Deuteronomy: At Journey's Endਨਮੂਨਾ

Facing the Future

We bid sad farewell to Moses in Deuteronomy 34, which makes chapters 31–33 his last words to us, with his thoughtful guidance for Israel’s future. He starts by reminding them that fundamentally they are a people of faith. In verses 1–8, Israel is about to cross into the Promised Land. They and Joshua will need to summon up all the fortitude they can (vv. 6a, 7a). To enable them to do so, Moses simply points to the promises of God (vv. 3a, 6b, 8a) along with a reminder that the Lord has already signally kept his promises (v. 4) and can be relied on to do so again (v. 5). 

Secondly, Moses reminds Israel that they are people of the Book of the Law. See how verses 9–29 are planned in an a-b-c-b-a formation: the book (vv. 9–13); Joshua commissioned (vv. 14–15); a cautioning against future defection (vv. 16–22); Joshua commissioned (v. 23); the book (vv. 24–29). As the Lord outlines the coming years through Moses, his people are firmly placed inside the bracket of the Book of the Law. This is their characteristic position. Recurringly it is the centrepiece of their worship gathering (vv. 10–11) – the simple reading of Holy Scripture – so that by listening they can learn, fear and follow (v. 12), and, by being exposed to Scripture, can be exposed to their own shortcomings (vv. 26, 28–29). The Feast of Tabernacles was a re-enactment of the vulnerable days in the wilderness when the Lord marvellously protected and provided for them (v. 10; cf. Lev. 23:42). Replicating that period, every seven years, they make themselves again, symbolically, the people with very little materially, but possessing the inestimable treasure of the word of God. 

Finally, Moses urges Israel to be a people fully self-aware (vv. 16–21, 26–29). They are to be on their guard against complacency, knowing the sinfulness of their own hearts – how fickle (v. 16), rebellious (vv. 16, 20), corrupt (v. 29a) and provoking (v. 29b) they are. It is a sad but all too realistic catalogue.

Reflection

The reading of Scripture should still be the centre of worship – not the episodic, brief, perfunctory, badly read thing it too often is.