Standing on the Threshold (Deuteronomy 32: 44-52)

For an ad-free version of the podcast plus the opportunity to enjoy hours of exclusive content and two bonus episodes a month and also help keep the Bible Project Daily Podcast free  for listeners everywhere at;
patreon.com/JeremyMcCandless

Subscribe here to receive my new church history podcast every few weeks at.
https://thehistoryofthechristianchurch.buzzsprout.com

Welcome:

Episode Title: "Standing on the Threshold"

Scripture Focus: Deuteronomy 32:44-52

Key Themes:

• God’s Holiness and Justice: Reflect on how Moses' journey underscores God’s unwavering holiness and fairness.
• The Power of Legacy and Faithfulness: Understand the significance of Moses’ spiritual legacy, even though he didn't enter the Promised Land.
• God’s Promise and Provision: Recognize that God's promises are fulfilled through His faithfulness, not our own righteousness.

Summary: In this episode, we explore the poignant moment of Moses on Mount Nebo, gazing at the Promised Land he will not enter. We delve into the powerful lessons Moses imparts through his final song to the Israelites, emphasizing the importance of remembering God’s law and living faithfully.

Reflection Questions:

• How does Moses' experience on Mount Nebo challenge your view of obedience and God's holiness?
• What legacy are you building in your spiritual journey, and how can Moses' faithfulness inspire you?
• How do you see God’s promises being fulfilled in your life, despite your own limitations and failings?

Prayer Points:

• Pray for a deeper understanding of God’s holiness and justice in your life.
• Ask for the strength to build a lasting spiritual legacy through faithfulness and obedience.
• Thank God for His unwavering promises and provision, trusting Him to fulfill them in His perfect timing.

Action Steps:

• Meditate on Deuteronomy 32:44-52, focusing on the themes of holiness, legacy, and God’s promises.
• Journal your thoughts and reflections on how these themes apply to your own life.
• Share this episode with someone who might be encouraged by Moses' story and the lessons it offers.

Ask Me Anything | EP. 4 "Faith + Politics"
The podcast where we answer IT ALL! Watch or Stream

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Chapters

• 11:53 [Ad] Ask Me Anything | EP. 4 "Faith + Politics"
• 12:28 (Cont.) Standing on the Threshold (Deuteronomy 32: 44-52)

Transcript

Standing on the Threshold.  (Deuteronomy 32: 44-52)

Transcript:

Imagine Moses standing on the peak of a mountain, looking out over a vast and promised land, a land you’ve longed to enter but now can only see from a distance. You’ve travelled through deserts, faced down enemies, seen miracles, and watched God’s faithfulness unfold in ways unimaginable. And now, you’re there, and the place is called Mount Nebo.

As we begin this message, I want us to picture Moses on the edge of a promise, looking out over the land of Canaan from Mount Nebo, knowing he himself won’t actually enter it, but still looking out at it with awe.

This is a moment of both triumph and tension, a powerful scene full of lessons for us today. Here is Moses, nearing the end of his journey, reflecting on all that God has done for him and for the nation of  Israel.

He has experienced God’s guidance, witnessed His miracles, and even felt His discipline. Yet, he stands there, unable to cross over due to his disobedience way back at Meribah, where he struk a rock to make the water flow, rather than just speak to it a s God commanded.

That’s where we pick up today, Moses has just offered a poem, a song in fact to help remind the people of their faithful God.

And now he will explain the reason he wants them to remember and why it is important they do so, in todays Episode of the, BPDP….

In the verses that follow we see a scene where Moses offers us timeless insights into three key themes of his song:

1.     God’s Holiness and Justice: Moses’ journey is a reminder of God’s unwavering holiness. Though Moses was faithful and deeply beloved, even he faced consequences when he disobeyed God’s command. This passage reminds us that no one is exempt from God’s standards, but it also points to God’s fairness and consistency in His dealings with us.

2.     The Power of Legacy and Faithfulness: Moses doesn’t leave behind an earthly inheritance, but he does leave us with an unmatched spiritual legacy. He has faithfully shepherded Israel, and his life’s work has been poured into God’s people, who themselves are now about to inherit the land. We see a powerful example of what it means to run the race well, even when we don’t see all the fruit ourselves.

3.     God’s Promise and Provision: Finally, this moment captures God’s enduring promise. The Israelites will enter the land, not because of their own righteousness, but because of God’s faithfulness. Moses’ view from the mountaintop is a powerful reminder that God fulfills His promises, regardless of individual failings or the passing of leaders.

As we explore this passage, let’s allow it to challenge our views on obedience, legacy, and the God who always keeps His promises. Moses’ story is one of bittersweet triumph, but it calls each of us to examine our own journeys and how we can live faithfully, trusting that God’s promises will ultimately come to pass, even if not always in the way we expect.

Moses came with Joshua son of Nun and spoke all the words of this song in the hearing of the people. When Moses finished reciting all these words to all Israel, he said to them, “Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully all the words of this law. They are not just idle words for you—they are your life. By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”

(Deuteronomy 32: 44-47)

 “Take to heart all the words which I testify among you today,” Moses is stressing the importance of these words—they’re have not just been songs or poetry but the key to Israel’s success and survival. Observing God’s law is the path to life, stability, and prosperity in the land they’re about to enter.

In verses 48-52, God instructs Moses to climb Mount Nebo to view the Promised Land, which he will not enter due to his prior disobedience. 

God will reminds him of his mistake at Meribah when he struck the rock twice instead of speaking to it, as commanded. Because Moses didn’t uphold God’s holiness in that moment, he won’t enter the land but will see it from a distance. This personal illustration for Israel reinforces the importance of obedience; even Moses, their revered leader, was subject to God’s discipline.

Moses to Die on Mount Nebo.

