You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him.
Just prior to the above statement, Israel was warned of the potential of “a prophet or a dreamer of dreams rising up and encouraging them to “go after other gods.” Just prior to that, the instruction was that they be careful to do everything that they are commanded. Thus the instruction here is to walk after God, to fear God, to keep the commandments of God, to obey the voice of God, to serve God, and to hold fast to God. We know, of course, that Israel would fail in this in multiple and dramatic ways—and on many different occasions.
But this is not unique to Israel—not in the least. It is a fact of human nature that we all are prone to distancing ourselves from God, often and in multiple and dramatic ways. As Paul wrote, quoting the Psalms, “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.” Also as Paul wrote, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Ever since the Garden, humanity has found ways to run away from God. Each and every one of us “like sheep have gone astray.” What a terrible predicament in which to be.
But God sent his Son to provide the means by which we might overcome this predicament. Through Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection, we have the way to return to God—and to continue to hold fast to him. We now have access to the perfect grace of God. “Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!”
–Ricky