As we wrap up reading the Book of Deuteronomy, Moses is nearing the end of his life. We have already been reading Moses calling the people of Israel to renew their commitment to the Lord. Now we read a final message from Moses that sums up everything. The repetition usually emphasizes the importance of receiving the message. We find God speaking through Moses to his people.

The chapters we read this past week continue to restate the code of conduct for Israel. I was particularly struck by chapter 26. The chapter starts, “When you have entered the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance and have taken possession of it and settled in it, take some of the firstfruits of all that you produce from the soil of the land the Lord your God is giving you and put them in a basket” (26:1-2a).

As we continue reading through the Book of Deuteronomy, I would like to remind us that this is a repetition of God’s laws. Moses was preparing the people for their journey into a new land. He was emphasizing laws that were needed at that time. The heart of the matter is that this book is about the love relationship of the Lord to his people and the people to the Lord as their Sovereign God.