and God is telling us basically how we are to walk there. But you cannot have a heavenly walk unless you have heavenly wisdom. And you cannot have heavenly wisdom apart from the Heavenly Word.

All of these things simply go together. One connects to the other and you progress from one to the other.

Applications: Obedience Brings Dominion

A little bit of heaven on earth is possible through obedience. Biblical dominion is tied to obedience, while domination by the wicked results from disobedience (Deut. 11:22-23; 28:43-48).

Now, let me make some applications. The first one is this: a little bit of Heaven on Earth can be ours if we live and act obediently. Stop and think about that. Have you ever thought about a heavenly home? And I'm not talking about some home up in glory, I'm talking about between husband and wife, children. Years ago I told Alice, we were, hadn't been married too long, I was preaching, and I told her, I said, "Listen, I can take all the trash the world throws at me. I can take all the hatred and all the fighting the enemies throw at me. That doesn't bother me. But when I come home, I don't want any fussing and fighting and feuding at home because this is my refuge. This is where I come to rest and relax and refresh."

And she said, "I understand." So I'm just simply saying, you look at the average home today, it's full of fussing and fighting and feuding, one right after the other. If you are an obedient child, you may have a little bit of Heaven, even if the world is in turmoil and confusion, and war drums are thundering on every side, and the wicked are up in arms, yet the godly, obedient child of God can, by the grace of God, possess His mind, and His frame, as well as His soul, in His home, in His community, in His society, peace and prosperity because there is a little bit of heaven on earth in His life. And He lives by that heavenly wisdom not by hellish wisdom. Now, here is the second application. I want you to go back if you would to Deuteronomy chapter 11 and then go ahead and turn to Deuteronomy 28 because we will be going there next. Deuteronomy 11, then we're going to Deuteronomy 28. The second application that I want you to see is this: it may shock you but here it is. Biblical dominion is tied to obedience. Biblical dominion is tied to obedience. Let me make another statement. I'm going to show it to you: domination by the wicked is tied to disobedience. Now look what God says in Deuteronomy 11 beginning there with verse 22. Deuteronomy 11 verse 22.

He says: "For if you shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you to do them, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, and to cleave unto Him, then will the Lord drive out all these nations from before you, and you shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves." So what did He say? If you will love Me, if you will obey Me, if you will keep My commandments, if you will do them, if you will walk in them, I will drive out all these nations for you. You can conquer. You can have dominion. You will be the ruler. You will be on top. You will be the head. It is just that simple.

Now, if you will go to Deuteronomy 28, and I hope you know that Deuteronomy 28 deals with blessings and curses. We're going to be dealing with some of the curses, one particularly if you look in Deuteronomy 28 beginning there in verse 43. This is when we disobeyed God and here is what happens. Deuteronomy 28 verse 43:

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 28:43-48

"The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high and thou shalt come down very low. He shall lend to thee, thou shalt not lend to him. He shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail."

Now watch:

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 28:43-48

"Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed, because thou hearkenest not unto the voice of the Lord thy God to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee. And they shall be upon thee for a sign, and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever, because thou servest not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things.

Therefore thou serve thine enemies which the Lord shall send against thee in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and the want of all things, and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck until he have destroyed thee." Wow! We are where we are today in our nation because of the disobedience of the children of God. God has promised us that if we would obey, we would conquer. If we disobey, we would be conquered. So the problem is not in the White House, although the White House is wicked and wrong. The problem is not in Congress, although Congress is wicked and wrong. It's not in the judicial system, although the judicial system is wicked and wrong. The problem is with God's people being disobedient. Stop pointing fingers. That's the truth. That's the truth. But if we want it reversed we need to be filled with the heavenly word, heavenly wisdom, and exhibit a heavenly walk. And God's promised He'll enable us to conquer and have dominion.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Obedience as the Foundation for Blessing

Summary: Obedience to God's commandments is the key to experiencing heaven on earth, both individually and corporately.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'if you obey Me you are going to be blessed. If you disobey Me you are going to be cursed' (Deut. 11:13-17).

The Sufficiency and Centrality of God's Word

Summary: God's Word must be internalized and govern every aspect of life, not merely memorized but loved and obeyed.

Evidence: Weaver emphasizes laying up God's words in heart and soul, binding them on hands and as frontlets between eyes (Deut. 11:18).

Heavenly Wisdom vs. Hellish Wisdom

Summary: True wisdom from above is pure, peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, contrasting with earthly, sensual, devilish wisdom that produces strife.

Evidence: Weaver contrasts James 3:15-17, noting that most professing Christians exhibit hellish wisdom rather than heavenly.

The Believer's Walk as Evidence of Faith

Summary: A heavenly walk is the natural outflow of being filled with God's Word and wisdom, characterized by obedience and fruitfulness.

Evidence: Weaver cites Colossians 1:9-10, praying to be filled with knowledge and wisdom so as to walk worthy of the Lord.

Covenant Sanctions and National Consequences

Summary: God's covenant includes blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience, affecting not just individuals but nations.

Evidence: Weaver explains Deuteronomy 28:43-48, where disobedience leads to the stranger ruling over Israel.

Eternal Life as Present Relational Knowledge

Summary: Eternal life is knowing God through Christ, beginning now and consummated in eternity, not merely endless existence.

Evidence: Weaver quotes John 17:3, 'This is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent.'

Key Arguments

Man's utopian dreams are futile without God

Summary: Fallen man cannot create a perfect society; only a biblical order rooted in obedience to God can produce true peace and prosperity.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'the only society that fallen man can produce is a society of death' and 'utopia literally means no place.'

God's chastisement is designed to produce holiness and strength

Summary: First-hand knowledge of God's judgments should lead to fear, submission, and ultimately strength, not cowardice.

Evidence: Weaver references Hebrews 12:5-11, showing that chastening yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness.

New Covenant believers have greater reasons for obedience than Israel

Summary: Since we have been given Christ and all things, our motivation to obey should exceed Israel's gratitude for Canaan.

Evidence: Weaver points to 1 Corinthians 3:21-23 and Romans 8:17, 32, showing we are joint heirs with Christ.

Heaven on earth requires saturation with Scripture

Summary: God's Word must be constantly before us, taught diligently to children, and displayed in our homes.

Evidence: Weaver expounds Deuteronomy 11:18-20, emphasizing talking of God's words in all daily activities.

Heavenly wisdom is marked by being 'easy to be entreated'

Summary: A key characteristic of heavenly wisdom is a cooperative, agreeable spirit that fosters peace in homes and churches.

Evidence: Weaver explains James 3:17, 'easy to be entreated' means not hard to get along with, not selfish or controlling.

National decline is due to the disobedience of God's people

Summary: The problem is not primarily wicked rulers but the failure of God's people to obey, which leads to domination by the wicked.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'We are where we are today in our nation because of the disobedience of the children of God.'

Scripture References

Deuteronomy 11:18-21

Context: Primary text commanding the laying up of God's words in heart and soul, teaching them to children, and writing them on doorposts, promising days of heaven on earth.

Proverbs 8:35-36

Context: Wisdom personified (Christ) says whoever finds Him finds life, but those who hate Him love death, showing man without God produces a society of death.

Revelation 21:1-2

Context: John sees a new heaven and new earth, and the New Jerusalem coming down from God, indicating an eschatological heaven on earth.

Deuteronomy 10:20-22

Context: Command to fear, serve, cleave to God, and remember His great acts, leading to the command to love and obey in chapter 11.

