Deu 4:26-31 | TNotes | STEP | 4:26 Heaven and earth would be witnesses against Israel if the people were disloyal to the Lord. In a covenant partnership, the parties to the agreement were held accountable to the oaths of loyalty and commitment they made to each other in the presence of witnesses (Isa 1:2-7 ; Mic 6:1-8 ). In Deuteronomy, the natural creation plays that role of witness (see Deut also 30:19 ).

a4:26►

bIsa 1:2-7►

cMic 6:1-8►

d30:19►

e4:27►

f28:64►

g4:30►

h30:1-10►

iLev 26:40-45►

jJer 31:27-34►

kEzek 36:22-31►

‏ Deuteronomy 4:26-31

4:26 ^a Heaven and earth would be witnesses against Israel if the people were disloyal to the Lord. In a covenant partnership, the parties to the agreement were held accountable to the oaths of loyalty and commitment they made to each other in the presence of witnesses (Isa 1:2-7 ^b; Mic 6:1-8 ^c). In Deuteronomy, the natural creation plays that role of witness (see Deut also 30:19 ^d).
4:27 ^e scatter you: One of the curses directed against Israel if it violated the terms of the covenant was the dispersion of the people to the ends of the earth (28:64 ^f). This judgment later came to pass repeatedly, especially when the Assyrians occupied the northern kingdom in 722 BC, when the Babylonians conquered Judah in 605–586 BC, and when Jerusalem was destroyed in AD 70.
4:30 ^g distant future (literally last [or latter] days): Israel would eventually return from the Exile and worldwide dispersion (see 30:1-10 ^h; Lev 26:40-45 ⁱ; Jer 31:27-34 ^j; Ezek 36:22-31 ^k).