Schoolmaster to Christ
DEUTERONOMY CHAPTER 31
Schoolmaster to Christ
DEUTERONOMY CHAPTER 31
Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 31 (KJV)
With deep tenderness and affectionate solicitude, the heart of Moses still lingers over the congregation. It seems as though he could never weary of pouring into their ears his earnest exhortations. He felt their need; he foresaw their danger; and like a true and faithful shepherd and with all the deep and tender affection of His large, loving heart, he sought to prepare them for what was before them. No one can read his closing words without being struck with their solemn tone. They remind us of Paul's touching farewell to the elders of Ephesus. Both these beloved and honored servants realized the seriousness of their own position, and that of the persons they were addressing. They felt the uncommon gravity of the interests at stake and the urgent need of those who were faithful dealing with the heart and conscience. This will account for what we may term the solemnity of their appeals. All who truly enter into the situation and destiny of the people of God in a world like this must be serious. The true sense of these things, the apprehension of them in God's presence must of necessity impart a holy gravity to the character and a special pungency and power to the testimony.
"And Moses went, and spake these words unto all Israel. And he said unto them, I am an hundred and twenty years old this day; I can no more go out and come in; also the Lord hath said unto me, Thou shalt not go over this Jordan." How touching this allusion to his great age, and this fresh and final reference to the solemn governmental dealing of God with him personally. The direct and manifest object of both was to give effect to his appeal to the hearts and consciences of the people – to strengthen the moral lever by which this beloved and honored servant of God sought to move them in the direction of simple obedience. Pointing to his gray hairs or to the holy discipline exercised toward him, is not for the purpose of bringing him, his circumstances, or his feelings before them, but simply by every possible means to touch the deepest springs of their moral being.
"The Lord thy God, he will go over before thee, and he will destroy these nations from before thee, and thou shalt possess them; and Joshua, he shall go over before thee, as the Lord hath said. And the Lord shall do unto them as he did to Sihon and to Og, kings of the Amorites, and unto the land of them whom he destroyed. And the Lord shall give them up before your face, that ye may do unto them according unto all the commandments which I have commanded you."
Not a word of murmuring or repining for himself; not the faintest tinge of envy or jealousy in his reference to the one who was to take his place; not an approach to anything of the kind. Every selfish consideration is swallowed up in the one grand object of encouraging the hearts of the people to tread with firm step the pathway of obedience that was then, is now, and ever must be, the path of victory, blessing, and peace.
"Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them; for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." These are precious, soul-sustaining words; eminently calculated to lift the heart above every discouraging influence. The blessed consciousness of the Lord's presence, and the remembrance of His gracious ways with us in days gone by, must always prove the true secret of strength in moving onward. The same mighty hand that had subdued before them Sihon and Og, could subdue all the kings of Canaan. The Amorites were as formidable as the Canaanites; Jehovah was more than a match for all. "We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old. How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out"
Think of God driving people out with His own hand. What an answer to all the arguments and difficulties of a morbid sentimentality. How shallow and erroneous are the thoughts of some regarding the governmental ways of God – how miserably one-sided their notions of His character and actions. How absurd the attempt to measure God by the standard of human judgment and feeling. It is evident that when Moses addressed the congregation of Israel with the magnificent exhortation quoted above, he did not have the smallest particle of sympathy with such sentiments. He knew something of the gravity and solemnity of the government of God, something too of the blessedness of having Him as a shield in the day of battle, a refuge and resource in every hour of peril and need.
Let us hearken to his encouraging words addressed to the man who was to succeed him. "And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the Lord hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it. And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee; he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee; fear not, neither be dismayed."
As one called to occupy a prominent and distinguished place in the congregation Joshua needed a special word. But the word to him embodies the same truth as that addressed to the whole assembly. He is assured of God's presence and power with him. This is enough for each, for all; for Joshua as for the most obscure member of the assembly. Yes, and enough for us, whoever we are, or whatever be our sphere of action. It matters not what difficulties or dangers may lie before us, our God is amply sufficient for all. If only we have the sense of the Lord's presence with us, and the authority of His Word for the work in which we are engaged, we may move on with joyful confidence, in spite of ten thousand difficulties and hostile influences. "And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi, which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and unto all the elders of Israel. And Moses commanded them saying, At the end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles, when all Israel is come to appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing. Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear and that they may learn, and fear the Lord your God, and observe to do all the words of this law; and that their children, which have not known anything, may hear; and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it" (vv. 9-35).
Two things in the forgoing passage claim our attention. First, Jehovah attached solemn importance to the public assembly of His people for the purpose of hearing His Word. "All Israel;" "men, women and children;" along with the stranger who had cast his lot among them, were commanded to assemble themselves together to hear the reading of the book of the law of God, that all might learn His holy will and their duty. From the eldest to the youngest, each member of the assembly was brought into direct personal contact with the revealed will of Jehovah, that each one might know his responsibility.
Second, the children were to be gathered before the Lord to hearken to His Word. Both these facts are full of weighty instruction for all members of the Lord's church – instruction urgently called for in this present age. There is a deplorable amount of failure regarding these two points. We sadly neglect the assembling of ourselves together for the simple reading of Holy Scripture. There does not seem to be sufficient attraction in the Word of God itself to bring us together. There is an unhealthy craving for other things; human oratory, music, religious excitement of some kind or other seems needful to bring people together; anything and everything but the precious Word of God.