Deuteronomy 11:2-7

Context: Reminder of God's chastisement and miracles in Egypt and the wilderness, intended to produce fear and obedience.

Hebrews 12:5-11

Context: God chastens those He loves as sons, yielding the peaceable fruit of righteousness; chastisement should lead to submission and holiness.

Deuteronomy 11:8-9

Context: Therefore keep all commandments that you may be strong and possess the land flowing with milk and honey.

Deuteronomy 11:10-12

Context: The land of Canaan is not like Egypt; it drinks rain from heaven and is cared for by God year-round.

1 Corinthians 1:29-31

Context: God has made Christ our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, so we glory only in the Lord.

1 Corinthians 3:21-23

Context: All things are yours—Paul, Apollos, Cephas, the world, life, death, things present, things to come—and you are Christ's.

Romans 8:14-17

Context: Believers are led by the Spirit, are children and heirs of God, joint heirs with Christ, if we suffer with Him.

Romans 8:32

Context: God did not spare His own Son but delivered Him up for us all; how will He not also freely give us all things?

Deuteronomy 11:13-17

Context: If you obey, God will send rain and harvest; if you turn to other gods, He will shut up heaven and you will perish.

Revelation 22:3

Context: In the eternal state there will be no more curse, and God's servants will serve Him.

John 17:3

Context: This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

Hebrews 5:11-12

Context: The Hebrews were dull of hearing and needed milk, not solid food, though they ought to be teachers.

James 3:13-18

Context: Contrast between earthly, sensual, devilish wisdom (producing envy and strife) and heavenly wisdom (pure, peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated).

Colossians 1:9-10

Context: Paul prays that believers be filled with the knowledge of God's will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, to walk worthy of the Lord.

Deuteronomy 11:22-23

Context: If you diligently keep all these commandments, the Lord will drive out nations before you and you will possess greater nations.

Deuteronomy 28:43-48

Context: Because of disobedience, the stranger will rise above you, lend to you, and be the head; you will serve your enemies in hunger and want.

Historical References

Quaker, Socialist, Communist utopian communities

Context: Weaver mentions that utopian societies have been attempted by Quakers, Socialists, Communists, and some Christians, but all fail because they are based on fallen man's imagination.

Cahuilla, California as a socialistic utopian society

Context: Weaver notes that Cahuilla began as a socialistic utopian society but closed down, though the town continued.

Henry David Thoreau and Walden Pond

Context: Thoreau sought a utopian existence at Walden Pond, but it was not truly utopian.

Mule blinders (frontlets) in farming days

Context: Weaver explains that frontlets were like blinders on a mule's halter, keeping it looking straight ahead, illustrating how God's Word should direct our focus.

Important Quotes

The Greek word 'utopia' is actually made up of two Greek words. It's made up of 'ou,' which is a negative which means 'no,' and 'topos,' which is the Greek word for 'place.' So the word 'utopia' literally means 'no place.'

Significance: Highlights the impossibility of man-made perfect societies, setting up the need for God's order.

All they that hate me love death.

Significance: Quoted from Proverbs 8:36 to show that man without God can only produce a society of death.

Eternal life is knowing God. It is a personal, intimate relationship with the One True and Living God through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Significance: Defines eternal life relationally, not just as endless existence, and emphasizes it can begin now.

If you don't love to worship and honor and serve and obey God now, what makes you think you're going to love it when you get to heaven where it is there in perfection?

Significance: Challenges the notion that one's affections will automatically change at death; present practice matters.

We are where we are today in our nation because of the disobedience of the children of God.

Significance: Places responsibility for national decline on the church's disobedience, not merely on wicked leaders.

Discussion Questions

What does the Greek origin of 'utopia' teach us about man's attempts to create a perfect society apart from God?

Context: Weaver explains that 'utopia' means 'no place,' showing the futility of humanistic utopian dreams.

How does the concept of 'heaven on earth' in Deuteronomy 11 differ from the eschatological view in Revelation 21?

Context: Weaver distinguishes between the future New Jerusalem and the present experience of blessing through obedience.

In what ways have New Covenant believers received more than Israel, and how should that affect our obedience?

Context: Weaver contrasts the gift of Canaan with our inheritance as joint heirs with Christ.

What does it mean to 'lay up' God's words in our hearts, and how is that different from mere memorization?

Context: Weaver stresses that God's Word must be loved and cherished, not just recited.

What are the marks of heavenly wisdom according to James 3:17, and which one is most lacking in our homes and churches?

Context: Weaver highlights 'easy to be entreated' as a key, often missing, characteristic.

How does the promise of dominion through obedience (Deut. 11:22-23) apply to the church today?

Context: Weaver argues that biblical dominion is tied to obedience, not political activism.

Why does Weaver say the problem in our nation is not primarily the White House or Congress but the disobedience of God's people?

Context: He points to Deuteronomy 28:43-48, where disobedience leads to the enemy ruling over God's people.

Applications

Internalize God's Word daily

Summary: Believers must not only read but deeply cherish and obey Scripture, allowing it to govern every thought and action.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'you must lay these words up in your heart and in your soul there to be loved and cherished' (Deut. 11:18).

Teach God's Word diligently to children

Summary: Parents are to instruct their children in God's commandments at all times, in every setting, making His Word central in the home.

Evidence: Weaver expounds Deuteronomy 11:19, 'you shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house...'

Pursue heavenly wisdom, not hellish wisdom

Summary: Examine whether your life exhibits the peaceable, gentle, easily entreated wisdom from above or the envy and strife of earthly wisdom.

Evidence: Weaver contrasts James 3:15-17 and asks, 'which wisdom do I exhibit?'

Cultivate an 'easily entreated' spirit

Summary: Be cooperative, agreeable, and not hard to get along with, fostering peace in relationships and communities.

Evidence: Weaver explains that 'easy to be entreated' means not selfish, demanding, or controlling.

Walk worthy of the Lord

Summary: Let your conduct be consistent with the gospel, bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God.

Evidence: Weaver cites Colossians 1:10, 'that you might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing.'

Obey God to experience dominion and blessing

Summary: Corporate and national blessing comes through the obedience of God's people, not through political means.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'if you will obey Me... I will drive out all these nations for you' (Deut. 11:22-23).

Repent of disobedience as the root of national decline

Summary: Instead of blaming leaders, the church must acknowledge its own disobedience and return to God's Word and ways.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'the problem is with God's people being disobedient. Stop pointing fingers.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T00:07:23Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T14:48:04Z

