10:5 The tablets of the law were still in the Ark about 500 years later when Solomon put it in his newly built Temple (1 Kings 8:9). The Ark last appears in the Israelites’ history during the reign of Josiah, about 300 years after Solomon (2 Chronicles 35:3).
10:12, 13 Often we ask, What does God expect of me? Here Moses gives a summary that is simple in form and easy to remember. Here are the essentials: (1) Fear God (have reverence for him). (2) Walk in his ways. (3) Love him. (4) Serve him with all your heart and soul. (5) Keep his commands. How often we complicate faith with man-made rules, regulations, and requirements. Are you frustrated and burned out from trying hard to please God? Concentrate on his real requirements and find peace. Respect, follow, love, serve, and obey.
10:16-19 God required all male Israelites to be circumcised, but he wanted them to go beyond performing the surgery to understanding its meaning. They needed to submit to God inside, in their hearts, as well as outside, in their bodies. Then they could begin to imitate God’s love and justice in their relationships with others. If our hearts are right with God, then our relationships with other people can be made right, too. When your heart has been cleansed and you have been reconciled to God, you will begin to see a difference in the way you treat others.
10:17 In saying that the Lord is God of gods and Lord of lords, Moses was distinguishing the true God from all the local gods worshiped throughout the land. Then Moses went a step further, calling God “terrible.” God is “terrible” in that he has such awesome power and justice that people cannot stand before him without his mercy. Fortunately, his mercy toward his people is unlimited. When we begin to grasp the extent of God’s mercy toward us, we see what true love is and how deeply God loves us. Although our sins deserve severe judgment, God has chosen to show love and mercy to all who seek him.
10:19 Just as the Israelites’ ancestors were at one time strangers in a strange land, so they were to be friends to foreigners who were seeking a new life with them. Likewise, we are commanded to love foreigners. By showing genuine love, we may bring those who are not yet Christians to Christ. We must remember that all of us were brought to Christ through someone else’s loving concern.
10:20 “Swear by his name” means that God alone should have their allegiance.