Deuteronomy 30:12

12 It is not up in heaven. You do not have to ask, "Who will go up to heaven and get it for us so we can obey it and keep it?"

Deuteronomy 30:12 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 30:12

It [is] not in heaven
The scheme of it was formed in heaven, it was hid in the heart of God there, before revealed; it was ordained before the world was for our glory; it was brought down from thence by Christ, and committed to his apostles and ministers of the word to preach it to men; and has been ever since continued on earth, and will be at the time of the conversion of the Jews:

that thou shouldest say;
that there should be any occasion of saying; it forbids any such kind of speech as, follows:

who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it to us, that we may hear
it, and do it?
there is no need of that, for it is brought from thence already, and may be heard, and should be obeyed; for to put such a question would be the same as to ask "to bring Christ down from above", who is come down already by the assumption of human nature, to preach the Gospel, give the sense of the law, and fulfil it, to do the will of his Father, bring in an everlasting righteousness, and save his people; so that there is no need of his coming again on the same errand, since he has obtained eternal redemption, and is the author of everlasting salvation, which is the sum and substance of the Gospel.

Deuteronomy 30:12 In-Context

10 But you must obey the Lord your God by keeping all his commands and rules that are written in this Book of the Teachings. You must return to the Lord your God with your whole being.
11 This command I give you today is not too hard for you; it is not beyond what you can do.
12 It is not up in heaven. You do not have to ask, "Who will go up to heaven and get it for us so we can obey it and keep it?"
13 It is not on the other side of the sea. You do not have to ask, "Who will go across the sea and get it? Who will tell it to us so we can keep it?"
14 No, the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.