DEUTERONOMY 31

 

The final 3 chapters of Deuteronomy concern the succession of leadership from Moses to Joshua and the writing down of the covenant for its ongoing authority in Israel's life.

1 ¶ And Moses went and spake these words unto all Israel.

2 And he said unto them, I am an hundred and twenty years old this day; I can no more go out and come in: also the LORD hath said unto me, Thou shalt not go over this Jordan.

• The life of Moses, the great prophet of God and lawgiver of the Jews, was exactly the same in length as the time Noah employed in preaching righteousness to the antediluvian world.
• These one hundred and twenty years were divided into three remarkable periods:
  • 40 years he lived in Egypt, in Pharaoh's court, acquiring all the learning and wisdom of the Egyptians (see Ac 7:20,23;)
  • 40 years he sojourned in the land of Midian in a state of preparation for his great and important mission (Ac 7:29,30;)
  • 40 years he guided, led, and governed the Israelites under the express direction and authority of God: in all, one hundred and twenty years.
    • Another commentator interpreted these 3 40 year periods of time this way….for the first 40 years Moses was told that he was something…for the next 40 years, God drove him into a wilderness to prove to him that he was nothing…for the last 40 years of his life, the grace of God demonstrated that only He can make something out of nothings.
• As we will see in 34.7, Moses, at 120 years, was not limited by his physical condition (in a short time he will climb to the top of a mountain). Instead, he could no longer go out and come in because he was limited by God’s command - the decree that Moses would not enter the Promised Land (Numbers 20:7-12).
• What did Moses do? At Meribah (Numbers 20:7-12), when Israel complained and cried out for water, Moses misrepresented God. He misrepresented God by lecturing the nation harshly and unnecessarily. Moses misrepresented God by acting as if God needed him to provide water for the people. And Moses both misrepresented and disobeyed God by angrily striking the rock twice, instead of just speaking to the rock as God had told him to.

 

3 The LORD thy God, he will go over before thee, and he will destroy these nations from before thee, and thou shalt possess them: and Joshua, he shall go over before thee, as the LORD hath said.

4 And the LORD shall do unto them as he did to Sihon and to Og, kings of the Amorites, and unto the land of them, whom he destroyed.

• Not a word of murmuring or repining as to himself; not the faintest tinge of envy or jealousy in his reference to the one who was to take his place; not the most distant approach to anything of the kind; every selfish consideration is swallowed up in the one grand object of encouraging the hearts of the people to tread, with firm step, the pathway of obedience which was then, is now, and ever must be, the path of victory, the path of blessing, the path of peace. C.K. Macintosh

 

5 And the LORD shall give them up before your face, that ye may do unto them according unto all the commandments which I have commanded you.

6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

• Moses exhorted them not to be intimidated by the menacing opposition of enemies; to take encouragement from the continued presence of their covenanted God; and to rest assured in His divine power and promise to not fail them nor forsake them.
• Moses would pass away, but The Living God would always be with His people.
• May the blessed consciousness of the Lord's presence with us ever prove to be the true secret of our strength in moving onward in our journey of faith. Beloved, it matters not, in the least, what difficulties or dangers may lie before us, for Ps 124:8 Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
• Beloved, fear is to the devil what faith is to The Lord. Satan responds to, delights in and takes advantage of fear in the same way that The Lord responds to faith. The devil is constantly seeking to fill our hearts and minds with anxiety and fear. He is the author and finisher of fear!
• Our faith is not mind over matter, but God’s Word over all. Faith is not the denial of circumstances, it is the acknowledgement that our God is faithful and true. He will never leave us nor forsake us. We love The Lord more than life itself, therefore, all things are working together for good.
• The next time that you or I are tempted to be overwhelmed by fear and anxiety, remember that God said,
  • 2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
  • Isa 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. 4 Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

 

7 And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the LORD hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it.

• Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel: Bringing the people into the Promised Land was God’s work. He was going to do it. But God almost always does His work through men and women who make themselves available to Him.

 

8 And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.

9 ¶ And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and unto all the elders of Israel.

• Two written copies of the law were prepared, the one of which was delivered to the public representatives of Israel; namely, the priests and the elders. The other copy was to be deposited in secure place for reference, should occasion require.
• Priests the sons of Levi- In all ordinary journeys, it was the common duty of the Levites to carry the ark and its furniture (Nu 4:15); but, on solemn or extraordinary occasions, that office was discharged by the priests (Jos 3:3-8; 6:6; 1Ch 15:11,12).
• All the elders- The elders were the overseers who were assigned to take care of the preservation, rehearsal, and observance of the law.

 

10 And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles,

11 When all Israel is come to appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing.

• The 7^th or Sabbatical year, was the year when debts were forgiven, when slaves were released, when both the people and the land were to rest.
• At the return of the sabbatic year and during the feast of tabernacles, the law was to be publicly read. This order of Moses was a future and prospective arrangement; for the observance of the sabbatic year did not commence till the conquest and peaceful occupation of Canaan.
• According to 16:16, only the men were required to make the pilgrimage for the feast each year. Here, that obligation is extended to everyone in the seventh year, when the law is read.
• In the time of release, refreshment and rejoicing, the people of God were to read The Word, and the reason being that there is a link between reading the word and being refreshed and rejoicing. Tonight is a time of joy in this house of The Lord.

