Final Encouragements

            Moses’ final blessing (Deuteronomy 33) seems to anticipate the coming conquest of the Promised Land and the ensuing settlement of the land.  Notice these two things about the way the tribes are described.  First, Simeon is never mentioned.  Perhaps this is because the entire inheritance of Simeon is surrounded by Judah, and Simeon and Judah often act in concert together.  (By the time of the divided kingdom, Simeon had been absorbed into Judah.)  Second, Naphtali is told to “possess the lake.”  (Naphtali’s portion is on the northern and western sides of the Sea of Galilee.)

            More than prophecy about possession, though, it seems that Moses is encouraging the people to actually take over the land this time.  Last week, we heard Moses tell Joshua to be strong and courageous twice (Deut. 31:6, 23).  Here we have him assuring the people about their inheritance and about the God who fights on their behalf.  In both cases, Moses seems to be exhorting to take the land, to trust the Lord and take the land He has promised.

            For the Christian, Promised Land runs forward to the re-creation of the earth on the last day.  Perhaps we should hear in this chapter an assurance that we will have a share in that future through the work of Jesus, the faithful Israelite, and an encouragement to keep on—even in the face of a hostile world—because the one who is in us is greater than the one who is in the world (1 John 4:4).