What is the meaning of Deuteronomy 9:17? So I took the two tablets Moses begins by reminding Israel that the tablets were literally in his possession. These were “tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God” (Exodus 31:18). • The phrase underscores the weight of divine revelation—God Himself authored these words (Deuteronomy 9:10). • Moses’ personal handling of them highlights his mediatorial role; yet the tablets ultimately belonged to the Lord, not Moses. • The scene recalls Exodus 32:15–16, where Moses descended the mountain “with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands.” God’s perfect Law had just been delivered, making Israel’s immediate rebellion all the more shocking. and threw them out of my hands Moses’ action was deliberate, not accidental. Exodus 32:19 records, “Moses’ anger burned, and he threw the tablets out of his hands and shattered them.” • The breaking symbolized Israel’s breaking of the covenant. Jeremiah 31:32 later speaks of a covenant “which they broke, though I was a husband to them.” • By casting the tablets away, Moses illustrated that the nation’s sin (the golden calf) rendered them unworthy of holding God’s holy standard. • His righteous anger mirrors God’s own indignation over idolatry (Psalm 106:19–23). shattering them before your eyes The tablets were broken “before your eyes,” a public demonstration. • Every Israelite saw that sin carries visible, devastating consequences (Deuteronomy 31:27). • The shattered stone prefigured the need for a new covenant written not on stone but on hearts (Ezekiel 36:26; 2 Corinthians 3:3). • Yet God’s grace soon followed: He called Moses back up the mountain to receive new tablets (Exodus 34:1), proving that while humans fail, God’s purposes stand. summary Deuteronomy 9:17 records Moses’ dramatic act of smashing the stone tablets. He held God’s Law, hurled it down in response to Israel’s idolatry, and shattered it before the whole nation. The moment graphically displayed how sin breaks covenant fellowship with a holy God, yet it also set the stage for divine mercy when new tablets—and ongoing relationship—were granted. |
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