Concluding Thoughts on Deuteronomy

"The four preceding books might be compared to the four Gospels; Deuteronomy represents the whole, and may be styled a Diatessaron, as it recalls to our mind the great Creator of all things, who was about to fulfill the promises which he had made to the Patriarchs."  So says the introduction to Deuteronomy in my Bible.  And it's a wise observation, for Deuteronomy truly is a blending of all four of the previous books of the Pentateuch.  The people saved from Egypt in Exodus have grown old or passed on to the next life.  In Deuteronomy, Moses is speaking to the next generation, the generation that will carry the torch into the Promised Land.  And so immediately in Deuteronomy we sense a different tone, which I wrote about in my post on Deuteronomy 1, way back on April 7th, 2011.  That tone is one of a loving father (or even grandfather, you could say).  He is writing with sentiment, with emotion welling up in his heart for his people, for the gift they are about to receive, and also in sadness for the transgressions they have committed, for the transgressions Moses himself has committed which disallows him from entering into the Promised Land.  He is speaking to his little children, and this is especially evident in the beginning of Deuteronomy and at the end.  In the middle we are reminded of those warnings and punishments laid out in Leviticus and Numbers.  All in all, though, we are not given much new information.  The first four books lay it all out pretty clearly: the history and the law.  But Deuteronomy acts more like an underline or a highlight.  It is a re-emphasis.  The Law is repeated because it is the most important thing the Israelites are taking with them into the Promised Land.

And though there are harsh words found throughout Deuteronomy, it is the soft and merciful blessings and encouragements that stick out the most.  God reminds His people of due punishments that await them should they fail to comply with the Law, and there are plenty of horrible things described.  But the tone overall is so loving and gentle in Deuteronomy that one cannot help but feel hopeful and inspired at the end of it.  God reminds us, through Moses, that He will never abandon us.  That the strength we need will be there for us, if we ask for it and seek it.  Moses, before he dies, leaves us with a beautiful song and a beautiful blessing.  And his death fills the pages of the Word with peace and tranquility.  The Pentateuch has ended, the Law is official, the Land is now theirs, and now the only thing left to do is step foot in it.  Joshua now steps into the narrative to help lead the people in that next step.  The Book of Josue is next.  Moses has put down his pen.  The next inspired writer has picked it up.  And on we go.

Deuteronomy 34 - The Passing of the Prophet

It took me a year and a half, but I finally finished Deuteronomy (Numbers took me "just" one year, Leviticus took me three months, Exodus five months, and Genesis about nine months).  All together, I've spent the last four years reading the Pentateuch!  When I began I was 30 years old, living in an apartment in Rancho Cucamonga, and working part-time jobs.  Now I'm 34, living in a house in Apple Valley, and working as a full-time English teacher.  Reading these five books has been a journey.  And yet, the larger journey has just begun.  I've still only scratched the surface of the Word!  I'm not disappointed it took me so long because I was able to dwell on each chapter thoroughly.  This project of mine is not a race.  That said, there were a few lapses during those four years in which I failed to read for months at a time.  This must be avoided in the future.  Even if my pace is slow, I need to strive to always be making progress.  At any rate, this first leg of the journey has concluded.  It's been an immensely rewarding four years of reading.  I can only imagine what awaits me next.

Deuteronomy 34 is short, yet powerful.  There is only one thing that occurs, and that is the death of Moses, which unfolds in a subtly emotional way.  Moses is alone (well, not exactly, as he is graced by the divine company of God and His angels).  There are no friends around, no family members consoling him at his bedside.  He is on top of a mountain, looking down on the land he'll never set foot in -- the land he strove so hard to will his people toward.  God reminds him one last time that he won't enter into the Promised Land.  And we hear no complaint from Moses, no discontent, or anger, or disappointment.  We hear nothing, which indicates Moses's obedience.  He simply views that earthly paradise, and dies.  The passage is almost softly spoken, understated, and yet powerfully emotional.  I was almost able to visualize the scene: the top of the peak, wind blowing, yet a quiet in the air, the whole world stretching out around Moses, a giant panorama of the land he'd never inhabit, and God's gentle voice inviting Moses into the next life, a life that would one day open up to the true Promised Land, when heaven's gates would open with the Son's Supreme Sacrifice. 

