Choose Life (Are you distant? Are you a long way off? Are you not even in the picture?)
Let’s say that you are a descendant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and never returned “home,” when Israel’s (northern 10) Tribes departed the land of captivity (when they were driven from the Promised Land due their sin and disobedience).
Let’s also say that you are a descendant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and never returned “home,” when Judah’s (southern 2—Judah and Benjamin) Tribes departed the land of captivity (when they were driven from the Promised Land due their sin and disobedience).
Let’s also say that you are a grafted-in Christian/Messianic truster by faith descendant of Abraham—his seed. Maybe you too have departed the faithful acts and choices and have wandered back into captivity. Deuteronomy 30 is quite an eye opener.
Curiously, though, not one of those Tribes have been in the Diaspora yet. In reality, Israel (as a whole) is just getting their life started, prior to crossing the Jordan. Does this make you curious why this would be mentioned HERE?
Deuteronomy 30: 1-5
“So it will be when all of these things have come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have placed before you, and you call them to mind in all the nations where the LORD your GOD has scattered you, 2 and you return to the LORD your GOD and obey Him with all your heart and soul in accordance with everything that I am commanding you today, you and your sons, 3 then the LORD your GOD will restore you from captivity, and have compassion on you, and will gather you again from all the peoples where the LORD your GOD has scattered you. 4 If any of your scattered countrymen are at the ends of the earth, from there the LORD your GOD will gather you, and from there He will bring you back. 5 The LORD your GOD will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and He will be good to you and make you more numerous than your fathers.
If you are in a different lifestyle, choose Life. If you’re spiritually distant, choose Life. If you are not even close, but this is knocking on your door, choose Life. He is the One Who has died for you.
Deuteronomy 30: 6
…Moreover, the LORD your GOD will circumcise your heart and the hearts of your descendants, to love the LORD your GOD with all your heart and all your soul, so that you may live.
I know, right. This is the first time this is seen in Scripture. Nope. Paul did not say it first. He is specifically referring to the Law of GOD. The Bible uses the phrase “circumcision of the heart” to describe a transformation of the lifestyle a will undergo, to be faithful to the GOD of Israel. This is not a physical act, but the removal of hardness and rebellion so that a person can love GOD fully and live in obedience to Him. It a GREAT way to symbolize humility, repentance, and a heart’s “thinking” for being open to GOD’s Spirit of Truth.
I’ve shared in previous posts, Metaphors and Idioms are HUGE parts of the communication and relaying of information and thoughts in the Hebrew language. To me, circumcision of the heart is one of the most compelling metaphors in all of Scripture. The phrase describes an inner transformation in which the stubborn, resistant, self‑protective parts of a person are “cut away” so they can love, obey, and cling to GOD with sincerity.
Circumcision (brit milah) is a Covenant sign. — Biblically, a Covenant sign is a physical mark of belonging, loyalty, and identity. When the prophets, Moses and Paul speak of “circumcising the heart,” they’re (by metaphoric definition) saying: the real covenant mark must be internal, not just external!
NOTE: There are some men walking around that were never circumcised. That would be the external. We are NOT talking the ‘heart’ here.
The Holy GOD wants men’s thinking to be renewed, thus undergo a transformation. When we are truly renewed and transformed, the show will end and we will exhibit true, humble and honest performance—before the Audience of One! Humble obedience to GOD must flow from love, not legalism or self-focused ambitions. The heart of that man must become tender, not stubborn. I believe this is one of those truths that separates religion from relationship, performance from Covenant, striving from Spirit‑formed obedience.
If you are in a different lifestyle, choose Life. If you’re spiritually distant, choose Life. If you are not even close, but this is knocking on your door, choose Life. He is the One Who has died for you.
The heart in Hebrew (lev) is not emotions — it’s the inner control center where the will, desire, conscience, and identity or formed and managed. What is usually referred to as the heart is the mind! Does the “renewal of the mind” in Romans 12 ring a bell.
Should you desire to look a little further, I supplied some additional references for “circumcision of the heart (mind).”
Deuteronomy 10:16 – “Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer.”
Deuteronomy 30:6 – “The LORD your GOD will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you may love the LORD your GOD with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.”
