Friday: Night of Inductive Bible Study on April, 12, 2019

It was a beautiful weather in Maryland with a mild temperature between 60 and 65 although slightly wet due to early afternoon rain. Around 8 p.m., five of us gathered in one of the buildings at the University of Maryland College Park campus to collectively meditate on and discuss the word of God – from the book of Deuteronomy. Chapter 30 of the book records the final portion of Moses’ sermon to the Israelites in the wilderness.

Decipher the Author’s heart and mind

The last public message by Moses, which began in chapter 28, took place in the land of Moab where the second-generation Israelites gathered. Although he was 120 years old, he was full of vigor with clear eyesight. Chapter 30 is the last portion of his exhortation to God’s people to obey the LORD. Given that Mose knew that his physical death was imminent, chapter 30 is almost equivalent to Moses’ will. He was pouring out his heart to his spiritual sons and daughters, God’s people, with all his heart, mind, strength, and soul. He might have been dripping blood like sweat knowing that Israelites, despite the warnings and pleadings, would eventually disobey and, subsequently, face curses that the LORD warned (Deut 28) – perhaps, similar to that of Jesus when He prayed for all the believers (John 16 and 17) before His crucifixion, know that He would be temporarily separated from the Father. temporary separation from the Father. Moses’ message might have been similar to Paul’s last letter to his beloved son, Timothy (2 Timothy). At first glance, Deuteronomy may be seen as a dry book of repetition of laws and warnings. However, I beg to differ. This was the painful pouring out of heart of Moses to God’s people because of deep love. Let’s read the following chapters as if we were Moses. Then, each word and phrase becomes dynamic.

Reasons for us to pay attention to the last message of Moses

One tip on meditation is to be one of the actual persons in the passage. Try to be Moses. Try to be one of the Israelites as if you were hearing his last sermon at this moment. Try to imagine even yourself as God when Moses was preaching. What was going through Moses’ mind as he was uttering these words of God? How high or low was his tone of speech? Where was his standing, and was he able to see all the audience of 600,000 Israelites? What was the weather like, the season of the year and time of the day? And so forth.

Here’s the reason for us, the readers in the 20th century, to pay attention to Moses’ last sermon. Imagine a guy, who was 120 years old, full of energy and vigor, yet knowing imminent death, this person surely wanted to impart the most important message. Before the death bed, no one will waste his/her last strengths with something meaningless. This reason alone is sufficient for us to heed the message.

Content

Here’s the content of Chapter 30. In the first part of the chapter, verse 1 to 10, Moses reiterated God’s faithfulness and eventual Israelites’ disobedience and banishment to all nations because of their persistently rebellious disobedience to God. Despite knowing the rebellious heart and deliberate disobedience of the future Israelite, the LORD their God still promised the blessings to His people if they would return to the LORD their God and obey Him with all their heart and souls according to all the commandments.

The second part of the passage, from verse 11 to 14, Moses injected an important attribute of God and His words. He encouraged the Israelites that they could keep those commandments because they are near and within the reach and not too difficult.

This may strike some of us strange given that we were taught that it is impossible to keep all the commandments written in the book of Moses. However, Moses in Deuteronomy argued that “this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you (Deut 30:11).” How can keeping the commandment not too difficult? The key to understanding this verse is to obtain a correct understanding of “keeping the commandments.” Let’s come back to this point.

The third part, from verse 15 to the end of the chapter, Moses provided a few direct commands to the Israelites: Love the LORD your God (v16); and choose life by living the LORD your God (v19).

In summary, Moses pleaded with the Israelites to obey and love the LORD with all their heart, soul, mind and strength – because that is the only way to the true life.

Insightful questions

The biggest benefit of having a bible study with a dedicated and curious group of people is the variety of questions that arise from different perspective, thinking style, and life background. During the Bible study, we threw out many questions. Here are two insightful questions which underpinned the flow of the discussion and sharing on this session.

[Q1] Moses stated that keeping the commandments would not be too difficult for the Israelites (Deut 39:11). This statement is strange especially given some of the references provided in the letters written by apostle Paul. Paul in numerous times told that it was impossible to keep the commandments of the Law and the purpose was to illuminate that we were sinners. How can we better understand the exact meaning of keeping the commandments being to too difficult?

This is a great question. One of the complacency that creeps onto the followers of Christ surrounded by church setting is simply accepting the words at their face value. Faith in God and Jesus does not mean to throw away curiosity and critical thinking. Critical thinking and questioning actually enhance our understanding of God, thus solidifying our faith in Christ.

Then, what does the “keeping the commandment is not too difficult” mean to you? Do you agree? Can you (imagine yourself as one of the Israelites listening to the last sermon by Moses around 2,000 B.C.) possibly keep all the commandments, 600 plus requirements? Probably, not. Then, why did Moses say that keeping the commandment is not too difficult?

