Deuteronomy 31

14–15 The Lord next called for Joshua to come forward to the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle) to be commissioned (see verse 23). The Lord had already selected Joshua to be Moses’ successor because of his obedience and courage, and Moses had commissioned him (Numbers 14:30; 27:18–23). But this time the Lord Himself did the commissioning. The Lord appeared in a pillar of cloud (verse 15); previously the Lord had appeared in this way when speaking with Moses (Exodus 33:7–11), but now this great honor was extended to Joshua. The pillar of cloud had been a manifestation of God’s presence at the time the Israelites left Egypt, and it had continued to be so throughout their forty-year sojourn in the desert (Exodus 13:20–22; 40:34–38; Numbers 9:15–23).

16–18 The Lord then told Moses and Joshua that when Moses had gone to rest with his fathers—that is, after Moses died—the people would soon prostitute themselves to foreign gods⁸⁴ (verse 16). When they did this, they would be forsaking their God; and God would respond by forsaking them,⁸⁵ and by “hiding His face” from them⁸⁶ (verses 17–18).

19–22 God knew that when the Israelites settled in Canaan and became prosperous they would forget Him, in spite of all the warnings He had given them (see Deuteronomy 6:10–12; 8:10–18). So God dictated to Moses a song (see Deuteronomy 32:143) and instructed Moses to write it down; this song would then be recited publicly (verse 30) and taught to the Israelites so they could sing it too. It would serve as a witness for God (verse 19); it would testify to future generations that their fathers had indeed forsaken God after they entered the promised land (verse 21).

23 Then the Lord gave Joshua his commission to lead the Israelites into Canaan (see verses 7–8 and comment).

24–30 Moses carried out all of God’s instructions. He wrote down the words of this law (verse 24)—that is, the book of Deuteronomy—and gave it to the Levites; the law, along with the song, would be a witness against the Israelites (verse 26). Moses then reminded the people once more of their rebellious and stiff-necked disposition (see Exodus 32:9). No one could say that the Israelites had not been fully warned: not only were they told the consequences of disobedience but they were also reminded how prone they were to disobey. They would have no excuse.

Moses was justifiably pessimistic about what the future held: if the Israelites had been such rebels while he was with them, what would they be like after he was gone? (verses 27,29). Moses concluded by predicting that disaster would surely come upon the Israelites because of the evil they had done and because of the idols their hands had made (verse 29).

During the initial conquest of Canaan under Joshua, the Israelites were generally obedient and faithful. But that situation would not last; God knew their hearts—their disposition to sin. And it is no different with us; we too have a disposition to sin, a sinful nature. We too would probably have behaved as the Israelites did—except for one thing: we have been given the Holy Spirit, and along with Him a new love, a new power, a new motivation. Each one of us who believes in Jesus has been born again (John 3:3–5); each of us has become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). We are not condemned to fail as the Israelites failed, as long as we hold fast to our faith (Deuteronomy 13:4; 30:20) and fix our eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2).