Learning lessons about God by understanding their own disobedient hearts.
V.1-11 Moses reviews their history to show them how God had provided for them the whole time. Only when we realize how awful we are, can we realize how good God is to us.
V.6-7 A parenthesis; Aaron was preserved and only died at the end of the journey (Num. 20:28).
V.12-13 Five steps they could take when they had learned the lesson of the previous chapter. (1) Fear the Lord. (2) Walk in His steps. (3) Love Him. (4) Serve the Lord. (5) Keep His commandments.
V.14 The result of taking these five steps is that we will be looking toward heaven to be forever with the Lord.
V.16 To separate from evil in the heart, and not just in an outward way. They never did do this. But when Israel had completely failed, God had a secret. After we believers are taken to heaven, then God is going to bring Israel into blessing on earth. Not by their goodness, for He had tried them for all those centuries, but He was going to put a new heart in them. So you will see this same thought in Deuteronomy 30:6 as in our 16th verse. But the difference is, they would not do it, so God will.