Clean Transcript

Heaven on Earth

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

I want you to open your Bibles, if you would please, today to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 11. Deuteronomy chapter 11. And we are going to be looking mainly at chapter 11 today. We will look at some other passages. Deuteronomy 11 in our text happens to be 18-21; we will be looking at all of this in the context. But Deuteronomy 11, verse 18: "Therefore shall you lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes."
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"And you shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, when thou risest up. And thou shalt write them upon the doorpost of thine house, and upon thy gates, that your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven." So, the title of the message today is simply, "Heaven on Earth." The message today is not primarily a message on eschatology, although it could easily dip into eschatology, the doctrine of last things. And in one sense of the word, it's almost impossible not to have any message without eschatology, because eschatology not only is a theology, it is a worldview as well. And whatever you preach or teach, certainly your worldview comes into play.
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But when we think of heaven on earth, we normally think of some utopian society that has been planned by a fallen man in seeking to restore innocence based upon some humanistic perspective or endeavor. Such utopian communities have been tried by the Quakers, by the Socialists, by the Communists, by some even Christians. In fact, for years I've preached in Cahuilla, California. And Cahuilla happened to be a little town that began as a socialistic utopian society. Of course it closed down, but the town then continued.
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You remember that Henry David Thoreau of Walden Pond fame sought such an existence, although his existence was certainly not utopian by any stretch of the imagination. I've told you in time past; I'm going to repeat it right now just because it's amusing. I came across the word "utopia" in the second year of my Greek class, and I remember laughing the very first time I really discovered the meaning of this word. Because the Greek word "utopia" is actually made up of two Greek words. It's made up of "ou," which is a negative which means "no," and "topos," which is the Greek word for "place." So the word "utopia" literally means "no place." There is no such place that exists. In other words, all of your socialistic, communistic, fascist utopian societies are nothing more than a figment of fallen man's imagination.
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Reality is not determined by man; reality is determined by God. So obviously there is no such thing then as a socialistic or communistic utopia. We have to remember that man without God and apart from Him can only produce what is known as a society of death. How can I say that? Well, the answer is based upon Proverbs chapter 8 verses 35 and 36. You remember in Proverbs chapter 8 Jesus Christ is wisdom personified, that is He is into a person and He is speaking.
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And in verse 35 He says this: "For whoso findeth Me findeth life, and obtaineth favor of the Lord." And that certainly is true. Whoever finds Jesus Christ finds life and obtains favor of the Father. But verse 36 says this: "But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul. All they that hate me love death." Stop and think about that. All they that hate Christ love death. Thus, the only society that fallen man can produce is a society of death. And what fallen man always tries to do is he keeps seeking in himself that which only can be found in the one true and the living God in Jesus Christ His only begotten Son. So reality and the only order that will work is a biblical order that is rooted and grounded in obedience to God. So a fallen man will never find his utopia, for a fallen man's utopia only exists in his depraved imagination.
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So, the New World Order crowd just happens to be barking up the wrong tree. That doesn't mean that they are not going to kill a lot of people. It doesn't mean that they are not going to try. But it does mean this: that their utopian society, and their utopian view, will ultimately fail. Now I will tell you this, as I've told you in time past, there will be a New World Order. It will not be man's New World Order; it will be the New World Order that has been fashioned and ordained by God the Father through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Now when we are talking about the phrase "Heaven on Earth," it could bring to mind an eschatological position based upon Revelation 21. If you will hold Deuteronomy 11 and look in your Bibles to the book of Revelation chapter 21, and let's look there at verses 1 and 2. Revelation 21 verses 1 and 2. I want you to see what John says, and you can see the concept here of Heaven on Earth, I'm sure. Revelation 21 verse 1: "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem," watch carefully, "coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." So Jerusalem, the Eternal City, then is coming down out of Heaven from God. So, many based upon this text and other texts in the Bible believe that literally Heaven will indeed be here on earth. So, you could refer to Heaven on earth eschatologically speaking.
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However, there is another sense that we can speak of Heaven on earth, and that sense is when you have a home, or a church, or a community, or society that lives in obedience to God, and each individual fulfills his responsibility, keeps his heart, and is easily entreated. Now before we get through with Deuteronomy chapter 11, I'm going to show you that in essence that is what Canaan land was actually supposed to be. Canaan land according to Deuteronomy chapter 11 was supposed to be a little bit of heaven on earth as Israel obeyed God and God's blessing rested upon the people.
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So let me try to tie these thoughts together. So if you look in Deuteronomy chapter 10, let's begin reading it with verse 20 and we'll read through chapter 11 and verse 1. So let me just show you this. Deuteronomy chapter 10 verse 20, God says: "Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name. For he is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen. Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons, and now the Lord thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for a multitude." Now watch this. He gives a command in verse 20 to fear the Lord, to serve Him, to cleave to Him, to swear by His name. He is to be their praise. He is to be their God. They remember the great things that He has done. In fact verse 22 tells how He has multiplied them.
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Now look at verse 1: "Therefore thou shalt love the Lord thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments always." So God is saying very clearly here that godly fear produces service, loyalty, faithfulness, gratefulness, and obedience. So a first-hand knowledge of God's grace and God's greatness and God's chastisement is designed to strengthen the bond that godly fear produces. Let me explain. Let's continue with verse 2 and read through verse 7. Watch this: "And know you this day, for I speak not with your children which have not known, and which have not seen the chastisement of the Lord your God, His greatness, His mighty arm, or His mighty hand and His stretched out arm, and His miracles and His acts which He did in the midst
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of Egypt unto Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and unto all this land. And what He did unto the army of Egypt, unto their horses, unto their chariots, how He made the water of the Red Sea to overflow them as they pursued after you, how the Lord destroyed them unto this day. And what He did unto you in the wilderness until you came into this place. And what He did unto Dathan, and to Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben.
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How the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and all their substance that was in their possession in the midst of all Israel. But your eyes have seen all the great acts of the Lord which He did."
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Now, let me just point out this passage clearly indicates and clearly teaches that fearing, serving, and knowing God is serious business. It's not something that you do flippantly, and it's not something that you do half-heartedly. In fact He is telling us in verses 2-7 that the judgment and the chastisements of God are real and effective. He judges and destroys His enemies, and He chastens His people.
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Now, here's what He's saying: if you have known, if you have seen first hand judgment and the chastisement of God, it should make you fear and submit lest it fall upon you. Now you just stop and think: had you been in Egypt when God was smiting the firstborn or all those plagues, wouldn't you think, "Well now it'd be a good time to really get close to the Lord"? It's the same thing when He drowned Pharaoh and all of his chariots; you'd think, "Well I'm thankful I'm not an Egyptian at this particular point in time." You know it should make you thankful. Let me show you.
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I want you to hold Deuteronomy chapter 11, but go in your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 12. You see God's chastisement is designed to teach us submission, obedience, righteousness, and holiness. So notice in Hebrews chapter 12 beginning there with verse 5, which by the way is a quote from the book of Proverbs. So Hebrews chapter 12 verse 5: "And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him." So God says don't despise it. Now watch: "For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth." If you endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons. For what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if you be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are you bastards and not sons. Now watch carefully.
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Furthermore, we've had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence. In other words, when my daddy wore me out, I always said, "Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, sir." It may have been temporary, but I certainly said it at that particular time. This is what he's saying. We gave them reverence. Now watch. Here's the question: "Shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of Spirits and live? For they," that is the earthly fathers, "verily for a few days chasten us after their own pleasure. But he," that is God, our Heavenly Father, "for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness."
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"Now no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous. Nevertheless, afterwards it yieldeth a peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby." So what God is saying is this: the result of your first-hand knowledge of God's judgment and God's chastisement should not make you weak or cowardly. It should make you strong. It should encourage you. According to Hebrews chapter 12, it should give us a more submissive spirit and attitude. It should make us more holy. It should make us more righteous. And consequently should make us strong and encouraged. You say, "Well how can you be strong and encouraged in chastisement?" Well just stop and think about this. If God is not against us, then God is for us. And God would not be chastening us if He was not for us. And if you will go back to Deuteronomy chapter 11, let's look there at verses 8 and 9. Look what he says. Now, he's just gotten through saying in verses 2-7, your eyes have seen His judgment. Your eyes have seen His chastisement.
