Moses had now finished
his work as the legislator and ruler and leader of
ere
he finally retired from his place, he had to take order for the carrying
forward of the
work by the nomination of a successor to himself in the leadership; by
committing the
keeping of the Law to the priests; and by anew admonishing the
people to obedience,
encouraging them to go forward to the conquest of
assurance of the Divine favor and blessing, and pronouncing on them
his parting
benediction.
Deuteronomy 31
MOSES’ FAREWELL ADDRESS, HIS FINAL
ARRANGEMENTS
AND HANDING OVER OF THE LAW TO THE PRIESTS
(vs. 1-30)
Last Acts of Moses
(vs. 1-13)
1 “And Moses
went” - i.e.
disposed or set
himself. The meaning
intimates that
the
speaking was consequent on Moses having arranged, disposed, or set himself
to
speak -“and spake
these words unto all
2 “And he
said unto them, I am an hundred and twenty years old this day;” –
When Moses stood before Pharaoh he was eighty years old
(Exodus 7:7); since
then forty years had elapsed during the wanderings in the wilderness - “I can no
more go out and come in:’ - I am no longer able to work among and for the nation
as
I have hitherto done (compare Numbers 27:17). This does not conflict with the
statement in ch.34:7, that up to the time of his death his eyes were
not dim nor his
natural strength abated, for this is the statement of an observer,
and it often happens
that an individual feels himself to be failing, when to those around him he
appears
to
possess unabated vigor. That Moses could no longer go in and out among the
people was God’s prohibition of his going over
collateral reason why he had now to retire from his post as leader –
“also the
LORD hath said
unto me, Thou shalt
not go over this
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. 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.”
But though Moses was no longer to be their leader, he
assures them that the
Lord would fulfill His engagement to conduct them to the
possession of
even as He had already given them the territory of the kings of the
Amorites; and
he
therefore exhorts them to be of good courage and fearlessly go forward to the
conquest of the land (compare ch.1:21).
7 “And
Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all
people” - Moses, having in view the appointment of Joshua as his
successor,
also encourages him to go forward on the strength of the Divine promise.
“unto the land which the LORD hath sworn unto their fathers
to give
them; and thou shalt
cause them to inherit it.” - i.e. shalt conduct them to
the
full possession of the land. 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.”
Joshua (vs. 3-8,23)
Joshua a type of Jesus, the true Leader into the rest of
God Hebrews 4:8). God has
given him, as formerly he gave the son of Nun, for “a
Leader and Commander to
the
people” (Isaiah 55:4).
Ø
Divinely appointed (v. 3).
Ø
Divinely led. “He doth go before thee”
(v. 8). The captain had
a higher Captain (Joshua 5:14).
Ø
Divinely assisted. “He will be with thee” (v. 8). Our Leader is
Emmanuel
— “God with us” (Matthew 1:23).
Ø
He was to be strong and courageous (v. 7). The ground of
true
courage is God being with us. It is said of the Savior, “He shall
not
fail nor be discouraged” (Isaiah 42:4).
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
and
to them he commits the Law which he had written, with the injunction to
read it to the people at the end of every seven years during the festival of
the year
of
release, viz. at the Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:34), when they
appeared before the Lord. 10
“And Moses commanded them, saying,
At the end of every seven years,” – (compare ch.15:1). The Law
was
committed to the priests and elders, not merely to preserve it in
safe keeping,
but
that they might see to its being observed by the people; else why commit
it
to the elders whose it was to administer rule in the nation, as well as to the
priests who alone had access to the ark of the covenant where the
Law was
deposited? Moses entrusted the reading to the priesthood and the
college of
elders, as the spiritual and secular rulers of the congregation;
and hence the
singular, “Thou shalt read this Law to
all
the
Pentateuch; but it does not necessarily follow that the whole of the
Pentateuch was to be thus read. As the reading was to be
only once in
seven years, it may be concluded that it was not so much for the
information of
the
people that this was done, as for the purpose of PUBLICLY
DECLARING
(contrast this with THE PUBLIC
FORBIDDING OF THE LIKE IN THE
UNITED STATES TODAY – CY – 2012) and by a solemn ceremony
impressing on their minds THE CONDITION ON
WHICH THEY HELD
THEIR PRIVILEGES AS THE
(May
I say THERE ARE STRINGS ATTACHED TO OUR REACTIONS
TO GOD’S LAW HERE IN THE UNITED STATES AS WELL – are we
not
beginning to find this out with our economy and our national leader-
ship for starters? - CY – 2012); and for this the reading of select portions of
the
Torah would be sufficient - “in
the solemnity of the year of release, in
the feast of tabernacles,” - The Feast of Tabernacles was appointed as the
season for the reading, doubtless because there was
a connection between the
end
for which the Law was read and the spirit and meaning of that festival as a
festival of rejoicing because of their deliverance from the
uncertainty and
unsettledness of their state in the wilderness, and their establishment
in a
well-ordered state where they could in
peace and quietness enjoy THE
BLESSINGS WHICH THE BOUNTY OF GOD HAD BESTOWED! –
11 When
all
place which He shall choose,” - (ch.16:16) - “thou shalt read
this law
before all
Nehemiah 8:1-12***).
