deuteronomy 31 and 32

Read Deuteronomy 31 and 32 at Bible Gateway.

The Hebrew paragraph divisions for today’s chapters are:

Deu 31:1-6 {s} Moses will not cross over the Jordan, but the Lord God will cross over with Israel
Deu 31:7-13 {p} Joshua to lead Israel + Israel to not forget or forsake the Law
Deu 31:14-30 {p} Joshua inaugurated + the coming apostasy of Israel
Deu 32:1-43 {p} The song of Moses
Deu 32:44-47 {p} Conclusion of Moses’ explanation of this Torah
Deu 32:48-52 {p} Command to ascend Mt Nebo to view the land, then die

The strong themes so far in Deuteronomy:

Deu 27:1-28 {sx14+p} begins with the instruction to write all the words of this Law at the entrance to the Land, instructing half the tribes to stand on one mountain at the entrance to speak the blessings of the Law, and the other half to stand on a second mountain at the entrance to speak the curses of the Law. To me, the strong theme is that the Law, with its blessings and curses, shall stand at the entrance to the Land.

So if Israel’s promised Land is a prophetic type of the inheritance of our promise of the kingdom of Heaven, as we have all heard preached many times in church, then the Law, which can be distilled down to the single verb “LOVE,” applies to that promised Land and prophetic Kingdom. It is God’s Law, and so applies where He is King, Amen? Kingdoms have kings, who proclaim the Law of the Kingdom. Jesus taught us that with His coming He would not abolish God’s Law, but that it would remain the Law of the Kingdom while heaven and earth remains (Mat 5:17-19). So how did the church get this crazy idea that God’s Law is obsolete and passed away, and does not apply to His Kingdom? It is the antinomian heresy, (since the Law of God is not the means of salvation, it has no value), a very old heresy, one of the first, and one of the first condemned by the church in the age of the apostles. It has been resurrected in our day, but still stands against the testimony of Scripture, Moses, the prophets, Jesus, and the apostles.

Deu 28:1-14 {p} are the blessings which follow obedience.

Deu 28:15-29:1 {s+p} are the curses which follow disobedience and the reiteration that the words of this Law are the words of the covenant. The strong theme is that the blessings and curses hinge on the words of the covenant. It is God’s word that is supreme, not man’s interpretation, rabbinic fences, or any other thing.

Deu 29:2-9 {p} is the admonition to keep the words of this covenant, for God can remove people from their land.

Deu 29:10-30:20 {sx3+p} is Moses’ prophecy of Israel’s future apostasy, and also the prophecy of their future restoration, upon their repentance, return to God and obedience to His commandments. The strong theme is I can choose to obey God and walk the path of life, or I can choose to forsake God and walk the path of death.

Deu 31:1-13 {s+p} is that when Yeshua (Joshua by type) leads God’s people into their promise, they are not to forget or forsake God’s Law.

I have the chiastic structure for Deu 31:1-30 {s+p+p} worked out:

1a) Deu 31:1, Moses spoke these words to all Israel;

1b) Deu 31:2-6 {s} Moses’ impending death and Israel’s coming victory;

1c) Deu 31:7-13 {p} Joshua + the book of the Law:

1) Deu 31:7-8, Moses to Joshua: “Be strong and of good courage/ you shall bring Israel in/ He will be with you;”
2) Deu 31:9-13 {p} Moses wrote the Law + sons of Levi who bore the ark + hear the Law that you may keep it;

1d) Deu 31:14-15, Call Joshua and present yourselves before Me, that I may inauguarate him;

central axis) Deu 31:16-22, The coming apostasy of Israel and the song of Moses;

2d) Deu 31:23a, He inaugurated Joshua the son of Nun;

2c) Deu 31:23b-26, Joshua + the book of the Law:

1) Deu 31:23b, The Lord to Joshua: “Be strong and of good courage/ you shall bring Israel in/ I will be with you;”
2) Deu 31:24-26, Moses wrote the book of the Law + Levites who bore the ark + keep this book as a witness against you;

2b) Deu 31:27-29, Moses’ impending death and Israel’s coming apostasy;

2a) Deu 31:30 {p} Moses spoke in the hearing of all the assembly of Israel.