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Now, watch if you would please, beginning there with verse 8. He says this: "Therefore," that is in light of what you have seen, in light of what you know, "therefore shall you keep all the commandments which I command you this day, that you may be strong, and go in and possess the land, whither you go to possess it. And that you may prolong your days in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give unto them and to their seed, a land that is full of milk and honey." So if you understand God's judgments and God's chastening, He said it is indeed to make you strong. In fact in Deuteronomy 29 verse 9, you don't have to turn there, the Bible says, "Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that you may prosper in all that you do." So, obedience then is designed to make us prosper.
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So, God is saying if we have no desire to be judged, if we have no desire to be chastened, what are we encouraged to do? Keep all the commandments which I command you this day that you may be strong. So, obedience strengthens us, and obedience encourages us.
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Now, of course in this passage God is talking to Israel, okay? Now, I want you to look because here is another reason given unto them to be encouraged. And that is the gift that God gave them. Look in verses 10 and 11. He says: "For the land which thou goest into possess, it is not as the land of Egypt from whence you came out, where thou sowest thy seed, and waterst it with thy foot as a garden of herbs. But the land whither you go to possess it is the land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven, a land which the Lord thy God careth for. The eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even to the end of the year." So God is saying, "Look, I am giving you a gracious gift. I'm giving you the land of Canaan." Don't stop and think, "Well, it's like Egypt." No, in Egypt it was dry, it was a desert, it was barren. Yes, you could grow things but you had to have a water wheel, and you had to paddle with your foot, and you had to water your little garden and that kind of thing just to produce something.
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But God said, "This land is not like this. This land has hills, and valleys, and mountains, and rain comes and drinks in the rain. Moreover," says God, "my eyes are upon this land from the beginning of the year to the end of the year." So this is a special land.
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Now, let me ask you a question. Do you think in light of Deuteronomy chapter 11 that Israel got the best of the deal? And the answer is for that time they certainly did, because God gave them the best of the land. But do you realize that as Christians and in the New Covenant we have far more than He ever gave Israel? For instance, hold Deuteronomy 11 but go in your Bibles if you would please to the book of 1 Corinthians. 1 Corinthians. I want you to look in 1 Corinthians, we'll go to chapter 1 first.
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And notice what the Apostle says. 1 Corinthians chapter 1. Notice if you would please, beginning there at verse 29, he says: "That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of Him," that is of God the Father, "are you in Christ Jesus, who of God has made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, that according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." Now why in the world would we be glorying in the Lord like this?
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Why should we praise Him and serve Him constantly and consistently? Well, if you'll notice in verse 21: "After that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." So God has saved us by His Son in His grace through faith.
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Now let me show you something. In 1 Corinthians chapter 1, 2, and 3 the Corinthians were fussing and fighting over preachers. Believe it or not they were. Some of them were saying, "Well I like Paul. He's scholarly." Some would say, "I like Peter. He's impetuous and he's fiery." Some would say, "I like Apollos. I mean that guy can really preach." And some would try to be a little more sanctimonious and they'd say, "Well we just like Jesus." And of course the Apostle Paul is saying, "Who is Paul? Who is Peter? Who is Apollos?
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One sows, one waters, but God gives the increase." In other words, you don't have to pick and choose. Look if you would what Paul tells them in 1 Corinthians chapter 3 beginning there with verse 21. 1 Corinthians 3 verse 21: "Therefore let no man glory in men," watch, "for all things are yours. Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas," look, "or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's." What?
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We didn't get a little puny land. We got the world. We got life. We got things present. We got things to come and we got Christ. Look in your Bibles to Romans chapter 8. Let me show you. I'm just trying to show you, I want you to think about this: if Israel had reason to serve and worship God for the gift that God gave them, how much more do we have reason to serve and worship God for what He's given us? Watch it. Romans chapter 8, let's begin reading there if you would please with verse 14. Romans 8 verse 14. He says: "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
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For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit Himself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God." Now watch: "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ. If so be that we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together." Note, if you would, if we're children, then we're heirs. What do we inherit? We inherit God. We're heirs of God. And then he says, on top of that, we're joint heirs with Jesus Christ.
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Now, let me explain that. I have four children. If Alice and I died in a wreck, and I left a will, I could say, "To my daughter Wendy I give this, to my daughter Leah I give this, to my daughter Laura I give this, to my daughter Rebecca I give this." I could say all that, but what I could say is, "Look, they're all joint heirs. All of them get everything, and then they can divide it as they please." We are joint heirs with Jesus Christ; we get everything that He gets.
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That's a little bit better than just that little strip of land over the Middle East. Moreover, look in verse 32, Romans 8 verse 32: "He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" So, if Israel then had reason to serve and worship and obey God because of that gracious gift that He gave them of Canaan land, how much more do we have a far better reason to serve and worship and obey Him because He has given us His only begotten Son and everything we are and everything we have is in Him.
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Now, go back to Deuteronomy chapter 11. I want you to see the argument now. Follow with me please. So God gives him this land. But I want you to understand that when God gives him this land there are sanctions because there is a covenant. The sanctions are both positive and negative. You get a positive sanction, that is you get a blessing if you obey. You get a negative sanction, that is a curse if you disobey. It's impossible to have any covenant without sanctions.
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I don't care if you are talking about the Old Testament or the New Testament. Every covenant has sanctions. So look in Deuteronomy 11 beginning there in verse 13 after He tells them all about this land that He is giving them. He says in verse 13: "And it shall come to pass if you shall hearken diligently unto My commandments which I command you this day, to love the Lord your God and
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to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, that I will give you the rain of your land in due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and in thy wine, and in thine oil. And I will send grass in thy fields, and for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full. Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and that you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them. Then the Lord's wrath be kindled against you, and He shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not a fruit, unless you perish quickly from off the good land which the Lord giveth you."
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So, God says here it is: if you obey Me you are going to be blessed. If you disobey Me you are going to be cursed. Even in the New Testament there are curses. Notice if you would, don't have to turn there but let me just quote it, the eternal state in Revelation 22 and verse 3 the Bible says this: "And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of his Lamb shall be in
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it and his servants shall serve him." Stop. Think about that. Notice if you would, "there shall be no more curse and the throne of God and of His Lamb and His servants shall serve Him."
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Now, let me ask you a question. According to Revelation 22 and verse 3, what will we be doing in the Eternal State? If you want to use the word Heaven, fine. What will we be doing in Heaven? The answer is we will be serving God. It will be a perfect service. The quality and the quantity will be absolutely phenomenal.
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Now, here's what I'm trying to show you. Let me ask you, what is eternal life? You see most people try to say that eternal life is just living forever. That's not true. Because if you interpret eternal life as just living forever, then if you believe in eternal punishment, well those people who are being punished forever in the Lake of Fire would have eternal life as well because they are forever being punished but they are never dying. Do you want to know what eternal life really is?
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You can look in John 17 in verse 3. I can quote it, but I want you to see it. This is our Lord's high priestly prayer, and He is telling us exactly what eternal life is. Notice if you would John 17 and verse 3. Here it is. John 17 and verse 3. Look at what our Lord says: "And this is life eternal." So He's defining it. He's telling you what it is. "This is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent." So, what is eternal life? Eternal life is knowing God. It is a personal, intimate relationship with the One True and Living God through the Lord Jesus Christ. So, let me say it like this: you don't have to wait until you die to experience eternal life. Eternal life can be experienced right here because it is a personal, intimate knowledge of God through Jesus Christ. Now, you will not have it here to the extent that you will have it in the eternal state, but it can be here.
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Now, here is what I am trying to share with you. So many people think that somehow, professing Christians, that when they die and they go to heaven, quote unquote, that automatically they're going to love there what they hated here, or they're going to hate there what they loved here. Really? Well, let me tell you something: if you don't love to worship and honor and serve and obey God now, what makes you think you're going to love it when you get to heaven where it is there in perfection? You follow what I'm saying? So eternal life is knowing the one true and the Living God. Obviously clearly we're going to be servants of His. Let me put it another way: what we're doing here is just practice for what we are going to be doing there. So, obviously eternal life is far more than just living forever.
