YEAR 2, WEEK 21, Day 5, Friday, 23 May 2025

https://esv.literalword.com/?q=Deuteronomy+31

Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Friday, 23 May 2025:

Deuteronomy 31:1–2 – “I am 120 years old today. I am no longer able to go out and come in. The LORD has said to me, ‘You shall not go over this Jordan.’”

Here, Moses acknowledges the end of his leadership assignment. He had served faithfully, but he would not enter the Promised Land. His time had come to step aside. Moses teaches us how to finish well. Even the strongest leaders must eventually pass the baton. The test of faithful leadership is not just how you run—but how you prepare others to run after you.

• 2 Timothy 4:6–8 – “The time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight…”
• John 3:30 – “He must increase, but I must decrease.”
• Psalm 90:12 – “Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.”

Deuteronomy 31:3 – “The LORD your God himself will go over before you. He will destroy these nations before you, so that you shall dispossess them.”

When the Lord sends you, He will bring the victory. Caution: Where He sends you will likely not be where you had intended to go, and His victory might not be your idea of victory. The victory Christ has in store for you is Christlikeness and that His Name would be glorified through your life. He will orchestrate your circumstances perfectly for that purpose, and He will give you experiences you don’t want so you can have the outcome you hopefully do want, much like good coaches make athletes train harder than they want to so say can win the games they want to win. There is no growth in the comfort zone, and there is no comfort in the growth zone. Learn to be uncomfortably content.

• Proverbs 19:21 — Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.
• Romans 8:28-29 — And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
• Matthew 28:18-20 — And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Deuteronomy 31:5 – “…according to the whole commandment that I have commanded you.”

God expects obedience in every area of life, obedience to the whole commandment, not just the parts of God’s word which come easy to us. Partial obedience is disobedience. How many times now has the Bible repeated this point?

Deuteronomy 31:6 – “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

Strength and courage come from knowing and trusting God.

In Deuteronomy 31:3–6, Moses makes a powerful shift: the hope of Israel was never in Moses, but in God Himself. Leaders come and go, but the presence of God remains constant. We often fear transitions. But God is saying: “I go before you.” He’s already in your future, preparing victories you haven’t even seen yet. Courage comes from His presence, not your power.

• Matthew 28:20 – “Behold, I am with you always…”
• Romans 8:31 – “If God is for us, who can be against us?”
• Hebrews 13:5–6 – “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Deuteronomy 31:7–8 – “Then Moses summoned Joshua and said… ‘Be strong and courageous… It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you.’”

Moses publicly affirms Joshua. This is more than delegation—it’s discipleship and commissioning. Moses doesn’t just move out of the way; he sets his successor up for success. Who are you raising up to carry the work after you? God’s work continues, and His leaders must pass on truth, trust, and courage to the next generation.

• 2 Timothy 2:2 – “Entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”
• Acts 13:2–3 – “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work…”
• John 20:21 – “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

Deuteronomy 31:9-13 – “Then Moses wrote this law and gave it to the priests… you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing…. so that they may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God.”

God commands a regular public reading of Scripture—especially for the next generation. The Word must be remembered, rehearsed, and retaught constantly. The Word sustains God’s people across generations. It’s not enough to hear it once—we must immerse our families and communities in it regularly.

• Colossians 3:16 – “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…”
• Romans 10:17 – “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”
• 2 Timothy 3:15 – “…from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings…”

In Old Testament times, God’s word was given to the priests, and they were charged with teaching it to the people and administering God’s laws. The Bible says that now, all Christians are priests, charged with knowing God’s word, living by God’s word, proclaiming God’s word, and teaching God’s word. We should endeavor to be experts on God’s word and the embodiment of God’s word.

Deuteronomy 31:12-13 – “Assemble the people, men, women, and little ones, and the sojourner within your towns, that they may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God, and be careful to do all the words of this law, and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as you live in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.”

God wanted everyone to be instructed on God’s word, including visiting strangers, but particularly the small children. God desires that children learn to obey and honor God as soon as possible. God has given parents the responsibility to make sure children know and obey His expectations so they may serve Him and Love Him.

Deuteronomy 31:14–15 – “The LORD appeared in the tent in a pillar of cloud… and stood over the entrance…”

This is a divine transition moment. The visible glory of God reaffirms that the mission was never Moses’ but God’s all along. Leadership may change, but God still dwells among His people. Whether in a cloud, a tabernacle, a body, or by the Spirit—God is always present with His people. He doesn’t just give us commands—He walks with us in them.

