Israel’s God

Deuteronomy 33:26-29

“There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky.  The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.  Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew.” (Deuteronomy 33:26-28) 

There is no other God or even anything which is even similar.   Isaiah 46:9 declares, “… for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,”.  While there are many that are called gods, I Corinthians 8:4 states, “…we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.”  Isaiah 45:18 says, “For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.”

This God who created the world is the God of Israel(Jeshurun).  He is the God who protects them from their enemies and supports them like a father carrying his child.  He provides so they don’t have to worry about anything.

“Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.” (Deuteronomy 33:29)

Think how blessed Israel was.  God was protecting them and fighting for them so they had no reason to fear their enemies.  He had promised to overthrow them and give Israel even their most readily defended high ground.


Moses’ Death
Deuteronomy 34:1-12

“And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the LORD showed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan, And all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, unto the utmost sea, And the south, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto Zoar.” (Deuteronomy 34:1-3)

Obeying God’s command, Moses went to the top of Mount Nebo, to the peak of Pisgah which gave a grand overview of the land.  From there he was able to look back over the land they had already conquered on the east of Jordan.  Facing westward he could see the Mediterranean, as far south as the Negev and north almost to the border of Syria.

“And the LORD said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither.” (Deuteronomy 34:4)

Over six hundred fifty years before, in Genesis 15, God had promised the land to Abraham.  A hundred years later he made the same promise to Jacob in Genesis 28.  Moses has led them to the very edge of the land, and even helped them conquer part of it, but he will not be allowed to finish the job.  He can look to see what God has and rejoice that they are going to obtain it, but his sin in taking the glory for himself will prevent his getting to finish the job.

“So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.  And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day. 

And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.” (Deuteronomy 34:5-7)

At a hundred and twenty, Moses was still strong and healthy, able to do whatever he needed to.  Even his eyesight was as good as ever.  It is a tremendous testimony to the benefits of obedience to God that he had preserved his health in such a manner.  As God had said, Moses died there, and God buried him in one of the valleys so no one would ever know where he was buried, ensuring that they could not go to his tomb to worship as other groups do their great leaders.

In Luke 4:8, “…Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”  God is the only one mankind are to worship.  John was forbidden to worship even angelic beings in Revelation 19:10.  “And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God…”

"And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days: so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended. 

And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the LORD commanded Moses.” (Deuteronomy 34:8-9) 

For almost forty one years, from early in his eightieth year until well into his one hundred twentieth year, Moses had led Israel.  He had become a fixture in their lives.  Thirty days were spent mourning and remembering the things he had done and where he had led them.  Joshua did not try to hasten the process, but allowed them to grieve fully.  Knowing Moses had appointed him and seeing he had the same spiritual wisdom and power, the people found it easy to accept him as leader during that thirty days.

“And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, In all the signs and the wonders, which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land, And in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses showed in the sight of all Israel.” (Deuteronomy 34:10-12)

The wording here clearly indicates that this passage and perhaps the entire book was compiled long after Moses’ death, from the records others had kept of Moses’ final instructions.

Until Christ came, there had never been a prophet like Moses, yet Deuteronomy 18:15-18 prophesied, “The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.  And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken.  I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.”  Peter referred to this passage in Acts 3.

Moses Commanded To View The Land

Deuteronomy 32:48-52

“And the LORD spake unto Moses that selfsame day, saying, Get thee up into this mountain Abarim, unto mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho; and behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession: And die in the mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto thy people; as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor, and was gathered unto his people: Because ye trespassed against me among the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah-Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin; because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel.  Yet thou shalt see the land before thee; but thou shalt not go thither unto the land which I give the children of Israel.” (Deuteronomy 32:48-52)

The same day Moses finished reviewing the law and taught Israel his song, God directed him to go up on Mount Nebo, also known as Mount Abarim, located just across the Jordan from Jericho.  From the top of the mountain, Moses was to view the land God had promised, then die there.  Forty years before, frustrated by Israel’s complaining, on their second visit to Kadesh, Moses had taken the credit for what God would do.  Aaron had already died, and now Moses would be killed before Israel entered Canaan so no one could credit Moses with having given the victory.  The credit all belongs to God.


Blessing Israel
Deuteronomy 33:1-25

“And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.  And he said, The LORD came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them.  Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words. 

Moses commanded us a law, even the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob.  And he was king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel were gathered together.” (Deuteronomy 33:1-5) 

Just before their death, it was customary for a father to pronounce a blessing on his children.  The blessing was sort of a prophecy as to what would happen to them, based on their attitudes and past actions.  As the father figure of Israel, effectively their king, Moses pronounces a blessing on each of the tribes, just as the patriarchs had on their sons.

“Let Reuben live, and not die; and let not his men be few.” (Deuteronomy 3:6)

More than five hundred years before, Jacob’s son Reuben had been caught between Rachel and Leah’s jealousy and become afraid to take a stand.  That same desire to please everybody had been learned by his descendants, and characterized their tribe.  It would prevent them from ever being real leaders in Israel, despite having plenty of people.   They were one of the tribes tribes which claimed the land east of the Jordan..

“And this is the blessing of Judah: and he said, Hear, LORD, the voice of Judah, and bring him unto his people: let his hands be sufficient for him; and be thou an help to him from his enemies. ” (Deuteronomy 3:6)

Judah refused to be caught between Rachel and Leah, simply going his own way, regardless what the others thought,  As Moses blessing points out, the tribe of Judah would not be dependent on the others, depending on the Lord to help them.  Centuries later they would form a separate nation.

“And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one, whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah; Who said unto his father and to his mother, I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own children: for they have observed thy word, and kept thy covenant.  They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law: they shall put incense before thee, and whole burnt sacrifice upon thine altar.  Bless, LORD, his substance, and accept the work of his hands: smite through the loins of them that rise against him, and of them that hate him, that they rise not again. ” (Deuteronomy 3:7-11)

The tribe of Levi had a very strong commitment to their ideals, even to the point of ignoring their own family relationships to enforce them.  God had placed them in the position of teaching the rest of the people God’s laws.  The Urim and Thummim were symbolic of their authority from God.  There was concern that they stay true to God in their commitment, rather than going after other Gods.

“And of Benjamin he said, The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by him; and the LORD shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders.” (Deuteronomy 3:12)

As a Jacob’s youngest and favored son, Benjamin had been protected from a lot of the strife between Rachel and Leah.  Like Judah they were inclined to not worry what the other tribes thought, and would side with Judah when the tribes split.

