Theological
Commentary: Click Here
Today, Moses
sounds utterly convinced that the people will eventually fail. Honestly, I think this is because Moses is a
good student of humanity and he knows what it is like to lead. He knows that people eventually make mistakes
and eventually mess up. It’s just our
human nature, and anyone who leads knows this fact.
Knowing
this, do you hear the message that Moses proclaims? Moses doesn’t tell the people, “It’s okay, do
as you please. God will love you
anyways.” No, that isn’t the message –
although God certainly does desire to lavish His love upon us. What Moses says is, “When you turn from your
evil, God will be willing to forgive you.”
Only after the proclamation of repentance does Moses declare
restoration. That is highly important to
remember. There is an expectation of turning
to the Lord.
Moses also
tells the people that they are capable of doing the Law. On the surface, I disagree with Moses. If living a life without sin was possible,
someone would have done it. Paul teaches
us that nobody can do it, not one person.
In that light, I have to argue with Moses here.
However, on
a deeper level what Moses says is correct.
We are capable. There is nothing
in the Law that is intrinsically impossible for human beings to
accomplish. It isn’t though the Law is
impossible, we simply are not able to consistently choose obedience. Therefore, the issue is not with our
capacity; the issue is with our desire.
We are capable of doing what the Law desires of us. We simply lack the will to do so.
I love how
Moses ends this chapter. Choose
life. Choose obedience. Choose to follow God’s ways. Moses puts the emphasis exactly where it
needs to be. It is not a matter of
capacity, it is a matter of heart.
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