Moshe Exhorts God’s People
to Obey the Torah
4: 1-40
The Israelites were encamped on the edge of the Promised Land for about three months. It had probably been over seven months since they began their final approach to the Land. The events that occurred during that seven month time may have proceeded as follows: the peaceful passing through Edom, Moab, and Ammon; the conquest of Sihon and Og; the beginning of settling into the inheritance by the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half-tribe of Manassah, while the rest of the tribes set up camp across the Jordan River from Jericho; Moses’ completion of the book of Deuteronomy and presentation of it to the people; Moshe’s death; the mourning of God’s people for him; and the preparation of God’s people for entrance into Canaan.106
The first three chapters of Deuteronomy were a history lesson about the failure of the generation of the Exodus and conquests of the new generation. Having traced the highlights of their experience over the past forty years, Moses now draws conclusions from that experience and urges a course of action that will affect both the present and the future. He pleads with them to follow God and live in covenant faithfulness – trusting in the promises of the covenant and obeying the obligations of the covenant. Chapter 4 is, therefore, in essence, a miniature sermon on the covenant and the Torah. It prepares the way for the presentation of the Ten Words, and God’s expectations of His servant-nation in the General Stipulations of the Covenant in Chapters 5:1 to 11:32.
Leave A Comment