“And of Joseph he said, Blessed of the LORD be his land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that coucheth beneath, And for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun, and for the precious things put forth by the moon, And for the chief things of the ancient mountains, and for the precious things of the lasting hills, And for the precious things of the earth and fulness thereof, and for the good will of him that dwelt in the bush: let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the head of him that was separated from his brethren.  His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth: and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.” (Deuteronomy 3:13-17)

Despite their having sold him as a slave, Joseph had been concerned for his family’s welfare, attaining power and prestige while still staying focused on God.   That attitude was learned by his sons, and the tribes descended from him would be blessed accordingly.

“And of Zebulun he said, Rejoice, Zebulun, in thy going out; and, Issachar, in thy tents. They shall call the people unto the mountain; there they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness: for they shall suck of the abundance of the seas, and of treasures hid in the sand.” (Deuteronomy 3:18-19) 

Zebulon would be known for their shipping and fishing skills while Issachar would mine the minerals of the sands and mountains.

“And of Gad he said, Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad; he dwelleth as a lion, and teareth the arm with the crown of the head.  And he provided the first part for himself, because there, in a portion of the lawgiver, was he seated; and he came with the heads of the people, he executed the justice of the LORD, and his judgments with Israel.” (Deuteronomy 3:20-21)

As another of the Trans Jordan tribes, Gad would be especially exposed to foreign attackers, although it was the land they had chosen, even before they crossed Jordan.

“And of Dan he said, Dan is a lion's whelp: he shall leap from Bashan.” (Deuteronomy 3:22) 

Like a lion’s cub pouncing, Dan would frequently act unexpectedly.

“And of Naphtali he said, O Naphtali, satisfied with favour, and full with the blessing of the LORD: possess thou the west and the south.” (Deuteronomy 3:23) 

Naphtali would tend to be contented with what they had, not always wanting more.  They were to inherit the south western area.

“And of Asher he said, Let Asher be blessed with children; let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil.  Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be.” (Deuteronomy 3:24-25) 

Asher was to have many children and a good relationship with all the other tribes, blessed with plenty, as demonstrated by his dipping his foot in olive oil, as compared to just rubbing some on.  They would grow stronger as time passed and not be defeated by small obstacles.

Moses’ Song

Deuteronomy 31:30-32:47

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

Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.  My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass: Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God.  He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.” (Deuteronomy 31:30-32:4)

The goal of the song is to make people aware of the greatness of God.  Even at best, the song will only hint at the majesty and glory of God.

“They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children: they are a perverse and crooked generation.  Do ye thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and unwise? is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee?” (Deuteronomy 32:5-6)

Contrary to the prideful belief of Israel they are not a pure and holy people in themselves.  Their sins are not the sins of a people trying to serve God, but those of people who don’t even know him.  They are like a child who is rebelling against his parents, forgetting that they have provided for him and cared for him from the first day of his life.

“Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will show thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee.  When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.  For the LORD'S portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.  He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. 

As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him.  He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock; Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape. “ (Deuteronomy 32:7-14)

Israel needs to remember what God has done for them.  It may be necessary to even go ask the older people what he has done, or to look back into their history, even recognizing he established this land for them from the time of Adam.  He took a single person and made an entire nation of his descendants, caring for him like an eagle bringing food to her eaglets, and carrying them on her back to help them learn to fly.

“But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.  They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger.  They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not.  Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee.” (Deuteronomy 32:15-18)

The picture Moses paints is of a spoiled little child kicking away the food their mother has prepared and screaming “I hate you” when she tries to feed them.  Having never been hungry, they have no appreciation of the effort required to get the food or what it would be like to go without.

“And when the LORD saw it, he abhorred them, because of the provoking of his sons, and of his daughters.  And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith.  They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.  For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.  I will heap mischiefs upon them; I will spend mine arrows upon them. 

They shall be burnt with hunger, and devoured with burning heat, and with bitter destruction: I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them, with the poison of serpents of the dust.  The sword without, and terror within, shall destroy both the young man and the virgin, the suckling also with the man of gray hairs.” (Deuteronomy 32:119-25) 

Like the frustrated parent of the spoiled child, God has decided to spank them for their behavior and send them away without food.  He will not give in until they are hungry enough to enjoy what he provides.

“I said, I would scatter them into corners, I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men: Were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy, lest their adversaries should behave themselves strangely, and lest they should say, Our hand is high, and the LORD hath not done all this.  For they are a nation void of counsel, neither is there any understanding in them.  O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end! ” (Deuteronomy 32:26-29) 

The spoiled child who didn’t get his way may well decide to run away or cook what he wants for himself, so despite their frustration, the parent must still keep an eye on them to protect them from the consequences of such actions.  Like the spoiled child, Israel needs to consider the consequences of their actions and what God has done for them.

“How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had shut them up?  For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges.  For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter: Their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps.  Is not this laid up in store with me, and sealed up among my treasures

To me belongeth vengeance, and recompense; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.  For the LORD shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left.  And he shall say, Where are their gods, their rock in whom they trusted, Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offerings? let them rise up and help you, and be your protection.?” (Deuteronomy 32:30-38) 

In their rebellion and pride, Israel needed to realize the only reason they could so easily overcome much more powerful nations was because the god’s they worshipped did not protect them from God.  In fact, as Paul tells us in I Corinthians 8:4, “…we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.”   Just as Sodom and Gomorrah’s riches had allowed them to ignore God’s judgment for a while, each of the countries around them were trusting in their possessions for protection.

Like Sodom and Gomorrah, when their wickedness reaches a certain point, God will judge them.  If Israel turns to similar wickedness, God will judge them the same way.  They will find that those false Gods they have sacrificed to are no more able to save them than they were the people who originally worshipped them.

“See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.  For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever.  If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me. I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh; and that with the blood of the slain and of the captives, from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy. 

Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people: for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people.” (Deuteronomy 32:39-43) 

As the creator of the world, God has the right to give or take life, to hurt or to heal.  He will destroy those who turn against him and those who harm or kill innocent people.  At the same time he will protect and bless those nations who please him, whether they be Jews or not.

“And Moses came and spake all the words of this song in the ears of the people, he, and Hoshea the son of Nun.  And Moses made an end of speaking all these words to all Israel: And he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law.  For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life: and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.” (Deuteronomy 32:44-47)

The law was not just a set of arbitrary standards, they were the basic principles for having a good life.  People’s very existence depends on keeping these principles, and since Israel had been given them in a precise written form,  they had a greater responsibility than those who had not.