On that same day the Lord told Moses, “Go up into the Abarim Range to Mount Nebo in Moab, across from Jericho, and view Canaan, the land I am giving the Israelites as their own possession. There on the mountain that you have climbed you will die and be gathered to your people, just as your brother Aaron died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people. This is because both of you broke faith with me in the presence of the Israelites at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the Desert of Zin and because you did not uphold my holiness among the Israelites. Therefore, you will see the land only from a distance; you will not enter the land I am giving to the people of Israel.”

(Deuteronomy 32: 48-52)

Moses’ song is disclosed as a teaching tool designed to reveal two primary themes: the greatness of God and the sinfulness of humanity. 

Throughout the passage, we have seen the following:

·         God’s Greatness and Faithfulness: God is described as perfect, just, and steadfast in His covenant with Israel. He is the Rock, their provider and protector.

·         Human Sinfulness and Rebellion: Despite God’s faithful provision, Israel continually turns away to worship idols and pursue its own desires, provoking God’s jealousy and wrath.

·         Judgment and Redemption: God’s judgment is severe but purposeful. He uses other nations to discipline Israel, but He also holds these nations accountable, reminding Israel and the Gentiles alike that He is the one true God. His ultimate goal is always restoration, drawing His people back to Him.

·         Call to Obedience: The song and Moses’ final words are a call for Israel to remember the law and to live by it. Their obedience to God’s word is directly tied to their well-being and longevity in the land they are about to inhabit.

This song, then, is not just history or prophecy—it’s an enduring reminder of the nature of God and humanity. It invites reflection on our dependence on God and our call to follow Him faithfully.

This final section of Deuteronomy 32 distils the song’s themes into two core truths: God’s grace and human sinfulness. 

Today, this song reminds us that when God’s people forget His graciousness and turn to idols, they invite discipline. God may seem to withdraw His blessings during such times, not to punish harshly but to help them reevaluate their relationship with Him. This is a central lesson of the song, it’s a call to remember both His compassion and the consequences of straying from Him.

Expanding on this, if you’ve listened to many Bible teachings, you’ve likely encountered the central truth that God is holy, and God is love. Yet this passage brings out additional nuances. It doesn’t just speak of God’s holiness and love but emphasizes His greatness alongside Israel’s failure.

This invites a broader reflection on the Bible’s overall message: it’s fundamentally about God—His holiness, justice, righteousness, love, grace, and mercy—while also revealing humanity’s tendencies toward failure and sin.

In the ancient world, such as in Egypt and other societies like those in the land they are about to enter into the nations often portrayed their leaders’ greatness while glossing over their flaws. 

The Bible, by contrast, openly recounts both the triumphs and the failings of its key figures.

Think of King David—both his accomplishments and his mistakes are recorded. This transparency is a testament to God’s intent to present the truth, showing both His faithfulness and our tendency to fall short.

The Psalms reinforce this themealso. Psalms 78, 105, and 106 each recount Israel’s history to emphasize that God’s people may fail, but God remains faithful. 

Psalm 78 details Israel’s unfaithfulness; Psalm 105 recounts God’s faithfulness to evoke praise; and Psalm 106 combines both, calling for Israel’s restoration and offering praise for God’s unyielding mercy. 

These psalms, like the Song of Moses, present the history of Israel as an enduring lesson in the faithfulness of God and the unfaithfulness of humanity.

Another notable aspect of this passage is its form as a song, chosen specifically because of song’s power to embed truth in the mind and heart in such a way as it can always be recalled.

In a world without printing presses or digital distractions, long, spiritual songs were not only common but necessary for remembering spiritual truths. 

Singing a song like this serves as an aid for recalling and meditating on these truths, especially when challenging times arise. 

Poetry and songs are like “a kind of time bomb.” It waits patiently in the soul, sitting waiting to then spring into memory when needed, helping people to reconnect with essential lessons they may have forgotten.

In this light, songs and hymns like “To God Be the Glory” serve a greater purpose than simply offering praise; they’re spiritual reminders, keeping vital truths alive in our minds. 

The Song of Moses here, in its reflection of God’s steadfastness and human frailty, is a reminder to us today, just as it was to Israel then, that songs can reinforce the powerful lessons of God’s character and His unwavering grace toward us.

As we come to the close of Moses' journey, standing with him on Mount Nebo and looking out over the land of promise, we are  like Moses are reminded of God's faithfulness, holiness, and grace. 

Moses, the man who led Israel out of Egypt, who guided them through wilderness and warfare, is now at the threshold of the Promised Land—though he himself won’t enter it. This is a bittersweet moment, yet one filled with encouragement for us today if we can read it as such.

Here is Moses’ life in full view: a life that trusted God even through failure. A life that bore both the privilege of leadership and the weight of discipline. But even now, God’s love for Moses is clear. Though he can’t enter the land, God allows him to see it—a gesture that is both personal and powerful, showing that God honours a faithful heart even when that heart stumbles.

So, what do we take from this? 

Firstly, we can find courage to obey and follow God wholeheartedly, knowing that He is both holy and gracious. Like Moses, we may make mistakes along the way, yet God does not abandon us. Instead, He remains near, ever faithful to His word. 

Secondly, we can trust that even if we don't see every promise fulfilled in our lifetime, God's purposes will endure. His promises extend beyond our years and our limitations.

So let this scene inspire you to live faithfully, and to leave behind a legacy of love and trust in God, and to run the race before us, confident that God, who began a good work in us, will bring it to completion. 

Moses’ life teaches us that our limitations don't limit God of His love. We can rest in knowing that God’s promises to us, to our families, and to His church are certain. And one day, just as Moses caught sight of that Promised Land, we too will behold the fulfilment of every promise in the presence of our Savior.