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Now, go back to Deuteronomy chapter 11; we are going to come to our text. Watch if you would in verse 18. He says: "Therefore shall you lay up these My words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes, and you shall teach them your children, speaking of them, when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, when thou risest up, and thou shalt write them upon the doorposts of thine house, and upon thy gates, that your days may be multiplied, and that the days of your children in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give thee as the days of heaven on earth."
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Now there is a continuity of thought and action revealed in these verses. In order to have a little bit of heaven on earth in your home and your church and your society in your community, each individual must function biblically. So what is required? Well, let's look if you would at verse 18. If we are going to have a little bit of heaven on earth, lives must be filled with the Heavenly Word. Watch.
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God says: "Therefore you shall lay up these My words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes." In other words our lives have to be consumed with God's Word. His Word is not just simply to be memorized. There is nothing wrong with memorization. I encourage everybody to memorize the Word, that is true, but there is more than being able to memorize Scripture. Just because you can spout off Scripture doesn't mean that you love it, doesn't mean that you honor it, doesn't mean that you esteem it. So God is saying that you must lay these words up in your heart and in your soul there to be loved and cherished. In other words such laying up has to be serious business. What we normally do is we foolishly let the truths of God slip from our minds and slip from our memories and therefore we suffer very serious consequences.
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One of the biggest problems in Christendom today is that most professing Christians take doctrine lightly and receive it carelessly. Today we are much like those Hebrews in Hebrews chapter 5 verses 11 and 12. Listen to what the Apostle said to them. Listen carefully. He said: "Of whom we have many things to say," talking about Christ, "and hard to be uttered, seeing you are dull of hearing.
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For when the time you ought to be teachers, you have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God, and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat." So the apostle said, "Look at you. You should be a teacher. And now you have to be fed and burped and swaddled. You're just a little baby."
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You have no idea what reality is all about. Stop and think of it. That's where most professing Christians are. They have no idea what reality is really all about. And here's what God is saying. You have to bind these words up in your heart. The knowledge of God and all that lies in His will should always have place with us and govern us. When we're talking about God's word being in our lives, we're not talking about a Sunday meeting. We're not talking about special meetings during the week. We're talking about 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It's only right that Christians should live by the Word of God and by their general countenance and by their bearing and by their conduct everyone know that they are indeed Christians. We not only are expected but we must live by His Word. One old brother used to say that some Christians ought to carry a board around on their back saying that they were Christians because otherwise no one else would ever know it. Well that's the truth today as well.
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But look what God says. He says we're to bind them for a sign upon our hands and that they may be as frontlets between our eyes. You know as I was studying this passage the thought hit me. He said bind them upon your hands. Have you ever noticed how many times a day you look at your hands? Think about it. How many times you use your hands? Your hands are always present. And your hands are very easily and readily seen. You use your hands in work, you use your hands in play. So God says they should be on your hands. Then He said they should be as frontlets between your eyes.
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Now, there's only one or two in here old enough to remember this. But some of us who are a little bit older remember back during the days of farming and mule power days, before tractors came along. On the old mule's halter, you had blinders. Those blinders went around that halter just like this. And you know what those blinders did? They kept that mule looking straight ahead. That mule couldn't see to the left, couldn't see to the right. The only way that mule could see was straight ahead.
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This is what God is saying. These have got to be frontlets in our eyes. We've got to see them everywhere we turn, in every way we turn. They're to guide us. They're to lead us. They're to govern us. They're to be frontlets for our eyes. That's not all. Look in verse 19. He said: "And you shall teach them your children. Speaking of them, when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up, thou shalt write them upon the doorposts of thine house, and upon thy gates." So God is saying here that care and diligence are to be used and pains to be taken to instruct our children as soon as they are capable in the knowledge of God and His commandments that they might learn to love Him, fear Him, serve Him, and worship Him.
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It's basically the same truth that the Apostle Paul gave us in Ephesians 6 and verse 4 when he said: "And you fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and the admonition of the Lord." In reality what he is saying there is that we are to wet them or sharpen them in His Word. It's expressive of diligence and industry in teaching His Word by frequent repetition, by inculcating these truths in their minds, and by endeavoring to imprint them there so that our children will be sharp and ready and expert in the things of God. And so God is just simply saying that His Word is basically to consume our lives.
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That's why He said that we are to talk about them when we walk by the wayside, when we sit in the house, when we lie down, when we rise up. And we are to write them upon the doorposts of thine house and upon thy gates. In other words you can have the Law of God hanging on your wall in Ten Commandments, that's true. I've been in many homes where I've stayed in many homes as I go to certain places and preach.
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And usually sometimes you go in the bathroom and there on the windowsill there is a little verse of Scripture. Then there is one sitting on the back of the toilet. Then there is one pasted on the wall right up over the sink. I see them in kitchens everywhere. I remember when I was at the University back many, many moons ago they had these Scriptures posted everywhere. One that I really remember was over the water fountain. It said, "John 7, whosoever drinketh this water shall thirst again. But he that drinketh the water that I give him shall never thirst." You know, I still remember that. You couldn't take a drink of water without seeing that Scripture there.
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And so this is what God is saying: our lives should be consumed with His words. Heavenly words should order and direct our lives. Such inculcation and devotion to His Word will lead to my next point. Our lives must not only be filled with heavenly words, our lives must be filled with heavenly wisdom. I want you to turn in your Bibles to James chapter 3. James chapter 3. As you're turning there, I want to quote from Proverbs 2 verses 6 and 7. Proverbs 2 verse 6 and 7, listen to what the scripture says: "For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly." So listen again: "For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly." Well, what is walking uprightly? It's walking obediently. So let me ask you a question. Would it not be decorous, holy, and right for each of us to exhibit and exude heavenly wisdom?
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I pointed out earlier when it comes to heavenly words, one of our problems is we're dull in hearing and we receive doctrine lightly and carelessly. In James chapter 3, another problem that is exposed. And I would say that here is the problem in the average home, in the average church, in the average community, and in the average society, and you might even say in the average nation. What is it? There is a distinction and there is a contrast given in James chapter 3 between hellish wisdom and heavenly wisdom. And I will say this, probably most professing Christians are full of hellish wisdom, not heavenly. Because you cannot get heavenly wisdom apart from the heavenly Word. Watch James chapter 3 verse 13: "Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you?" Did you get that? Who is a wise man? Where does wisdom come from? It comes from knowledge. Knowledge of what? Knowledge of God and His Word. "Let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom."
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Now watch: "But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not and lie not against the truth. Now look, this wisdom," that is this wisdom that's bitter envying and strifeful, "this wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. Watch: for where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work." Now watch the contrast: "But the wisdom that is from above," that is heavenly, "is first pure, peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy, and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy."
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"And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace." So, let me ask you a question or two. As you take notice of the contrast between a hellish wisdom and heavenly wisdom, you would want to ask yourself, which wisdom do I exhibit? You can ask yourself this question as well. Which wisdom do I prefer to be around? Would you prefer to live in a home where there's constant fussing, fighting, arguing, envying, strife, railing, criticism, hatefulness, arrogance, pride? Or had you preferred to live in a home where there is love and kindness and gentleness and purity and peace? What kind of church would you want to be a part of? I got news for you folks, most of our churches today, they could just about contend for the championship in the UFC because they are full of fighting and strife all the time. Think about your community. Do you realize here we are in this room? You know there's an old saying, "No house is
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big enough for two families because ultimately somebody's going to be in somebody's throat." You understand that? What if we all lived in one community and I saw you every day? It's all frank every day and we have to interact every day. Do you realize if we want such a community to work we have to make sure that each of us are filled with the Heavenly Word and then with Heavenly wisdom as well. Because otherwise it's not going to work.
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Now that means this: that each of us would have to be careful to be biblical and to keep our hearts, and to do that which is right. For instance, look if you would in verse 17 when he is talking about the heavenly wisdom. He says: "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then is peaceable, gentle."