It is interesting that Moses's body needed to be buried in secret.  There is a striking verse in the Epistle of Jude that reads, "When Michael, the Archangel, disputing with the devil, contended about the body of Moses" (Jude 9).  Thus it is revealed that there was an actual dispute over Moses's body, that Satan wanted it buried in a public place, so that, presumably, the Israelites could be tempted into idolizing his remains.  And Michael had to wrest it from him to keep it as God desired it -- that Moses should be buried in a secret place. 

To end, a few words about Moses, the greatest of the Old Testament prophets.  In my commentary it is stated that "no prophet ever appeared with greater dignity, in the old law, than Moses."  He was a "lawgiver, priest, prophet, ruler of a great and ungovernable people, and a sacred writer of the highest antiquity."  His importance cannot be stressed enough.  The way in which his relationship with God is described is beyond wonder -- nothing less than a face to face friendship.  He has done more than anyone in the Old Testament to set the stage for the coming of the Messiah, with his establishment of the Law, the Priesthood, and the Jewish Kingdom.  The people who inhabit the pages of the coming books of the Old Testament will constantly look back to Moses as they look forward to the coming of the Messiah.  Moses had the supreme privilege of doing God's wonders.  It was a privilege reading about this great man.

Deuteronomy 33 - All the Land That Was Promised

I was amazed to see how Deuteronomy came to a close.  After Moses's Canticle in Deuteronomy 32, there is a lengthy blessing in Deuteronomy 33 that seems to mirror or parallel the blessing given by Jacob to all his children at the end of the Book of Genesis.  Thus we have blessings that act as bookends to the two sides of the Torah.  Jacob, in Genesis 49, blesses his sons directly.  Moses, in Deuteronomy 33, blesses their progeny.  The whole literary structure of it all is quite brilliant (which I guess is an understatement referring to God's Word).  Even reading both chapters side by side, one can see the parallel structure quite vividly.  For instance, Jacob tells his son Ruben "grow thou not" (Genesis 49:4), indicating his descendents will be few; and Moses says Ruben will be "small in number" (Deuteronomy 33:6).  Moses's blessings, though, go beyond the individual sons of Jacob.  They speak not only to descendents and posterity, but also to specific geographical regions.  Though the tribal allotments of the Promised Land will be more thorough and exact in the Book of Joshua, Moses here in his blessing hints at where they will be and what they will consist of.  Contained in this blessing are other prophecies.  In speaking of the tribe of Dan, Moses mentions a "young lion" (Deuteronomy 33:22), which is taken to indicate the powerful Samson of the tribe of Dan.  In speaking of Benjamin, Moses says that "the Lord shall dwell confidently in him" (Deuteronomy 33:12), referring to Jerusalem's location, and thus the Temple of the Lord, being within the bounds of Benjamin's tribe.  We can start to get an idea of where each of these tribes will settle in the Promised Land, that Zabulon will be by the sea, that Aser will be where olive trees grow plentifully, etc.  We get other indications, that Juda will be a warring tribe, that Gad will be where Moses will be buried, etc.  The stage is being set.  Deuteronomy is ending with a bang.  First Moses's striking song, then this information-packed blessing/prophecy.  The significance of the Covenant is being stressed one last definitive time!  Moses is leaving the earth and he needs to make sure his people understand the importance of the Law they are meant to keep, and also the utter magnificence of what transpired in Egypt and in the desert.  Everything that comes next in the Old Testament is built upon this foundation, the foundation created by God through Moses.  Deuteronomy 33 is like a blueprint, and Joshua will pick up the plans and take the Israelites with him to enact what Moses has envisaged. 

