The Highlights Series Part 1 by John Luke RobertsonSample

Once again, we find ourselves in a book written by Moses and about his life. The word, Deuteronomy, means “repetition of law.” And its purpose was to prepare the new generation (remember the older generation had died off after 40 years of wandering) of the Lord's chosen people to be his kingdom representatives in the land he had unconditionally promised way back to Abraham.  When you see the words Promised Land and Canaan, they are the same place. 

Deuteronomy begins with Moses and the Israelites in Moab where the Jordan River flows into the Dead Sea. It’s described like this in Deuteronomy 1:5, “East of the Jordan in the territory of Moab, Moses began to expound this law, saying…” This is a very important time as Moses is delivering his farewell address as the Israelites are preparingto enter Canaan, the Promised Land. He lets the people know clearly which laws were especially needed at this time and he presented them in a way that was appropriate to the seriousness of the situation. Once again, remember this is a new generation of people who did not know the laws. This chapter tells them these four things.

1. Of the promise God made them to the land of Canaan

2. Of the provisions made of judges for them

3. Of their unbelief and grumbling after the spies saw the land of Canaan

4. Of the punishment by God for their unbelief and grumbling

That gives you a little about the whole book, but today, you are reading Chapter 34. Moses could not have written this chapter since it recounts his death. Some think it was added by Joshua or Eleazar (a high priest,  Aaron’s son, Moses’ nephew), but we’re not directly told who wrote it.

Moses has done all he was sent to do and now God meets him at Mount Nebo for one last conversation. Moses climbed to the top of Mount Nebo (Btw, he’s 120 years old, but climbing a mountain) and we’re told “the Lord showed him the land” that was promised to Abraham and tells Moses he will not cross over into it, but his descendants will have it. First of all, Moses, who appeared to be alone, wasn’t. God was with him. Second, Moses saw all the land promised to Abraham. (Again, 120 years old and vision intact.) 

It seems rather abrupt, but after these words (verses 1-4), the next words are, “Moses died there in Moab.” Some important things to look for in your reading are:

This is not a long chapter, but it’s filled with words of love and honor for a man who served God for 120 years. A man who began his life floating down a river. A man raised at an early age by a king. A man who led the Israelites out of the Egypt. A man who spoke to God.