Good Monday my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
I wonder if you have considered writing a summary of your life journey with special focus on the important life lessons you have learned, especially the lessons you would want to pass on to your children and grandchildren? Did you know the Bible book of Deuteronomy is exactly that for Moses?
Deuteronomy is a series of ‘farewell’ messages Moses delivered to the younger generation who are about to leave their 40 years of desert wandering and cross into the Land of God’s Promise. Moses was about 120 years old and most all the older, rebellious generation of Israelites, whom God rescued out of Egyptian slavery, had died in the desert. (Deut. 1:35,36)
I especially like Deuteronomy because Moses gives us further details on some of the most significant, powerful events of the previous 40 years. Deuteronomy 1 summarizes that Numbers 13&14 rebellion of the scouts; and Deuteronomy 5 makes it very clear these Israelites heard the audible voice of God when at the mountain God spoke His 10 commandments. (Exodus 20)
Deuteronomy 6 clarifies WHY God felt it was so important these Israelites understand and communicate, from generation to generation, WHO God is and ALL He had promised and done for His people. In fact, these few verses, called the ‘Shema’, are memorized by every Jewish person from their infancy: “Hear O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is One. Love the LORD your God will all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments are to be on your heart. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” (Deut. 6:4-9) Clearly God’s desire and design was that HE would be central to every aspect of Jewish life. I’m sure you’ve seen how some Jews honor these words even in 2025…
Deuteronomy 8 is one of the most powerful chapters in the Bible as Moses recounted how God provided for His people so faithfully while they lived 40 years in the waterless wasteland, the desert, and how they should gratefully steward the abundance God would bless them with in the Promised Land.
I often go to Deuteronomy 8 and link it with Matthew 6 for a fresh reminder of the importance of recognizing God is the source of all and expects His people to live wise and grateful stewardship of all He provides! Have you learned this great life lesson and taught your children well?
Deuteronomy 28 is a very powerful chapter of God clearly explaining the great Blessings HE will pour out upon His people as they lived in OBEDIENCE to their Covenant with God; but also, this chapter makes clear the dangerous, painful realities which come as ‘curses’ when living in rebellion against God. And then Moses made this powerful declaration to this young generation: “This day I call heaven and earth as witness against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now Choose Life, so that you and your children may live, that you may love the LORD your God, listen to His voice, hold fast to Him. For the LORD is your life…” (Deut. 30:19,20)
Oh my, this is one of my favorite verses in the entire Bible. My wife and I have held tightly to this promise for over 50 years, and we DAILY celebrate the choice God has given us to live for God’s Honor and pass to our descendants the lessons we’ve learned in our journey!
Deuteronomy 31 is the wonderful story of Moses bidding his final farewell to this huge nation of Israelites he has led for about 40 years, and bringing Joshua to them as God’s selection for succeeding Moses and leading them across the Jordan river and into the land God had first promised Abraham about 500 years before! Moses proclaimed God’s command to Joshua: “Be strong and courageous for you will bring the Israelites into the land I promised them om oath, and I Myself will be with you…” (Deut. 31:23)
I often try to imagine what those last few days were like for Moses and Joshua as the mantle of leadership was passing between them, especially when we consider all they had experienced together in those more than 40 years! Finally, Deuteronomy 34 tells us Moses hiked up Mt Nebo at God’s invitation for a final glimpse of the Promised Land.
Perhaps Joshua wrote these final words about Moses: “And Moses the servant of the LORD died there in Moab… God buried Moses in Moab… but to this day no one knows where his grave is. Moses was 120 years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone…since then no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face…” (Deut. 34:5-10) Oh my, it’s eulogies like that which cause us to give serious contemplation about our reputations, our legacies, what story our lives have told. The story of Moses is one of a kind, isn’t it?
As we close Deuteronomy, we close the Scriptures which Moses wrote, the first five books of the Bible! The amazing beginning to the Bible and our world. But the “Grand Narrative” story of God has really only begun and tomorrow we’ll join Joshua as this next generation of Israelites prepare to leave the desert and finally cross the Jordan into their Promised Land!
I wonder what lessons the journey has taught you thus far in the “Grand Narrative”? Let’s pause and worship our great God with this song; thank God for Moses; consider the summary statements in the Grand Narrative link below and then prepare to move forward with Joshua tomorrow. I’ll meet you here, by the Jordan, tomorrow…
Today’s worship song: “I Choose Life”
Today’s Scripture: Deuteronomy.
Choose below to read or listen.
 |  |
Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
Archived back issues of “Walking with Jesus” and other resources are available by clicking here to open our ‘home page’ (or go to HOME at upper right of this page).
Share with friends. Subscribe below for daily “Walking with Jesus”.