You may subscribe yourself at the Ascension site here and receive notifications in your email, or just follow along on my blog. Bible in One Year Readings Index
Day 77: God is Faithful
Chapter 32: The Allocation of the Transjordan Lands
The outline of Chapter 32 is arranged in a chiastic pattern:
A. Gad and Reuben request to occupy land in the Transjordan (vs. 1-5)
1. They specify nine towns (vs. 1-5)
2. Moses rejects their request citing a historical judgment (v. 6-15)
B. Moses accepts their revised proposal (vs. 16-24)
1. The two tribes' compromise (vs. 16-19)
2. Moses accepts but requires a double condition (vs. 20-24)
X. Gad and Reuben accept Moses' revisions (vs. 25-27)
B* Moses' takes their revised proposal to Israel's leaders (vs. 28-32)
1. Consequence changes if double condition is rejected (vs. 29-30)
2. Gad and Reuben repeat their acceptance (vs. 31-32)
A* Moses provisionally grants the requests for Gad and Reuben to occupy land in the Transjordan (vs. 33-42)
1. Gad and Reuben rebuild fourteen towns (vs. 34-38)
2. Two Manassite clans conquer and rename towns (vs. 39-42)
Numbers 32:1-5 The Proposal Put Forward by the Tribes of Reuben and Gad
The chapter begins with the two tribes in order as Reuben and Gad, but all other references are listed as Gad and Reuben-seven times in verses 2, 6, 25, 29, 31, 33, 34/37.
Question: In addressing Moses with their request, who do the tribes of Reuben and Gad give the credit for the conquest of the Transjordan?
Answer: They give the credit for the victory to Yahweh.
These two tribes did not want to cross the Jordan to conquer lands in Canaan. The land conquered land on the east side of the Jordan River was excellent grazing land for their large herds of livestock. The addition of their portion of the herds of animals from the Midianites may have increased their already large herds of animals to an unmanageable number and may have contributed to their desire to stay in the Transjordan region. The territory they wanted to claim extended from the Arnon on the south to where the Yarmuk River is intersected by the Jabbok in the north.
Numbers 32:6-15 Moses' Distress over Their Request
Question: The request of the tribes of Rueben and Gad angered Moses. What accusation did he make against them?
Answer: He accused them of being like their fathers who were not willing to fulfill God's plan for Israel's conquest of Canaan.
It was Moses' fear that if ten disheartened men could convince the Israelites not to invade Canaan at Kadesh-Barnea thirty-nine years ago, what affect would the refusal to cross into Canaan of two entire tribes have on the Israelites. Moses accused the Gadites and Reubenites of selfish disregard for Israel's unity and God's ordained destiny for Israel for their own economic prosperity.
Numbers 32:16-19 The Tribe's Counter Proposal
Question: What were the three main points of their counter proposal?
Answer: If Moses will let them build enclosures for their herds and flocks and settle their families in captured towns:
- They will lead the Israelite army across the Jordan.
- They will help the other tribes secure their lands in Canaan.
- They will make no claim on the lands west of the Jordan River .
It was a reasonable suggestion that they were willing to take up the vanguard position to lead the Israelites on the conquest of Canaan. The Gadites and Reubenites, having settled their women, children, elderly, possessions and herds in the towns of the Transjordan, would have greater mobility than the other tribes and could therefore undertake the mission of Israel's shock troops, leading the march and scouting out the terrain.
Numbers 32:20-27 Moses' Compromise
Moses agreed to their counterproposal and placed the tribes under oath to fulfill their promise. He also warned them that they must do what they promise or they will face Yahweh's divine retribution for their noncompliance. Moses accepted their proposal to march in the conquest "before Yahweh".
Numbers 32:28-33 The Compromise is presented to the Leaders
Moses repeated to the leaders the oath under which he placed the tribes of Gad and Reuben and they again affirmed their acceptance of the conditions for them to take possession of the conquered Transjordan lands.
Numbers 32:34-42 The Transjordan Tribes establish their Towns
The Gadites and Reubenites rebuilt the conquered towns and settled their families and their livestock in the conquered territory. The clans of the sons of Machir son of Manasseh (son of Joseph) conquered the lands of the upper Gilead (north of the Jabbok), driving out the Amorites who were part of the kingdom of Og (Num 21:33-35). Moses affirmed the conquest of the upper Gilead by the clans of Machir's sons (descendants), as he had confirmed the claims of the other tribes in the Transjordan.
