Deuteronomy 32:44-5244And Moses came and spake all the words of this song in the ears of the people, he, and Hoshea the son of Nun. 45And Moses made an end of speaking all these words to all Israel: 46And he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law. 47For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life: and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it. 48And the Lord spake unto Moses that selfsame day, saying, 49Get thee up into this mountain Abarim, unto mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho; and behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession: 50And die in the mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto thy people; as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor, and was gathered unto his people: 51Because ye trespassed against me among the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah-Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin; because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel. 52Yet thou shalt see the land before thee; but thou shalt not go thither unto the land which I give the children of Israel. (Deuteronomy 32:44‑52)
MOSES’ marvelous song ends. It begins and ends with God, and takes in the history of His earthly people Israel—past, present and future.
When Moses made an end of speaking all these words to all Israel, he said, unto them, “Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law. For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life; and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.” (Verses 46, 47).
Thus we find Moses urging upon the people the solemn duty of implicit, hearty obedience to the Word of God. In this lay the precious secret of life, peace, prosperity—all. They had nothing else to do but to obey. Blessed business! Happy, holy duty! May we find it so, dear children, in these days when there is so little of the fear of God and obedience to His Word.
Moses is now called to climb the mountain opposite Jericho, there to die on account of his failure at Kadesh (Numbers 20). This was God’s discipline on His servant; Moses did not, by this solemn dispensation, lose his eternal portion with Christ, but we—believers and unsaved shall appear — though not together before the judgment seat of Christ.
O, sinner, flee from the wrath to come! Now is the day of salvation!
ML 04/12/1925