9Only be careful, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things which your eyes saw, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your children and your children’s children— 10the day that you stood before Yahweh your God in Horeb, when Yahweh said to me, “Assemble the people to me, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.” 11You came near and stood under the mountain. The mountain burned with fire to the heart of the sky, with darkness, cloud, and thick darkness. 12Yahweh spoke to you out of the middle of the fire: you heard the voice of words, but you saw no form; you only heard a voice. 13He declared to you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even the ten commandments. He wrote them on two stone tablets. 14Yahweh commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and ordinances, that you might do them in the land where you go over to possess it.
The first five books (Torah) were meant to be read as part of an ongoing story.
Genesis - The beginnings
Exodus - The Book of Names
Leviticus - The Instructions
Numbers - The Wilderness
Deuteronomy - The Words
Deuteronomy ends on a cliff hanger, they are about to step into a new territory that is currently occupied by giants. Moses encourages the people to look back in order to get ready to go forward. He expects them to learn from past mistakes and put God first in the future. However, Deuteronomy was never meant to be read in isolation, so when Moses reminds the people to look back, he challenging them to see the whole picture.
That picture starts in Genesis ‘the beginnings’ with a call to acknowledge the God who created all things. The story then flows into the ‘Book of Names’ (Exodus) where they are reminded of who God is the ‘I am who I am,’ ‘Yahweh,’ eternal God. The theme continues through the ‘instructions/law’ (Leviticus) as God makes a way to be present with his people. The law then moves into the book of the ‘wilderness’ wanderings (Numbers) and the mercy of God is affirmed as he continues to journey with his people despite their rebellion. Finally, in the ‘Book of Words,’ (Deuteronomy) Moses, as they are about to cross the Jordan, draws everything together and declares here is our God, creator, eternal, present and merciful, choose Him as you go forward.
Maybe you feel like you are stepping into new territory and giants are ahead. Let me remind you as Moses did that God is still sovereign, present and merciful and is with you every step of the way.