Deuteronomy 32 - Moses's Song

Deuteronomy 32 forced me to slow my pace.  It took me a couple of days to digest it all.  It is significant as the last chance for Moses to summarize all he had observed and prophesied throughout his life concerning the Jewish people.  And it is in essence a summary, though one in the form of a very poetic and artistic song.  It is the story, a very familiar story, of a chosen people, an ungrateful people, and a people implored to follow a very special Law.  Moses sings of the beginnings of God's dealings with His people, of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  How fortunate were the Israelites, how they were chosen because of their sufferings, and how God gave them many blessings to help them rise above their tribulations, and how, sadly, once they had prosperity they quickly forgot God.  It ends with Moses's appeal that the people value their special Law, do not take it for granted, live by it, live in it.  

There is much that could be said about this chapter, but I will just mention a couple of verses that especially struck me.  First, there is Deuteronomy 32:15, which states: "The beloved grew fat, and kicked: he grew fat, and thick and gross, he forsook God who made him, and departed from God his Saviour."  This speaks of the Jews' propensity to become neglectful and worldly whenever they come upon temporal prosperity (which, ironically, is only a gift from God).  But there is so much more packed into this verse, for it radiates with a universality that shoots across the centuries and speaks to us today just as powerfully.  I know I am personally guilty of forgetting God whenever my life gets going on a smooth and prosperous path.  It is usually at my low moments that I remember Him.  It is most likely the case with all of us.  God provides when we are desperate, then when we are secure and content we indulge in that security and comfort and fail to give thanks to the One who gave it us!  The story of the Jews is the story of us.  Their 40-year journey through the wilderness has already illustrated that, but this Canticle of Moses shows it just as profoundly.

The other verse that caused me to pause was Deuteronomy 32:21, which reads: "They have provoked me with that which was no god, and have angered me with their vanities: and I will provoke them with that, which is no people, and will vex them with a foolish nation."  At the risk of being irreverent, this verse struck me as God being humorous.  Because the Jews have fallen into idolatry and worshiped gods that are not gods, God will do the same by choosing instead a people (the gentiles) who are not a people.  This verse must have packed a punch when those ancient Israelites heard Moses recite it!  How perfectly does God illustrate the Israelites' error?!  Worshiping false gods was the ultimate insult to God; and God choosing to give salvation to the Gentiles must have been the ultimate insult to the Jews.  God's justice is perfect.

Deuteronomy 31 - Preparations

One can sense the very near end in Deuteronomy 31.  Only three more chapters left in the entire Pentateuch.  Many things happen in Deuteronomy 31, all of them meant to prepare the Israelites for Moses' impending death.  The Law, written by the hand of Moses, is basically complete.  (One can presume that a new author has taken over, or is about to).  The Law Book, the Torah, is given to the priests, and one copy placed beside the Ark.  Joshua is officially pronounced Moses' heir (this episode also occurs in Numbers 27, which I wrote about on November 26th, 2010).  And Moses is instructed to compose a canticle which he will deliver to the people; something they can easily remember (while the priests and ancients will be in charge of learning the very complex Law).  This Canticle, which will be the focus of the next chapter, is obviously very significant.  It is Moses' last words to his people.  The greatest prophet of the Old Testament is about to pass away.  He will not set foot in the Promised Land.  And even though he gave everything he had to ensure his people lived according to God's Law, he was made aware that they would eventually fail and reject God, which must have broken his heart.  But perhaps God also allowed him to see the ultimate fate of his people, when they would one day re-embrace God in the Person of His Son, at the end of time, when all things would be accomplished, and perhaps he was consoled.

The focus will quickly be shifting.  I have spent the last three and a half years reading the Pentateuch, the Old Law.  Joshua will now be moving the narrative forward, and into inevitable warfare.  The tone of the text is bound to change.  For now, I sit back and marvel at the prophet Moses and just how privileged he was to enjoy such a close friendship with the Lord.  He will be leaving the pages of the Word soon.

