Deuteronomy 29:1-29
Q.1. Why was Moses instructed to renew the Covenant with the new generation? What fresh miracles had God done for His people? Why? (Dt.29:1-9 c.f. Num.14:29)
The previous generation with whom the Covenant was made at Mount Horeb, had all but died in the wilderness. This was a new generation with whom God wanted to enter into a Covenant relationship. These Israelites had been twenty years old or less at Horeb when the miraculous events surrounding the exodus took place. Moses wanted them to have their own experience of God – Yet to this day the Lord has not given you a heart to know, nor eyes to see, nor ears to hear (Dt.29:4). They had seen God’s protection against foreigners and had allocated some of the territories gained east of the Jordan River to the tribes of Rueben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh (Dt.29:7-8 c.f. Dt.3:1-17). God also underscored His provision – 5 I have led you forty years in the wilderness; your clothes have not worn out on you, and your sandal has not worn out on your foot. 6 You have not eaten bread, nor have you drunk wine or strong drink, in order that you might know that I am the Lord your God (Dt.29:5-6).
Q.2. How did this renewed Covenant connect with Israel’s past? What steps did God take to keep them from straying in future? = (Dt.29:10-21)
This renewed Covenant was based on the promises of the past – 12 that you may enter into the covenant with the Lord your God, and into His oath which the Lord your God is making with you today, 13 in order that He may establish you today as His people and that He may be your God, just as He spoke to you and as He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Dt.29:12-13). His warning to not turn to the futile gods that they had observed in Egypt was driven home with curses – 20 The Lord shall never be willing to forgive him, but rather the anger of the Lord and His jealousy will burn against that man, and every curse which is written in this book will rest on him, and the Lord will blot out his name from under heaven. 21 Then the Lord will single him out for adversity from all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant which are written in this book of the law (Dt.29:20-21).
Q.3. In what way were the curses of the Covenant intended to be a sign that Israel had strayed? Was Israel’s failure a surprise to God? – (Dt.29:22-29 c.f. Rom.11:11-12)
Through Moses, God described a future generation at a future time, who would actually see the horrible consequences of disobedience, played out to God’s people, in the land. All because – 26 They went and served other gods and worshiped them, gods whom they have not known and whom He had not allotted to them. 27 Therefore, the anger of the Lord burned against that land, to bring upon it every curse which is written in this book; 28 and the Lord uprooted them from their land in anger and in fury and in great wrath, and cast them into another land, as it is this day.’ (Dt.29:26-28 c.f. Dt.31:14-18). By God’s writing it in a book, we discover that He knew Israel’s end from its beginning – “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law (Dt.29:29 c.f. Dt.29:20-21, 27).