Day 13 – Numbers 32:20 –Deuteronomy 7:26

In today’s section we read about:

The promise of the tribes allotted land east of the Jordan to fight with the rest of the Israelites
The journey from Egypt recalled
The boundaries of the land and the leaders appointed to oversee the allotment of land
Towns for Levites, cities of refuge, and rules for women who inherit
Moses recalls the people’s history from the time of leaving Egypt up to the point when they will enter the land
Moses is forbidden to enter the land
Instructions and reminders to remember and obey everything the Lord has taught them
A call for wholehearted commitment and for the Israelites to remain distinct.

Some thought which struck me today:

Nu 33:3 “the people of Israel left defiantly, in full view of the Egyptians” – it is a salient reminder that these great works were done in full view and openly

It came as a bit of a shock to read in 33:37, that we are already at the end of the 40 years that have passed since the spies were sent out in Nu 13.

It is interesting what Moses includes and what he does not - there is no mention of the golden calf, of the rebellion of Korah, but he does mention the advice from Jethro to share the load.

Moses obviously spoke to God presumably to allow his to enter the Promised Land, but it is clear that God had said enough (3:26)

Up until this point, Moses did not seem to moan or grumble about the fact that he would not be allowed to enter the Promised Land. Yet in Deut 1:37 (and 3:26), Moses says God “was angry with me because of you”? Surely it was because he did not trust God enough that he was being punished liked this (Nu 20:12)? Moses’ memory also seems to betray him in Deut 2:29, when he says that the Edomites allowed them to go through their land (Nu 20:20).

I like Deut 2:36 "No town had walls too strong for us." Nothing is too difficult for God (Phil 4:13)

Very interesting that one of the first instructions Moses gives them is not to add or subtract to any of these commands (4:2) - cf Rev 22:18-19

Deut 4:4 - "all of you who were faithful to the LORD your God are still alive today" - is this just Joshua and Caleb (and Moses) or are there others?

Deut 4:39 sums up the whole Bible really – “So remember this and keep it firmly in mind: The LORD is God both in heaven and on earth, and there is no other.”

When reading Deut 5, I am struck not by the amount of instructions and commands, but by the restatement of character of God.

I like Deut 5:28-29, since it gives us all the hope that we can please God, pig-headed though we are "the Lord heard the request you made to me. And he said, ‘I have heard what the people said to you, and they are right. Oh, that they would always have hearts like this, that they might fear me and obey all my commands! If they did, they and their descendants would prosper forever."

The shema - the most repeated prayer in my synagogue - Deut 6:4-9 "Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. 9 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." I remember it starting (forgive transliteration) 'shema yisrael, adonai eloheinu, adonai, echad'. Echad is the Hebrew word for 'one'.

The constant repetition and exhortation not to forget is striking here. The repetition is not just how great God is, but also what great things God has done.

Here it says when you take an oath, you must only use God's name (6:33). How does this square with 5:11 and Matt 5:33?

Deut 7:7 is very humbling "the Lord did not set his heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations! Rather, it was simply that the Lord loves you, and he was keeping the oath he had sworn to your ancestors." God chose us because He loves us, there is nothing special to commend us, except that He has chosen to make us special, because He loves us. He loves us because He loves us. It's such a simple message, we struggle to take it in.

There can be no mercy to things that are opposed to God - there can be no accommodation or easy tolerance/indifference.

Just remember today and everyday

"So remember this and keep it firmly in mind: The Lord is God both in heaven and on earth, and there is no other." (Deut 4:39)