Deuteronomy Chapter 9

Reading through the book of Deuteronomy we find that Moses repeated the history of their journey and repeated the commandments and statutes that had been given by God.  We certainly can understand why all of this was repeated in the ears of the congregation of Israel.  They were a stubborn people who repeatedly wanted to go their own way and needed correction and reminding.  But I also think that Moses wanted to express his desire for the people to yield themselves to God because he had stood in the gap for the people more than once when God was angry with their sinful ways.  Moses wanted them to succeed in the promised land, and he knew he would not be there to guide them. 

If ever there was one man in history who could see and understand the holiness of God vs. the unrighteousness and depravity of mankind, it was Moses.  Moses had spent time with God.  He talked with God and received all His instructions.  While he wasn’t perfect, Moses could see what it was that God wanted His children to be.  Moses had been angry in God’s honor when the people created a golden calf as an image to worship.  Moses understood exactly how this hurt the heart of God. 

 “Not by an unbridled passion, but in zeal for God’s honour, and by direction of God’s Spirit, to signify to the people, that the covenant between God and them contained in those tables was broken and made void, and they were now quite cast out of God’s favour, and could expect nothing from him but fiery indignation and severe justice.”  [Poole]