Life at stake!
This paragraph-concerning which Keil is probably right in his surmise, that it proceeds from an editor's hand—sets before us in a quiet and incidental way, one of the most important transitions Israel had yet experienced. We have seen in Deuteronomy 31:7, Deuteronomy 31:8, that Moses gave Joshua a charge, and told him that he must lead the people into the Promised Land. After that came the utterance of this song. When it was uttered, Joshua stood side by side with Moses. Thus, just for once, the two leaderships overlap. The joint presence of both the old and new leaders this signifying, that, though the earthly administration changed hands, the same message would be passed, and not a word of Jehovah's would be lost. There are six feature's about this closing public scene of the life of Moses, which open up an invaluable line of thought.
1. Here is an assembly, met to hear Moses' last song.
2. Though it is the last, there is in it nothing new. It is the one message—God's goodness, faithfulness, and love, calling for their reciprocation and obedience.
3. This old message is reimpressed on their hearts.
4. The people were to command their children to observe it. The children were, in their home life, to receive an education for God.
5. This is urged upon them by the consideration that all that is precious to them in life depends on their obedience to God's message.
6. Moses and Joshua appear together before the people, as if to declare to them that the same teachings which the aged leader had laid down, the younger one would accept, enforce, and transmit. There was a change in human leaders, but not in Divine laws or the Divine message. And to all the solemn sanctions with which Moses guarded the Law, Joshua here pledges himself before the people and before his God. Hence we get this theme—Amid all changes we have an unchanging message from above, on the observance of which our life depends.
I. Let us clearly declare and show that there is at this moment a message of law and a revelation of grace, which have come to us, not of man, but by the inspiration of the Spirit of God, by the manifestation of God in Christ, and by the power of the Holy Ghost on and since the day of Pentecost. This message is, in sum and substance, given in John 3:16; 1 Timothy 1:15; Revelation 22:17; Titus 2:11-13. This message is the development of that which through Moses was given but in germ (John 5:46, John 5:47; Matthew 5:17).
II. Here past and present generations meet, giving out the same words. We have now "the faith once [for all] delivered unto the saints." Aged patriarchs in their declining years do reiterate the same message they gave when in the vigor of youth. And young men, filled with the same spirit, and having their hearts kindled with the same fire, take it up with the earnest hope and prayer that it may suffer no loss in their hands! Often have a Moses and a Joshua thus stood side by side.
III. The message now is far fuller and clearer than it was when given to Israel of old. How much, Christian preachers and teachers can tell. Yet in three respects they are similar.
1. Both reveal the love of God, and recount a great deliverance.
2. Both solicit, in Heaven's name, the response of the peoples' hearts (see Romans 12:1; 2 Corinthians 5:14-21; Romans 5:8).
3. Both require, on the ground of Divine love to man, love to the redeemed brotherhood, and good will to all men (1 Corinthians 13:1-13.; John 4:10-19).
IV. The commanding force of the gospel message through our Lord Jesus Christ is far greater than that sent through Moses. True, there was terror at Sinai; there is tenderness in Calvary. Moses orders; Jesus pleads. Moses speaks in thunderings; Jesus with tears. Yet must we not mistake tenderness for weakness, nor gentleness for lack of authority or of power. (See the entire argument in the Epistle to the Hebrews.)
V. All that can give fullest value to this life and joy to the next, depends on how we treat this message from God. "It is not a vain thing for you; it is your life" (verse 47). The expansion of this would require many Homilies. We can but hint.
1. The enjoyment of peace with God (Romans 5:1).
2. The growth of character in holiness.
3. The true enjoyment and use of this earthly life, as families, as nations, as individuals, depend on loyalty to God. "Godliness is profitable unto all things; having promise of the life that now is."
4. All our hope for the next life depends on our response to God; hence the close of the verse just quoted—"and of that which is to come." Apart from the acceptance of Jesus Christ by faith, and a life of loyalty to God, there is not a gleam of light or hope for the next life (see Hebrews 2:3). If God did not allow his message through Moses to be slighted with impunity, certainly he will not suffer men to "trample under foot the Son of God," and then leave them unpunished!
VI. What dread, what awful possibilities as to the fate of immortal souls are trembling in the balance, while they refrain from "yielding themselves unto God!" How earnestly and frequently may we with reason reiterate the words, "It is your life!" All that ensures life here and hereafter being a blessing, depends on the way men treat Jesus Christ and his salvation.
VII. However many changes there may yet be in the bearers of this message, yet, down to the end of time, God will never send a greater. Moses and Joshua. The old generation passing away, the new coming on the stage. They meet and greet. The faithful and tried veteran passes on the word. The younger messenger, with solemn vow to God before his brother man, receives it, and swears before high heaven that he will maintain the message unimpaired, and in his turn "commit it to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also."
"Thus shall the bright succession run,
Till the last courses of the sun."