 

12 Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law:

13 And that their children, which have not known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.

• Verses 10-13 gives us one of the clearest pictures of how the people of God were taught the law. The priests had the responsibility of gathering the nation together, and once assembled, to simply read this law aloud God’s Word to them.
• Observe that Jehovah attached the most solemn importance to the public assembly of His people for the purpose of hearing His word.
• Please note that a very important part of the instruction was that God’s people would learn to fear Him and obey His word.

 

14 ¶ And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thy days approach that thou must die: call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of the congregation, that I may give him a charge. And Moses and Joshua went, and presented themselves in the tabernacle of the congregation.

15 And the LORD appeared in the tabernacle in a pillar of a cloud: and the pillar of the cloud stood over the door of the tabernacle.

• In Nu 27:22,23, we read that Joshua had been publicly designated to the office of commander by Moses. Here, God was confirms His divine appointment by the visible manifestation of the pillar of the cloud, which was a symbol of His presence and approval.
• Through the wilderness journey, we find Moses and Joshua together before the Lord often. Exodus 33:11 says, his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle.

 

16 And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep (metaphorically, to die) with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.

17 Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not among us?

18 And I will surely hide my face (withdraw My presence and protection) in that day for all the evils which they shall have wrought, in that they are turned unto other gods.

• God tells Moses that once he has passed away, His people would forsake drawing near to God, and in the process, fall into idolatry (whoring) with the gods of the other nations. This would be the cause of God’s anger against them.
• The nation, by remembering the word of God, would know that they suffered all the evils that they did because they had forsaken the covenant of their God.

 

19 Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel.

• The song which follows in the next chapter, was ordered to be composed by Moses, doubtless under divine inspiration, which was to be learnt by the Israelites themselves and to be taught to their children in every age.
• Among the ancients, putting words to music or poetry was one of the best methods of memorization.
• The anticipation is that Israel will disobey and that the song will therefore be a witness to Israel's disobedience. Instead of Israel being a witness for Jehovah, before all nations, the song of Moses was to be a witness for Jehovah against the children of Israel.

 

20 For when I shall have brought them into the land which I sware unto their fathers, that floweth with milk and honey; and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and waxen fat; then will they turn unto other gods, and serve them, and provoke me, and break my covenant.

21 And it shall come to pass, when many evils and troubles are befallen them, that this song shall testify against them as a witness; for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed: for I know their imagination which they go about, even now, before I have brought them into the land which I sware.

• As Deuteronomy often suggests, Israel's heart was inclined to faithless disobedience, not faithful obedience to God, they would have prospered; instead, they turned to other gods and experienced evil and many troubles.
• Oh how true is the Scripture, Psa 16:4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god. ad Israel walked in obedience

 

22 ¶ Moses therefore wrote this song the same day, and taught it the children of Israel.

23 And he gave Joshua the son of Nun a charge, and said, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou shalt bring the children of Israel into the land which I sware unto them: and I will be with thee.

• Be strong and of good courage: It is remarkable how often this exhortation is directed towards Joshua. He hears it seven different times (Deuteronomy 31:6, 7, and 23; Joshua 1:6, 7, 9, and 18).
• This repeated command implies the weakness of Joshua. Joshua was commanded, by faith, to take strength and courage from The Lord.
• Amazingly, the last time this phrase is used in connection with Joshua, he is encouraging others to be strong and of good courage (Joshua 10:25). He could encourage others to find strength in The Lord for himself had found God faithful to do what He promised when Joshua took God’s Word by faith.
• You shall bring the children of Israel into the land: Joshua, by nature weak and lacking courage, needed to hear this from Moses. He needed to hear, “You are going to do it. It is going to happen.”
• Moses, the lawgiver could not bring the people of God into the Promised Land, Joshua did. Joshua is a type of Yeshua (Jesus), Who brings all those who trust in Him into that place of rest and assurance (Heb 3,4). The law, or any other man made religion for that matter, can do nothing to take away our sin, only the grace of God through Jesus Christ, The Lamb of God can do that.

 

24 And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished,

25 That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying,

26 Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee.

• The second copy of the law (see De 31:9) was deposited for greater security and reverence in a little chest beside the ark of the covenant, for there was nothing contained within it but the tables of stone (1Ki 8:9).
• In 2 Kings 22, we read that when King Josiah remodeled the temple, the only copy of the law to be found in all of Israel was found therein.

 

27 For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, ye have been rebellious against the LORD; and how much more after my death?

28 Gather unto me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to record against them.

29 For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days; because ye will do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands (making of idols).

• This exhortation to the Levites (and Joshua) reminds us of that exhortation that Paul gave to the elders of Ephesus:
  • Ac 20:24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. 28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. 29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. 32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

 

30 And Moses spake in the ears of all the congregation of Israel the words of this song, until they were ended.

• Joshua was not to be discouraged or faint-hearted because of the predicted unfaithfulness of the people. He was, like his father Abraham, to be strong in faith giving glory to God. He was to move forward with joyful confidence, leaning on the arm and confiding in the word of Jehovah.
• Joshua was to walk by faith and fix his eye not upon Israel's ways, but upon the eternal Word of God. He was, like David, to encourage himself in the Lord His God, and lean not unto how own understanding.
• Beloved, in the midst of life’s disappointments and sorrows; in the midst of confusion and times of perplexity, may we hide deep in our hearts that precious truth that the word of our God shall stand forever.
• May we be a Word honoring, Christ exalting, God fearing, Spirit filled congregation that are motivated by nothing other than the love of Christ, and do everything for the glory of God.