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The Final Speeches
1-5 This book contains the speeches that Moses made while Israel was in the land of Moab, camped near the town of Suph in the desert east of the Jordan River. The town of Paran was in one direction from their camp, and the towns of Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Dizahab were in the opposite direction.
Earlier, Moses had defeated the Amorite King Sihon of Heshbon. Moses had also defeated King Og of Bashan, who used to live in Ashtaroth for part of the year and in Edrei for the rest of the year.
Although it takes only eleven days to walk from Mount Sinai to Kadesh-Barnea by way of the Mount Seir Road, these speeches were not made until 40 years after Israel left Egypt.
The First Speech:
The Lord's Command
The Lord had given Moses his laws for the people of Israel. And on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses began explaining those laws by saying:
6People of Israel, when we were in our camp at Mount Sinai, the Lord our God told us:
You have stayed here long enough. 7Leave this place and go into the land that belongs to the Amorites and their neighbors the Canaanites. This land includes the Jordan River valley, the hill country, the western foothills, the Southern Desert, the Mediterranean seacoast, the Lebanon Mountains, and all the territory as far as the Euphrates River. 8I give you this land, just as I promised your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Now you must go and take the land.
Leaders Were Appointed
(Exodus 18.13-27)
Moses said:
9Right after the Lord commanded us to leave Mount Sinai, I told you:
Israel, being your leader is too big a job for one person. 10The Lord our God has blessed us, and so now there are as many of us as there are stars in the sky. 11God has even promised to bless us a thousand times more, and I pray that he will. 12But I cannot take care of all your problems and settle all your arguments alone. 13Each tribe must choose some experienced men who are known for their wisdom and understanding, and I will make those men the official leaders of their tribes.
14You answered, “That's a good idea!” 15Then I took these men, who were already wise and respected leaders, and I appointed them as your official leaders. Some of them became military officers in charge of groups of 1,000, or 100, or 50, or 10, 16and others became judges. I gave these judges the following instructions:
When you settle legal cases, your decisions must be fair. It doesn't matter if the case is between two Israelites, or between an Israelite and a foreigner living in your community. 17And it doesn't matter if one is helpless and the other is powerful. Don't be afraid of anyone! No matter who shows up in your court, God will help you make a fair decision.
If any case is too hard for you, bring the people to me, and I will make the decision.
18After I gave these instructions to the judges, I taught you the Lord's commands.
Reflect
We called it “The Lincoln speech”. It happened on the last day of the US History class. This talk was so popular that some took the course just to hear it. In most years the white-haired professor got a standing ovation. But then he retired and it was gone. The times had changed. But now once again last lectures are popular, as The Last Lecture viewer numbers prove.
In Deuteronomy we have the collected speeches Moses made to Israel. They are edgy and intended for a generation on the move that was entering a new land. Moses was a self-effacing public speaker, but he had passion. His rhetoric is hard hitting. He was also an accomplished leader and his fervour for God and for the people of Israel comes through on every page.
But leadership has its challenges. A leader’s role requires equal amounts of wisdom and humility. At least if the work is to last. Moses knew that there is no machine for stamping out cookie-cutter leaders.
Their experiences and gifts are varied. So when looking for a leader it is wisdom and understanding that count.
Some say that we live in a time of leadership deficit. There are daunting challenges facing the 21st century church. We find ourselves in a new situation. We are standing, like they did, at the edge of a new land in this new century. Opportunity and challenge is facing us at every hand. But will we have the courage, the creativity and the stamina to meet those challenges? Lincoln’s words at Gettysburg have proven to be lasting. They were brief, powerful and evocative of freedom’s best. Moses words are here too. They invite us into a journey of faith. It’s time to get our feet wet!
Respond
Father God, You gifted Moses and called him to lead in humility and wisdom. Open our hearts and minds as we read again his words. Let us hear your voice in his, reaching across the ages. We are standing at the edge of a new day. Grant us your grace. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
John Wood
Dr. Wood is Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies at The King's University and Dean of the Natural Sciences Faculty. His research is on urban ecology, campus sustainability and food insects. John was born in Japan, grew up on a clear-cut in western Washington State and attended North Park University in Chicago. He has written and spoken widely on caring for creation to church and campus groups. His recent publications include: How Then Shall We Eat? Insect-Eating Attitudes and Sustainable Foodways; Stewarding the gift of land: Christian campuses as land management models; and Sustainable Missions: Ethical Principles for Holistic Practice in a Broken World.