What role does Moses play in teaching God's laws in Deuteronomy 5:31? Setting the Scene in Deuteronomy 5 • Israel has just heard the Ten Commandments thundered from Sinai (Deuteronomy 5:1-22). • The people shrink back in fear, asking Moses to receive the rest of God’s words for them (5:23-27). • Verse 31 is God’s immediate response, commissioning Moses for a very specific task. Verse in Focus Deuteronomy 5:31: “But you are to stand here with Me, and I will speak to you all the commandments and statutes and ordinances you are to teach them, so that they may follow them in the land I am giving them to possess.” Moses: The Appointed Mediator • God says, “stand here with Me.” Moses remains in God’s presence when others cannot (cp. Exodus 19:20-24). • He receives divine revelation firsthand, then relays it accurately to the nation (Exodus 24:3; Acts 7:38). • His mediating role prefigures later mediation fulfilled perfectly in Christ (1 Timothy 2:5). Moses: The Faithful Teacher • “You are to teach them.” Moses is not merely a courier; he becomes Israel’s teacher, explaining meaning, application, and implications (Deuteronomy 4:1, 5, 14; 6:1). • Teaching includes repetition, clarification, and practical instruction—seen throughout Deuteronomy’s sermons. • He models a life submitted to what he teaches (Numbers 12:7, “My servant Moses… is faithful in all My house”). Moses: The Covenant Steward • “Commandments, statutes, and ordinances” highlight the full scope of covenant life—moral, civil, and ceremonial. • Moses safeguards the covenant deposit, writing it down (Deuteronomy 31:24-26) and charging leaders to preserve and read it publicly (31:9-13). • Through him, God binds the nation to His revealed will, ensuring no piece is lost or altered (cp. Revelation 22:18-19 for later echoes of safeguarding Scripture). Moses: Preparing the People for the Land • The purpose phrase: “so that they may follow them in the land I am giving them.” • Obedience is linked to successful possession and enjoyment of the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 4:40; 30:15-20). • Moses equips Israel for a future he himself will not personally enter, demonstrating selfless leadership (Deuteronomy 32:48-52). Echoes in the Rest of Scripture • Joshua 1:7-8—Joshua is told to cling to “all the law My servant Moses commanded.” • Malachi 4:4—centuries later, God still calls Israel to “Remember the law of My servant Moses.” • John 1:17—“For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ,” showing continuity and fulfillment. • Hebrews 3:2—Moses is praised as faithful, yet Jesus is counted worthy of greater glory, pointing to the perfect Teacher-Mediator. Living the Lesson Today • God’s pattern of using faithful servants to convey, explain, and model His Word continues. • Scripture remains the fixed, authoritative revelation—received, taught, and preserved without alteration (2 Timothy 3:16-17). • Like Moses, believers stand in the gap for others: learning in God’s presence, then transmitting truth clearly, lovingly, and accurately. |
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