Deuteronomy 29-30: God Is Nigh

Deuteronomy 30 is a soothing chapter.  After hearing of those frightful curses in the previous chapters, we are given words of encouragement in this latter chapter of Deuteronomy.  After hearing of what would happen to the Jews if they don't obey, we hear of what will happen if they do.  And what will happen is nothing short of amazing: God will gather them from the far corners of the earth, where they had been scattered, and return them to the Promised Land, with even greater bounties and blessings than their fathers had!  Many interpreters take these verses to mean when the Jews accept Christ, for we have seen that these bounties and blessings are still withheld.  At any rate, these verses lead into some very beautiful and moving passages.  Deuteronomy 30:11 and 30:14 read: "This commandment, that I command thee this day, is not above thee, nor far off from thee:... But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayst do it."  Essentially, God is saying, I am here, follow Me, you can do it.  These are words that prefigure God's Word Incarnate, Jesus Christ, Who will literally be near us to guide us.  But they are consoling words to the Jews of that time as well.  We know the Jews weren't able to keep God's commands, but we also know that through their weaknesses the path was opened up for Jesus to come.  The curses ended up overtaking the Jews, but the blessings are still there, waiting to be bestowed.  As is said in Romans 11:25-26:  "Blindness in part has happened in Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles should come in, And so all Israel should be saved, as it is written."  The blessings will one day be bestowed.

Deuteronomy 28 - Doom To Come

It's a beautiful autumn day, and a perfect time to resume my studies of the Word.  I return with renewed vigor, for the past year or so I have neglected to make much progress in this spiritual journey, which I began with much exuberance back in 2009.  But I aim now to re-dedicate myself to this endeavor.  One chapter a day, at least, from here on out.  It's the least I can do.

When I last posted, in the midst of summer's heat, I had just read of the blessings and curses the tribes were told to pronounce from opposite mountaintops.  Deuteronomy 28 mentions some of those blessings, but then goes on a long tirade, forcefully announcing the many curses that will befall the Jewish nation should they fail to abide by the Mosaic Law.  It was a powerful and yet unnerving chapter to read.  In many ways it still speaks to us today, for we are all in danger of these fearful fates if we do not heed God's commandments.  One verse in particular, Deuteronomy 28:47, really shook me.  Moses says these curses will fall on the Jews "because thou didst not serve the Lord thy God with joy and gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things."  God continues to make all things abundant, and yet we still, today, fail to serve Him with "joy and gladness of heart."  It was a wake-up call of a verse, for sure.  But specifically speaking, the curses call to mind the fates we now know awaited the Jews.  And it is quite amazing to read of them in this old book, hundreds of years before they happened.  All things are prefigured, from the Babylonian Captivity to the coming of the Messiah to the Roman destruction of Jerusalem to the Jew's fate even today among the nations of the world.  Deuteronomy 28:29 says, "And mayst thou grope at mid-day as the blind is wont to grope in the dark."  This passage is often interpreted to mean that the Jews will drift blindly even as the light of the Gospel and Jesus Christ shines brightly on earth!  Profound.  Another remarkable passage prefigures the Gentiles being welcomed as one of God's chosen peoples:  "May a people which thou knowest not, eat the fruits of thy land, and all thy labours" (Deuteronomy 28:33).  This calls to mind Romans 10:19: "I will provoke you to jealousy by that which is not a nation."  The Gentiles were a non-nation, yet they would end up being included in God's plan, in some ways due to the Jews' insolence, and they would essentially "take over" the Jews' privileged place.  All these things we know came true.  And therefore it is not easy reading Deuteronomy 28, even though we know that God's salvation, despite a hard-hearted people, extends to all, including the Jews, if they follow Him.  But reading these curses and knowing the utter pain and suffering some of those Jewish peoples endured is difficult to imagine.  The verses suggesting the coming destruction of Jerusalem were especially harrowing.  We sometimes forget what a horrific and tormenting event that was in 70 AD.  The abominations that were committed, due to the desperation of a dying, starving, embattled people, were prefigured in Deuteronomy 28, the worst of which was probably the prophecy that men and women would eat their children in their grief and madness.  And sure enough, there are accounts that this occurred when Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans.