Humans have a natural desire to be prosperous and free. We want to make life as easy as possible. There is nothing wrong with prosperity. However, today’s passage is a warning that prosperity can be bad because it tends to lead us away from God. This does not mean we should be intentionally poor. Instead, it means we need to be intentional about not abandoning God when life is good.
When we stopped reading yesterday, Moses had just reminded Israel that he was 120 years old and would not lead them across the Jordan River. Instead, Yahweh would cross ahead of them. Then he finished by telling Israel to be strong and courageous.
Deut. 31:7 ¶ Then Moses called to Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land which Yahweh has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall give it to them as an inheritance.
Joshua first appears in the Bible story when Israel was traveling from Egypt to Mount Sinai. Amalek fought against Israel at Rephidim. Moses told Joshua to choose men, go out, and fight. Aaron and Hur helped Moses hold up his hands and Joshua prevailed over Amalek (see Exodus 17). After that, Joshua served as Moses’ attendant (see Exodus 24:13). Joshua was one of the 12 spies who were sent to spy out the land of Canaan (see Numbers 13:8-16). Joshua and Caleb were not condemned to die in the wilderness because they encouraged Israel to go conquer the Promised Land (see Numbers 14:30). Eventually, Joshua was appointed to be Moses’ successor (see Numbers 27:18).
Deut. 31:8 And Yahweh is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
If an army goes into a battle armed with tanks, night vision goggles, and machine guns, while their opponent only has spears and shields, the army with tanks will not experience any fear because their opponent will be almost completely powerless against them.
That is essentially the mentality Israel should have had when they entered the Promised Land. Israel had Yahweh on their side. Every city and nation on the globe is powerless against the strength and ability of Yahweh.
Deut. 31:9 ¶ So Moses wrote this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi who carried the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, and to all the elders of Israel.
Notice the words “wrote this law”. Some people quote this verse as proof that Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible. However, this verse only says that Moses wrote the law. The first five books of the Bible include a lot of history in addition to the words of the law. Therefore, this verse does not prove that Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible.
Deut. 31:10 Then Moses commanded them, saying, “At the end of every seven years, at the time of the year of the remission of debts, at the Feast of Booths,
Notice the time frame in this verse. It says “every seven years”.
Deut. 31:11 when all Israel comes to appear before Yahweh your God at the place which He will choose, you shall read this law in front of all Israel in their hearing.
The command in this verse is to read the law in front of all Israel. This was to be done every seven years. It was not enough for Israel to hear the law once. They had to be reminded of the law on a regular basis. This was because people are forgetful. Furthermore, as people die off, younger people are born, grow up, and take their place. The new generation needed to hear the law.
This is true in our lives. It is not enough to read the Bible once. We need to read it over and over again because it takes more than one reading to comprehend the Bible, and we tend to forget. Furthermore, we need to read it to the next generation. Paul explicitly told Timothy to pay attention to the public reading of Scripture (1 Timothy 4:13).
Deut. 31:12 Assemble the people, the men and the women and little ones and the sojourner who is within your gates, so that they may hear and so that they may learn and fear Yahweh your God and be careful to do all the words of this law.
Notice the word “fear”. The purpose of reading the law was to learn to fear Yahweh.
Deut. 31:13 And their children, who have not known, will hear and learn to fear Yahweh your God, all the days you live on the land which you are about to cross the Jordan to possess.”
Once again, we see that the purpose of reading the law was to learn to fear Yahweh. The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom (see Proverbs 1:7 and 9:10). In other words, if anyone wants to be wise and knowledgeable, he first needs to fear Yahweh.
Deut. 31:14 ¶ Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Behold, the time for you to die is near; call Joshua and present yourselves at the tent of meeting, that I may commission him.” So Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves at the tent of meeting.
Notice the word “commission”. It was already known that Joshua would succeed Moses (see Numbers 27:18). It was now time to make that official.
Deut. 31:15 And Yahweh appeared in the tent in a pillar of cloud, and the pillar of cloud stood at the doorway of the tent.
Deut. 31:16 And Yahweh said to Moses, “Behold, you are about to lie down with your fathers; and this people will arise and play the harlot with the foreign gods of the land, into the midst of which they are going, and they will forsake Me and break My covenant which I have cut with them.
Notice that this verse is not a warning. Instead, it is a statement of fact. Yahweh knew that Israel would break His covenant.
Deut. 31:17 Then My anger will be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them and hide My face from them, and they will be consumed, and many evils and troubles will find them, so that they will say in that day, ‘Is it not because our God is not among us that these evils have found us?’
Deut. 31:18 But I will surely hide My face in that day because of all the evil which they will do, for they will turn to other gods.
Deut. 31:19 ¶ “So now, write this song for yourselves and teach it to the sons of Israel; put it in their mouths, so that this song may be a witness for Me against the sons of Israel.
Notice the word “song”. The song is recorded in Deuteronomy 32.
Deut. 31:20 For when I bring them into the land flowing with milk and honey, which I swore to their fathers, and they have eaten and are satisfied and become fat, then they will turn to other gods and serve them and spurn Me and break My covenant.
Notice the connection between prosperity and rebellion. Israel was going to take possession of a land flowing with milk and honey. That was good. However, their easy life would cause them to abandon Yahweh.
As much as we want a prosperous life, sometimes ease and prosperity are bad for us. This is why Jesus said it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to enter heaven (see Matthew 19:24).
This does not mean we should intentionally make life difficult or bad. Instead, it means we need to be intentional about obeying God when we enjoy a life of ease and comfort.
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”