In 9:8—10:11 Moses rehearsed the story of the rebellion of the children of Israel in making the golden calf and worshipping it at the mount of God, as a solemn testimony against the children of Israel. At the very time the Ten Commandments were being given, the rebellious children of Israel were violating the second commandment—the commandment concerning not making an idol and bowing down to it. They made an idol, bowed down to it, and served it. In order to give them an illustration of their history of rebellion, Moses reminded them of what they did at the mount of God.
In 10:12-22 Moses charged the children of Israel concerning nine matters: fearing Jehovah their God, walking in all His ways, loving Him, serving Him with all their heart and all their soul, keeping His commandments and statutes for their good, circumcising the foreskin of their heart, not being stiff-necked any longer, holding fast to Him, and swearing by His name, who is their praise and their God. Let us consider these matters one by one.
Verse 12 says, "Now, O Israel, what does Jehovah your God ask of you except that you fear Jehovah your God so that you would walk in all His ways and love Him and serve Jehovah your God with all your heart and with all your soul." First, Moses speaks here of fearing God. We all must have a proper fear of God. However, it seems that today many people, claiming that they are free, do not fear anything or anyone, including God. This lack of fear is terrible; it is the source of all kinds of lawlessness. The young people should recognize that, according to God's ordination, there is authority in the family, in society, and in the church. In whatever we do, say, and think, we all need to fear God. He is observing us and knows where we are and what we are doing. Eventually, we will reap a harvest from what we sow, and we will eat the fruit of this harvest.
When we fear God, we will walk in His ways. God's ways are actually what God is. This means that whatever God is, is a way to us. God is love, and this love is a way in which we should walk. God "loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. Therefore, love the sojourner, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt" (vv. 18b-19). One of God's ways is to love sojourners, and we should walk in this way of God. Many sojourners are poor, lacking food and clothing. We need to love them and give them what they need. God is also holy, and His holiness is another way for our walk. Furthermore, God "does not regard persons and does not take bribes" (v. 17b), and we should take this as a way, not regarding persons and not receiving bribes. God also "executes justice for the orphan and the widow" (v. 18a), and we should walk in the way of His justice.
The Lord Jesus said, "I am the way" (John 14:6). Since the Lord Jesus is the very God, this word indicates that God Himself is the way. To take what God is as our ways and to walk in these ways is to live God. When we take Christ as our way, we live Him in what He is. He is humble, and we should live in the way of humility. He is the One who always takes the cross, and we should walk in the way of the cross. To take Christ as our way is to live Him, and to live Him is to express Him, to manifest Him, and even to magnify Him. Hence, to walk in God's ways is to live God, express God, manifest God, and magnify God. We should take God as our way and thus act as He acts.