Deuteronomy 27-34: Final Words and Warnings
INTRODUCTION.
A. As we come to the last lesson in our study through Deuteronomy, we find Moses final instructions and warnings regarding the Israelites obedience to God.
B. In this lesson, we will:
1. See the blessing and cursing proclaimed from the mount of blessing and the mount of cursing.
2. See the passing of the torch to Joshua.
3. Witness the death of Moses on Mount Nebo.
C. Let us begin this last look at Deuteronomy by turning to chapter 27.
I. THE PROCLAMATION OF BLESSING AND CURSING. (27:1 - 28:68)
A. Moses instructed the Israelites to build an altar on Mount Ebal. (27:1-8)
B. Moses commanded the Israelites to obey the voice of the Lord. (27:9-10)
C. The curses were proclaimed from Mount Gerizim. (27:11-26)
D. The blessings were proclaimed from Mount Ebal. (28:1-14)
E. Moses warned the Israelites of great curses for disobeying the voice of the Lord. (28:15-68)
II. GOD’S COVENANT WITH ISRAEL. (29:1-30:20)
A. Moses reminded the Israelites of how God had provided for them. He instructed the Israelites to keep the words of God’s covenant. (29:1-9)
B. Moses called for all of Israel to stand and enter “into covenant with the Lord.” (29:10-13)
C. Moses explained that entering this covenant was essential to the Israelites remaining faithful to the Lord. (29:14-29)
D. Moses, in anticipation of both the blessing and the curse falling upon Israel, assured the Israelites that if they would turn back to God that God would forgive them and deliver them. (30:1-10)
E. Moses explained the simplicity and availability of God’s command to obey and follow Him. (30:11-14)
F. Moses presented to the people the blessing and the cursing. (30:15-20)
1. The Blessing: “In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.” (vs 16, KJV)
2. The Curse: “But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it.” (vs 17-18, KJV)
3. After having declared the blessing and the curse, Moses encouraged the Israelites to “choose life, that both you and your descendants may life.” (vs 19, NKJV)
III. LEADERSHIP IS PASSED TO JOSHUA. MOSES WROTE A SONG ABOUT ISRAEL’S FUTURE. (31:1-32:52)
A. After telling the Israelites that he would not be joining them in the promise land, Moses instructed Joshua to lead the Israelites into the promise land by the help of God. (31:1-8)
B. Moses recorded God’s law for the people and gave this law to the priests. The priests were to read the law to the people at the end of every seven years. The law was also given to all the elders of Israel. (31:9-13)
C. The Lord called Moses and Joshua into the tabernacle and proceeded to commission Joshua to lead the people. (31:14-15)
D. The Lord told Moses that he would soon die and that the Israelites would “rise and play the harlot with the gods of the foreigners of the land.” The Lord told Moses to write a song that would warn the Israelites of their future departure from the Lord. (31:16-21)
E. Moses wrote the song and inaugurated Joshua. (31:22-23)
F. Moses told the Levites to keep the Book of the Law beside the ark of the covenant. He also warned the Levites of Israel’s future rebellion against the Lord. (31:24-29)
G. Moses spoke the words of the song to the people. (31:30 - 32:43)
H. After having finished reading the words of the song, Moses commanded the Israelites to, “Set your hearts on all the words which I testify among you today, which you shall command your children to be careful to observe -- all the words of this law.” (32:44-47, NKJV)
I. The Lord commanded Moses to go up to Mount Nebo. On Mount Nebo, Moses would die and be gathered to his people. (32:48-52)
IV. MOSES ISSUED BLESSINGS ON THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL. (33:1-29)
A. After an introduction, Moses blessed the tribe of Reuben. (33:1-6)
B. Moses blessed the tribe of Judah. (33:7)
C. Moses blessed the tribe of Levi. (33:8-11)
D. Moses blessed the tribe of Benjamin. (33:12)
E. Moses blessed the tribe of Joseph. (33:13-17)
F. Moses blessed the tribe of Zebulun. (33:18-19)
G. Moses blessed the tribe of Gad. (33:20-21)
H. Moses blessed the tribe of Dan. (33:22)
I. Moses blessed the tribe of Naphtali. (33:23)
J. Moses blessed the tribe of Asher. (33:24-25)
K. Moses concludes the blessings. (33:26-29)
L. Note: There are three tribes not listed: Issachar, Manasseh, and Ephraim. However, the blessing of the tribe of Joseph would undoubtedly be referring to the tribes Manasseh and Ephraim who descendants of the sons of Joseph.
