Deuteronomy 9 – 11 forms the last part of Moses’ historical narrative. Once again he narrates the past to motivate a passionate obedience in the present to receive future blessings. And this time the lesson will be based on Israel’s rebellions.
The future blessing is the military defeat of the Canaanites: “Hear, O Israel: you are to cross over the Jordan today, to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourselves, cities great and fortified up to heaven” (Deuteronomy 9:1). But the danger is that they will grow prideful over their military victories: “Do not say in your heart, after the LORD your God has thrust them out before you, ‘It is because of my righteousness that the LORD has brought me in to possess this land,’ whereas it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is driving them out before you” (Deuteronomy 9:4). The memory of their rebellions will serve a double function, then: 1) it will remind them that they do not deserve the victories; they only received them by Yahweh’s grace, and 2) it will teach them that if they continue in rebellion, they will end up like the Canaanites that they forced out of the land.
Note too, that Moses not only speaks of their rebellions but also describes his intercession for Israel in great detail. This emphasis is not because he wants to show off in front of the Israelites; remember that Moses was very meek, more than all of the people who were on the face of the earth (Numbers 12:3). Part of his reason for describing his intercession is so that the Israelites will learn to distinguish Yahweh’s true prophet from a false one: “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers – it is to him you shall listen” (Deuteronomy 18:15). Besides looking for the characteristics that he will identify for the Israelites in the following chapters, they should look for an intolerance of idolatry, constant intercession for Israel, a love for the covenant and exhortations preached to the people just as Moses himself exemplifies in Deuteronomy 9 y 10.
And besides their rebellions, the Israelites must remember that Yahweh multiplied them from a group small in number and redeemed them all with a powerful hand and extended arm (Deuteronomy 10:22 – 11:4); He also punished their disobedience (Deuteronomy 11:5-6). They have seen the historical examples of blessing and condemnation, and therefore: “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside from the way that I am commanding you today, to go after other gods that you have not known” (Deuteronomy 11:26-28). The Israelites will enjoy the future blessings only if they keep the lessons of their history; if they neglect those lessons, if they look for new spiritual paths, they will suffer the condemnation that Yahweh exercised against His enemies.
The future blessing is the military defeat of the Canaanites: “Hear, O Israel: you are to cross over the Jordan today, to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourselves, cities great and fortified up to heaven” (Deuteronomy 9:1). But the danger is that they will grow prideful over their military victories: “Do not say in your heart, after the LORD your God has thrust them out before you, ‘It is because of my righteousness that the LORD has brought me in to possess this land,’ whereas it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is driving them out before you” (Deuteronomy 9:4). The memory of their rebellions will serve a double function, then: 1) it will remind them that they do not deserve the victories; they only received them by Yahweh’s grace, and 2) it will teach them that if they continue in rebellion, they will end up like the Canaanites that they forced out of the land.
Note too, that Moses not only speaks of their rebellions but also describes his intercession for Israel in great detail. This emphasis is not because he wants to show off in front of the Israelites; remember that Moses was very meek, more than all of the people who were on the face of the earth (Numbers 12:3). Part of his reason for describing his intercession is so that the Israelites will learn to distinguish Yahweh’s true prophet from a false one: “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers – it is to him you shall listen” (Deuteronomy 18:15). Besides looking for the characteristics that he will identify for the Israelites in the following chapters, they should look for an intolerance of idolatry, constant intercession for Israel, a love for the covenant and exhortations preached to the people just as Moses himself exemplifies in Deuteronomy 9 y 10.
And besides their rebellions, the Israelites must remember that Yahweh multiplied them from a group small in number and redeemed them all with a powerful hand and extended arm (Deuteronomy 10:22 – 11:4); He also punished their disobedience (Deuteronomy 11:5-6). They have seen the historical examples of blessing and condemnation, and therefore: “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside from the way that I am commanding you today, to go after other gods that you have not known” (Deuteronomy 11:26-28). The Israelites will enjoy the future blessings only if they keep the lessons of their history; if they neglect those lessons, if they look for new spiritual paths, they will suffer the condemnation that Yahweh exercised against His enemies.
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