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Now look at this next phrase: "easy to be entreated." I'm not going to take the time to go over this verse but just stop and think about "easy to be entreated" or "easily entreated." Do you know what that literally means? It means that you're not hard to get along with, that you have a workable and an agreeable spirit, and that you can work together with others for a greater good and a greater benefit. It means that you're not selfish, demanding, manipulating, and controlling. No. He says, "Heavenly wisdom is easily entreated."
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So I could come and say, "Frank, could you help me on this?" "Yes, brother, I'll be glad to." "Steve, I hurt you, would you please forgive me?" "Yes, I'm more than willing to." "David, I need some help here, will you help me?" "Yes." That's easily entreated, but I need to be the same way. In other words, when you have just this one grace, it's absolutely remarkable what happens in homes and churches. By the way, I want you to understand that this grace is not natural. Man cannot produce it. It is supernatural.
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It only comes from heavenly wisdom, which comes from the heavenly word. Okay? This is going to lead me to my third point. Our lives must not only be filled with the Heavenly Word, they must be filled with Heavenly Wisdom. And thirdly, they must be filled with a Heavenly Walk. I hope you see the progression as well as the connection between these points. If your life is filled with the Heavenly Word, inevitably you are going to have Heavenly Wisdom. If you have Heavenly Wisdom, inevitably you are going to have a Heavenly and a Holy Walk.
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Now, there are multitudes of Scriptures in the Old Testament and in the New Testament that deal with our walk. Our walk is how we live. It's our conduct. It's our behavior. It's what we are every day. Let me just read a couple of passages for you and then I want you to turn to a couple of passages. Then we are going to make some applications and try to tie this together. But let me just give you some samples of our walk in the Old Testament and then in the New Testament. In Deuteronomy 5 and verse 33 the scripture says: "You shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess." You know it is amazing to me as I read these verses, especially about walking with the Lord, how many times God connects living a long life or prolonging your days. You remember the passage, "Enoch walked with God and was not, for God took him."
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Noah walked with God. Moses walked with God. All of these you understand that. But God is saying here, "You shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God commanded you that it may be well with you, and prolong your days." In Deuteronomy 8 and verse 6 He said it like this: "Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, to walk in His ways, and to fear Him." What is to fear Him? It is to walk in His ways. What is to walk in His ways? It is to keep His commandments. Psalm 84 verse 11: "For the Lord God is a sun and shield, the Lord will give grace and glory. No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly." What is it to walk uprightly? It is to walk obediently. It is to love Him and to fear Him. David said in Psalm 86 and verse 11: "Teach me thy way, O Lord, and I will walk in thy truth. Unite my heart to fear thy name." How do we know that our hearts are united to fear God's name?
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We walk in His truth. What is walking in His truth? It's obedience. David said in Psalm 89 and verse 15: "Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound. They shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance." "Walk, O Lord, in the light of Thy countenance." In other words, God is smiling upon them as they walk obediently to His Word. When you get to the New Testament, in Galatians chapter 5 and verse 16, the Apostle Paul wrote: "This I say, walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh." Walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5 and verse 25: "If we live in the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit." Galatians 6 and verse 16, one of my favorites: "And as many as walk according to this rule," that is God's Word, "peace be upon them and mercy upon the Israel of God."
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Now I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Colossians. Colossians chapter 1. Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians. Colossians chapter 1. I want us to look at verses 9 and 10. Colossians 1 verse 9. Paul is praying for these Colossian Christians. And look what he prays. Colossians 1 verse 9: "For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that you might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding."
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I hope you see this point now. I hope you see this. He says, "We are praying for you that you might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding." So you have a heavenly Word, you have a heavenly wisdom. Now watch in verse 10 now. Here's a heavenly walk: "That you might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all might and according to His glorious power unto all patience, and longsuffering with joyfulness, giving thanks unto the Father, who hath made us meet
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to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light." But note if you would, we are to walk worthy. I wish I had time just to go through the book of Ephesians. In fact one of these days I'm going to just come back and preach on a walk through Ephesians because the word is used so many times and God is telling us basically how we are to walk there. But you cannot have a heavenly walk unless you have heavenly wisdom. And you cannot have heavenly wisdom apart from the Heavenly Word.
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All of these things simply go together. One connects to the other and you progress from one to the other.
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Now, let me make some applications. The first one is this: a little bit of Heaven on Earth can be ours if we live and act obediently. Stop and think about that. Have you ever thought about a heavenly home? And I'm not talking about some home up in glory, I'm talking about between husband and wife, children. Years ago I told Alice, we were, hadn't been married too long, I was preaching, and I told her, I said, "Listen, I can take all the trash the world throws at me. I can take all the hatred and all the fighting the enemies throw at me. That doesn't bother me. But when I come home, I don't want any fussing and fighting and feuding at home because this is my refuge. This is where I come to rest and relax and refresh."
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And she said, "I understand." So I'm just simply saying, you look at the average home today, it's full of fussing and fighting and feuding, one right after the other. If you are an obedient child, you may have a little bit of Heaven, even if the world is in turmoil and confusion, and war drums are thundering on every side, and the wicked are up in arms, yet the godly, obedient child of God can, by the grace of God, possess His mind, and His frame, as well as His soul, in His home, in His community, in His society, peace and prosperity because there is a little bit of heaven on earth in His life.
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And He lives by that heavenly wisdom not by hellish wisdom. Now, here is the second application. I want you to go back if you would to Deuteronomy chapter 11 and then go ahead and turn to Deuteronomy 28 because we will be going there next. Deuteronomy 11, then we're going to Deuteronomy 28. The second application that I want you to see is this: it may shock you but here it is. Biblical dominion is tied to obedience. Biblical dominion is tied to obedience. Let me make another statement. I'm going to show it to you: domination by the wicked is tied to disobedience. Now look what God says in Deuteronomy 11 beginning there with verse 22. Deuteronomy 11 verse 22.
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He says: "For if you shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you to do them, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, and to cleave unto Him, then will the Lord drive out all these nations from before you, and you shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves." So what did He say? If you will love Me, if you will obey Me, if you will keep My commandments, if you will do them, if you will walk in them, I will drive out all these nations for you. You can conquer. You can have dominion.
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You will be the ruler. You will be on top. You will be the head. It is just that simple.
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Now, if you will go to Deuteronomy 28, and I hope you know that Deuteronomy 28 deals with blessings and curses. We're going to be dealing with some of the curses, one particularly if you look in Deuteronomy 28 beginning there in verse 43. This is when we disobeyed God and here is what happens. Deuteronomy 28 verse 43: "The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high and thou shalt come down very low. He shall lend to thee, thou shalt not lend to him. He shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail." Now watch: "Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed, because thou hearkenest not unto the voice of the Lord thy God to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee. And they shall be upon thee for a sign, and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever, because thou servest not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things.
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Therefore thou serve thine enemies which the Lord shall send against thee in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and the want of all things, and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck until he have destroyed thee." Wow! We are where we are today in our nation because of the disobedience of the children of God. God has promised us that if we would obey, we would conquer.
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If we disobey, we would be conquered. So the problem is not in the White House, although the White House is wicked and wrong. The problem is not in Congress, although Congress is wicked and wrong. It's not in the judicial system, although the judicial system is wicked and wrong. The problem is with God's people being disobedient. Stop pointing fingers. That's the truth. That's the truth. But if we want it reversed we need to be filled with the heavenly word, heavenly wisdom, and exhibit a heavenly walk. And God's promised He'll enable us to conquer and have dominion.
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Father in the name of Jesus Christ we bow to you this day. We thank you for your word. We thank you for your truth. We do pray for these on the prayer list, Lord, again. We pray for our brother Dale, Lord, that you would help him and help the family. Give grace and mercy there. We think of Henry Klingler today and Ernest Allen. We think of John Sutton today, our brother Chris, and so many, Lord, that need our prayers. And we just, Lord, hold them up to thee and ask that you would undertake for them. Give us grace now, Lord, that we may serve thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In thy name we pray, Amen.
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so
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T00:07:23Z