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
A New Generation Receiving the Heritage
of the Past (vs. 1-13)
The closing scene of Moses’ life is drawing nigh. The time
is at hand when he and
must part, and the leadership must be undertaken by another. As far as can
be done,
two
things have to be ensured — viz, the conservation of
of
the people to their goal. “God buries his ministers, but He carries on his work.”
Hence Moses first addresses all the people; then he turns
to Joshua, confirming him as
the
future leader (vs. 7-8); and finally to the priests, who are to be henceforth
the
custodians and guardians of the holy Law. Having thus handed over the
leadership of
an
army, and the conservation of a faith, Moses
has little else to do but to go up
and die. Hence our theme — A new generation entrusted with the heritage of
the past.
been handed down to the present day (vs. 12-13; II Peter 1:1;
Jude 1:3).
days have commended this faith to us, with all the earnestness
created by
their deep and strong convictions, which, in the hard school of
experience
and trial, were formed, fostered, and verified (vs. 3-4).
holy life.
(v.6).
RESPONSIBILITY
BEGINS!
The Importance of Knowing the Word of God (vs. 9-13)
The priests are to be the keepers and teachers of the Law. It
is one remarkable
feature of the constitution of the Hebrew commonwealth, that such stress is laid
upon popular
education. THIS
WAS AGAIN AND AGAIN MADE A
MATTER OF DIVINE PRECEPT! (And to think that
on purpose, secular
that non-constitution phrase “SEPARATION OF
CHURCH AND STATE.”
Our country is reeling from the EFFECTS OF SUCH NONSENSE! - CY –
2012) And about this there were two main regulations:
o
one, that it was to
begin at home;
o
two, that it was to
have as its one golden thread running through
all, that the fear of
the Lord was the beginning of wisdom.
Over and above, however, the home teaching from childhood,
there was to
be
at stated times A PUBLIC
THE LAW! At this public
reading, the people were to be gathered together.
“Young men and maidens, old men and children;” the stranger that was
within their gates
was not to be forgotten. ALL were to hear the Word of God, that they
might LEARN,
FEAR, LOVE and OBEY. It is to secure this most desirable
end
that Moses, having written the Law, delivers it to the priests, the
sons of Levi,
and
gives them the charge of which the paragraph before us is
the sum. Our theme is”
The
value of the Word of God as an
educating power in home and nation.
Note:
their life was for
God, WAS TO BE PERMEATED BY DIVINE
INFLUENCE and regulated by the
Divine will.
were to be taught what was the Divine will concerning them.
intelligent apprehension of the deep meaning life and their life was
expected to blossom into one of piety. Men were to “fear”
THE
LORD THEIR GOD and to “observe to do all the words of
this Law.”
Ø
In God’s Word we have
the noblest ethical standard in the world.
Ø
We have a revelation
of a great redeeming plan steadily unfolded from
Genesis
to Revelation.
Ø
We have a disclosure
of God in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ø
We have the manifestation
of power from heaven to begin a new
creation of grace. “But
as many as receive Him, to them gave
He power to become
the sons of God, even to them that believe
on His name.” (John 1:12)
Ø
We have a body of
doctrine for the life that now is.
Ø
We have glorious
glimpses of the life which is to come.
COMPENSATE FOR DEFICIENCY OF KNOWLEDGE OR
FAILURE IN PRACTICE CONCERNING MAN’S DUTY TO
HIMSELF, HIS FAMILY, HIS NEIGHBOR, AND HIS GOD.
To teach natural knowledge and
leave out religion, is mistake of the
ages. “Take an athletic man, the most perfect specimen of
athletic
training, bone, flesh and sinew, if that is all, he is
but a third of a man
and useless to society; send him to the schools and cram his mind full,
he is but two-thirds of a man and dangerous as well as useless. Put
Christ in his
heart to control and urge his purpose
and you have an
ideal man, a complete man, a whole man!
No book can take the Bible’s place. No study can supersede
that of the ways of God
to
man. In the Book of God, and in that alone, can man learn that which shall make
him
wise unto salvation. Here alone can we learn the mystery of
God’s will which was
hidden from ages and generations, but now is made manifest.