Jeremiah 4:4 – “Circumcise yourselves to the LORD and take away the foreskins of your hearts… lest My fury come forth like fire and burn so that no one can quench it.”
Romans 2:29 – “No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from GOD.”
Colossians 2:11 – “In Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self-ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ.”
Acts 7:51 – “You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit!”
Being spiritually circumcised in the mind of the heart is a great indicator that you are willing to go through the pain that comes with transformation and resurrection. It gives a recall to the physical act as well.
I will say the above line with a more concise statement. Circumcision (physical and spiritual) is always a wounding that leads to belonging, so, to be circumcised in the heart is to willingly enter the pain that leads to Covenant identity, spiritual maturity, and resurrection life.
Think about this…. The mind of the heart is where the cut will/must happen! GOD cuts into the deepest place where yours and my identity and desires are formed.
NOTE: Every Resurrection Requires a Death — and Every Death Requires a Wound. This is why Paul ties circumcision to resurrection in Colossians 2:11, when he writes, “a person is circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands.” …of course, I listed this above. The more, the merrier.
Always remember this fact… The physical act (obedience) points to the spiritual experience of Truth. Spiritual circumcisionmirrors every one of these actions that a solid and faithful man of GOD needs to take place in his life:
This MUST happen: GOD cut away pride, stubbornness and self‑protection
This MUST happen: The Spirit will expose hidden motives
This MUST happen: The Spirit will remove what blocks love and obedience
This MUST happen: GOD’s Spirit marks you as His
This MUST happen: The Spirit will He heal you; and give you a new identity
This MUST happen: The Spirit will transform you, and it is irreversible
OUCH! All of that hurts like physical circumcision would. Ask Abraham!
If you are in a different lifestyle, choose Life. If you’re spiritually distant, choose Life. If you are not even close, but this is knocking on your door, choose Life. He is the One Who has died for you.
NOTE: All of this connects to submission, surrender and obedience that leads to the proper love the Father expects from those who love Him.
Deuteronomy 30:7-10
… and the LORD your GOD will inflict all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you. 8 And you will again obey the LORD, and follow all His commandments which I am commanding you today. 9 Then the LORD your GOD will prosper you abundantly in every work of your hand, in the children of your womb, the offspring of your cattle, and in the produce of your ground, for the LORD will again rejoice over you for good, just as He rejoiced over your fathers; 10 if you obey the LORD your GOD, to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this Book of the Law (of GOD), if you turn to the LORD your GOD with all your heart and soul.
Deuteronomy 30: 11-13
…for this Commandment which I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it far away. 12 It is not in heaven, that you could say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us and get it for us, and proclaim it to us, so that we may follow it?’ 13 Nor is it beyond the sea, that you could say, ‘Who will cross the sea for us and get it for us and proclaim it to us, so that we may follow it?’
In a nutshell, Moses is saying: GOD’s Word is not distant, or inaccessible. It is near, doable, and meant to be lived. We place barriers and excuses between us and righteous living. There is no wall that prevents obedience. The only question is the heart’s willingness.
This is probably speaking to someone. A few of you are getting poked, because your journey has been marred with indecision.
An obedient son doesn’t treat GOD’s Word as hard to find or follow. Does he?
Deuteronomy 30:14
…on the contrary, the Word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may follow it. All of our excuses and reasoning for NOT have been removed, according to this verse. COME HOME! Choose Him! GOD has already placed His Word inside you and on your lips so that obedience flows from association, not failed attempts.
Deuteronomy 30:15-17
15 See, I have placed before you today life and happiness, and death and adversity; 16 in that I am commanding you today to love the LORD your GOD, to walk in His ways and to keep His Commandments, His Statutes, and His Judgments, so that you may live and become numerous, and that the LORD your GOD may bless you in the land where you are entering to take possession of it 17 but if your heart turns away and you will not obey, but are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today that you shall surely perish. You will not prolong your days in the land where you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess it
If you are in a different lifestyle, choose Life. If you’re spiritually distant, choose Life. If you are not even close, but this is knocking on your door, choose Life. He is the One Who has died for you.
https://youtu.be/Wflr6756GdQ?si=ZOnibLvvhYy--C9z, “Let the Healing Begin,” 4Him