Читать книгу The Genesis Genealogies - Abraham Park - Страница 12

“Remember the days of old,

Consider the years of all generations.

Ask your father, and he will inform you,

Your elders, and they will tell you.”

—Deuteronomy 32:7

The Book of Deuteronomy is composed of Moses’ three farewell sermons which he gave after the completion of the 40-year wilderness journey and immediately preceding his death. Indeed, these final words and exhortations to the Israelites exhibited Moses’ resolute determination at the end of his remarkable 120-year life. A suitable title for his first sermon would be “The Recollection of God’s Past Work of Salvation” (Deut 1:1–4:43); for the second sermon, “The Reiteration of the Law” (Deut 4:44–26:19); and for the third, “The Future Foretold” (Deut 27–30). The book concludes with Moses’ death and the commissioning of Joshua as Israel’s new leader (Deut 31–34).

Moses gave the sermons near the end of the long wilderness journey, on the first day of the eleventh month in the fortieth year of the exodus. Hence, it was two months and ten days before the great entry into Canaan (Deut 1:3–5). The main audience was the second generation that was born in the wilderness since all the first generation soldiers had died before crossing the brook Zered (Deut 2:13–15). Moses preached with an earnest hope that this second generation in the wilderness would continue to keep their faith and obey the Word of God as they live in Canaan.

Moses’ song in Deuteronomy 32 addresses the somber subject of Israel’s betrayal, their fall, and God’s subsequent judgment. The fundamental message of this song, however, is God’s boundless love and mercy for His chosen people. Calling the Israelites by the affectionate name, “Jeshurun”1 (Deut 32:15), Moses desired to ingrain in their hearts the truth about the God who had chosen them from before the beginning of time. He is sovereign over all history, He is the source of all blessings, and He governs their future.

In Deuteronomy 32:7, Moses expressed his concern for the dismal events that could unfold after the Israelites enter and settle in the land of Canaan. He warned them forcefully so that they might prevent such events from taking place. Furthermore, he gave them three specific commands: “Remember the days of old,” “Consider the years of all generations,” and “Ask your father.” This surely is a demonstration of God’s fervent love for His chosen people. In drawing their attention to the walk of faith during the “days of old” and the “years of all generations,” Moses hoped that the Israelites, who would soon possess the land of Canaan, would also continue to walk in faith.

Moses declared that God had chosen the Israelites as His heirs even before creation (Deut 32:8-9; Eph 1:4–5) and that the land of Canaan had been prepared as an inheritance for His people (Deut 32:49). Thus, they were to adhere strictly to the three commands in order to fully inherit this land. Today, these three commands are the basic code of conduct for Christians who are journeying toward the kingdom of heaven, the spiritual Canaan.