The
solemnity — at the Feast of Tabernacles (v. 10). Our feelings in reading
the Scriptures, or in hearing them read, ought
always to be of a solemn and
reverential kind. But it is well to avail ourselves of every aid which may
lend solemnity and impressiveness to the reading of words so
sacred.
sabbatical year “the year of
release.” Leisure hours cannot be better
employed than in making ourselves acquainted with “what God the Lord
will speak” (Psalm
85:8). We should avail ourselves of the leisure of
others to endeavor to instruct them.
of the Law would doubtless be attended to in many pious
homes. But the
practice would not be general (scarcity and expensiveness of
manuscripts,
want of education, religious indifference). The Levites were to
teach
the Law (ch.33:10; Leviticus 10:11; Malachi 2:7); but they
might
not do so, or the people might not wait on their instructions.
The public reading
of the Law, even once in seven years, was thus calculated to
be of great advantage.
As long as the practice was
observed, multitudes would derive benefit from it.
The reading was of the nature of
a public testimony, but also, as we see in
Nehemiah 8:1-12, for purposes of
real instruction. The public reading of Scripture,
with or without comment, is an important means of edification.
Read with
intelligence and judgment, the Word commends itself. And such
readings
are necessary. Many have Bibles, yet do not read them; many
read and do
not understand.
YOUNG. (v. 12.) All are interested in listening to the Word of God.
Men and women, little children,
strangers, no class but has a concern-in it.
None but may be edified by it.
Children ought to be more recognized than
they are in religious services. Need for making them feel that
they too are
interested in what is being said; that the Bible has a message for
them as
well as for their elders.
ENABLED TO OBEY IT,
(v. 13.)
TREASURE UP GOD’S LAW WITHIN OUR OWN HEARTS. We
cannot have too much of the Bible in our minds and memories. The
Psalmist
said, “Thy word have I
hid in mine heart that I might not sin against
thee.” (Psalm
119:11) The more
we study it, the more like Christ shall we
become. He whose “delight is in
the Law of the Lord, and in His Law
doth he meditate day and night,” is blessed, and he shall be like the tree
whose roots are in the waters, duly fruitful and ever green (Psalm 1:2-3).
His conscience shall be reinforced and
become increasingly tender; his heart
shall be elevated in its affections and longings; and his mind shall be trained
to what is high and holy. Thus is the whole being
enriched and the life enlarged.
May we deposit the
Word of God with as much care in our hearts as the
Levites did the rolls of
Moses in the ark!
The Transference of Leadership to
Joshua (vs. 14-23)
After nominating Joshua as his successor, and assigning the keeping of the
Law to the
priesthood and body of elders, Moses was summoned by the
Lord to appear with
Joshua in the tabernacle, that Joshua might receive a
charge and appointment to his
office. At the same time, God announced to Moses that after his death the people
would go astray, and turn to idolatry, and violate the covenant, so that
God’s anger
should be kindled against
them, and He would leave them to suffer
the
consequences of their folly and sin. In view of this, Moses was
directed to write a
song and teach it to the people, that it might abide with them as a witness
against them,
rising up, as songs will do, in the memory of the nation, even
after they had apostatized
from the path in which the author of the song had led them.
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,” – properly, the
tent of meeting (compare Exodus 33:7;
39:32)
- “that I may give him a charge.” - may constitute
him (hW;xi; compare
Numbers 27:19; this was to be done in the sight of the
people by appointing and
confirming him in this office. “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.”
(compare Exodus 33:9; 40:38;
Leviticus 16:2; Numbers 12:5).
16 “And
the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep
with thy
fathers;” - (compare II Samuel 7:12; Psalm 13:3; 76:5; Daniel 12:2; Matthew
27:52; John 11:11; I Thessalonians 4:14). The death of men, both good and bad,
Is often called a sleep, because they shall
certainly awake out of it by resurrection –
“and this people will
rise up, and go a whoring” - (compare Exodus 34:15;
Judges 2:17) - “after
the gods
of the strangers of the land,” - literally, after
gods of strangeness of the land; i.e. after gods foreign to the land, as
opposed to
Jehovah, the alone proper God of the land He had given to
them - “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 in that day
for all the evils which they shall have
wrought, in that they are turned
unto other gods.” I will hide my face from them; will not look on
them with
complacency, will withdraw from them my favor and help
(ch.32:20;
Isaiah 8:17; 64:7; Ezekiel 39:23).
19 “Now
therefore write ye this song” - This refers to the song which follows in
next chapter. Moses and Joshua were both to write this song, Moses probably
as the
author, Joshua as his amanuensis, because both of them were to
endeavor to keep the
people from that apostasy which God had foretold - “for you, and teach it the
children of
me against the children of
the land which I swear 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 swear. 22 Moses
therefore wrote this song the same
day, and taught it the children of
of Nun a charge, and said, Be strong and of a
good courage: for thou shalt
bring the children of
will be with thee.” And He gave - The
subject here is God, not Moses, as is
evident partly from v. 14, and partly from the expression, the land which
I aware unto
them; and I will be with thee (compare
Exodus 3:12).
