We have come to the time just before Moses’ death. He is going to bless the Tribes of Israel before he dies. This is usually a task performed by a father to his children; but in this case it is a task from a leader to the people of his beloved nation.
The People of Israel have traveled like family for over 40 years now. Israel was a family that God grew into a mighty nation.
Now we are observing how God is carefully guiding Moses into preparations for this nation for the time after he dies and leaves them in the capable hands of Joshua.
PREPARATIONS FOR LEAVING
A lot has taken place during these final days of Moses. Everything that has transpired has been for the sake of this new nation.
Moses was given the time to write down all of the words of the law which were given to Him by God at Sinai. Those records were now all done and stored in a safe and sacred place.
When he had finished writing; Moses gave those books to the Levites who where well-trained and in charge of keeping all of the sacred articles. They had always been responsible for carrying the Ark and The Covenant. The Words of the Law were now carefully placed inside the Ark along with the Manna and The Rod of Aaron that budded.
The Levites had a huge responsibility with the task of guarding these words. They were sacred, and the people understood just how sacred they were. Everywhere that the people of Israel went; the Ark was to be honored and carried among them with great reverence.
THE SONG
To help the People of Israel remember all that had transpired during their journey together with God; Moses had written his final words and sang them out to the people in the words of a song. Each tribe had been taught the song. Now they all knew the words by heart.
These words were Moses’ final sermon to the people. In places they contained some harsh and hard words concerning the future. There were grave warnings given out for those who would later chose to be disobedient.
THE COMMISSION OF JOSHUA
In yet another final preparation; Moses and Joshua had gone into the Tent of Meeting and had a special meeting with God in which God Himself had commissioned Joshua for his next role in leading the people into the Land of Promise.
Joshua was told to be brave and courageous.
He was now prepared to begin to lead the people.
THE FINAL BLESSING
Moses will now give his last blessing to the tribes of Israel.
As previously mentioned, this tradition of “blessing” was something that usually happened between a Father of a family and his sons; but in this case; it was a blessing between a great leader and the beloved nation that he had been leading.
There were many obvious reasons for which Moses could have cursed Israel instead of blessing them. Nothing had been easy about their long, hard trek across the desert over the last 40 years of Moses’ life.
The people had gripped and complained a lot; and for the most part they took everything that God did for them through Moses for granted. In many instances they had been disobedient.
Now they would get to to be the ones who would walk into the promises while Moses would be left behind to die. They were going to reap the rewards for all of Moses’ efforts.
God had already warned Moses that their attitudes would not change, and they would still continue to walk in sin. Moses had been told that in the future they would choose to turn from God instead of turning toward him. These were very stubborn people.
Moses had every reason to be frustrated with these people; but instead he chose to love them and bless them.
Yes; it is very plain to see here how much Moses was a shadow and type of Jesus.
THE CHOICE TO LEAVE IN PEACE AND BLESSING
This type of ending to the whole amazing story must have disappointed Moses a great deal.
It probably broke his heart.
Again; I have to think of Jesus looking down from the cross just as Moses looked down from that mountain.
They both had their eyes on God’s promises in the distance.
Moses still loved these wayward people, and with his dying breath he wanted to utter words of hope which they could hold on to after he was gone.
USING THE BLESSING INSTEAD OF THE CURSE
Moses chose to put Israel under the blessing instead of the curse; hoping that they would one day decide to turn and follow God into that lifestyle that brought holiness, life and completeness.
As Moses began to utter the blessings over the tribes out loud; he first opened the conversation by speaking the words we read from Deuteronomy 33:1-5:
The Lord came from Sinai and dawned over them from Seir; he shone forth from Mount Paran. He came with myriads of holy ones from the south, from his mountain slopes. Surely it is you who love the people; all the holy ones are in your hand. At your feet they all bow down, and from you receive instruction, the law that Moses gave us, the possession of the assembly of Jacob. He was king over Jeshurun when the leaders of the people assembled, along with the tribes of Israel.
Exactly what did these opening words that Moses spoke mean to the people of Israel who were waiting and listening for a blessing before their leader died?
What did these words say of the walk that Moses had enjoyed with God while living on this earth?
Would God continue to bless His people once Moses died?
They truly needed reassurance from their beloved leader.
THE LORD CAME FROM SINAI
It is honorable and appropriate that the first words out of Moses mouth in uttering these blessings speak of THE LORD.
Moses knew that The LORD had created the earth simply by speaking it into existence. Though we humans can’t speak things into existence like God can; Moses knew and understood the power of words to influence circumstances for good and bad.
After sharing some of his last and very harsh words in a final sermon to the people; Moses now wanted to bless and build the people up with a parting blessing.
That blessing; like all blessings started with the fact that The LORD existed; it was noted that Moses believed God was real and that God had truly spoken to the people of Israel from Sinai.
Moses truly wanted all of the people to continue to BELIEVE.
