Deuteronomy 31
The Lord is salvation and he is the one who goes ahead of the sons of Israel to defeat the enemy; therefore, do not fear, for the Lord will not fail you or forsake you. Moses then spoke to his successor, וֹשׁוּעַ Yehoshua, translated Joshua, which means “The Lord is Salvation.” The Law that Moses spoke to the people was put into a book (this book) and he gave copies to the priests, the sons of Levi who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord and all of the elders; he commanded that they read the words of this law to all the people when they gather every seven years for the remission of debts. Moses and Joshua went to the tent of meeting and the Lord said to Moses, “The people will forsake the Lord and break the his covenant and the Lord will hide his face because of the evil which they will do.” Moses wrote a song that day, as the Lord commanded him and he taught the song to the sons of Israel. The Lord commissioned Joshua the son of Nun to be strong and courageous as he leads the sons of Israel into the land of promise. When Moses completed the book of the law, he commanded that a copy be placed beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord God, that it remain as a witness against them; for Moses knew that after he died that they would act corruptly and turn from the way which he commanded them and provoke the wrath of God with the work of their hands. Then the song that Moses wrote, he spoke in the hearing of all the assembly of Israel.
Moses’ job was done. He did what the Lord had given him to do. He spoke the law of the covenant to the sons of Israel and gave the priests, Levites and elders copies of the law. What Moses wrote and gave them are the words written in Deuteronomy. The Lord told Moses that after the people settle in the land, they will forsake him and all that he commanded them. They will go after other gods and break the covenant of the Lord. The Lord God proceeds them into the land and will not leave them or forsake them, but when they break the covenant, the Lord will hide his face in that day because of all the evil which they will do. Before they even go into the land, the Lord knows that they will not keep this covenant; therefore, it will be necessary that a new covenant be given.
“For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.” (Jn 1:17) How could God be just and justify guilty men? When they break the covenant, it is just that the Lord should forsake and punish them; however, could he forgive them and could he forgive all of Adam’s children and uphold his righteousness? Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (Jn 14:6) Jesus is the English translation of Ἰησοῦς Iēsous, the Greek equivalent of וֹשׁוּעַ Yehoshua, “The Lord is Salvation.”
