The End of the Law

“And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. So the people of Israel obeyed him and did as the LORD commanded Moses. And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, none like him for all the signs and the wonders that the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land, and for all the mighty power and all the great deeds of terror that Moses did in the sight of all Israel” – Deuteronomy 34:9-12

The Law ends with a story of transition. For the last three books, we’ve followed the life of Moses as he guided the nation of Israel out of slavery in Egypt and into the promised land. Under his leadership, Israel met their God, they received the law, they learned the punishment of disobedience and the wondrous provision given to those who obey. In his lifetime Moses is commended more and given more blessings than the patriarchs, and yet here, at the outset of the real adventure, at the border of the Promised land, Moses dies. He climbs a mountain never to be seen again, and the leadership of the nation is left in the hands of Joshua. And by the end of verse nine we might be feeling pretty confident about his leadership.

But the thing is, he’s not Moses. God doesn’t meet with him the same way. He’s not as special. You see there’s prophet that’s supposed to arise that will be like Moses, and Joshua isn’t him.

Deuteronomy may end with Moses’ successor, but ultimately, that’s not Joshua. He’ll do quite a bit, but he won’t be able to give Israel rest. There’s a promised prophet coming, but the road from here will be long until his day. Another successor has to come, a better Joshua, someone who can bring the people of God home. But Deuteronomy can only wait for him.

And we look and we look and it isn’t Joshua, it isn’t Samson, it isn’t even David. So the end of Deuteronomy waits and waits, until a voice is heard.

“And you shall call his name Jesus (Yehoshua/Joshua) for he will save his people from their sins.”
He will give his people rest.

You see, the law isn’t some dry, self-contained book of regulations. The law ends waiting for someone to come like Moses. The law ends waiting for a prophet who will be able to redeem his people. The law ends waiting for Jesus.

-djstevens

Fragments 2

“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” – Exodus 20:2

The Ten Commandments begin with a statement of God’s identity, His relation to us, and then what He has done for us. Thus the law properly begins, in the context of God’s self, His claiming of those who are His, and then His redemption of His people. Even the law begins with grace, the grace of salvation, of freedom from slavery and bondage. The law begins in the glorious freedom of the redemption of God. It should not be surprising that it ends up there too, it must.

Obedience is founded on being redeemed, being His, and knowing the LORD.

-djstevens