Heaven on Earth

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

Pastor John Weaver teaches from Deuteronomy 11 that a measure of heaven on earth can be experienced now through obedience to God's Word, resulting in heavenly wisdom and a heavenly walk. He contrasts this with the failed utopian dreams of fallen man and emphasizes that biblical dominion comes through obedience, while disobedience leads to domination by the wicked.

Opening

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 11:18-21

"Therefore shall you lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes." "And you shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, when thou risest up. And thou shalt write them upon the doorpost of thine house, and upon thy gates, that your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven."

Introduction: The Meaning of 'Heaven on Earth'

Weaver introduces the topic, noting that 'heaven on earth' is often thought of as a utopian society, but the Greek word 'utopia' means 'no place.' True reality is determined by God, not man.

Eschatological vs. Present Experience of Heaven on Earth

Heaven on earth can refer to the future New Jerusalem coming down (Revelation 21), but also to a present reality when God's people live in obedience.

Scripture Reading — Revelation 21:1-2

"coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 10:20-22

"Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name. For he is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen. Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons, and now the Lord thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for a multitude."

The Gift of Canaan as a Picture of Heaven on Earth

God gave Israel Canaan as a gracious gift, a land of hills and valleys cared for by God, unlike Egypt. This was to be a little bit of heaven on earth through obedience.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 10:20-22

"Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name. For he is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen. Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons, and now the Lord thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for a multitude."

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 12:5-11

"And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him."

So God says don't despise it. Now watch:

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 12:5-11

"For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth."

Now, watch if you would please, beginning there with verse 8. He says this: "Therefore," that is in light of what you have seen, in light of what you know, "therefore shall you

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 11:8-9

keep all the commandments which I command you this day, that you may be strong, and go in and possess the land, whither you go to possess it. And that you may prolong your days in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give unto them and to their seed, a land that

The Greater Gift to New Covenant Believers

Christians have received far more than Israel: we are joint heirs with Christ, inheriting all things, which should motivate greater obedience and worship.

And notice what the Apostle says. 1 Corinthians chapter 1. Notice if you would please, beginning there at verse 29, he says:

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 1:29-31

"That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of Him,"

that is of God the Father,

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 1:29-31

"are you in Christ Jesus, who of God has made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, that according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 3:21-23

"for all things are yours. Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas,"

look,

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 3:21-23

"or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's."

Scripture Reading — Romans 8:32

"He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?"

Covenant Sanctions: Blessings and Curses

Every covenant has sanctions. Obedience brings blessing (rain, harvest), while disobedience brings curses (drought, destruction). This principle applies to both Old and New Testaments.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 11:13-17

"And it shall come to pass if you shall hearken diligently unto My commandments which I command you this day, to love the Lord your God and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, that I will give you the rain of your land in due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and in thy wine, and in thine oil. And I will send grass in thy fields, and for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full. Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and that you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them. Then the Lord's wrath be kindled against you, and He shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not a fruit, unless you perish quickly from off the good land which the Lord giveth you."

Eternal Life Defined as Knowing God

Eternal life is not just living forever but knowing God intimately through Christ. This can be experienced now, and our present service is practice for heaven.

Scripture Reading — John 17:3

"And this is life eternal."

So He's defining it. He's telling you what it is.

Scripture Reading — John 17:3

"This is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent."

Requirements for Heaven on Earth: Heavenly Word, Wisdom, and Walk

To have heaven on earth, our lives must be filled with God's Word (Deut. 11:18-21), leading to heavenly wisdom (James 3:17) and a heavenly walk (Col. 1:9-10).

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 5:11-12

"Of whom we have many things to say,"

talking about Christ,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 5:11-12

"and hard to be uttered, seeing you are dull of hearing. For when the time you ought to be teachers, you have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God, and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat."

So the apostle said, "Look at you. You should be a teacher. And now you have to be fed and burped and swaddled. You're just a little baby."

Scripture Reading — James 3:13-18

"Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you?"

Did you get that? Who is a wise man? Where does wisdom come from? It comes from knowledge. Knowledge of what? Knowledge of God and His Word.

Scripture Reading — James 3:13-18

"Let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom."

Scripture Reading — Colossians 1:9-10

"For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that you might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding."

All of these things simply go together. One connects to the other and you progress from one to the other.

Applications: Obedience Brings Dominion

A little bit of heaven on earth is possible through obedience. Biblical dominion is tied to obedience, while domination by the wicked results from disobedience (Deut. 11:22-23; 28:43-48).

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 28:43-48

"The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high and thou shalt come down very low. He shall lend to thee, thou shalt not lend to him. He shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail."

Now watch:

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 28:43-48

"Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed, because thou hearkenest not unto the voice of the Lord thy God to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee. And they shall be upon thee for a sign, and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever, because thou servest not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things.

Heaven on Earth

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	oHpSmTxsHDk
Subject	Covenant Theology
Course	Covenant Theology: Blessings, Curses, and Sanctions: Promises Of The Law
Genre	Sermon
Date	2015-11-17
Dictation Name
Book	Book 042: Covenant Theology: Blessings, Curses, and Sanctions: God's Answer to America's Problems — Chapter 23
Source Timed Segments	78

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction: The Meaning of 'Heaven on Earth': Weaver introduces the topic, noting that 'heaven on earth' is often thought of as a utopian society, but the Greek word 'utopia' means 'no place.' True reality is determined by God, not man.
Eschatological vs. Present Experience of Heaven on Earth: Heaven on earth can refer to the future New Jerusalem coming down (Revelation 21), but also to a present reality when God's people live in obedience.
The Gift of Canaan as a Picture of Heaven on Earth: God gave Israel Canaan as a gracious gift, a land of hills and valleys cared for by God, unlike Egypt. This was to be a little bit of heaven on earth through obedience.
The Greater Gift to New Covenant Believers: Christians have received far more than Israel: we are joint heirs with Christ, inheriting all things, which should motivate greater obedience and worship.
Covenant Sanctions: Blessings and Curses: Every covenant has sanctions. Obedience brings blessing (rain, harvest), while disobedience brings curses (drought, destruction). This principle applies to both Old and New Testaments.
Eternal Life Defined as Knowing God: Eternal life is not just living forever but knowing God intimately through Christ. This can be experienced now, and our present service is practice for heaven.
Requirements for Heaven on Earth: Heavenly Word, Wisdom, and Walk: To have heaven on earth, our lives must be filled with God's Word (Deut. 11:18-21), leading to heavenly wisdom (James 3:17) and a heavenly walk (Col. 1:9-10).
Applications: Obedience Brings Dominion: A little bit of heaven on earth is possible through obedience. Biblical dominion is tied to obedience, while domination by the wicked results from disobedience (Deut. 11:22-23; 28:43-48).