It is this song that is referred to in Revelation 15:3.

Music As A Teaching Tool

Deuteronomy 31:14-30

“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.  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.” (Deuteronomy 31:14-15)

Inevitably, any organization that lasts will be forced to change leadership.  No leader lives forever.  Joshua had worked alongside Moses from the time they left Egypt.  He had led the army in defeating the Amalekites in Exodus 17 and had accompanied Moses to the top of the mountain, in Exodus 24.  Exodus 33:11 tells us that while Moses went to and from the Tabernacle,  “… his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.”  In Numbers 14, he was the only one of the twelve spies to stand with Caleb, insisting God was able to give the victory.  It is not surprising that God chose him to take Moses‘ place.

Now God has revealed that Moses is to relinquish leadership to Joshua.  He needs to spend a little time giving Joshua specific directions as to how to proceed as he first steps into Moses position.

“And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep 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.  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?  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.” (Deuteronomy 31:16-18)

Nothing stays the same forever.  Eventually, when Moses was not there to prevent it, the Nation of Israel would begin to let down their standards and turn away from God.  When they did, they would experience exactly the things God had warned them about.  They would begin to feel that God had forsaken them.

“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.  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.   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.” (Deuteronomy 31:19-21) 

Songs are a powerful teaching tool.  An old Rock song speaks of the kind of music that “just sooths the soul.” One hardly ever forgets the old nursery songs, or the ones he listened to as a teenager.  The tune just keeps coming into our mind and influencing our thoughts.   God directed Moses to write a special song to remind them that the things they experienced were the result of their turning away from God, because it would not be forgotten as easily as a lesson.  It would serve to remind them to obey God long after Moses was dead.

Because music has such a power influence, we need to consider the kinds of music we listen to.  Colossians 3:16 commands, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms(songs of praise) and hymns(songs of worship) and spiritual songs(songs which promote a spiritual attitude), singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."  According to Hebrews 13:15, praise is giving thanks for what God has done.  Worship is acknowledging his holiness and power.  The songs that please God are the ones that teach about what God has done or encourage us to obey him.  It is troubling how many modern songs are only about building excitement, rather than teaching.  The right songs will be a powerful influence to guide even those who have backslidden toward what is right.  The wrong ones can be used by Satan.

“Moses therefore wrote this song the same day, and taught it the children of Israel.  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.” (Deuteronomy 31:22-23) 

Though he knew they would someday turn away from the Lord, Moses had done everything he could to prevent it happening.  An orderly transition to Joshua’s leadership would delay the eventual change.  His charge here was an expression of confidence in Joshua and his abilities, and a warning not to spend a lot of time trying to second guess himself or worry about what Moses would do, but o just trust God to lead him.

Over the years, I have watched hundreds of Missionaries and Mission groups who were afraid to relinquish control of their churches because they were afraid they might fall away.  While some of those who are released do turn away, most of them go on to become strong autonomous churches.  Those who are not released become increasingly dependent on the parent organization for support, much like a child who is never allowed to grow up.  A twenty year old church, like a twenty year old man, should not be dependent on their parents.

“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, That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying, 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.  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?” (Deuteronomy 31:24-27)

The Ark of the Covenant already contained the two tables of stone on which God had written his commandments.  Now Moses puts all the laws from the rest of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy into a single book which the Levites were to put into the Ark as well.  Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy all focus largely on the historical events.  Leviticus focuses mostly on the Law.  Moses is never credited with writing the history, but he is credited with writing the law.  He had the law put into the Ark, that their behavior could be compared at a later date to show their wrong.  It is probable that Moses did not write the entire Pentateuch.

"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.  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.   And Moses spake in the ears of all the congregation of Israel the words of this song, until they were ended.” (Deuteronomy 31:28-30)

Moses then ordered all the people together knowing that they would one day turn away from God, bringing his wrath upon them.  He would teach them his song as a way of influencing them to serve God in the future .

Periodic Refresher Courses Needed

Deuteronomy 31:9-13

“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.  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, 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. 

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: 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.” (Deuteronomy 31:9-13) 

While there was to be a memorial with the entire law on mount Ebal and the Jews were to post portions of the law on their gates and around their homes, it is easy to forget things.  Every seventh year, they were to assemble the entire congregation and read the entire law during the feast of tabernacles, the national campout remembering their forty years in the wilderness.  Taking the time to do this would refresh their memories of what the law said, and remind them of things they might not have realized in the past.  At the same time it would formally introduce the children to the law and to what God expected.

While most of us would prefer to learn new things, it is easy to forget that new Christians don’t know the old ones, and that we forget.  Teaching the basics is not just for the disciple ship program or the new converts class.  II Peter 1:12-13 says we are negligent if we fail to review the basics.  “Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.  Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;”  In I Timothy 4:6, Paul said reminding them of these things will make one a good minister.  “If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.”

While it may seem a little tedious to repeat the same things, it enables the hearers to keep doing the proper things,  I Philippians 3:1 Paul says, “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.”  Realizing how important it is to remind them of the basics makes it far easier to focus on those things.  While it may be more exciting to teach calculus or algebra, it is far more important that the student learns and remembers how to add and subtract.  The same principle applies to being a Christian.  

Changing Leaders

Deuteronomy 31:1-8

“And Moses went and spake these words unto all Israel.  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.” (Deuteronomy 31:1-2) 

Moses was eighty years old when he began to lead Israel.  About a year after they left Egypt, the people were complaining and accusing him of not caring or even trying to destroy the people.  When God commanded him to speak to the rock and water would come out, in frustration, he demanded of the people, “must we bring water out of the rock?” implying it was he and Aaron doing it, rather than God.  As a result, God had said he would not be allowed to enter the land of Canaan.   In addition, he had reached the age of a hundred twenty and it was becoming increasingly difficult to physically lead the people.

“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.  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.  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.  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.” (Deuteronomy 31:3-7) 

For forty years the people had depended on Moses to tell them what to do,  Moses is trying to make them understand that God would be with them and lead them even though he would no longer be there.  Joshua would be taking Moses’ place, but it was God who was the real leader, and would provide the victories just as he had in the past.  They just needed to depend on God.

“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.  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.” (Deuteronomy 31:7-8) 

Moses makes the transition to new leadership as easy as possible, reassuring the people of his confidence in God to care for them.  He also makes it clear that he is confident in Joshua’s ability to follow God and complete the plan God has for them, publicly describing the responsibility to go into the land God had promised them and reminding him that they needed to depend on God.

