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Chapter 3

The Third Command: Ask Your Father, and He Will Inform You, Your Elders, and They Will Tell You

Moses’ third command was “Ask your father, and he will inform you, your elders, and they will tell you.”

1. Your Father and Elders

The Israelites were to go and ask their fathers and elders. The Hebrew word for father is and refers to the male parent, but it also generally means “forefather.” In the context of this verse, “father” refers to the patriarchs of all previous generations. The Hebrew word for elder is and means “elder,” “aged,” “senior,” or “old man.” Elders in Israel were not merely old men or aged persons; they were leaders of the people. God commanded Moses to call the elders of Israel together and to consult with them about the plans for the exodus (Exod 3:16, 18).

Thus, the “father” and “elders” in this verse are the patriarchs of faith (e.g., Abraham) and the leaders of the people. They kept God’s commands and never strayed outside the boundaries of God’s Word and His law. Through oral narratives passed down by their ancestors, they were profoundly experienced and well trained in God’s work.

It is crucial to note that most patriarchs enjoyed astonishing longevity. While there are certain things in life that can be learned relatively quickly, other things can be learned only through experience over an extensive period of time. Thus, the godly patriarchs must have come to understand numerous spiritual truths during their long lives. For them, the Word of God was not just knowledge; it was living wisdom deeply rooted into their lives. Leviticus 19:32 states, “You shall rise up before the grayheaded and honor the aged, and you shall revere your God; I am the Lord.” Proverbs 16:31 also states, “A gray head is a crown of glory; it is found in the way of righteousness.”

God granted spiritual leadership to the patriarchs, who lived godly lives throughout their long years, and charged the people to go to them and ask. Just as a nation turns to the seniors of society in times of crisis, God commanded His people to seek the advice of their fathers and elders without hesitation if their faith were ever to waver when adjusting themselves to the new society and culture in Canaan.

2. Ask

The word ask is in Hebrew and means “to inquire,” “to make a request,” or “to beg” and has the connotation of a “desperate plea.” The phrase suggests that the Israelites should proactively seek after their ancestors, ask questions, and plead for answers, just as a starving beggar cries out for food. God was commanding the sons of Israel to take special care and be diligent to learn about all the great works that He had accomplished for them.

In the past, the Israelites and their kings either went to God directly or to His prophets for help when faced with difficult problems (1 Kgs 22:7; 2 Kgs 3:11; 22:13; 2 Chr 18:6). In 1 Kgs 22:7, King Jehoshaphat cried out in the midst of battle, “Is there not yet a prophet of the Lord here that we may inquire of him?” King David also looked to God countless times and in every moment of his life (1 Sam 23:2; 30:8; 2 Sam 5:19, 23; 1 Chr 14:10). God Himself answered each time that David sincerely inquired of Him. As a result, David tasted the glory of victory in all his battles. On the contrary, because Joshua did not seek God’s counsel, he made the grave mistake of agreeing to a peace covenant with the inhabitants of Gibeon who had come to him in disguise (Josh 9:14–15).

3. He Will Inform You and They Will Tell You

God assured the Israelites that when they ask their fathers and elders, that they will certainly provide an answer. He confirmed this in Deuteronomy 32:7: “Ask your father, and he will inform you, your elders, and they will tell you.” The fathers will diligently answer those who inquire of them, and the elders will explain in elaborate detail. The Hebrew verb for inform is and is derived from the word that means “to place an object on a high place for all to see.” The word is used when God reveals His will to the people. This word is used when God reveals His will in a dream (Gen 41:25), and when the prophets proclaim the Word of God that they have received (Deut 4:13).

The Hebrew word for tell is meaning “to speak,” “to prove,” or “to answer.” This means that the leaders will not only tell, but will also explain the matter clearly when the people inquire. The people were to go to the fathers of faith, like Abraham, for issues concerning faith, and to their leaders with administrative duties or elders for issues concerning their communal or social lives.

With the passage of time, these “fathers and elders” have faded into history. However, they are still alive, providing answers for their inquiring descendants. We must ask the numerous patriarchs of faith that appear in the Bible and learn about the divine administration of redemption that is hidden within their generations. Then, armed with these insights, we must go on to live out our lives by fulfilling God’s will in our generation.

4. The Unchanging Word of God

Everything in this world changes constantly, making it almost meaningless to try to distinguish the old from the new. However, the living Word of God is eternally unchanging; it is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb 1:12; 13:8). It does not corrupt or rust away for it is living, active, and sharper than any two-edged sword (Heb 4:12). God’s Word is a new history in itself. Evil, defects, and profane2 works emerge in history when we lose the Word of God or have it taken away from us (Deut 32:5).

As believers looking forward to the spiritual Canaan, our land of eternal Sabbath (the kingdom of God, heaven), we must open our ears to Moses’ earnest cry to the Israelites before their entry into Canaan and receive it as a message for us today. As we continue to study and delve into the genealogies and contemplate the “days of old” and the “years of all generations,” we will discover, through the help of the Holy Spirit, the great treasures hidden in God’s plan of salvation. However, the discovery must not be merely for ourselves; we must pass it on to the godly descendants who will remain on this earth until the day of the Lord’s return. This is God’s purpose for us on this earth. It is part of His sovereign plan to preserve the covenantal offspring until the end of the world (Gen 45:7). I am sure that those who understand God’s will and follow in the footsteps of the godly forefathers mentioned in the days of old and the years of all generations will enter into the Sabbath rest that remains for His people (Heb 4:1–11).