THE THEME OF THIS DEVOTION HAS TO DO WITH THE UNIQUE MINISTRY OF MOSES TO HIS PEOPLE JUST WEEKS BEFORE HIS DEATH. THE UNIQUE MESSAGE IS THAT WE NOT LIMIT OUR TOMORROWS BY OUR UNWORTHY ATTITUDES TODAY.
The Introduction to Deuteronomy in the Orthodox STONE edition of the Tanakh makes the very strong point that Deuteronomy is not the same as the first four books of the Torah in that those books were given directly from the mouth of God to Moses, but Deuteronomy is significantly a re-telling by Moses to Israel of the key issues of those books on entering the Land as an exhortation from a loving father toward his spiritual children. In other words, Deuteronomy is the inspired sermon of Moses whereas Genesis through Numbers was the direct reporting of Moses from the mouth of God to the people. Both are inspired; but the mode of the former is not the mode of the latter.
It is interesting to note that the single book from which our Lord Messiah most quoted was Deuteronomy. The next most quoted book was Isaiah. The ministry of Yeshua was Prophetic in the extreme. But prophecy is also ethical and priestly and kingly. We must never lose sight of the fulness and interconnectedness of all of God’s words and works.
In last year’s cycle we emphasized the first aspect of Moses’ sermon. It was a rebuke to his people—a sobering of the younger generation after the death of their unbelieving, older, parent generation. Old Israel failed in the matter of the spies, and for that they were consigned to the wilderness until their children arose to possess the land of inheritance through Joshua.
The former people repented after they were rebuked. But their repentance was not accepted. Why? Because God works in Ages and not merely in single human generations. It was not possible that Moses lead the people across the Jordan into the Land. Why? Because that was reserved for the Messiah, for the Grace of God administered by simple faith, just as Abraham received The Promise by simple faith before he was circumcised. In other words, God used Moses as a faithful steward; but the House belongs to the Son. (Hebrews 3:4-6; Psalm 2)
Deuteronomy 1:45-46 reads:
VA’TASU’VU VA’TIV’KU LIFNEI Y’’H You returned and wept before ADONAI
VE’LO—SHA’MAH Y’’H B’KOL’CHEM But ADONAI did not heed your voice
VE’LO HEH’EHZIN ALEI’CHEM And He did not give ear to you
VA’TEISH’VU Ve’KA’DEYSH YAMIM RA’BIM And you dwelt in Kadesh many days
CA’YA’MIM ASHER Ye’SHAV’TEM As days in which you abode.
Take heed. As it says in Hebrews 10:39, “But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition (destruction; loss); but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.”
Let us all take heed to our attitudes today that they limit not our progress tomorrow.