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Man's utopian dreams are futile without God

Fallen man cannot create a perfect society; only a biblical order rooted in obedience to God can produce true peace and prosperity.

Weaver says, 'the only society that fallen man can produce is a society of death' and 'utopia literally means no place.'

God's chastisement is designed to produce holiness and strength

First-hand knowledge of God's judgments should lead to fear, submission, and ultimately strength, not cowardice.

Weaver references Hebrews 12:5-11, showing that chastening yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness.

New Covenant believers have greater reasons for obedience than Israel

Since we have been given Christ and all things, our motivation to obey should exceed Israel's gratitude for Canaan.

Weaver points to 1 Corinthians 3:21-23 and Romans 8:17, 32, showing we are joint heirs with Christ.

Heaven on earth requires saturation with Scripture

God's Word must be constantly before us, taught diligently to children, and displayed in our homes.

Weaver expounds Deuteronomy 11:18-20, emphasizing talking of God's words in all daily activities.

Heavenly wisdom is marked by being 'easy to be entreated'

A key characteristic of heavenly wisdom is a cooperative, agreeable spirit that fosters peace in homes and churches.

Weaver explains James 3:17, 'easy to be entreated' means not hard to get along with, not selfish or controlling.

National decline is due to the disobedience of God's people

The problem is not primarily wicked rulers but the failure of God's people to obey, which leads to domination by the wicked.

Weaver states, 'We are where we are today in our nation because of the disobedience of the children of God.'

Scripture References

Deuteronomy 11:18-21: Primary text commanding the laying up of God's words in heart and soul, teaching them to children, and writing them on doorposts, promising days of heaven on earth.
Proverbs 8:35-36: Wisdom personified (Christ) says whoever finds Him finds life, but those who hate Him love death, showing man without God produces a society of death.
Revelation 21:1-2: John sees a new heaven and new earth, and the New Jerusalem coming down from God, indicating an eschatological heaven on earth.
Deuteronomy 10:20-22: Command to fear, serve, cleave to God, and remember His great acts, leading to the command to love and obey in chapter 11.
Deuteronomy 11:2-7: Reminder of God's chastisement and miracles in Egypt and the wilderness, intended to produce fear and obedience.
Hebrews 12:5-11: God chastens those He loves as sons, yielding the peaceable fruit of righteousness; chastisement should lead to submission and holiness.
Deuteronomy 11:8-9: Therefore keep all commandments that you may be strong and possess the land flowing with milk and honey.
Deuteronomy 11:10-12: The land of Canaan is not like Egypt; it drinks rain from heaven and is cared for by God year-round.
1 Corinthians 1:29-31: God has made Christ our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, so we glory only in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 3:21-23: All things are yours—Paul, Apollos, Cephas, the world, life, death, things present, things to come—and you are Christ's.
Romans 8:14-17: Believers are led by the Spirit, are children and heirs of God, joint heirs with Christ, if we suffer with Him.
Romans 8:32: God did not spare His own Son but delivered Him up for us all; how will He not also freely give us all things?
Deuteronomy 11:13-17: If you obey, God will send rain and harvest; if you turn to other gods, He will shut up heaven and you will perish.
Revelation 22:3: In the eternal state there will be no more curse, and God's servants will serve Him.
John 17:3: This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
Hebrews 5:11-12: The Hebrews were dull of hearing and needed milk, not solid food, though they ought to be teachers.
James 3:13-18: Contrast between earthly, sensual, devilish wisdom (producing envy and strife) and heavenly wisdom (pure, peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated).
Colossians 1:9-10: Paul prays that believers be filled with the knowledge of God's will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, to walk worthy of the Lord.
Deuteronomy 11:22-23: If you diligently keep all these commandments, the Lord will drive out nations before you and you will possess greater nations.
Deuteronomy 28:43-48: Because of disobedience, the stranger will rise above you, lend to you, and be the head; you will serve your enemies in hunger and want.

Historical References

Quaker, Socialist, Communist utopian communities: Weaver mentions that utopian societies have been attempted by Quakers, Socialists, Communists, and some Christians, but all fail because they are based on fallen man's imagination.
Cahuilla, California as a socialistic utopian society: Weaver notes that Cahuilla began as a socialistic utopian society but closed down, though the town continued.
Henry David Thoreau and Walden Pond: Thoreau sought a utopian existence at Walden Pond, but it was not truly utopian.
Mule blinders (frontlets) in farming days: Weaver explains that frontlets were like blinders on a mule's halter, keeping it looking straight ahead, illustrating how God's Word should direct our focus.

Important Quotes

The Greek word 'utopia' is actually made up of two Greek words. It's made up of 'ou,' which is a negative which means 'no,' and 'topos,' which is the Greek word for 'place.' So the word 'utopia' literally means 'no place.'

Highlights the impossibility of man-made perfect societies, setting up the need for God's order.

All they that hate me love death.

Quoted from Proverbs 8:36 to show that man without God can only produce a society of death.

Eternal life is knowing God. It is a personal, intimate relationship with the One True and Living God through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Defines eternal life relationally, not just as endless existence, and emphasizes it can begin now.

If you don't love to worship and honor and serve and obey God now, what makes you think you're going to love it when you get to heaven where it is there in perfection?

Challenges the notion that one's affections will automatically change at death; present practice matters.

We are where we are today in our nation because of the disobedience of the children of God.

Places responsibility for national decline on the church's disobedience, not merely on wicked leaders.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

What does the Greek origin of 'utopia' teach us about man's attempts to create a perfect society apart from God?

[Context]

Weaver explains that 'utopia' means 'no place,' showing the futility of humanistic utopian dreams.

[Question]

How does the concept of 'heaven on earth' in Deuteronomy 11 differ from the eschatological view in Revelation 21?

[Context]

Weaver distinguishes between the future New Jerusalem and the present experience of blessing through obedience.

[Question]

In what ways have New Covenant believers received more than Israel, and how should that affect our obedience?

[Context]

Weaver contrasts the gift of Canaan with our inheritance as joint heirs with Christ.

[Question]

What does it mean to 'lay up' God's words in our hearts, and how is that different from mere memorization?

[Context]

Weaver stresses that God's Word must be loved and cherished, not just recited.

[Question]

What are the marks of heavenly wisdom according to James 3:17, and which one is most lacking in our homes and churches?

[Context]

Weaver highlights 'easy to be entreated' as a key, often missing, characteristic.

[Question]

How does the promise of dominion through obedience (Deut. 11:22-23) apply to the church today?

[Context]

Weaver argues that biblical dominion is tied to obedience, not political activism.

[Question]

Why does Weaver say the problem in our nation is not primarily the White House or Congress but the disobedience of God's people?

[Context]

He points to Deuteronomy 28:43-48, where disobedience leads to the enemy ruling over God's people.

Applications

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