Perhaps it might be said that people have the Word of God in their homes; that it is different now from what it was with Israel; everyone can read the Scriptures at home and there is not the same necessity for public reading. Such a plea will not stand the test of truth. We may rest assured if the Word of God were loved, prized and studied in private and in the family, it would be loved, prized and studied in public. We should delight to gather together around the fountain of Holy Scripture to drink of the living water for our common refreshment and blessing in happy fellowship.
But it is not so. The Word of God is not loved and studied, either privately or publicly. Trashy literature it devoured in private; and music, ritualistic services and imposing ceremonies are eagerly sought after in public. Thousands will flock to hear music and pay for admission; but few care for a meeting to read the Holy Scriptures. These are facts, and facts are powerful arguments. We cannot get over them. There is a growing thirst for religious excitement, and a growing distaste for the calm study of Holy Scripture and the spiritual exercises of the Christian assembly. It is useless to deny it. We cannot shut our eyes to it. The evidence of it meets us on every hand.
Thank God, there are a rare few who truly love the Word of God and delight to meet in holy fellowship for the study of its precious truths. May the Lord increase the number and bless them abundantly. They may be an obscure and feeble remnant; but they love Christ and cleave to His Word; and their richest enjoyment is to get together to think, speak and sing of Him. May God bless them and keep them. May He deepen His precious work in their souls, and bind them more closely to Him and to one another – preparing them for the appearing of "The Bright and Morning Star."
We now turn to the closing verses of this 31st chapter, in which Jehovah speaks to His beloved and honored servant in tones of deep and touching solemnity regarding his death and Israel's dark and gloomy future. "And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thy days approach that thou must die: call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of the congregation, that I may give him a charge. And Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves in the tabernacle of the congregation. And the Lord appeared in the tabernacle in a pillar of a cloud; and the pillar of the cloud stood over the door of the tabernacle. And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them. Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not among us? And I will surely hide my face in that day, for all the evils which they shall have wrought, in that they are turned unto other gods."
"Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god." So says the Spirit of Christ in Psalm 16. Israel has proved the solemn truth of these words. Their history confirms and illustrates the truth that the sure and certain way to multiply our sorrows is to turn away from the Lord, looking to any creature resource. This is one of the many lessons that we gather from the marvelous history of the seed of Abraham. May we learn it effectually. May we learn to cleave to the Lord with purpose of heart and with holy decision turn away from every other object. We feel persuaded this is the only path of true happiness and peace. May we ever be found in it.
"Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach it the children of Israel; put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel. For when I shall have brought them into the land which I sware unto their fathers, that floweth with milk and honey; and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and waxen fat; then will they turn unto other gods, and serve them, and provoke me, and break my covenant. And it shall come to pass, when many evils and troubles are befallen them, that this song shall testify against them as a witness; for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed: for I know their imagination which they go about, even now, before I have brought them into the land which I sware."
All this is deeply affecting and solemn. Instead of Israel being a witness for Jehovah before all nations, the song of Moses was to be a witness for Jehovah against the children of Israel. They were called to be His witnesses; they were responsible to declare His Name, to show forth His praise in that land into which He conducted them in His faithfulness and sovereign mercy. But, they utterly and shamefully failed. Hence, in view of this sad and humiliating failure, a song was to be written that in the first place sets forth (as we shall see) the glory of God; and secondly records Israel's deplorable failure in accents of inflexible faithfulness.
"Moses therefore wrote this song the same day, and taught it the children of Israel. And he gave Joshua the son of Nun a charge, and said, Be strong, and of a good courage, for thou shalt bring the children of Israel into the land which I sware unto them: and I will be with thee."
Joshua was not to be discouraged or faint-hearted because of the predicted unfaithfulness of the people. Like his great progenitor, he was to be strong in faith giving glory to God. He was to move forward with joyful confidence, leaning on the arm and confiding in the Word of Jehovah, the covenant God of Israel.
All this comes out with vividness and power in the song of Moses; and in the faith of it Joshua was called to serve. He was not to fix his eye on Israel's ways, but on the stability of God's covenant with Abraham. He was to conduct Israel across the Jordan and plant them in that fair inheritance designed for them in the purpose of God. Had Joshua occupied his mind with Israel, he must have thrown down his sword and given up in despair. But no, he encouraged himself in the Lord his God, serving in the energy of a faith that endures as seeing Him Who is invisible.
What precious, soul-sustaining, God-honoring faith. No matter our line of life or sphere of action, may we know the moral power of this divine principle. May every beloved child of God and servant of Christ know it. After all, it is the only thing that will enable us to grapple with difficulties, hindrances and hostile influences that surround us in the scene through which we are passing and to finish our course with joy.
"And it came to pass when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished that Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord saying, Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee. For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, ye have been rebellious against the Lord; and how much more after my death? Gather unto me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to record against them. For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days; because ye will do evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands."
We are forcible reminded of Paul's farewell address to the elders of Ephesus: "For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among your own selves, shall men arise speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified" (Acts 20:29-32).
Man's history is always the same – blotted from beginning to end. But, it is such a relief and solace to the heart to know and remember that God is always the same; that His Word abides and is "settled for ever in heaven." It was hid in the side of the Ark of the Covenant and there in spite of all the grievous sin and folly of the people was preserved intact. This gives rest to the heart in the face of human failure and the wreck and ruin of everything committed to man's hand. "The word of our God shall stand for ever" and while it bears a true and solemn testimony against man and his ways, it also conveys to the heart the precious and tranquillizing assurance that God is above all man's sin and folly, that His resources are absolutely inexhaustible and that before long His glory will shine and fill the whole scene. The Lord be praised for the deep consolation of all this.