V. MOSES DIED AND WAS MOURNED. (34:1-12)
A. Moses went to Mount Nebo and viewed the promise land from afar. (34:1-4)
B. Moses, at the age of 120, died and the Lord buried him in the land of Moab. The Israelites wept for Moses thirty days. (34:5-8)
C. Joshua, the son of Nun, being full of the spirit of wisdom, began to lead the Israelites. (34:9)
D. There was no other prophet like Moses who knew the Lord face to face. (34:10-12)
VI. LESSONS LEARNED.
A. We should set our hearts to serving God and command our children to obey.
1. Moses told the people to set their hearts to all the words of the Lord. (32:46-47)
2. True obedience begins within the heart.
a. Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:21, KJV)
b. Jesus said, “. . .for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.” (Matthew 12:34-35, KJV)
c. Paul wrote, “But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.” (Romans 6:17, KJV)
3. Training up our children involves teaching them the word of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4; cf. II Timothy 3:15 - Timothy was taught the scriptures from his youth.)
B. Secret things belong to the Lord. (29:29)
1. We need to concern ourselves with the answers the Lord has given us. There are many questions to which we have not been given the answers. We must not allow ourselves to be led astray by those unanswerable questions.
2. Paul wrote, “But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.” (Titus 3:9, KJV)
3. Paul also wrote, “O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and vain babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge -- by professing it, some have strayed concerning the faith.” (I Timothy 6:20, NKJV)
C. Accept the call of God for you to stand and enter into covenant with the Lord.
1. Moses called for all of Israel to stand and enter “into covenant with the Lord.” (29:10-13)
2. Jesus is the mediator of a new covenant. “And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.” (Hebrews 12:24, KJV)
3. God calls all men to enter into the new Covenant of Jesus Christ.
a. When a person obeys Jesus’ command to believe and be baptized, he enters into that covenant with the Lord. (Cf. Mark 16:16)
b. Being baptized into Jesus Christ, puts on into Jesus and into a covenant relationship with the Lord. (Galatians 3:27; Romans 6:3-4)
D. Let us keep God’s Word where we can always be reminded of it.
1. Moses told the Levites to keep the Book of the Law beside the ark of the covenant. (31:24-29)
2. We should keep our Book of the Law, the Bible, where it will always be available to us. Too often, Bibles find their way to a book shelf never to be opened unless trying times comes upon the family.
E. The word of God is available to all who will accept it.
1. Moses explained the simplicity and availability of God’s command to obey and follow Him. (30:11-14)
2. The apostle Paul gave a similar lesson learned from this passage in Romans 10:5-9.
3. We do not have to look far and wide for the Word of God. The Word of God or the “word of faith which we preach” is always at hand and should be followed. It is as close as picking up our Bibles and studying God’s Word.
4. Obeying the word of God is as simple as confessing “with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9, NKJV)
CONCLUSION.
A. While there are other lessons that we can learn from this reading let us take home with us the lessons that we have examined.
1. We should set our hearts to serving God and command our children to obey.
2. Secret things belong to the Lord.
3. Accept the call of God for you to stand and enter into covenant with the Lord.
4. Let us keep God’s Word where we can always be reminded of it.
5. The word of God is available to all who will accept it.
B. The word of God is available to all who will listen. If you are not a Christian, become one today by listening to Jesus Christ and obeying His commands.
C. If you are a Christian, then keep your heart upon obeying the Lord and then listen to His teachings.
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Old Testament Series: Deuteronomy 27 - 34: Final Words and Warnings -- December 10, 2000 -- File # 668
by John M. Duvall – Lawton, OK