REMEMBER THE LAW
Sinai was the place where God had given the people the law. This was the next order of importance in the things that Moses wanted the people to remember. That day in which the law was given should forever remain to be unforgettable in the history of Israel. (Today we call it Pentecost.) It had been a most glorious day. God had shown forth like the sun.
Legends report that the light from heaven was so great that the two mountains in the distance from Sinai were even illuminated by divine glory. The whole area was so bright that all of the neighboring countries had noticed.
This was divine providence for Israel. It was a great wonder that Moses never wanted them to forget; so he speaks of it. He mentions the three mountains; naming Sinai first.
AND DAWNED OVER THEM FROM SEIR
Moses mentions Seir. He remembers it as another one of the three mountains that reflected God’s glory on that amazing day when He came down from heaven to meet with the people at Sinai.
HE SHOWN FORTH FROM MOUNT PARAN
Again, there is that amazing reference to God’s glory as He stayed on the mountain of Sinai with Moses for 40 days and nights; giving the words of the Law to Moses to teach to the people.
Even the mountain of Paran was illuminated with the light of God’s Glory. It reached that far.
Moses encouraged the people to never forget being in the presence of God and experiencing the great glory that only God possessed.
No other people on the earth could claim that God had come down from the heavens to communicate with them.
MYRIADS OF HOLY ONES FROM THE SOUTH
This speaks of the angels who came with God.
Most people believe that there were chariots of angels with God on that holy place. In Acts 7:53 and Hebrews 2:2 the Law is said to be given by the disposition of angels:
Acts 7:53; who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.”
So; yes, it made sense that myriads of angels were in attendance, assisting God with this very important task of instructing Israel through Moses.
THE MINISTRY OF ANGELS
Hebrews 2:2; For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward.
The bible speaks of how angels were helping with the ministry of God as He gave Moses the Law; even way back in ancient times when the nation of Israel was first beginning. This is a great memory for Moses and he brings it forth as he speaks to the people of so long ago.
Moses reminds them to cherish these things and to never forget.
Today we still have that ministry of the angels as they still assist God’s people on the earth with performing and doing God’s will in the last days. This is spoken of in Hebrews 1:14; Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
ALL THE HOLY ONES ARE IN YOUR HANDS
If we keep reading the passage Moses spoke we read; Surely it is you who love the people; all the holy ones are in your hand. Who does this speak of? Who loves the people and who holds all the holy ones in His hand? What on earth would this mean?
Moses wants the people to know and remember that they are blessed by God and that God holds them safely inside his hands. They all need to know and trust that they are protected by God and do not have to depend on their own human means to survive.
God will go with them as long as they go with God.
He will not let them go. It is this power of God that makes them holy; and they have been loved and accepted by God. The holy angels help God as He constantly ministers to the people that He loves.
THEY ALL BOW AT GOD’S FEET
Those next words are powerful! “At your feet they all bow down, and from you receive instruction, the law that Moses gave us, the possession of the assembly of Jacob.”
Moses is again saying “Remember The Law.” He wants the people to always receive the instructions of God. The possession of the assembly of Jacob speaks of how the law became part of the inheritance of Israel.
GOD WAS THE ONLY KING ISRAEL NEEDED
When we read the next part of the passage it says; He was King over Jeshurun when the leaders of the people assembled, along with the tribes of Israel.
This implies that God (the people were bowing at His feet and following his instructions in the verse before this) is the right King over Israel.
The nation went for hundreds of years without appointing a man as king. In that time they did well. In the beginning of the nation we see that all of the people were in agreement that God would be the King; and no man.
REMEMBER TO REMEMBER
It is interesting to be on this side of the Cross of Christ and compare all the parting words of Moses to those that Jesus gave to his followers before his crucifixion, then later at the Ascension.
Moses didn’t want the people to forget their memories of the times they shared. He wrote them down in a song that all of the nation learned to sing.
Jesus felt the same. His song is The Song of the Lamb which is mentioned in Revelation.
Both Moses and Jesus left us songs of hope.
Moses reminded the people to be obedient and follow the law. Jesus told us that He came to fulfill the law. In other words – Jesus completed what Moses and the Law began. He brought salvation to God’s people. His final act of grace and mercy when He took on the sins of the whole world gave us complete salvation and began humanity’s journey into holiness.
Moses commissioned Joshua to carry out the duties of the nation after his death. Jesus gave his disciples and those who would follow Him later The Great Commission; the commandment where we are told to go into all the world and preach the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
We must always remember Moses.
We must always remember Jesus. Over and over again He tells us those words “Remember Me.”
MAP TO GOD’S KINGDOM
God gave the pattern of a holy nation through Moses and the people of Israel. Now we live with the fulfillment of that pattern; through Jesus Christ, Our Messiah who has given us the map that leads straight to The Kingdom of God.
Israel was blessed.
We are blessed.
All must continue to remember and trust Jesus to help us have the strength to obey the laws of Moses given to us by Our Great God.