Since Joshua had served as Moses’ assistant throughout the years in the wilderness, frequently taking the leadership, it was obvious that he understood and was committed to the same goals as Moses, and they were not going to be forced into a totally different direction.  The people were familiar with his ability to lead, and he was familiar with what they would expect.  Surprises seldom make for smooth transitions, and by handling it this way, there were no surprises.

Changes in leadership are some of the most dangerous times for any organization.  There are always people who see taking over an existing organization as a short cut to accomplishing their own agenda, which may be in opposition to the original goals of the organization.  Some of those who want to run the organization lack leadership skills, and others simply have a philosophy that is incompatible with the organization.  These things may not be immediately apparent and can result in division or even collapse.  Our present political situation highlights the problems.

The most successful businesses have used Moses’ approach in changing leadership, resulting in ongoing success, often for a century or more.  Churches which have used a similar approach usually are more stable and survive longer than those who call some outsider after the former pastor leaves, because they minimize the stress caused by a change of leadership.  A dramatic change of leadership is only justified when the previous administration has obviously not done their job properly.

Israel to Be Responsible For Their Destiny

Deuteronomy 30:1- 31:1

“And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee, And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul; That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee. 

 If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the LORD thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee: And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers.” (Deuteronomy 30:1-5)

Moses had warned them that persisting in sin, ignoring the curses that resulted would lead to ever worsening problems until finally Israel would be conquered and dismantled, with the people being dispersed and relocated.   If at any time they repented, he would reverse the judgment on them, restoring the land to them and resuming the blessings as if they had never turned away.    Many people think of being sorry as repentance but the word repent actually means to change direction.  God would forgive and restore them, but only when they repented, not just said they were sorry.  Sorrow is a statement of regret, but it may only refer to the results of an action rather than for the action itself, and does not necessarily indicate any responsibility for even the result.  Before God would forgive them, Israel would have to change their actions.

“And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.  And the LORD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee.” (Deuteronomy 30:6-7)

If Israel would repent and try to serve God, God would circumcise their heart, literally taking away the craving to continue in sin so they could serve God fully.  It is very similar to what Paul says in Galatians 5:24-25.  “And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”  Galatians 5:16 promises, “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”  I Corinthians 6:11 describes the result of the Holy Spirit’s cleansing.  “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”

“And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the LORD, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day.  And the LORD thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the LORD will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers: If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.” Deuteronomy 30:8-10)

Freed from the cravings and power of sin by God’s removing it, they would be able to give themselves wholly to obeying him.  As a result they would be able again to experience the full blessings of God.  Again it is very similar to what is promised for the Christian.

“For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off.  It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?  Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?  But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.” (Deuteronomy 30:11-14)

God’s commandments were written so they were available for everyone to see.  Later the monument would be built and inscribed with the law so anyone who cared could read it for themselves, so there could be no excuse.  They would not have to depend on some prophet to enable them to know what God had said.  If they didn’t know it would be because they didn’t care enough to read it, not because they had no prophet to tell them.

In I Corinthians 13:8-10 we find that gifts such as prophecy and tongues would be done away with once the message was finished as people would be able to read it for themselves, just as Israel could.

“See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; De 30:16 In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it. 

But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. 

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

And Moses went and spake these words unto all Israel.” (Deuteronomy 30:17-31:1)

It was totally up to Israel whether they experienced God’s blessings, or his cursing.  If they chose to obey his word they would be blessed to the fullest extent of his promises.  If they chose to disobey, they would experience all the curses he had promised.  They were responsible for what happened.  Today, we are responsible for what happens in our own lives.

Renewing the Covenant

Deuteronomy 29:1-29

"These are the words of the covenant, which the LORD commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, beside the covenant which he made with them in Horeb." (Deuteronomy 29:1) 

Forty years before, starting in Exodus 19, at mount Horeb or Sinai, in Arabia, God had instituted his covenant with Israel.  At that time he had given the part of the Law that they would need during the time in the wilderness and an outline of what they were to do in the land.  As they prepare to go into the land, he has given greater detail as to how those laws are to be applied in a permanent land for long term blessings.  It in not a new covenant, but clarification of the contract they already had.

“And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them, Ye have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh, and unto all his servants, and unto all his land; The great temptations which thine eyes have seen, the signs, and those great miracles: Yet the LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day. 

And I have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes are not waxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot.  Ye have not eaten bread, neither have ye drunk wine or strong drink: that ye might know that I am the LORD your God.  And when ye came unto this place, Sihon the king of Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, came out against us unto battle, and we smote them: And we took their land, and gave it for an inheritance unto the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to the half tribe of Manasseh.” (Deuteronomy 29:2-8) 

For forty years, Israel had not had grains with which to make bread nor had they had grapes for wine or a variety of food.  They had not had new clothing or shoes during the entire time.  They had complained about the lack of variety, but God had deliberately limited them so they could get to know him as God.  The intention was that they begin to understand that while he would always give what was needed, it was his right to decide what they should have.  Despite the lack of things they craved, they had experienced tremendous victories over their enemies.

Many Christians today have not learned to “…be content with such things as ye have…” as Hebrews 13:5 commands us.  It was a lesson Paul had learned according to Philippians 4:11-12.  “…for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.  I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.”  Until we learn this, we have not really learned to trust God.

"Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do. Ye stand this day all of you before the LORD your God; your captains of your tribes, your elders, and your officers, with all the men of Israel, De Your little ones, your wives, and thy stranger that is in thy camp, from the hewer of thy wood unto the drawer of thy water: That thou shouldest enter into covenant with the LORD thy God, and into his oath, which the LORD thy God maketh with thee this day: That he may establish thee to day for a people unto himself, and that he may be unto thee a God, as he hath said unto thee, and as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” (Deuteronomy 29:9-13) 

Moses reminded them that this was the contract they had made with God, to keep his commands, forty years before, and that their prosperity depended on keeping it.  During the forty years they had seen the blessings for obedience and the cursing for disobedience.  God wants to be able to fulfill his promises to their forefathers.   He calls on them to renew their commitment at this time.

“Neither with you only do I make this covenant and this oath; But with him that standeth here with us this day before the LORD our God, and also with him that is not here with us this day: (For ye know how we have dwelt in the land of Egypt; and how we came through the nations which ye passed by; And ye have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them:) Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood; And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst: The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven. 

