“What does the Lord require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him…to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statures which I command you today for your good.” Dt 10:12-13

Moses had been raised as royalty. He had received the best education the world in his day had to offer. He had had many face to face encounters with the Living God, some lasting for weeks on end. He had seen the power of God work through him in performing miracle after mind-boggling miracle. By his hand, a mighty deliverance was wrought to the children of Israel, culminating in the parting of the Red Sea and leaving a whole army of enemies dead in his wake. He had seen the miracle of manna, the provision of quails, the splitting of the rock to pour forth water to sustain more than two million people for nearly forty years in the Wilderness.

Now, standing on the very brink of the Promised Land, Moses performs one final act. He writes the book of Deuteronomy. The Hebrew meaning is 
“second law”, as the incident of the giving of the Law on Mt Sinai is repeated with details in its entirety. Nine times he uses the word “forget”, “remember” another fourteen. A full thirty-five times he exhorts them to “go in and possess the land” in accordance with the command of God. Moses was going to make sure God’s people knew exactly what He had planned for them, and what they needed to do.

This past week I returned to the land of my forefathers to hear the “words” of our “prophet” and “patriarch”, my own father who will soon go the way of Moses. Hour upon hour has been spent in reflection about the example, testimonies, character, and values that he is leaving behind. Our English word “legacy” derives from “lex”, the Latin word for law. As with Moses, a law, not just a written code, but a law representing a way to live, a pattern of how to conduct our affairs, how to be just, equitable must be passed down. Lest we forget. Lest we are tempted to lower standards. Lest we repeat the mistakes, or fail to access the accumulated wisdom of those who have gone before us. These are the days of my dad’s own deuteronomy. 

Joseph, the wisest of Jacob’s twelve sons, prioritized sitting at the feet of his dying father in those final hours. I’ve often wondered where the other boys were. He brought his two sons. Tell us the stories, grandpa. Did you really wrestle all night with the Angel of the Lord?! What was it like, gramp? And what did it feel like to hear God speak to you that night in Bethel, “I am the Lord God of Abraham your father…the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants”? Does that really mean this land is ours?! Ephraim and Manasseh were being marked for life! We need to hear the promises repeated. We need to be reminded of battles won, sacrifices made. We need to know why. We need to be convinced, no…convicted, woke to our own place in this picture.

The New Testament quotes from Deuteronomy more than any other Old Testament book. It was Jesus’ most often quoted book as well. Moses tells us to transmit all the laws, tales, warnings, and prophesies to our children, and grandchildren. He instructs us to be diligent to talk about them inside our homes and out, when we lie down and rise up. We are to write them on the doorposts of our homes, and on the gates of our cities, to “beware, lest you forget…” (Dt 6:12).

When Moses commanded us to be DILIGENT about these things, he must have known that most of us would not naturally be fervent about such a task. I have just finished a book by Sen. Joe Lieberman called “The Gift of Rest” about the Sabbath. A practicing Jew who walked home from the Capitol and turned off his cell phone and computer on the Sabbath, he convincingly portrays the keeping the Sabbath holy as a great blessing. The entire day is giving over to reflection, of ceremonies and songs which remind the Jews of God’s faithfulness to them through the centuries. From his own account, his diligence has been richly rewarded.

And that, beloved, is how it should be. It is as it was designed to be. In our day, should we really be surprised that our children disobey the Ten Commandments when they don’t even know them? When we or they are bear the consequences of our ignorance, or forgetfulness about the things God has spoken to us, whom can we blame but our own lack of focused, intentional, and regular repeating and recalling of our own stories.

Maybe we have become casual about the benefits of the law. I’ve driven in many nations where the laws governing how we drive, how fast, which lane, when and where to pass, or reverse, or turn, are taken as mere suggestions. Contrary to common, modern belief, the absence of laws is NOT freedom. It leads to confusion, and chaos–to accidents, pain and loss. God has not given us His laws for His benefit, but for ours. Lest we forget. Lest our society forgets, or our children, we need to announce that the laws of God are given for our good. As David’s timeless revelation says:

“The law of the Lord is perfect,
     converting the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure,
     making wise the simple;
The statutes of the Lord are right,
     rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure,
     enlightening the eyes;
The fear of the Lord is clean,
     enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true
     and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
     Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.” Ps 19:7-10