Seder 158: Deuteronomy 29-30---Moses' Third Sermon

 Deuteronomy 29-30 presents Moses' third and final sermon in the book of Deuteronomy.  In it he alternates between addressing his immediate audience and looking far into the future.  

Many of those to whom Moses spoke had not themselves been in Egypt, but all had benefitted from the rescue of their parents and grandparents.  As part of the same covenant community, they had in some sense experienced the Exodus (verses 2-3), and they were renewing the covenant that had been made at Mount Sinai.  

Moses wanted them to understand the importance and purpose of the Exodus (v 4).  God had sustained the nation miraculously for 40 years.  Within the last few months they had defeated the Amorites and claimed some land on the east side of the Jordan, showing some measure of faith.  They would need to continue to walk in faith to succeed. (vv 5-9).    

All of the people were members of the covenant community (vv 10-13), as their descendants would be (vv 14-15).  It was important that all of them shun the detestable idolatry of the surrounding nations.  Commentator Daniel Block points out that in verse 17, the word for "idols" is gillulim, a word that literally means "round things" and refers to sheep feces.  (One proposed translation for the word is "shit gods.")  Despite Moses' disdain for these gods, he knew that the Israelites were attracted to them.  He warned them that each person's faithfulness mattered.  Unfaithfulness would lead to the covenant curses laid out in chapter 28.

Verse 26 raises questions with its reference to gods (elohim) whom God "had not allotted to them."  At Babel God had assigned elohim to supervise the various nations, with God concentrating on Israel (Deut 32:8-9).  It would not make sense for Israelites to forsake the King of the Universe for one or more of the lesser, created elohim.  

Verse 29 also raises questions:  "The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law."  A number of interpretations for the "secret things" have been proposed:

1. The "secret things" are hidden sins, as in Dt 27:15, 24 and Psalm 19:12-13.  With this interpretation verse 29 is a warning.
2. The "secret things" are an oral Torah.  The Qumran community saw the "secret things" as things previously hidden that had been revealed to them.
3. The "secret things" are wisdom, as in Job 28:20-21.
4. The "secret things" are the mystery of divine providence, by which God could renew the covenant with people so prone to apostasy.

Deuteronomy 30:1-10 is one of the most important passages in the Pentateuch, giving the good news beyond the bad news of a future apostasy and exile.  When in exile the Israelites turn toward God in repentance, then he will forgive them and restore them to the Promised Land.  The Hebrew phrase for "restore your fortunes" in verse 30 occurs 25 times in scripture, with this being the first one.  There is a lot of repetition in this passage, giving rise to interpretations that see Israel's restoration proceeding in several stages as their relationship with God grows closer.   

This passage follows up previous words of hope in Lev 26:40-45 and Dt 4:30-31.  With its reference to circumcision of the heart, it gives an early form of the promise of the new covenant (Jer 31:31-34; Eze 11:14-21; 36:22-32).