Day 5

Well, it felt like it took something like 40 days to read the Torah, but here I am, at the end. Deuteronomy emphasized that feeling. The book really is a summary of the story of Moses, the Exodus, the covenant, and the law. If you just have time for one book of the Torah, read Deuteronomy. It lacks some of the amusing stories of previous books, but it gives you a reiteration. I was left with a feeling that, actual authorship aside, this was Moses nudging the Hebrew people with 34 chapters of “Y’all remember this, right? Well let me remind you.”

But it’s more than that. It’s an account of a people wandering in the wilderness and finally reaching their destination. Instead of immediately entering the land promised to them (it still needs to be conquered), there is a pause. A time for reflection. Look at what we’ve endured and accomplished, Deuteronomy says! We are a resilient, storied, and ambitious people. Look at who we’ve become and how we are different!

For Moses this is a life review. It’s not just about the Hebrew people or God, it’s about his journey as a reluctant leader. It’s about his failures, his successes, doubts, worries, and joy. The joy is in there, a little, hidden between turns of phrase. If Deuteronomy is allowed to get a little closer than just some mythical text, it becomes an invitation to review our own lives. What mountaintops have I experienced where I can see a promised land or opportunity before me? How have I failed? Those I love or those near me? What gifts have I given even if I was reluctant? That is where this text comes alive for me: that deeper reflection on how we live our lives — all of it.

One Word for Deuteronomy: Reflection

Parts of the Story That Stayed With Me

1. Deut 2, Whole Lotta Genocide. The Hebrew Bible is often sanitized, which is a shame. Out of Egypt, the Hebrew people became a conquering force in the name of their God. Here it is, starting in Chapter 2, decisive victories against other nations in order to secure the promised land. They even boast of slaughtering all women and children. This gives a whole new context to the story of the Exodus for me — one I wish wasn’t in the text.
2. Deut 15, Remission of Debts. Eat your heart out Bernie Sanders, every seven years in the Mosaic Law, there shall be a remission of debts. It’s funny, I studied the Jubilee extensively in college, but it’s taking on an even more pointed meaning today. You see politicians and other leaders reminding us to look to the Bible, but where is the jubilee? Where is the forgiveness of debt and the invitation to a year of sabbath?
3. Deut 32, Moses Karaoke. Man, Moses likes to sing. He does it for pages and pages. In many ways, this very long song could’ve served just as well as the Book of Deuteronomy. But I’m not an editor here.
4. Deut 33, God is From Sinai? I thought this was an interesting passage: “The Lord came from Sinai and dawned from Seir upon us; he shone forth from Mount Paran.” This sorta emphasizes the charges of henotheism in the Hebrew Bible, that is: Multiple gods are acknowledged, but Jehovah is the best one. I’m waiting to see when the shift from a god that feels very local to an Almighty Lord of the Universe occurs in the text.
5. Deut 34, Death of Moses. He never gets to be in the Promised Land, though he gets to see it. So much of what we work for in life is a distant vision…doesn’t mean it isn’t worthy.

This post is part of a lager series where I read the entirety of Hebrew & Christian scriptures in 45 days. Take a look a the original post for more info, as well as links to other reflections on this journey.