Chapter 31: The Commissioning of Joshua and the Last Acts of Moses
Chiastic Pattern of the Conclusion of Deuteronomy
- Succession Arrangements Announced:
- Moses announces his death and the appointment of Joshua (Dt 31:1-8).
- Creation of the Book of the Torah Announced:
- Moses instructed to write down this Torah (Dt 31:9)
- Moses' instructions for future covenant renewal ceremonies and the reading of the Torah in the Promised Land (Dt 31:13).
- God meeting with Moses and Joshua and prophesies Israel's future apostasy (Dt 31:14-18).
- The command to write the Song of Witness (Dt 31:19-23).
- * The Book of the Torah Completed:
- Completion of the book (Dt 31:24).
- Charging to Levites of keep the book beside the Ark (Dt 31:25-27).
- Teaching the people the Song of Witness (Dt 32:1-27).
- Creation of the Book of the Torah Announced:
- Moses announces his death and the appointment of Joshua (Dt 31:1-8).
- * Succession Arrangements Completed:
- Moses is commanded to die (Dt 32:48-52).
- Final blessing of the people by Moses (Dt 33:1-29).
- The death of Moses and Joshua's investiture ceremony (Dt 34:1-12).
Deuteronomy 31:1-8
Moses Announces His Death and the Commissioning of Joshua
Question: How old was Moses when he fled Egypt. How many years did he stay in Midian and how old was he when he confronted the Egyptian Pharaoh? How old was he when he died? Also see Ex 7:7 and Acts 7:23.
Answer: According to St. Stephen's homily in Acts, Moses was forty when he fled Egypt. That means he spent forty years in Midian, if he was eighty years old when he returned to confront the Pharaoh and to lead the Exodus. At the end of the forty years in the wilderness after leaving Egypt, Moses was 120 years old.
The number forty usually symbolizes testing and consecration in the Bible. Moses' life can be divided into three sets of forty years.
Question: How does Moses encourage the people to have the confidence that God will give them victory over the Canaanites?
Answer: He reminds them of the defeat of the much stronger and more experienced armies of the Amorite kings of the Transjordan, and repeats three times that Yahweh Himself will lead them to victory.
Deuteronomy 31:9-13
The Ritual Reading of the Law in Future Covenant Renewal Ceremonies
The tablets of the Decalogue were kept inside the Ark of the Covenant, but the Book of Instruction (Torah), which was probably the Deuteronomic Code or the whole book of Deuteronomy (see Dt 4:14) was kept beside it (Dt 31:26). Joshua read the Book of Instruction (Torah) in the covenant renewal ceremony near Shechem (Josh 8:32-35). During the reign of King Josiah the Book of Instruction (Torah) was rediscovered by the High Priest Hilkiah (2 Kng 23:8-10). After hearing the book read to him, young King Josiah commanded a covenant renewal ceremony where All the people pledged their allegiance to the covenant (2 Kng 23:1-3). After the ceremony, the king instituted religious reforms in compliance with Israel's vow of covenant obedience to Yahweh.
Question: When did Moses command the people that covenant renewal ceremonies should take place?
Answer: After they took possession of the Promised Land, a covenant renewal ceremony was to be held every Sabbath year on the Feast of Shelters (Booths/Tabernacles), the final pilgrim feast of the liturgical year.
Deuteronomy 31:14-18 Yahweh's Instructions to Moses
Moses and Joshua were commanded to enter what was probably the Holy Place of the Tabernacle. It is unclear where the Glory Cloud stood-at the entrance to the Holy Place or in front of the entrance to the Holy of Holies. Verse 15 is the only mention of the Glory Cloud in Deuteronomy. It must have been very disheartening for Moses to hear that his dire predictions of curse/judgments for covenant failure would indeed be fulfilled.
Deuteronomy 31:19-23
Instructions to Write Down the Song of Witness
Notice that the references to Israelites in this passage are in the singular, bringing home the theological importance of the concept of a corporate covenant. The command to write [write yourselves] down this song for you to use... suggests that God gave the words or the general outline to Moses and Joshua.