• John 1:14 – “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us…”
• Matthew 17:5 – “This is my beloved Son… listen to him.”
• Revelation 21:3 – “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man…”

Deuteronomy 31:16 – “Then this people will rise and whore after the foreign gods among them in the land that they are entering, and they will forsake me and break my covenant that I have made with them.”

God knows your temptation to make things a higher priority and influence in your life than Him, idols that cause you to break God’s commands, to stray away from Him, and to quench His Spirit in your life. Whenever we sin, it is because we have dethroned God in our hearts, at least for a moment – we still want Him as Savior, but we reject Him as Lord, committing cosmic treason. The Bible calls us spiritual whores at that point, worthy of stoning. If only we could see our sins the way God sees them, we would truly be “amazed by grace,” and start living accordingly.

Deuteronomy 31:20 – For when I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, which I swore to give to their fathers, and they have eaten and are full and grown fat, they will turn to other gods and serve them, and despise me and break my covenant.

God foretells the future failure of Israel—even as they stand on the edge of victory. He commands Moses to write a song (Deut. 32) to serve as a witness against them when they go astray. This is a sober reminder: God knows our weakness and provides warnings in advance. His Word and His Spirit continually call us back when we drift. Don’t trust your resolve—cling to His faithfulness.

• 2 Timothy 2:13 – “If we are faithless, He remains faithful…”
• 1 Corinthians 10:12 – “Let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.”
• James 1:22–25 – “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only…”

Prosperity can lead to complacency, dissatisfaction with God and departure from Him to substitutes for God — idols. Both ease and hardship can draw you closer to the Lord or farther away, depending on the purpose of your heart. Make sure your purpose remains His purpose – to conform you to the image of Christ that the world may see Christ in you and turn to Him as well. If whatever is happening in your life is not making you more like Jesus, something is wrong. Before you blame your external conditions, consider your internal condition — examine your heart.

Deuteronomy 31:23 – And the LORD commissioned Joshua the son of Nun and said, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall bring the people of Israel into the land that I swore to give them. I will be with you.”

Joshua receives a personal word from God, echoing Moses’ earlier charge. But now, it’s God Himself who commissions him. God always confirms His call. God’s call comes with His presence and power. When He commissions you, He equips you.

• Philippians 1:6 – “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion…”
• John 15:16 – “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you…”
• Acts 1:8 – “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you…”

Knowing you will often fail Him, God still fulfills His promises.

Deuteronomy 31:26 – Take this Book of the Law and put it by the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against you.

Even the Word of God, when rejected, becomes a witness of judgment. The law reveals our sin and holds us accountable. The Law is holy—but it cannot save. It points us to Christ, the only One who perfectly obeyed. He fulfilled the Law and bore the judgment the Law demanded.

• John 5:39–40 – “You search the Scriptures… yet you refuse to come to me…”
• Romans 3:20 – “Through the law comes knowledge of sin.”
• Galatians 3:24 – “The law was our guardian until Christ came…”

God’s word witnesses against you when you depart from Him. It is absolutely that you remain in God’s word daily and that you humbly receive the counsel of the Holy Spirit as He uses God’s word to convict you of your sin while encouraging you in God’s grace to continue to grow into Christlikeness. Meditate on God’s word all day long, while remaining in constant prayer.

Deuteronomy 31:21, 29 – And when many evils and troubles have come upon them, this song shall confront them as a witness (for it will live unforgotten in the mouths of their offspring). For I know what they are inclined to do even today, before I have brought them into the land that I swore to give…. For I know that after my death you will surely act corruptly and turn aside from the way that I have commanded you. And in the days to come evil will befall you, because you will do what is evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger through the work of your hands.”

Moses kept the people in line while he was around, but he knew that when he left, they would drift back into sinfulness. So, he made sure they had God’s word, but he also left them with a song to continually remind them of God’s commands and God’s mercy and grace to help them live the lives God desired for them. Do you need someone in your life to keep you in line, or are you guided by the Holy Spirit through God’s word? In addition to diligently studying God’s word daily, memorize God’s words and sing or listen to worship songs all day long as a constant reminder of God’s justice, mercy, and grace.

“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 23 May 2025: Today, take 30 minutes to meditate and act on the phrase: “Be strong and courageous… for the LORD your God goes with you.” Write down 3 areas where you are tempted to fear or shrink back. Read Deuteronomy 31:6, 8, 23 aloud three times. Pray for courage to obey God in those specific areas. Text or call a believer you’re mentoring (or who mentors you). Encourage them with this truth. Pray: “Lord, I’m not strong enough—but You are. Give me courage, because You go before me. Help me lead others in faithfulness, just like Moses did for Joshua. Amen.”