Year of the Bible: Part Four of Twelve Sample

Moses Tells the Story Again.

You might be wondering why Deuteronomy repeats information found in the previous books of the Bible. There are a few reasons for the repeat, and in them, you will see God's intentionality.

God informed Moses that he would die in seven days, and this motivated him to recount to the new generation the story of God, their rescue, God's covenant, and His promises.

As mentioned yesterday, the new generation was very young or not yet born when God delivered the Israelites from captivity in Egypt. Those who experienced those miraculous moments and heard the covenant at Mount Sinai had perished, except for Moses, Joshua, and Caleb. Forty years had passed, and Moses needed to teach the people about the Law and God's character to have personal knowledge about their history.

Secondly, Moses knew he would not be going into the Promised Land with the people, so he wanted to make sure they understood the entire story and the law and covenant so that they might know how to live in God's presence.

Finally, the people were camped on the East side of the Jordan and would soon cross over to dispossess their enemies in the land God was giving them. They would quickly get first-hand experience of miracles which would require faith in God's ability to rescue and deliver them from their enemies. Moses encouraged them by recounting God's mighty deeds to the generation that would go in and fight and take possession of their Promised Land.

Every time you read the Old Testament, it is essential to ask, "What can I learn about God's character from this reading?" Notice God always saves His people and then explains how they should live. Walking uprightly with God is important to Him but always secondary to His desire for you first to experience His grace and love for you. Your love, in return, is what we call a proper response to His grace.

Question: Where in your life do you need a revelation of God's love for you or someone else?

Prayer: Stop right now and ask God to show you His love and kindness in that area or toward that person. You cannot love yourself, others, or God well if you do not personally know the love of God. Call out for a new and fresh encounter with the love of God today!