Understanding Deuteronomy 7:6

Verse: "For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth." - Deuteronomy 7:6

This verse encapsulates the special relationship between God and His people, the Israelites. It emphasizes God's choice, holiness, and the idea of being set apart. The commentary from Matthew Henry, Albert Barnes, and Adam Clarke provides valuable insights into this passage, underscoring several themes.

Key Themes

• Divine Selection: God’s choice of Israel over other nations signifies a unique relationship, marking them as His elect.
• Holiness: The term “holy” indicates a standard of purity and separation, contributing to the understanding of God's nature and expectations for His people.
• Covenantal Friendship: This verse is a reminder of the covenantal relationship that involves both privilege and responsibility.
• Special Possession: Being a people of God emphasizes belonging and ownership, affirming their identity as a nation set apart for divine purpose.

Commentary Insights

According to Matthew Henry, this verse highlights God's sovereignty and grace. It points out that the selection of the Israelites was not due to their merit but solely to God's divine will. He emphasizes that this grace requires living according to God's laws and maintaining their holiness.

Albert Barnes expands on this by explaining that being 'chosen' is a call to responsibility — Israel must live in a way that reflects their status as God's chosen people. Barnes also connects this idea to the New Testament, where similar themes of election and holiness are echoed.

Adam Clarke draws parallels to New Testament teachings, particularly pointing to the Book of Revelation, where believers are similarly described as a 'holy nation'. Clarke emphasizes the significance of identity and moral conduct, urging believers to embody the holiness that God expects.

Bible Cross-References

Deuteronomy 7:6 is richly connected to several other Biblical texts that resonate with the themes of divine election and holiness:

• 1 Peter 2:9: "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." - This verse directly echoes the message of being a chosen people.
• Isaiah 43:20-21: "The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches; for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise."
• Romans 8:33: "Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies." - This showcases the theme of being chosen and protected.
• Exodus 19:5-6: "Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation."
• Ephesians 1:4: "Even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him." - This connects the Old Testament concept of election to New Testament believers.
• Deuteronomy 14:2: "For you are a people holy to the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you to be a people for His treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth."
• Psalm 135:4: "For the LORD has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel as His own possession." - A reiteration of God’s choice of His people.
• Romans 11:1-2: "I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew." - Affirms God’s enduring commitment to Israel.
• John 15:16: "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide." - Jesus speaks to the theme of divine selection in the Christian context.
• Galatians 3:29: "And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise." - This expresses the inclusion of Gentiles in the covenant blessings, illustrating the expanded understanding of being God's chosen people.

Applying the Verse Today

Deuteronomy 7:6 remains pertinent for believers today, providing foundational concepts of identity in Christ, holiness, and the implications of being chosen. It challenges believers to live in accordance with God's expectations, knowing they are His treasured possession.

The connections found through various Bible verse cross-references illuminate the continuity of God's plan from the Old Testament to the New. A Bible concordance or Bible cross-reference guide can be instrumental in uncovering deeper insights into these relationships and enhancing cross-referencing Bible study.

Believers can further explore themes by using tools for Bible cross-referencing to understand scripture within the broader context of God’s redemptive narrative.