And the LORD shall separate him unto evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant that are written in this book of the law: So that the generation to come of your children that shall rise up after you, and the stranger that shall come from a far land, shall say, when they see the plagues of that land, and the sicknesses which the LORD hath laid upon it; And that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the LORD overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath: Even all nations shall say, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this land? what meaneth the heat of this great anger?” (Deuteronomy 29:14-24)

The Covenant was not just between the people and God, but also with Joshua as their leader and with Eleazar the priest.  In addition, the covenant was with all the future generations of Israel.  Should some future person or group decide they no longer needed to keep the covenant, God would bring the promised curses on the individuals involved with out question.  If it went that far, God would destroy the entire nation leaving the land like the area around Sodom, the valley  containing the Dead Sea.  More than  four thousand years after Sodom was destroyed, hardly anything grows there.  Like Sodom, the destruction would be so complete as to cause people to ask why it was that way.

“Then men shall say, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD God of their fathers, which he made with them when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt: For they went and served other gods, and worshipped them, gods whom they knew not, and whom he had not given unto them: And the anger of the LORD was kindled against this land, to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this book: And the LORD rooted them out of their land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as it is this day.” (Deuteronomy 29:25-28) 

Even their destruction would be a testimony to the righteousness God expects from his people.  The cause of their destruction would never be completely forgotten, just as Sodom’s has never been.

“The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.” (Deuteronomy 29:29)

Things God hasn’t revealed are not man’s business.  Mankind is responsible for the things God has revealed.  Unfortunately, a great deal of effort is devoted to things God hasn’t revealed such as details about the return of Christ, instead of “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you…” as Matthew 28:20 commands us.  This verse is worth remembering.

Consequences of Systematic Disobedience

Deuteronomy 28:45-68

“Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee: And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever.” (Deuteronomy 28:45-46)

The law was specifically designed to give people the best possible life here on earth.  Failure to observe the laws about cleanliness would needlessly expose them to diseases.  Ignoring the laws about other people’s property would cause conflicts and resentment, destroying unity.  Eventually the consequences would begin to be noticed.  By taking action the problems could be resolved.

 Many smokers develop smokers cough.  If at that point they choose to stop smoking their body will usually heal itself in a short time.  If they decide they would rather live with the cough than stop smoking, the problems will grow steadily worse.  Eventually, they may contract emphysema or lung cancer.  I am amazed by the number of people who have to have oxygen yet continue to smoke.  The disease will get worse and eventually kill them, but it is their choice.

Like the smoker’s cough, the curses were a warning that they needed to change what they were doing.  Refusal to do so would eventually result in God’s intervention, much like the emphysema or lung cancer.  Still refusing to change would eventually result in the death of the nation.

 “Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee.” (Deuteronomy 28:47-48) 

If Israel turned away from God’s law it would be because, like the smoker, they considered something they got from disobedience more valuable than the rewards of obedience.  Like the smoker who has been forced to drag around the oxygen bottle, they would be forced to serve their enemies because they didn’t appreciate their freedom in serving God.

“The LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand; A nation of fierce countenance, which shall not regard the person of the old, nor show favour to the young: And he shall eat the fruit of thy cattle, and the fruit of thy land, until thou be destroyed: which also shall not leave thee either corn, wine, or oil, or the increase of thy kine, or flocks of thy sheep, until he have destroyed thee.  And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates, until thy high and fenced walls come down, wherein thou trustedst, throughout all thy land: and he shall besiege thee in all thy gates throughout all thy land, which the LORD thy God hath given thee.” (Deuteronomy 28:49-52) 

While initially, they would be ruled by small local groups that would be influenced by their power and size, eventually disobedience would lead to their being noticed and conquered by a nation strong enough to ignore their culture and power. They will only concern themselves with what they can take away immediately, with no interest in what ultimately happens to Israel.

“And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, which the LORD thy God hath given thee, in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee: So that the man that is tender among you, and very delicate, his eye shall be evil toward his brother, and toward the wife of his bosom, and toward the remnant of his children which he shall leave: So that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eat: because he hath nothing left him in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee in all thy gates. 

The tender and delicate woman among you, which would not adventure to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye shall be evil toward the husband of her bosom, and toward her son, and toward her daughter, And toward her young one that cometh out from between her feet, and toward her children which she shall bear: for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege and straitness, wherewith thine enemy shall distress thee in thy gates.” (Deuteronomy 28:53-57) 

Disobedience will lead to oppression so bad they eventually are forced into cannibalism to survive, fighting with their relatives over whose children will be eaten and who will be allowed to eat them.  Even the sophisticated woman who would never step on bare ground for fear of getting her shoe dirty will fight to eat a piece of her own children.  II Kings 6:24-30 describes this curse being fulfilled in Ahab’s son’s day.

“If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD; Then the LORD will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance.  Moreover he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt, which thou wast afraid of; and they shall cleave unto thee.  Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will the LORD bring upon thee, until thou be destroyed.  And ye shall be left few in number, whereas ye were as the stars of heaven for multitude; because thou wouldest not obey the voice of the LORD thy God.  And it shall come to pass, that as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it. 

And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone.  And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the LORD shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind: And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life: In the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning! for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see. 

And the LORD shall bring thee into Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I spake unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again: and there ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and no man shall buy you.” (Deuteronomy 28:58-68) 

A couple of times I worked on construction projects where the owner or general contractor refused to pay on time.  The contractors who had not been paid filed leins against the property and removed equipment they had installed to prevent the owner from selling it and leaving them with nothing.

In effect, God promises to do the same thing to Israel if they refuse to keep their contract with him.  He would take away their land, allow them to have all the diseases other groups have, experience the starvation and oppression, and eventually even be carried back as slaves to Egypt.  For seventy years, they were enslaved in Babylon, as described in II Chronicles, Daniel, and Esther.  Allowed to rebuild Israel, the obeyed God for about five hundred years, but turned away at the time of Christ.  For almost nineteen hundred years, from 60 AD. until 1948, there was no nation of Israel.

Because of his promise to Abraham, God is giving them another chance to fulfill their contract.

The Blessings of Obedience

Deuteronomy 28:1-14

“And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.” (Deuteronomy 28:1-2) 

The blessings are conditioned on hearing and doing all God’s commandments. James 2:10 warns, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."  Galatians 5:3 declares, “For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.”  Obedience demonstrated respect and love toward God, and blessings were contingent on that demonstration.   John 14:21 makes a similar promise to the Christian.  “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”

Parents who love their children delight in showing that love by giving them the things they want when they have been obedient.  When they do wrong, however, love requires withholding those things to cause them to correct their behavior.   If Israel would be obedient, God would demonstrate his love in specific manners.

“Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.  Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.  Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.  Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.” (Deuteronomy 28:3-6)

This first promised blessing is a restatement of Deuteronomy 7:12-14.  “Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the LORD thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers: And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee.  Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle.”  Exodus 23:26 added one additional promise to this.  “…the number of thy days I will fulfil.”  They could expect live out a full normal complement of days.

“The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.” (Deuteronomy 28:7)

Here God reminds them of his promise in Deuteronomy 7:20-24.  “Moreover the LORD thy God will send the hornet among them, until they that are left, and hide themselves from thee, be destroyed.  Thou shalt not be affrighted at them: for the LORD thy God is among you, a mighty God and terrible.  And the LORD thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee.  But the LORD thy God shall deliver them unto thee, and shall destroy them with a mighty destruction, until they be destroyed.  And he shall deliver their kings into thine hand, and thou shalt destroy their name from under heaven: there shall no man be able to stand before thee, until thou have destroyed them.”

One blessing of obedience to God is the lack of need to fear other people.  Matthew 10:28 commands Christians, “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”  II Timothy 1:7 informs us, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”   The result is “So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me,” according to Hebrews 13:6.

“The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.” (Deuteronomy 28:8)

Not only would God bless in the productivity of their crops, but he would bless by preserving what they saved, and by enabling them to succeed at what ever else they attempted if they would obey him.  It wouldn’t be necessary to go elsewhere to succeed.

“The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways.  And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee.” (Deuteronomy 28:9-10) 

If Israel would obey God’s commands, they would be a testimony to the rest of the world as an holy people called by his name and there would be a fear and respect for them.

“And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee.  The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.” (Deuteronomy 28:11-12)

Obedience would result in and abundance of possessions, of food, of dependable weather and success in many endeavors.  They would have abundant money to lend to other nations, while never needing to borrow.  It would be a nation people would want to immigrate to.

“And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them: And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.” (Deuteronomy 28:13-14) 

If Israel would follow God’s commands completely, exactly as written with no deviation, Israel would be the world leader, never controlled by any other power.  She would attain a position much like what The United States held during much of the last century.

Remember that these blessings were to be formally pronounced to the nation of Israel after they took possession of the land to remind them of their contract with God.  It seems to have been the occasion for Joshua’s challenge in Joshua 24.

The Bases Or Reasons For Cursing

Deuteronomy 27:11-26

“And Moses charged the people the same day, saying, These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless the people, when ye are come over Jordan; Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin: And these shall stand upon mount Ebal to curse; Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.” (Deuteronomy 27:11-13)

The peaks of Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim are only a couple of miles apart.  People standing on the slope of one would be able to hear those on the other slope.  The people on the slope of mount Gerizim were to respond to each of the penalties for disobedience with the word, Amen, agreeing to or approving the statement.  The first set of curses deal with individual sin and deal with both God‘s and the people‘s response to them.  They were not to simply ignore them.

“And the Levites shall speak, and say unto all the men of Israel with a loud voice, Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen.” (Deuteronomy 27:14-15)

The person who makes a picture or statue, and hides it is to be cursed and ostracized.

 “Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen.” (Deuteronomy 27:16)

Anyone who disobeyed or treated their parents disrespectfully was to be cursed or ostracized. Jesus commanded, "Honour thy father and thy Mother..."

“Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour's landmark. And all the people shall say, Amen.” (Deuteronomy 27:17)

Anyone who moved the survey markers identifying a piece of land, trying to gain an unfair advantage was to be cursed.

“Cursed be he that maketh the blind to wander out of the way. And all the people shall say, Amen.” (Deuteronomy 27:187) 

Taking advantage of the blind for entertainment or gain was to be cursed.  It isn’t funny to the victims.

“Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say, Amen.” (Deuteronomy 27:19) 

Taking advantage of the destitute, the weak and the defenseless brought the curse.  It ought result in being ostracized.

“Cursed be he that lieth with his father's wife; because he uncovereth his father's skirt. And all the people shall say, Amen. 

Cursed be he that lieth with any manner of beast. And all the people shall say, Amen. 

 Cursed be he that lieth with his sister, the daughter of his father, or the daughter of his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen.  

Cursed be he that lieth with his mother in law. And all the people shall say, Amen.” (Deuteronomy 27:20-23) 

All forms of incestuous relationships and bestiality were to be cursed.  They were not to be considered normal behavior.

“Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbour secretly. And all the people shall say, Amen.” (Deuteronomy 27:24) 

Surprise assaults were to be cursed by God.

"Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen. ” (Deuteronomy 27:25)

Murder for hire was to be cursed.

“Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.” (Deuteronomy 27:26) 

Refusal to obey the law would make one cursed.  They also were to be ostracized.

II Thessalonians 3:14instructs Christians to avoid those who refuse to obey God.  “And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.”  I Timothy 6:3-5 describes the attitude of those who refuse to obey.  “If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.”  Again Christians are to withdraw from them.

The Curses For Disobedience

Deuteronomy 28:15-44

“But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee: Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.  Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store.  Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.  Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out.” (Deuteronomy 28:15-19)

God had promised that if they would obey him there not be any barren or unfruitful crops or livestock, and that their savings would be preserved.  Here God directs Moses to  warn them that the consequences of sin will be exactly the opposite.  Disobedience will result in crop failures, unhealthy and infertile livestock and families and unhappy lives.  He goes into considerable detail.

“The LORD shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me.  The LORD shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee, until he have consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest to possess it.  The LORD shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish.” (Deuteronomy 28:20-22)

Everything they attempted would be fraught with frustration and opposition, ultimately consummating in defeat and death because of their sin.  In addition they would be plagued with diseases, such as tuberculosis, infections, bubonic plague, and other epidemics.  In addition they would be infected by molds and silicosis from inhaling dust.  Terrorism and gang activity would increase until the society finally collapsed.

Almost all the Old Testament starting with the book of Judges describes Israel turning from God in disobedience, and his efforts to get them to turn back.  A cycle of disobedience, followed by judgment and turning back  developed, averaging about forty years. Each cycle seemed to go a little farther into sin, and each return tended to be a little less complete.

“And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron.  The LORD shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed.” (Deuteronomy 28:23-24)

Man’s wickedness affects nature as well and man, as Romans 8:20-22 describes.  Sin would result in a lack of rain and unyielding soil so that there would be dust storms and drought instead of rain.  Sounds like the summer of 2012 doesn’t it?