The Delivering of
the Law to the Levites for Reference and Safe Keeping
(vs. 24-29)
After the installation of Joshua, only one thing remained
for Moses to do that all things
might be set in order before his departure. This was the
finishing of the writing of the
Book of the Law, and the committing it finally to the
priests, to be by them placed by
the
ark of the covenant, that it might be kept
for all future generations as a witness
against the people, whose apostasy and rebellion were
foreseen. Whether this section
is
to be regarded as wholly written by Moses himself, or as an appendix to his
writing
added by some other writer, has been made matter of question. It
is quite possible,
however, that Moses himself, ere he
laid down the pen, may have recorded what he
said when delivering the Book of the Law to the priests, and there is nothing in the
manner or style of the record to render it probable that it was added by
another. What
follows from v. 30 to the end of the book was probably added to
the writing of Moses
by
some one after his death, though, of course, both the song in Deuteronomy 32,
and
the
blessing in Deuteronomy 33, are the composition of Moses.
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,” - i.e. the priests
whose business it was to guard and to carry the ark of the
covenant; “the priests
the sons of Levi,” as in v. 9. According to Numbers 4:4, it was the Kohathites who
carried the ark on the journey through the desert; but they seem
merely to have acted
in
this respect as the servants or helpers of the priests, who alone might touch
the ark,
and
by whom it was carefully wrapped up before it was handed to the Kohathites.
On special occasions the priests themselves carried the ark
(compare Joshua 3:3;
4:9-10; 6:6,12; 8:33; I Kings 8:3)
- “saying,”
26 “Take
this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark” - at or by
the side of the ark.
According to the Targum of Jonathan, it was in a
coffer by
the
right side of the ark that the book was placed; but the Talmudists say it was
put
within the ark, along with the two tables of the Decalogue (‘Baba Bathra,’ 14);
but
see I Kings 8:8 - “of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may
be there for a witness against
thee.”
27 “For I
know thy rebellion,” - rather, rebelliousness,
i.e. tendency to
rebel. In Numbers 17:10, the people are described as בְנֵי מְרִי,
“sons of rebelliousness;” Authorized Version, “rebels”-
“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” - the words of his charge, and especially the song
he
had composed, and which it would be the business of these officers to teach
to
the congregation -“in their ears,
and call heaven and earth to record
against them.” (compare ch.32:1).
29 “For I
know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves,” –
literally, corrupting, ye will corrupt (הַשְׁחַת
תשׁחִתוּן,
sc.
דַרֵכֵיֶכם);
i.e. your ways (for the phrase, see Genesis
6:12) - “and turn aside from
the way which I have commanded you; and evil
will befall you in the
latter days;” -
the after-time, the future, as in ch.
4:30; Numbers 24:14 –
“because ye will
do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to
anger through the work of your hands.” – i. e. the idols they might make
(compare ch.
4:28). By some, however, the phrase is interpreted of evil deeds
in
general.
30 “And
Moses spake in the ears of all the congregation of
words of this song, until they were ended.”
God’s Foresight of
claims this power as one of his prerogatives (Isaiah 41:22; 42:9;
45:20-23).
And no one can question but that
these predictions have been strikingly
fulfilled. The people did corrupt themselves and turn aside,
and evil did
befall them in the latter days (v. 29).
DISREGARDED.
people repented, they would have been forgiven. The predictions
are cast in absolute form, only because God saw that warning
would not
be taken. He would only too gladly have revoked His threatenings
(see
Ezekiel 33:11), had
(compare
the case of
not do, but, with these woe-laden prophecies spread before it,
rushed
madly on, as if eager to fulfill them. How like sinners still. The plainest
declarations, the most explicit warnings, the direst threatenings, are as little
reckoned of as if no Word of God
were in existence. Strange that God’s
Word should be so disregarded, and yet profession so often made of
believing in it!
PROVE DISOBEDIENT. It
is to be spoken to them and taught them,
“whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear’ (Ezekiel 2:7). It
tells them the truth. It shows them their duty. It warns them of
the
consequences of disobedience. It upholds
a witness for God in their
apostasy (v. 19). It renders
them inexcusable. A solemn responsibility
thus attaches to us in the possession of God’s Word.
FORCED TO CONFESS THAT GOD’S WORDS AGAINST HIM
HAVE ALL BECOME TRUE. (v. 17.) Only that
time may come too
late (v. 18).
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