Deuteronomy 31 begins with Moses acknowledging his advanced age (120 years) and telling the Israelites that he will no longer be their leader. Deuteronomy 31:2b says, “The Lord has said to me, ‘You shall not go over this Jordan.’“ Moses does not get to enter the promised land because he broke faith with God – but he does get to see it from a mountain before he dies (Deuteronomy 32). We learn in this brief statement that God’s word WILL hold true, He had told Moses he wouldn’t get to enter (Numbers 20:12) and His stated consequences will apply (helpful parenting tip).

This might seem overly harsh, but it helps us trust that what God says will happen, will happen. Moses accepted this consequence from God and went on to give the Israelites some parting words. He begins with telling them to be strong and courageous (verse 6) and reminds them that God will never leave them. Then he commissions Joshua to lead the people and tells him to be strong and courageous and that God will never leave him. He tells the Levites to read the law every seven years, specifically so that the next generation will hear it and fear God (verses 12-13).

After God reminds Moses that he’s going to die soon, He tells him that the Israelites will break His covenant. How sad that must have made Moses! God then has a final instruction for Moses. In verse 19a God says to Moses, “Now therefore write this song and teach it to the people of Israel” and verse 22 says, “So Moses wrote this song the same day and taught it to the people of Israel.”

What was so important that it was one of the last things God wanted Moses to do for Him? You can read the song itself in chapter 32, but basically it was a warning to the Israelites. The song Moses was instructed to write begins with a reminder of God’s faithfulness, then moves to their future failures and turning away from God and then of God’s punishment that will follow.

So what can we learn from this passage that was directed very specifically at the Israelites of that day?

First, can people trust us when we speak? Do we do what we say we will? It is important to know that we can trust God. It is also important that we are trustworthy.

Second, it’s easy to look at the Israelites and think, “What was wrong with them? God told them how they would fail Him and they didn’t stop it from happening!” However, if we are honest with ourselves, we do the same thing. God has told us in Romans 3:23 that, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. We all sin. We all turn away from God. But the good news is that God is there, waiting for us to turn back to Him!