In David Brainerd’s journal he describes praying for hours, day after day, repeatedly concluding with “the heavens were brass and God did not answer.”  I John 5:14-5 declares, “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”  I find it hard to consider Brainerd as the great spiritual example his biographers would have us to believe he was.  There is something wrong with our spiritual life when God will not answer our prayers.

“The LORD shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.  And thy carcase shall be meat unto all fowls of the air, and unto the beasts of the earth, and no man shall fray them away.” (Deuteronomy 28:25-26)

Sin would affect their military capabilities.  Whereas God would cause their enemies to flee before them and seek peace if they obeyed, disobedience would result in fear and defeat.  This is graphically demonstrated in the battle against Ai in Joshua 7-8.

“The LORD will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed.  The LORD shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart: And thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways: and thou shalt be only oppressed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall save thee.” (Deuteronomy 28:27-29)

Besides the other natural consequences of their sin such as epidemics, and contagious diseases, God would also cause diseases like cancer, diabetes, thyroid problems, allergies and others.  Problems such as insanity, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease,  macular degeneration, heart problems and panic attacks would abound a s a result of disobedience.  Taxation and loss of freedom would become increasingly burdensome.

“Thou shalt betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her: thou shalt build an house, and thou shalt not dwell therein: thou shalt plant a vineyard, and shalt not gather the grapes thereof.  Thine ox shall be slain before thine eyes, and thou shalt not eat thereof: thine ass shall be violently taken away from before thy face, and shall not be restored to thee: thy sheep shall be given unto thine enemies, and thou shalt have none to rescue them.  Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people, and thine eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them all the day long: and there shall be no might in thine hand.” (Deuteronomy 28:30-32) 

As a result of their disobedience, adultery and prostitution would be widespread, homes and property would be seized for taxes, repossessed, or taken by fraud, leaving people homeless.  Children would be taken from parents by authorities or through divorce or kidnapping, leaving the parents to suffer.

“The fruit of thy land, and all thy labours, shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up; and thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed alway: So that thou shalt be mad for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.” (Deuteronomy 28:33-34) 

Disobedience would result in being raided and victimized by gangs and political groups until they almost go crazy with frustration.

“The LORD shall smite thee in the knees, and in the legs, with a sore botch that cannot be healed, from the sole of thy foot unto the top of thy head.” (Deuteronomy 28:35) 

Things like arthritis and skin diseases resulting fro disobedience would make farming and earning a living quite painful and unpleasant, and they would be difficult or impossible to cure.

“The LORD shall bring thee, and thy king which thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone.  And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations whither the LORD shall lead thee.” (Deuteronomy 28:36-37) 

Disobedience would result in being taken over by other countries and loss of their influence and culture to such a degree people look down on them as an example of failure and inferiority.

“Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field, and shalt gather but little in; for the locust shall consume it.  Thou shalt plant vineyards, and dress them, but shalt neither drink of the wine, nor gather the grapes; for the worms shall eat them.  Thou shalt have olive trees throughout all thy coasts, but thou shalt not anoint thyself with the oil; for thine olive shall cast his fruit.” (Deuteronomy 28:38-40) 

Even the crops that grew would be devoured or damaged by insects and disease to the point of being unusable.  The labor preparing and caring for them will be totally wasted.

“Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but thou shalt not enjoy them; for they shall go into captivity.” (Deuteronomy 28:41)

Children would be taken from parents and put into sweatshops, military service, and training programs, destroying families as a result of disobeying God.

“All thy trees and fruit of thy land shall the locust consume.” (Deuteronomy 28:42)

Even the long term abilities to produce would be destroyed when locusts stripped and killed the trees, leaving only dead trees behind.  It takes years to bring new trees up to fruit bearing and useable size.

“The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high; and thou shalt come down very low.  He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail.” (Deuteronomy 28:43-44) 

Minorities and foreigners will obtain power and control of the financial or government systems, controlling the people through their power, as a result of the refusal to obey God.

Looking at history, a similar pattern emerges, with country going through extremes of poverty and political upheaval just after a period of moral decay.

Rewards and Penalties

Summary of the Terms of the Covenant or Contract
Deuteronomy 26:16-19

“This day the LORD thy God hath commanded thee to do these statutes and judgments: thou shalt therefore keep and do them with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.  Thou hast avouched the LORD this day to be thy God, and to walk in his ways, and to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and to hearken unto his voice: And the LORD hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments; And to make thee high above all nations which he hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honour; and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the LORD thy God, as he hath spoken.” (Deuteronomy 26:16-19)

Israel had sworn that they would keep God’s commandments, his laws, and his prescribed penalties with everything they had as demonstration that they claimed him as their God.  God promised that in return for their obedience, he would promote them above every other nation, as his special people, respected and honored by the other nations.

The promise is similar to the promise to Christians in John 14:23-24. “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.  He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.”  There are a number of people who claim to be Christians yet refuse to obey the Lord.  Clearly they don’t really care about him.  As John 14:15 says, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”


A Permanent Memorial
Deuteronomy 27:1-10

“And Moses with the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, Keep all the commandments which I command you this day.  And it shall be on the day when ye shall pass over Jordan unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, that thou shalt set thee up great stones, and plaster them with plaster: And thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law, when thou art passed over, that thou mayest go in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey; as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee. 

Therefore it shall be when ye be gone over Jordan, that ye shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in mount Ebal, and thou shalt plaster them with plaster.  And there shalt thou build an altar unto the LORD thy God, an altar of stones: thou shalt not lift up any iron tool upon them.  Thou shalt build the altar of the LORD thy God of whole stones: and thou shalt offer burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD thy God: And thou shalt offer peace offerings, and shalt eat there, and rejoice before the LORD thy God.  And thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this law very plainly.” (Deuteronomy 27:1-8) 

Israel was to build a monument of large stones on mount Ebal which were to be plastered over, and the entire law then engraved in the plaster.  Centrally located, Mount Ebal was visible from most areas of Israel, so it would be a constant reminder of what God expected.  The law engraved on the memorial was a permanent record that could be readily referred to.

Next to the monument was to be an altar of natural uncut stones so there was no element of man’s works in their worship.  The altar was to be used for burnt offerings and peace offerings, reminding them how much they had been blessed and of their obligation to God.  Joshua 24:25 describes Joshua setting up this monument in Shechem, on the south slope of the mount between the peaks of Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim.

“And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto all Israel, saying, Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the LORD thy God.  Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the LORD thy God, and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee this day.” (Deuteronomy 27:9-10) 

Because they were God’s people, Israel had an obligation to fulfill his commands.  Christians have a similar obligation to demonstrate their appreciation for what he has done for them.

