Scroll to the bottom for thoughts/discussion questions!
One-sentence summary: Moses continues recounting Israel's story back to them and warns them to remember the commands of the Lord so that they will be blessed in the land.
Moses continues recounting Israel's journey back to them. He says the Lord desires to give them rest in the land. Moses says he told Joshua not to fear the people because "the Lord [Israel's] God fights for [them.]" Moses tells Israel that he pleaded with God and said, "What God is there in heaven and on Earth Who can do anything like Your works and Your mighty deeds," and he asked God to let him cross over and see the land beyond the Jordan and "the pleasant mountains of Lebanon," but God would not listen and said, "Enough of that. Speak no more to me on this matter." He recounts how God told him to go up on the mountain to see the land with his eyes since he cannot enter in, but to tell and encourage Joshua to go up and take the land.
Moses tells Israel to listen to God's statutes and judgements so that they may go in and possess the land God is giving them, that they are not to add to the commands of the Lord. He says those who held fast to the Lord have remained alive, and that he (Moses) taught Israel- just as God commanded him to do- how to act when they go in to the land. He tells them to be careful to observe all of this for "this is [their] wisdom and understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes." He says the nations will say that Israel is surely a wise and understanding nation and that no other nations has God so near to them and such righteous laws. He tells them to take heed and "diligently keep ]themselves]" so that they don't forget what they have seen or let it depart from their hearts. They are to teach theses things to their children and grandchildren, especially the part about how God came down and spoke to Moses in a cloud on the mountain with thick darkness and fire, and how they themselves heard His voice, even though they did not see His form. He especially warns them against making and worshiping idols. They must especially not worship the sun, moon, or starts instead of the Lord. He says the Lord has brought them "out of the iron furnace," out of Egypt to be HIs people and inheritance. Moses tells them to be careful not to forget God's covenant with them because "the Lord [their] God is a consuming fire, a jealous God." He tells them if they do evil and provoke God to anger, that he calls heaven and earth against them as a witness that they will perish from the land they are inheriting and will be destroyed completely and scattered among the peoples, being left "few in number among the nations where the Lord will drive [them]," and they will "serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell." Yet, he says that in the lands where they are scattered, they will seek God there and "find Him if [they] seek Him with all [their] heart and soul." He says that when they are in distress, if they will turn to God and obey His voice, God is a merciful God and will not forsake them or forget His covenant with their fathers that He made because He loved them.
Moses asks Israel if anything so wonderful has ever happened or been heard of on earth, how a people heard God's voice and lived, and were taken out of a nation by signs, wonders, and war, and "by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and by great terrors." He says the Lord has done this so that it will be known that He is God and there is none beside Him. He tells them to consider this day in their hearts, that the Lord is "God in heaven above and on Earth beneath, and there is no Other." Therefore, they are to keep His commandments and statutes so that it will go well with them and their children after them, and that they will prolong their days in the land God is giving them.
Moses sets apart three refuge cities for those escaping retribution for involuntary manslaughter.
Thoughts/Discussion questions:
God makes a distinction between commands and statutes. His commands refer to the ten commandments, but His statutes refer to the secondary laws that further expand on those.
God means business; His warnings need to be heeded.