Deuteronomy 31-34
Deuteronomy 31-34; Ps 119.169-176
The final scene in Deuteronomy details the transition of leadership from Moses to Joshua. Yet the change of leadership is often in the backdrop of the portrayal of Israel’s soon-to-be covenant failure. On the eve of Israel’s entrance to the Promised Land, God told the aging Moses that Israel would enter, but not remain, in Canaan. These chapters set out both God’s gracious provision of a leader who would help Israel in the conquest of Canaan, and His just condemnation of the people’s failure in the land.
Several points emerge from chs 31-32:
- God would lead Israel into the land, and Joshua would be their leader (31.1-8). Thus Joshua and the people had every reason to be confident and courageous—unlike the previous generation (cf. Num 13-14)
- Moses was yet concerned for Israel to hear the law—so that they would live in the land (31.9-13; 24-30)
- Israel would enter Canaan, but—because of their unfaithfulness—they would not remain (31.16-23)
- Moses poetically warned Israel to obey God, “the Rock” (ch. 32). Throughout Moses’ song, He called Israel to consider the blessings of refuge in the LORD their “Rock,” and the vanity of seeking shelter in any other (cf. vv. 4, 15, 18, 30-31, 37). Moses’ imagery here may have been a personal confession as well—since he struck the ‘rock’ rather than speaking to it, as “the Rock” had commanded (vv. 48-52; cf. Num 20.2-13). On the whole, Moses’ song reminded Israel that their God is Holy—and since they had received His blessings they were obligated to follow His demands; if they didn’t He would deal with them appropriately
While chs 31-32 record Israel’s ultimate failure in the land, ch 33 nonetheless recounts Moses’ blessing upon the tribes as they looked to Canaan. This chapter reads much like Jacob’s blessing of his sons in Gen 49. The blessings here open and close with praise of God (vv. 2-5; 26-29). Deut 33 is thus a word of immediate grace—in light of imminent discipline.
The record of Moses’ death in the final chapter of Deuteronomy is a significant point in the storyline of Scripture. He was unique: “No prophet has arisen again in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face. He was unparalleled for all the signs and wonders the LORD sent him to do against the land of Egypt…” (34.10-11); but his greatness was no match for Israel’s rebellion. Moses’ prophecy that the LORD was angry with Israel for their idolatry, and that He would provoke them to jealousy with an inferior people and enrage them with a foolish nation (32.21), helped Paul to explain why it was that so many Jews had rejected the Messiah. Paul noted that since Israel had been exposed to the law no less than the earth is exposed to the sun, only to rebel against it, God was using the Gentiles to provoke them to jealousy (Rom 10.18-19; cf. Ps 19.4). Indeed, no leader had the charisma, strength, wisdom, and courage to deal with the sin of humanity. Perhaps that is why the writer to the Hebrews noted Jesus’ superiority over Moses; only the former was capable of handling the problem of human sin:
“Therefore, holy brothers and companions in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession; He was faithful to the One who appointed Him, just as Moses was in all God’s household. For Jesus is considered worthy of more glory than Moses, just as the builder has more honor than the house. Now every house is built by someone, but the One who built everything is God. Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s household, as a testimony to what would be said in the future. But Christ was faithful as a Son over His household, whose household we are if we hold on to the courage and the confidence of our hope.
Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion’…” (3.1-6).
*For a complete list of references, please see scripturestoryline.com