Day 80

The future of the Israelites is quite predicted in today’s reading. But then, God offers a place for repentance. God promised the Israelites that if they changed, then he would restore all taken away from them.

The words seem like they were for a specific time, to particular people — the Israelites in this case. But I don’t think the words are irrelevant to today, though we live under a different law. In describing this, someone said that though the context and covenant are different, the principles behind the blessings or curses are, however, the same. Just like I described in yesterday’s reading, there are always consequences for our (in)actions.

There is also the part that people like to preach, reminding people of curses if they don’t choose life (God) in 30:15–16, which makes us so judgmental. We are quick to forget the next verse — 30:17, or we may think it doesn’t apply to us since we have no idols. But don’t we? This may be me rehashing something I have written before — We may not have wooden or golden idols, but the gods and idols of our lives are things that we give our time and attention to that take us away from God. My point is to learn to give grace to others because if we look inwards, we most times as guilty.

God told Moses to teach them a song that would be a witness for Him against the Israelites when they turn away from him. Wow!

I love the encouraging words to Joshua. I can imagine how he felt being Moses’ successor — fitting into Moses’ shoes, leading the people to take over the promised land and dealing with the Israelites.