Deuteronomy 31:24-29 (ESV)
When Moses had finished writing the words of this law in a book to the very end, Moses commanded the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, “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. For I know how rebellious and stubborn you are. Behold, even today while I am yet alive with you, you have been rebellious against the LORD. How much more after my death! Assemble to me all the elders of your tribes and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears and call heaven and earth to witness against them. 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.”
How is that for an epitaph? The book of Deuteronomy is Moses telling the nation, once again, all the Law that is contained in Exodus and Leviticus. It is a second giving of the Law. It is Moses preparing the nation and their new leader, Joshua, for what they will need as they enter the promise land. But as we see, Moses has little faith in them. He has watched them for 40 plus years and heard their complaining, seen their rebelling, and personally experienced their murmuring. He has little confidence in them. He believes, however, if they will obey the words he has given them in this book, they will have blessing from God. He also knows that if they don’t, they will experience the curses of God. It is important to know that God has chosen this people. They must remain faithful, at least a remnant of them, in order for the Messiah to come from them. God has chosen a rebellious people to love. He has chosen people to carry His message. Even though they, like us, are His vessels of His message, God knows we will fail. Yet, God still has faithful love for us. We fail Him, yet He remains faithful to us.
2 Timothy 2:13 (ESV)
if we are faithless, he remains faithful—
for he cannot deny himself.
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