#39 — Parshat Devarim
Devarim 1:1 - 3:2
Overview
With Parashat Devarim we reach the last book of the Torah. We will find in this book passionate exhortations and instructions of Moses to Israel (Deuteronomy 1-30). G-d gives Moses a special prophetic song which will serve as a witness to Israel (Deuteronomy 31-32), Moses gives Israel his last blessings (Deuteronomy 33), and Moses’ death is described in an epilogue (Deuteronomy 34).
Focussing on Parashat Devarim more specifically, We see Moses first reminding the Israelites how he gave them a system of judges (Deuteronomy 1:16-18). He then recounts how Israel had been on the verge of entering the promised land, but due to unbelief and rebellion a disastrous delay of forty years ensued (Deuteronomy 1:19-46). Moses reminds the Israelites how G-d already had given amazing victories over Sihon and Og, the kings of Heshbon and Bashan (Deuteronomy 2:1-3:22).
The message is clear: don’t fall into fatal unbelief again but see what G-d has done already.
“Your eyes have seen all that the L-RD your G-d has done to these two kings, so the L-RD shall do to all the kingdoms into which you are about to cross. Do not fear them, for the L-RD your G-d is the one fighting for you (Deuteronomy 3:21-22).
Is Moses sufficient?
Effective…for a generation
Moses’ call to faith and his passionate exhortations to be faithful to the L-RD alone are effective. Israel chooses life and the land is conquered. Unfortunately, the effect of Moses’ exhortations is limited. As soon as the generation who conquered the land had passed away, the people forsook the L-RD and served the Baals, as we see in the book of Judges (Judges 2:10-11).
Actually, one of the messages of the book of Deuteronomy is this prediction: Israel will soon forsake the L-RD. (See e.g., Deuteronomy 31:27-29.) This gives a bleak prospect for the future. Obedience to G-d’s law brings blessing in the land; disobedience brings a curse. This means Israel will be exiled and cast out of the land again (see Deuteronomy 29).
“The law is holy and the commandment is righteous and good,” the apostle Paul later states[1]. The law gives us a clear picture of the righteousness needed to be G-d’s people in His land.
But in itself the law does not change our hearts. And after we have broken it, the law actually is a witness which testifies against us (Deuteronomy 31:26). If we break the covenant, the law leaves us under a curse in the end.
Not Moses but Joshua
Fortunately, this doesn’t mean G-d’s dealings with Israel end here. The book of Deuteronomy itself also shows this. The L-RD will fulfill the promises He made to Abraham! But Deuteronomy does show us we need more beyond the law which G-d gave through Moses.
In this light it is telling that G-d doesn’t allow Moses himself to lead the people into the land. As we read in our parashah: “The L-RD was angry with me also on your account, saying, ‘Not even you shall enter there. Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall enter there; encourage him, for he will cause Israel to inherit it’” (Deuteronomy 1:37).
This means first of all that Israel’s rebellion dragged even Moses down, as we see in Numbers 20:1-13, so someone else will bring the people into the promised land.
But there is an additional message beyond Moses being unable to lead Israel into the land: Not only could he not lead the people into the land, the Torah of Moses by itself also cannot keep the people in the land. New salvation from the L-RD is needed. In this context the name of the one who brings Israel into the land is hope-giving: Joshua – “the L-RD saves!”
The One who will cause Israel to inherit
The book of Deuteronomy points to the promise that the L-RD will indeed give new salvation (e.g., Deuteronomy 30). We find the same message repeated as we keep reading the Tanakh.
The Tanakh paints a bleak picture of covenant breaking and exile. But against that black background G-d’s promise shines like a diamond. Just as Deuteronomy predicted, Israel indeed ends up under the curse of exile – but beyond that, G-d promises new salvation!
In the book of Isaiah we read about a special servant of G-d who is called “G-d’s salvation to the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6).
G-d says about this special servant: “I will keep you and give you as a covenant for the people, to restore the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritages” (Isaiah 49:8). In other words G-d will send an even greater Joshua.
Isaiah prophesies that the secret to this servant’s success is that He will give His life as a sacrifice for our sins (Isaiah 52:13-53:12).
We believe this is none other than Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah[2]. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus the Messiah (John 1:17). Through Him Israel will not only be able to inherit the land but also live there forever.
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The oral law, written down
The Mishna?
In traditional Judaism, the oral law is usually understood to be the whole of tradition which was first written down in the Mishna. In Orthodox Judaism it is believed that the Mishna goes back to instruction Moses gave orally, which was passed down through the generations. The book of Deuteronomy however might suggest the real oral law was written down much earlier….
Moses’ legacy
Deuteronomy opens with: “These are the words which Moses spoke to all Israel across the Jordan” (Deuteronomy 1:1). The book makes it very clear where these speeches are delivered: in the plains of Moab opposite Jericho[3].
Nevertheless, we find in the first verse many more locations. In the Arava, opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel and Laban, and Hazeroth and Dizahab (Deuteronomy 1:1).
All these locations are much further to the south. These places describe in broad terms the area in which Israel wandered for forty years.
In other words, these speeches are not only some of Moses’ last words, they are summing up the instruction which he gave to Israel throughout their four decades in the wilderness. In other words, Deuteronomy is Moses’ legacy to Israel as they are soon to enter the promised land. These are the take-aways from forty years of instruction.
These are the statutes
Moses first reminds the Israelites how he gave Israel a system of judges who would come to him with cases too difficult for them. “And I commanded you at that time all the things that you should do” (Deuteronomy 1:18).
Why is Moses saying this at the beginning of his speeches? Because he is leaving now.
But then what does he do? Does he tell the judges simply to remember everything he had told them?
No, he rather begins telling Israel what the take-aways are from what he instructed the judges throughout the years. This is the main subject matter of Moses’ speeches which then were recorded in this book.
In the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses spoke to the people of Israel according to all that the L-RD had given him in commandment to them. …. Moses undertook to explain this law… (see Deuteronomy 1:3,5).
This is the law that Moses set before the people of Israel. These are the testimonies, the statues and the rules, which Moses spoke to the people of Israel (Deuteronomy 4:44).
Undoubtedly Moses gave more instructions during the forty years in the desert than those recorded in the books of Exodus through Numbers. But of all Moses said, what should be remembered? He gave it to Israel in this book.
When we look at it this way, the oral law was already written down centuries before the Mishnah was written. We have the real Mishna right here – and with a warning not to add to it nor to take from it (Deuteronomy 4:2).
Romans 7:12 in the new covenant scriptures.
Yeshua or Jesus is a variant of the name Yoshua.
See also Deuteronomy 1:5 and 4:46.