The Rewriting Of The Tablets And The Reverence For The Lord (10:1-22)
Neal Pollard
Moses continues to review the events we first read in the book of Exodus. In chapter nine, he intercedes for the people after the incident with the golden calf. Now he reviews what happens when he reascends Sinai to receive the tablets after he had broken the first ones in his anger over the people’s sin (Ex. 32:19; 34:1).
He also indicates that it was at this time that he made the ark of the covenant to put the tablets in (Ex. 25:1ff). Exodus 37:1-9 says that Bezalel made the ark, and it seems to be the same ark as this (8). James Smith believes Moses here is referring to a temporary ark, not the ark of the covenant (The Pentateuch, 500). Eugene Merrill argues that since both are made of acacia wood and are repositories for the tablets suggests they are the same (The New American Commentary, Vol. 4, 198). I tend to believe the latter, thinking that Moses makes this for himself by utilizing Bezalel and concluding that Exodus 32-34 are not in chronological sequence (very common in many places in the Old Testament). At any rate, Moses is reviewing the bringing of the second pair of tablets from Horeb.
Deuteronomy 10:1-11 deals with what the Lord does. He writes the decalogue on the stones (4), gave them to Moses (4), commands Moses to store them and take them down the mountain (5), and sets aside the Levites to carry the ark with the ten commandments (8-9). The Lord listened to Moses’ intercession for 40 more days and showed His merciful forbearance with the people (10). During this time, the Lord instructs Moses to lead the people to Canaan (11).
Deuteronomy 10:12-22 deals with how Israel was to respond to God’s guidance and grace. Moses asks, “What does the Lord your God require from you…?” (12). That question will be repeated centuries later by the prophet Micah (6:8). At that time, the answer will be, “To do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” Here, Moses says,
- Fear the Lord your God (12)
- To walk in all His ways (12)
- To love Him (12)
- To serve the Lord with all your heart and with all your soul (12)
- To keep the Lord’s commandments and statutes (13)
Beyond the requirements and expectations, Moses gives the motivation. First, there is God’s transcendent sovereignty (14). Second, there is God’s gracious choice of them (15). Third, there is the greatness of God’s character (17-18). In light of this, they were to imitate God’s character in their dealings with the oppressed (19) and they were to faithfully serve and worship Him (20-21). God had been so good to them and had grown them into a nation (22)!
Israel had the law and they had the incentive. They are continuing to be primed for the task of entering their promised land. They needed to see God and themselves with proper perspective. While our circumstances are so different in many respects, isn’t this bottom line the same? God had His will written down and preserved for our guidance (2 Tim. 3:16-17). We serve the same God Israel served (Mal. 3:6; Jas. 1:17). We need to see Him and ourselves from a biblical point of view. We are His chosen possession (1 Pet. 2:9a). What does that mean, in practical terms? We must “proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness and into His marvelous light” (1 Pet. 2:9b).
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