Then, that leads to the other more fundamental question. Perhaps, there is a fundamental difference between Moses’ meaning of keeping the commandments and our understanding of “keeping the commandments.” The next question that came up during our bible study again enlighten us more.

[Q2] This verse (Deut 30:11) prompted me (the questioner) to compare and contrast the commandments uttered by Moses and commandments kept by Pharisees. I understand that the time gap between the two is about 2,000 years. However, What is the core difference in the meaning of the “obeying the commandments” by Moses and the Pharisees?

Again, great question. On the surface, Moses message in Deuteronomy for the Israelites to keep the commandments (otherwise a set of terrible consequences will ensue) and the Pharisees’ conduct of obeying the commandments of the Law during the time of Jesus may not seem to be very different. Yet, there are a key fundamental differences between Moses’ understanding of keeping the commandments of God and that of the Pharisees.

First, the purpose. Moses urged the Israelites to keep the commandments to live and honor God whereas the Pharisees used the commandments to show off their difference from the rest of the people by explicitly display their acts of righteousness. Moses taught the commandments to give life whereas Pharisees used the commandments outshine themselves and produce guilt trip to others.

Second, more importantly relation. Moses knew God face to face whereas the Pharisees knew the facts about God but did not know Him. One of the key indicators that show the difference is that Moses interceded for the Israelites three times when God was about to destroy them. Moses’ intercession was incredibly notable given that the Israelites in a few occasions wanted to stone Moses to go back to Egypt. Moses understood the heart of God – God’s deep love for the Israelites – and made an appeal to God to relent. In contrast, Pharisees were busy impressing their fellow Israelites and urged them to tithe, let alone intercede for them.

Moses understood the commandments from God by projecting the heart of God, but the Pharisees literally depended on their cognitive understanding of the letter of the words of commandments on the surface. In fact, Moses was already obeying the greatest commandments and the one like it – to Love the LORD and to love your neighbor as yourself.

The Pharisees’ way of keeping the commandment of the Law was different. They focused literally on the words of the LORD. They think that the Scripture itself could lead them to eternal life. They thought they knew God by literally living the written words of the commandments, yet, their actions gave impression to others that “religious” actions were of primacy

Connection with the New Testament: Love the LORD with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.

When Moses urged the Israelites to keep the commandment, the core meaning was to establish relation and love the LORD. Loving the LORD is keeping the commandment, not one of the commandments. The Pharisees’ understanding of the commandment was the literal obedience to all the letters. If that is the case, even Jesus violated the commandment by taking the grain from the field in the Sabbath (Matt 5). Sabbath was made for men to rest and know God.

Then, why did Moses say that keeping the commandment of the LORD is not too difficult? First, it is not the literal deeds that follow all the details of the commands, but loving and depending on the LORD was core crux of the commandment. It was to be viewed as relational. Therefore, it was told that keeping the command was not too difficult. Second, verse 6, it was the LORD moreover who would circumcise the heart of the Israelites. In other words, the LORD enables them to undergo transformation of heart so that they can love the LORD. In the New Testament term, we can interpret as keeping the commandment of the LORD is not too difficult because the followers of Christ are empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Then, why did Moses say that keeping the commandment of the LORD is not too difficult? First, it is not the literal deeds that follow all the details of the commands, but loving and depending on the LORD was core crux of the commandment. It was to be viewed as relational. Therefore, it was told that keeping the command was not too difficult. Second, verse 6, it was the LORD moreover who would circumcise the heart of the Israelites. In other words, the LORD enables them to undergo transformation of heart so that they can love the LORD. In the New Testament term, we can interpret as keeping the commandment of the LORD is not too difficult because the followers of Christ are empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Table 1: Comparison between Moses and Pharisees

	Moses	Pharisees
Relation with God	He had a face-to-face personal relationship with God.	They knew about God, but no personal relationship with God.
Posture	Although he knew that he was special (having one-on-one) conversation, he was humble.	Although they possessed tremendous knowledge about God, that led to pride and hubris.
Message	He gave life-giving messages (The LORD is your life).	Their examples were bounded by life-draining regulations.

Moses knew God as he experienced God. Deuteronomy 30, the message, by Moses was life-giving just as Jesus’ message and all his deeds were life-giving.

Pharisees did not know God. Their special status stemming from their ancestor Abraham made them arrogant. Their message to people were life-draining duties and religious acts.

Application

Moses concluded the last part of the sermon by giving a choice to the Israelites. As Moses provided choices to the Israelites, so did God. God never forces His will upon us. However, because He loves us, He urges us to choose life.

In Genesis chapter 3, Adam and Eve sinned and sin entered and we fell under the dominance of sin, whose wage is death. We live under the force of death. Without God (30:19), our choices are limited to only death and curse. Yet, God intervened in this world to provide us with life and blessings – the only way for us to choose life is loving the LORD our God, obeying His voice, and holding fast to Him. “Choose life” is still the message for us in 2019.