Deuteronomy 30:1-20
Q.1. Will Israel remain permanently in the Promised Land? How will Israel’s exile bring a change of heart? What makes the promise of Israel’s restoration staggering? – (Dt.30:1-5)
Before Moses died, he set forth the future of the nation in a remarkable way that was unique to God. This was later underscored by the prophets – 7 Who is like Me? Let him proclaim and declare it; Yes, let him recount it to Me in order, from the time that I established the ancient nation. And let them declare to them the things that are coming and the events that are going to take place. 8Do not tremble and do not be afraid; Have I not long since announced it to you and declared it? And you are My witnesses. Is there any God besides Me, or is there any other Rock? I know of none.'” (Is.44:7-8). These were no idle warnings that Moses gave the new generation. They were a prophecy of what will happen. God will banish them to the surrounding nations (Dt.30:1). It was also a prophecy about the repentance of the nation, and God’s restoration of Israel from captivity – 3 then the Lord your God will restore you from captivity, and have compassion on you, and will gather you again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you. 4 If your outcasts are at the ends of the earth, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you back. 5 The Lord your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers (Dt.30:3-5). Their latter days will be better than their first settlement in the Promised Land.
Q.2. How did Moses foreshadow a new unbreakable Covenant with Israel? What changes will take place in the relationship between God and Israel? – (Dt.30:6-14 c.f. Romans 10:5-13)
The initial sign of the Covenant had been circumcision of all the males. However, God will bring in circumcision of the heart – “Moreover the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live (Dt.30:6). A time is foreshadowed when the Lord will prosper the nation as never before – … for the Lord will again rejoice over you for good, just as He rejoiced over your fathers (Dt.30:9). How can such a firm promise be made to sinful people, be they Israelite or Gentile? In Romans chapters 9-11 Paul took up this thorny issue. He quoted liberally from these words in Deuteronomy as he advanced the Gospel as God’s answer to man’s sinfulness – 5 For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on law shall live by that righteousness. 6 But the righteousness based on faith speaks as follows: “Do not say in your heart, Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down), 7 orWho will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).” 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”–that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, 9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; 13 for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:5-13 c.f. Dt.30:11-14). By the atoning sacrifice of His Son, God accomplished, both for Jews and Gentiles, that which is impossible for sinners to achieve.
Q.3. What were the terms of this renewed Covenant with Israel under Moses? What was the challenge presented by Moses with the generation entering the Promised Land? (Dt.30:15-20)
On the surface, the challenge seems to be one of external obedience. However, it is actually a matter of the heart – in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the Lord your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it. But if your heart turns away and you will not obey but are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them (Dt.30:16-17). The promise of receiving either a blessing or a curse, was not so much a threat, as a reality of what happens when we reject the Lordship of our God (Dt.30:19). We are all left with a clear choice – 19 … choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, 20 by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.” (Dt.30:19-20). Our heavenly Father knows best. Any turning from Him spelled disaster for Israel … including all other generations.