Offering The Firstfruits

Deuteronomy 26:1-11

“And it shall be, when thou art come in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and possessest it, and dwellest therein; That thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth, which thou shalt bring of thy land that the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt put it in a basket, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name there.  And thou shalt go unto the priest that shall be in those days, and say unto him, I profess this day unto the LORD thy God, that I am come unto the country which the LORD sware unto our fathers for to give us. 

And the priest shall take the basket out of thine hand, and set it down before the altar of the LORD thy God. 

And thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous: And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage: And when we cried unto the LORD God of our fathers, the LORD heard our voice, and looked on our affliction, and our labour, and our oppression: And the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders: And he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, even a land that floweth with milk and honey. 

And now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land, which thou, O LORD, hast given me. And thou shalt set it before the LORD thy God, and worship before the LORD thy God: And thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which the LORD thy God hath given unto thee, and unto thine house, thou, and the Levite, and the stranger that is among you. ” (Deuteronomy 26:1-11)

For over five hundred years, Israel had occupied and farmed land belonging to others.  When they had gone into Egypt it had been strictly as aliens with no real rights except as the Egyptians permitted them.  When they brought the first fruits it was to be a reminder that they had possessed no land of their own, and that they would not have survived except for Egypt’s generosity.

Later the Egyptians made slaves of them, and began to abuse them, and God delivered them in a miraculous fashion.  The first fruits were a sample of the first harvest each year from their own land.  They were to bring the first fruits to the Lord and review what he had done for them, thanking God that they had their own land and the crops belonged to them.

Tithing
Deuteronomy 26:12-15

“When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third year, which is the year of tithing, and hast given it unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled; Then thou shalt say before the LORD thy God, I have brought away the hallowed things out of mine house, and also have given them unto the Levite, and unto the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all thy commandments which thou hast commanded me: I have not transgressed thy commandments, neither have I forgotten them: I have not eaten thereof in my mourning, neither have I taken away ought thereof for any unclean use, nor given ought thereof for the dead: but I have hearkened to the voice of the LORD my God, and have done according to all that thou hast commanded me.  Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people Israel, and the land which thou hast given us, as thou swarest unto our fathers, a land that floweth with milk and honey.” (Deuteronomy 26:12-15)

God did not require the tithe be paid until the end of the third year, allowing the profits to grow freely.  The effect would be similar to placing one’s money into an IRA where it can grow freely without deductions.  It also gave them time to have fully disposed of the crop so they know exactly what they have made.

When the tithe was settled at the end of the third year, they were to review how they had shared  portions with the Levites, homeless, orphans and widows according to God’s commandments.  They were to certify that they had obeyed God’s commands, not using the tithe selfishly or for any purpose that he would not be honored by.  While the tithe was given to the Lord, how it was dispersed was largely up to the donor.  Based on their obedience they were to ask God to bless them as he had promised.

Provision For A Widow

Deuteronomy 25:5-10

“If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her.  And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel.” (Deuteronomy  25:5-6)

A dowry was given to the wife’s family as a sort of life insurance policy should something happen to the husband.  If he died before they had children, his brother had the responsibility of marrying the widow however.  Their first son would be considered as the child of the brother that dies so the inheritance would remain in his name.  The wife was not to go and marry someone outside the family.  This requirement gave the brothers a vested interest in the marriage.  They might not want to risk having to marry her, and intervene.   Knowing she might end up married to his brothers would give her a reason for looking more closely at his family.

“And if the man like not to take his brother's wife, then let his brother's wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband's brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of my husband's brother. 

Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him: and if he stand to it, and say, I like not to take her; Then shall his brother's wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother's house.  And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed.” (Deuteronomy 25:7-10) 

A brother who was already married might hesitate to marry his sister-in-law to avoid conflicts with his present wife.  An unmarried brother might hesitate to marry her, knowing that their first son would be considered his brothers rather than his own, and if there weren’t any more leaving himself without an heir.  In the story of Ruth the next of kin refused for this reason, leaving Boaz free to marry her.

If they refused to marry their brother’s widow, they were to be publicly shamed for refusing to fulfill their family responsibility.  In dealing with the church’s responsibility for caring for widows, Paul said, “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel,” in I Timothy 5:8.


Hitting Below The Belt
Deuteronomy 25:11

“When men strive together one with another, and the wife of the one draweth near for to deliver her husband out of the hand of him that smiteth him, and putteth forth her hand, and taketh him by the secrets: Then thou shalt cut off her hand, thine eye shall not pity her.” (Deuteronomy 25:11-12) 

God had promised that there would be nothing barren or unfruitful in the land if they would obey his commands.   Injuries to the sex organs would make a man unable to have children, so Deuteronomy 23:1 ordered, “He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD.”  In an effort to save her husband, a wife might strike or grab his opponent in his sex organs, risking permanent injury.   The penalty was to be mandatory amputation of her arm whether the person sustained permanent damage or not.      


Fair Trade
Deuteronomy 25:13-16

“Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small.  Thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small.  But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.  For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the LORD thy God.” (Deuteronomy 25:13-16)

When I was a child, a store owner in our area was known for secretly placing his thumb on the scale while weighing things out for pricing.  It was widely questioned how many times he’d sold his thumb.  Today we have a bureau of weights and measurements to test merchant’s scales and dispensers to verify their accuracy and protect the customer from such unscrupulous businessmen but similar abuses still occur.  God promised that being fair in business dealings would ensure long prosperous lives.   God despises those that cheat in business.  Having seen the corruption of Bernie Madoff, Jon Corzine, Lehman Brothers and Goldman Sachs, none of which could have happened if the regulators had done their job, is it any wonder the United States has serious economic problems?  Dishonest business has been tacitly approved.


Future Destruction Of Amalek
Deuteronomy 25:17-19

“Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.  Therefore it shall be, when the LORD thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget it.” (Deuteronomy 25:17-19)

Forty years before, just weeks after Israel crossed the Red Sea, raiding Amalekites had attacked them in the wilderness, even though they were not encroaching on Amalekite land.   God commands them not to forget that attack but to one day in the future wipe out all traces of the Amalekite culture.  Nearly six hundred years later, God ordered Saul to carry out this command, in I Samuel 15:3.  “Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.”  Saul disobeyed and lost the kingdom as a result.  He died at the hand of one of the ones he refused to kill, and some four hundred years after that, Haman, a descendant of Agag, the Amalekite king attempted to destroy the Jews in the book of Esther.