The "Song of Witness" is a poem that was to become part of the liturgy of the people of the Old Covenant Church. The "Song of Witness," also called the "Song of Moses" or Shirat Ha'azinu in Hebrew, was sung at every Sabbath morning liturgical service while the "Song of Victory/Song of the Sea," in Hebrew Shirat ha-Yam, also called Az Yashir from the first two words of the song which is generally translated as "They sang" (Ex 15), was sung during the afternoon Sabbath liturgical service (Edersheim, The Temple, page 49; Eisenberg, The JPS Guide to Jewish Traditions, page 409). Today in modern Synagogue services, the "Song of Victory" (Shirat ha-Yam) continues to be sung at the Sabbath services, but parts of the "Song of Witness/Song of Moses," with its dire warnings against covenant failure, are only read during the yearly schedule of weekday Torah readings (The JPS Guide to Jewish Traditions, page 776).
Question: How will the song be a "witness" against the people of Israel?
Answer: When their prosperity in the Promised Land leads the people to take God's blessings for granted by beginning to worship pagan gods, their disloyalty to Yahweh and their covenant failures in obedience will result in covenant judgments. The song that every generation sings as part of their liturgy will prove that the Israelites were warned and that the events were foretold. If they understand the cause of their sufferings through the song, hopefully they will repent and turn back to Yahweh.
Israel's descendants will not have "forgotten it" because they will sing it at every Sabbath morning liturgical service until the Temple is destroyed and never rebuilt. The "Song of Witness" ceased to be part of the weekly liturgy of the Jews after the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD.
Deuteronomy 31:24-27
The Book Written by Moses is placed Beside the Ark
Question: When do you recall that Yahweh referred to the Israelites as "stiff-necked" previously? The adjective refers to oxen that refused to bend their necks to the master's yoke. See Ex 32:9; 33:3, 5; 34:9.
Answer: God began to describe the Israelites this way after the sin of the Golden Calf.
Deuteronomy 31:28-30 Israel Assembles to Hear the Canticle of Moses
The "Song of Witness/Song of Moses" is a poem full of imagery, symbolism and hyperbole like all other poems/songs in Scripture. Verse 28 is the call for Israel to assemble and learn the song, as Moses calls heaven and earth to stand as witnesses in what will amount to the preliminary document of a covenant lawsuit.
A Daily Defense
CHALLENGE “Catholic ministers should not be called priests. All Christians are priests. Peter says his readers are ‘a royal priesthood, a holy nation’ (1 Pet. 2:9).”
DEFENSE: Christians are priests, but Scripture indicates that there is also a special, ministerial priesthood. The Church agrees that, by baptism, Christians have a share in Christ’s priesthood (CCC 1141, 1268, 1546; cf. 1174, 1322). This is commonly referred to as “the common priesthood of all the faithful” (CCC 1535).
However, certain members of the faithful are ordained to a greater participation in Christ’s priesthood by the sacrament of holy orders. This is known as the ministerial priesthood (CCC 1547). Christ—the source of the common and ministerial priesthood —is our high priest (CCC 1544). The Church thus understands there to be a threefold structure: the common priesthood of all, the ministerial priesthood of the ordained, and the high priesthood of Christ. This is what we see in the New Testament.
The common priesthood is referred to in 1 Peter 2:9. The ministerial priesthood is referred to in Romans 15:16, where Paul speaks of how he is a minister of Christ “in the priestly service of the gospel of God.”
The ministerial priesthood is also referred to in passages that speak of ordained Church leaders known as “elders” (Acts 14:23; 1 Tim. 5:17; Titus 1:5; James 5:14). Finally, the high priesthood of Christ is referred to in passages such as Hebrews 3:1, 4:14–15, 5:5, 6:20, and 9:11.
This was also the pattern in the Old Testament. Peter was quoting from the Septuagint version of Exodus 19:6, where God told the Israelites that, if they kept his covenant, they would be to him “a royal priesthood and a holy nation” (Greek, basileion hierateuma kai ethnos hagion).
There was thus a common priesthood of the Israelites, but that did not stop God from also appointing a ministerial priesthood from the sons of Aaron (Exod. 28:1), with Aaron as the high priest (Ezra 7:5).
Rather than undermining the idea of a ministerial priesthood, Peter’s citation of Exodus supports it by invoking for the Church the same priestly concepts that applied to Israel.
It is hard to object to Catholics calling their ministers “priests” since this term is derived from the Greek word presbuteros (“elder, presbyter”). The New Testament elders or presbyters gave English the word “priest.”
Jimmy Akin, A Daily Defense: 365 Days (Plus One) to Becoming a Better Apologist
No comments:
Post a Comment